Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Pokémon or any of its parent companies. I am merely a humble storyteller. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this journey with me.
Note: I am English, so some of the wording, spellings, and expressions will be those commonly used in England.
Chapter Twelve: Red's Rambunctious Rematch!
"Are you sure you can't stay for my battle?" Red asked, staring imploringly at Mint.
She shook her head. "Sorry, Red. I've got to be somewhere, and quickly. Dr Oyama doesn't like tardiness," she added.
"Oh," was all Red could say. Pikachu stood in front of the Gym doors, patiently waiting for his Trainer to get over his mild disappointment and get straight into battling.
Mint put an arm around him. "Hey, don't sweat it," she said. "You're going to do fine. I mean, all your 'Mon are still majorly weak to Brock's, but with those new techniques you should be fine. Remember: even if it doesn't go well, you'll just come back stronger."
"You're right, Mint," Red said, nodding. "Of course, you're right."
"And I'll still be cheering you on, even if I can't actually watch you," Mint said. She took her arm from around him and gave him a mock punch to the chin. "I expect to see you qualified for the Pokémon League, you got that? With a Beedrill, Charizard, Raichu, and all sorts of fully evolved 'Mon. You got that?"
Pikachu's ears twitched irritably.
"You're right," Red said again, a grin taking over the bottom half of his face. "And when my guys and I get stronger, we'll be coming to you for a battle."
Red and Mint clasped their hands together. "I look forward to it," Mint said. "Now, go in there and show Brock what for."
Mint turned in the opposite direction of the Gym and walked thirty yards away. From a Poké Ball that was blue with two red stripes came a birdlike Pokémon that appeared to be made out metal. It did not look too comfortable to sit on.
"See you, Red," Mint called, and in the blink of an eye she had vanished into the sky.
"Bye, Mint," Red whispered. Okay, it was now up to him. Him and his team. They would do much better this time, even if it meant losing. Because it was as Mint said: you've got to keep going and never give up. And that was exactly what they were going to do.
o~o~o~o~o
Red faced down Brock, Amara on the sidelines acting as the referee, Pikachu by his side. Brock smirked, but Red stayed stoic, refusing to be intimidated. However, some doubt crept back into him, a trickle, not enough to discourage but enough to make Mint's words muffled, filled with static. What if he lost even worse than last time? What if his Pokemon decided to abandon him? No. NO! Red shook his head free of the cobwebs, of the doubts. There was no time for that nonsense!
"Pikachu," he murmured. "You ready?"
Pikachu's response was to trot forward, without turning to look back, his cheeks sparking.
"Starting off with Pikachu again, huh?" Brock said. "Fine. Geodude, you're up!"
Stepping up was that floating boulder with arms. It punched its fist into its palm.
"Competitors, are you ready!" Amara shouted across the field.
Red and Brock nodded.
"Okay, like last time this battle will be a two-on-two battle. Now… BEGIN!"
"Let's end this straight away, Geodude! Mega Punch!" Brock roared.
Geodude raced forward with surprising speed, its fist aiming to knock out Pikachu with a single blow yet again.
"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Red shouted.
And Pikachu did, leaping nimbly out the way of Geodude's ferocious punch. Red could feel the wind from it, and he grimaced.
"Quick Attack!"
Pikachu charged into the sentient boulder, doing negligible damage to it.
"Not trying to lower my defences first this time, Red?" Brock said, chortling.
"Not trying to increase your defences this time, Brock?" Red countered.
"No. Last time I was playing around at the beginning. Now, Rock Throw!"
A barrage of rocks flew towards Pikachu, courtesy of the friendly neighbourhood Geodude.
"Use Quick Attack to get away!" Red commanded.
And Pikachu did, narrowly avoiding the projectiles, one swishing by his ear, another grazing his tail. He slammed his body into Geodude once more.
"Fast," Brock said. "But your Pikachu's going to get tired just like last time and still not do any damage. No super-effective moves, no type resistances. Just call back your Pikachu."
Red simply shook his head. "Pikachu, Quick Attack."
Brock clenched his fists. What was wrong with this boy? Had he not learned anything? Did he want to lose? His idiocy was unfathomable. Very well, he would put him out of his misery and hope he returned stronger and wiser. "Mega Punch!"
"Dodge again!" Red called.
Geodude's fist flew past Pikachu as he leant back, evading the devastating Normal-type move. The force of Geodude's attack propelled it forwards several feet.
Red grinned. It was time. "Pikachu, Rock Smash!"
Pikachu bounced into the air, somersaulting above Geodude. Using his downwards momentum, he swung his tail with as much force as he could muster and rocked the Rock-type smack dab atop its cranium.
"Geodude!" Brock screamed as his precious Pokémon reeled from the strike.
"Use Rock Smash again!" Red shouted, wanting to push their advantage.
Pikachu jumped again, readying another Rock Smash.
But Brock was not a Gym Leader for nothing. "Defence Curl! Hurry!"
Geodude wrapped its arms around itself and curled into a ball. There was sickening crunch as Pikachu's tail connected with it, and it unfurled itself, breathing heavily.
Oh, they were in the ascendency, oh yes indeed. "One more, Pikachu! Let's go!"
Brock scowled. Not this time. They had played their cards, and it just was not enough. "Geodude, Dig!"
Pikachu's Rock Smash smashed the newly upturned earth instead of smashing the sentient rock, which would have been more ideal if someone was to ask either Red or Pikachu.
Sweat dripped into Red's eyes and he wiped it away with his sleeve. It was getting harder to breathe. He could not have Pikachu take this hit. It would be worse than getting struck by the Mega Punch. Red cursed the Ground-typing, the Electric-type's only weakness. He was left with only one choice…
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack and run around! Don't let it get you!"
Pikachu obliged and zoomed around the area, zigzagging here and there, the envy of every Zigzagoon.
Red gritted his teeth. This is exactly what he wanted to avoid, depleting Pikachu's stamina like last time. But Brock had him between a *ahem* rock and a hard place. He had to pray for a miss, for anything, anything that would allow his Pikachu to still be left standing.
However, Red's heart leapt into his throat as the ground exploded exactly where Pikachu had dashed to, and the electric mouse was flung across the battlefield, his fur caked with dust. For a few seconds, Red was transported back a couple days prior.
"Pikachu!" he screamed.
He wanted to run forward. He needed to run forward. But Amara had not deemed Pikachu unable to battle, and he could not enter the field. He waited for her call.
As did Brock. He beheld Amara with a strong stare, questioning her judgement, asking her why she had not made the merciful call for Pikachu. Several seconds later, he saw why.
Pikachu pushed himself up on his arms, straining to get himself back up, groaning as his body ached, on the verge of totally losing consciousness. Almost. He was almost down and out. It looked like learning Rock Smash was not the only way he had improved himself.
"Pikachu," Red said, caught between awe and worry. "Buddy, are you okay?"
Pikachu turned to his Trainer and gave him a thumbs-up (wait do Pikachu have thumbs?). Palpable relief washed over Red.
"Can you continue?" he asked.
Another thumbs-up.
"Great," Red said, grinning. "It's going to take more than one attack to take us out this time, Brock."
"That's great," Brock responded, staving off the smile that threatened to form on his face. "I didn't want you guys to disappoint me again. But you won't survive another. Dig!"
"Oh no, you don't!" Red roared. "Use Rock Smash! Quickly!"
Pikachu bolted forward like its life depended on it, anxious to stop Geodude from pulling off its move. And Geodude, mid-Dig, suddenly cringed and its arms fell to its side, useless. Unable to move, unable to block, it took Pikachu's tail to the top of the head again and fell face first into the dirt.
Like before, Amara waited several seconds before giving her decision. "Geodude is unable to battle. Pikachu wins."
Stunned silence followed. Then a chuckle. After which came hearty laughter from the Pewter City Gym Leader. "Static. I get it," Brock said, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Static?" Red repeated, politely confused.
"That's right," Brock said, returning Geodude to its Poké Ball. "It can cause an opponent to become paralysed when they make contact with a Pokémon with the Ability. Looks like that happened to Geodude."
"Whoa," Red said, hushed, recalling when he first met Pikachu, when the same thing occurred to Charmander.
"We all need that bit of luck, Red," Brock said. "But now is where it all comes to a head. Have you got what it takes to defeat my Onix?"
A flash of light. A monstrous roar. A behemoth blocked most of the light shining down from the rafters.
At almost thirty feet, this serpentine titan was, like Geodude, made of rock, its body segmented into a chain of boulders which decreased in size from its head to its tail. Atop its head was a horn bigger than Red. Cue the Pokédex:
Onix, a dual Rock and Ground-type Pokémon. Burrows at high speed in search of food. The tunnels it leaves are used as homes by Diglett.
Red took a couple of deep breaths. This was fine. Just because it was such a large Pokémon did not mean it was all powerful, right? He just had to do what he did with Geodude, hope it did not have Dig, and it would be smooth sailing to the end.
Onix roared again, and Red's spine took on the slightest shade of yellow.
"The battle will recommence," Amara called out, "NOW!"
"Onix, Dragon Tail!" Brock ordered.
Onix's tail took on a purplish hue, so faint one could believe they imagined it, and swept it towards Pikachu. Without awaiting Red's orders, Pikachu leapt over it, bounding high despite its standing start.
"Nice one, Pikachu!" Red said. "Now, Rock Smash!"
Pikachu's own tail struck Onix's in response. Onix snarled and hissed.
"It's fine, it's fine, Onix," Brock said. "Use Rock Tomb."
Onix straightened up, and boulders materialised around the middle parts of its body, dust at first before quickly becoming massive projectiles to throw at Pikachu.
"Use Quick Attack and get out of there!" Red screamed.
Pikachu did just that, zooming around the field like before, only this time not as fast. Red gritted his teeth; Pikachu would not be able to take another hit.
The boulders flew towards Pikachu, almost as if the Electric-type had a homing device implanted on him. He barely managed to dodge some of them, but that was the best he could do. He was soon surrounded by the others, blocking him from Red's view, concealed by his rocky prison. Only his squeals of pain could be heard.
Silence. Silence from all who were not Pikachu. Then the rocks dematerialised, disappearing into the dust they were created from, and what was left was an unconscious Pikachu, his ears drooped and his tail flat.
The decision was obvious to Amara. "Pikachu is unable to battle. Onix wins."
Red rushed onto the field and picked up Pikachu. "You did amazingly, buddy," Red said quietly. "You managed to take out Geodude and get a good hit in on Onix. Just rest now, okay."
As in his first battle against Brock, Red placed Pikachu on the bench behind him and made his way back to his spot at the end of the field, a Poké Ball already in his hand. This was it. It all came down to Charmander.
Regardless of what Mint said, for now he would pretend this was the Pokémon League final. For now, he would pretend there would be no rematches, no hope, no second chances. If he lost, he would go back to her advice. But for now, it was on.
