*~*The Felicities and Fallacies of Pokémon Training*~*
Chapter Seventh: Fighter
Written by the Duke of Briarcliffe
*~*
Author's Note: Ah! This is so weird. I'm like praising people for reviewing when all of the reviews haven't even come in. But thanks anyways. I usually start the chapters immediately after I post one so that is why it's so awkward for me. Well, I hope that you enjoy the chapter. And thanks to Spare Time (???) for giving me those plots, but I'm way ahead of you. They were intriguing though. —The Duke of Briarcliffe
*~*
"Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon."
— E. M. Forster
*~*
THE SILVER SPOON IS a wonderful piece of silverware. The Beechcombe family even had their own set that was a family heirloom. It was elegantly carved and very metallic-looking; so much in fact that its brilliance shown in the mellow light of the dining room. Lavender Hills was a very old estate. It was actually a drawing room in past centuries and, when the revels took place, they were held there. But what the hell does that have to do with this story? A lot. A silver spoon fed Duncan as a child and believe me, he knew that silver spoon better than anything else in the house, metaphorically speaking. You figure it out.
Madison decided, for some unknown reason, to tag along with his pal on his daily sojourn to Café au Lait. His appearance looked more tame than his usual graphic message t-shirts. Instead he wore his simply white and blue ringer tee and some sort of denim. He wore jeans every day. It was his trademark.
"I know why you're coming with me today," Duncan toyed as they ambled down the boulevard. A mischievous smile was on his lips and he stared at him out of the corner of his eye. He'd really taken over Madison's role in their friendship since the confession of his ardent desire for Imagine; in other words, instead of being the offended, he was the offender.
"Nah, really?"
Duncan chuckled to himself. "You're probably going to just sit there like an idiot." He turned to face him and put his hand on his heart. "I promise on my Boy Scout's honor that I will not laugh...until we get out of there."
"You're quite the comedian aren't you? You're too soft to be a Boy Scout," he said, out loud for him to hear.
"I resent that. I was a Boy Scout for a year. When I was really young."
"Right," he said, veering off to the right. "Sure you were." He breezed through the door as if he was the most carefree guy in the world, but when he saw that Imagen was not there, his confidence faded away. His heart sobbed for her because it had not had the delight of seeing her angelic face. He was ready to just turn around and leave. Besides, he'd strode in there so confidently that, to the people already in the shop, he'd look so stupid if he left. But when did he start caring so much? Infatuation, or just love in general, I believe, can bring out the most unnatural characteristics in a person.
"I guess I should've told you that she doesn't work on Fridays...slipped my mind," he said while scratching his head. It was so hard...damn gel. I should really stop using it .
"You did this on purpose, Duncan."
"Honest," he replied, throwing his hands into the air. "I forgot." He looked away. "Unlike some people, she isn't the only thing on my mind in the morning—or at night. My French vanilla latté is calling for me, so are you staying here or not? Because I have to go watch a Gym Match at the Gym. She's bound to be there if you feel like sticking around."
"Just hurry up."
"For someone who can barely talk to a girl, you sure are demanding. I'll take as long as I damn well please. Besides, I have to stop at the Pokémon Center."
Madison groaned.
*~*
"Move down," Imagine scoffed as she made her way down to the bleachers. Duncan was at the edge with Madison at his right side and she knew that was the best view of the field. Duncan shuffled over. Deciding that sitting next to Duncan for a prolonged period of time wasn't that appealing, she climbed over him and sat next to his friend.
She pivoted her head and looked into the eyes of her partner. "Hi; my name's Imagen. What's your name?"
"What, no greeting?" Duncan asked with questioning eyes and a tilt of his head.
She rolled her eyes at him before replying to his query in the negative. I don't usually do it. So why start now? ...Besides, his friend seems a lot more down-to-earth.
"I'm Madison—Duncan's friend," he choked out. His cheeks were reddening every few seconds and she wasn't too sure why. The weather hadn't exactly been warm so she attributed that to a possible cold.
"A friend of Duncan's? There are odder things in the world," she remarked with a leer in Duncan's direction. "How do you manage? How do you manage," she softly mumbled to him.
He laughed tersely, shifting his position.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Not at all," he quickly replied. He tugged at his shirt collar. "It's just a bit muggy in here. This is my first time at the Gym."
"Oh I see. It has to be warm and humid. Grass pokémon thrive best in those conditions. You get used to it after a while," she explained to him. "So Duncan,"—shifting the subject—"where's Nasturtium?"
He'd been praying that she wouldn't bring it up. And he knew that she was a lot more clever and not so easily swayed. But he couldn't think of a good enough story to tell her. And, by judging from experience, he might as well keep the same story in order to prevent getting trapped in his own lie. "She ran away."
Madison raised a peculiar eyebrow at him.
Being so aloof, that didn't escape her ever-watchful notice.
"Oh really? When?"
He decided to act normally. "Well who's James, since you want to ask questions?"
"That's my business," she gravely replied.
"Well there's your answer. So stay out of mine too."
"Duncan..." Madison droned, frowning the entire time.
"Don't worry, Madison. That's our relationship. I can handle him. He's nobody," Imagen informed him.
"Same here," Duncan told him.
Madison, the stress having been somewhat lifted from his shoulders, became more relaxed. Imagen was funny. He liked her even more. Anyone that could spark an argument and go on like she did was definitely agreeable. It was fun to observe.
Imagen went in to ask him the typical questions that I won't repeat—you know, such as where are you from, etc. Yeah, that's the stuff. Anyways, Aerin was just showing up on the field. She was on the left while her opponent was on the right. A referee stood in the middle of the field, where there is a line that makes one large ring into two semicircles. He donned a zebra colored short and, what many thought, proportionally short shorts. A silver whistle dangled loose chain. Within seconds, he placed the instrument in his mouth and held up a navy blue flag.
"This is a two-on-two match. The challenger, Freddie Norman from Pallet Town is battling the Celadon Gym Leader, Aerin, for the Rainbow Badge. There is no time limit." He took a few steps back before dropping the flag down to his side. "Begin!"
Freddie could not have been more than thirteen years old. He wasn't very tall and—Duncan noticed—he wasn't wearing matching clothes (like most people in the Pokémon TV show that wear those random getups). He looked as if he had the world in his hands. He confidently produced a standard pokéball and launched it into the sky, releasing a very small Cyndaquil.
"Fire pokémon always have the advantage against grass pokémon," he arrogantly explained. "This match should be a breeze. I'll give it five minutes tops."
Aerin grinned as she shook her head. She was so tired of people thinking that a type advantage always works. It's experience that matters most. She had to teach him a lesson: it was her duty as a Gym Leader. "You're right," she said with a giggle. "This match should be a breeze. I choose you, Fabienne!"
The spunky Bellossom was released from her temporary encasement. She immediately jumped into the air and twirled. She had so much rhythm and so much energy that it could only be kept in check by dancing.
"[Bella! (Get ready, 'cause here I come!)]" she warned him as she began to hop around like a boxer, a smile on her face the entire time.
"Fabienne? What type of name is that?" The boy shook his head in confusion. "Cyndaquil, we better end this quick. I have place to go and pokémon to catch. Use a flamethrower attack."
"[Right!]"
Cyndaquil leaped back and rotated his head about 180 degrees before abruptly shooting his head forward, mouth open, and expelling a stream of searing fire. Fabienne waited patiently for her orders. She depended heavily on Aerin's judgment.
"Leap into the air, Fabienne."
Stooping down just a bit, for the springboard effect, she shot into the air like a speeding missile. She went into a graceful arc as she went over her opponent's head. She looked over at Aerin—while upside down, of course—and she nodded her head. Knowing exactly what that meant, her body stiffened as she placed an elegant kick to the side of his head, causing the Cyndaquil to roll several yards and to yelp in pain.
"Huh? That's cheating!" Freddie accused.
"No it's not," Aerin remarked. "That, Freddie, was a Mega Kick and it is registered in the Indigo League as a legitimate attack."
He awkwardly scratched at his matted brown hair and mumbled, "But you didn't call out an attack. Get up, Cyndaquil and tackle that Bellossom."
Cyndaquil struggled to his feet and swayed a little bit, reeling from the effectiveness of the blow. He desperately shook his head, clearing his thoughts, before springing off his hind legs and charging onwards.
"Use your sleeping powder," Aerin told her.
"[You got it,]" Fabienne replied as the two flowers began to spin, which produced a whirring noise. She made a kissing face and put her hand to her mouth. "[I like to call this the Kiss of Death.]" She smacked her lips; sparkling blue powders was released.
"Dodge it now!"
Cyndaquil was much too slow to dodge the attack. He wasn't that agile either. Besides, that powder had been strategically aimed so that not only would it be aimed at him, but also to the surrounding area in case of a possible dodging. Upon contact, his eyelids drooped and within seconds he fell to the turf, snoring loudly.
"What the—"
"None of that in here," Aerin quickly reprimanded him.
"That's no fair! What can he do if he's sleeping?"
"Nothing," she replied with a laugh. "That's why it is effect. And...(looking over towards the referee) that is why I have just won the first round."
The boy did one of those hilarious animé drops.
"Good job, Fabienne. I knew that you could get the job done." Fabienne leaped into her companions arm and her ear-petals twirled in delight. Then, being the attention-grabber that she was, she immediately began to break-dance on the floor. She did The Worm and even spun on the ground and hopped to her feet. Aerin clapped after her little performance and the audience laughed good-naturedly.
"Your pokémon does what she wants. Maybe you cannot control her as you should," Freddie scoffed.
She simply replied that: "If you allow your pokémon to do what he or she likes, that makes them happy. In return they are more loyal, and appreciate you even more. Recreational freedom is good for anyone. And if she's happy when she dances, then I'm going to let her dance."
"Go Aerin," Madison cheered. She really knew what she was talking about. And it was obvious that she was a great Gym Leader. He admired anyone who knew how to raise a pokémon well, even his father—but in a different way. That was just one thing that Madison just could not hold against him; he was a damn good trainer.
"Is it possible to like two people at once?" Duncan asked while leaning in to him.
Madison gave him the smoldering death glare.
"What was that?" Imagen asked, wondering if it concerned her by chance. The last thing she needed right now was to have to put Duncan in check in the middle of such a great Gym Match.
"Nothing," he answered automatically. He turned away. But seconds later, when his mirth could no longer be suppressed, he boiled over in laughter. People on the lower and upper parts of the bleachers turned up to look at him, and all had grim expressions.
"Ugh," Imagen grunted as she shook her head in disgust. "Whatever it was, do us all a favor and get over it."
"That's exactly what I was thinking, Imagen."
"Great minds think alike," she replied with a grin. She turned towards Duncan's direction and said, "That one over there is just a waste."
Is it me or is Imagen actually flirting with Waterflower?
"Sometimes I think so too."
This is really entertaining.
"Whatever," Duncan flatly responded. "I have many great things."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Imagen retorted.
"You watch and see."
"Just watch the Match!" Imagen snapped.
"It is now the second round. Gym Leader Aerin has decided to keep Fabienne, the Bellossom, out on the field. Which pokémon will the challenger use?"
Aerin waited patiently for her opponent's decision. Her face was steady and unwavering. She had great outward composure. It was something she'd inherited from Erika. Erika rarely lost her composure.
"I'm gonna choose you, Hoothoot!" As a result, Freddie tossed out a pokéball containing the heretofore mentioned pokémon. The ball made a popping sound and then the pokémon was dispelled from its abode.
It shrilled out its name and spun around on what appeared to be one massive foot. Its beady eyes tried their best to be imposing but Fabienne was too experienced to ever be phased by such a gesture.
"I'm ready when you are," Aerin sweetly told him.
"Fine then! Hoothoot, peck her!"
Hoothoot flapped its tiny wings very rapidly. But was only lifted a foot above the ground. It fell to the ground in a wheezing and panting heap before, upon seeing the dumbfounded gaze on its trainer's face, quickly hopping to its feet. He leaped at Fabienne with as much ferocity as a winded Hoothoot possibly could—and that wasn't very much. Fabienne sidestepped each peck.
"Without that aerial advantage I'm afraid that your Hoothoot won't be able to last much longer," Aerin informed him. "Fabienne, use your petal dance attack!"
Fabienne jumped back several feet before getting into the right pose—all limbs outstretched—and her petals began to spin. An orb of magenta energy formed where her waist was and within seconds, a barrage of beautiful petals assaulted the poor owl pokémon.
"Hoothoot, you were supposed to dodge that!"
Hoothoot was much too hurt to reply to anything.
"Now do a quick attack!"
Hoothoot lagged as he advanced towards his opponent. Fabienne let him get really close to her. She was a fan of toying with her opponents. A devilish grin tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Absorb his energy."
The Hoothoot let out a weak battle cry as it leaped at her, however, he was caught in midair. A shocked expression showed on his face as he realized that he couldn't move. A transparent green orb transferred from her body to his and, upon contact, the energy was drained right of him. Seconds later, he fell to the ground, unmoving. The match was over.
"Hoothoot is unable to battle. Therefore, the match goes to Aerin, the Celadon Gym Leader."
"That's impossible. I can't believe that I lost the match." Freddie sunk down to his knees as he lamented his shortcomings. Things just weren't going his way. It was the first match he'd ever lost.
Instead of rejoicing over a match well-done, Aerin approached her challenger and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's really all right. You could challenge me when you get a little more experience—"
"Just leave me the fuck alone!" Freddie warned. He then stomped out of the arena and headed out of the door, leaving Aerin with a grave expression on her face. Hurting someone's feelings was something she didn't like to do.
As usual, there was an influx of spectators and friends that commended her on how great she battled, but she was preoccupied. So much in fact that she didn't even notice that Imagen and Duncan were standing together and weren't at each other's throats.
"He really took that loss hard," said the anonymous cutie.
"I'd say," Duncan seconded.
"Well, that's what he gets when he goes up against a pro," Imagen kidded.
Aerin laughed half-heartedly.
Imagen's smile faded. "Don't worry. His pride might have been damaged but he'll come around again. Believe me. Anyone with as big an ego as his wouldn't just leave everything up in the air like this."
What a universal truth!
"I hope your right."
She shook her by the shoulders. "Stop being so damn nice all of the time. Be a bitch sometimes! It's fun!"
"That would explain why—"
"Don't," Madison cut in.
"What was that?"
"I said—" he struggled to keep his cool as a stinging pain shot through his body that stemmed from his ribs. "Nothing," Duncan bit out. "Oh, this is my friend Madison Ketchum."
They went through the whole greeting process.
"You say your name is Ketchum, right?" Aerin asked. "I think my mom had some contact with a Ketchum when she was the main Gym Leader."
"Ash Ketchum, I take it. He was kind of responsible for the whole thing involving the Gym being burned down."
"Oh yeah! He must be your dad."
Madison only shook his head.
"I like it better this way. I've seen the pictures before it all happened."
Madison only grinned.
"So Duncan," Aerin began. "Did you take notes?"
"Yeah, more than you may know..."
*~*
Concluding Statements: Hooray! Complete. What could he possibly mean. Oh, by the way. Don't take the whole il a eu un chat dans la gorge for its literal meaning. It's just an idiomatic expression meaning that he can't speak due to an itchy throat, or that it's hard to speak. Everyone's just like O.O, WTF? LOL. Oh...Shadow, I totally forgot that you've reviewed before. Thanks for everything. The next chap will be up soon. —The Duke of Briarcliffe