Author's Note: Whoo. Back for another installment, and as of right now, Chapter Two still hasn't been put on the website. I am completely immersed in this story. Don't worry, this Chapter will include a LOT more action than the previous two. I also see some more major battles coming up in the near future. So cross your fingers, hold onto your butts, and be patient as I take you through Chapter Three of..
A Renewed State of Mind
By: Espeonage
Chapter Three: On the Road at Last
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Sean's back and neck were completely stiff from the night he'd spent on the hard ground. He hadn't realized until late in the night that he'd forgotten a pillow, and didn't have the right state of mind to go home and get one. Getting up was extremely slow going and their disheveled campsite didn't make anything any better for Sean. Picking up his randomly strewn items, he filled his pack and called Mudkip back from running around the tall grasses and rocks of the field. The previous day's battle still played freshly in his head and he could hardly wait to go home and tell his mother before he headed towards Kingston for the third time in three days. But this time was different. This time he didn't plan on coming back.
The walk home was brisk. The pain in Sean's neck had woken him up before the sun had risen and dew still coated the grasses and bushes of the field. Mudkip kept pace with Sean's quick strides and sang itself a song as it walked.
"Mud Kip Mudmud Kip..." it sang without much rhyme or rhythm.
Sean snapped his fingers along with Mudkip's song, mostly to humor it, and continued at his quick pace back the house. Upon reaching the front porch, he could hear the sounds of cooking from the kitchen. Alicia was humming a slow song to herself. Slipping upstairs unnoticed, Sean showered, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. He then returned to his room. It looked to be the last time he'd see it in a long while. Gathering a few last-minute necessities such as jeans, deoderant, boxers, and his heavy coat, he was ready to go. His bag was packed tight, Pokeballs attached securely to his belt, and Mudkip was in his arms as he headed down the stairs, much less quietly. His mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs, a bit surprised, as she didn't know he'd even been home.
"Oh, Sean. I was hoping it was you. What are your plans for today?," this seemed to be a routine question for her by now.
"I'm going to start my journey today, Mom."
"You're leaving? Today..? All right..," she finished her whine and walked solemnly back to the kitchen.
Sean followed. She must of known he was going to start his quest eventually. And he couldn't wait forever.
"Mom, what's wrong?," he stupidly asked. He knew perfectly well what was wrong.
"I don't want to be left alone..."
"You could always catch a Pokemon," he snickered at this, but she just glared at him.
"Oh, cut it out, Sean! Just get going if you're leaving!," she practically yelled at him.
Sean was slightly taken aback. It definitely wasn't what he'd expected from her. He was walking, awe-struck, toward the door, when his mother burst through the kitchen door and wrapped her arms around Sean, literally crying onto his shoulder. Again, he was very taken aback. Not used to seeing his mother in this state, he put a reassuring arm around her and rubbed her back.
"Mom, this isn't "goodbye." I'll be back, ya know."
She wiped the tears from her face,"I know that, Sean," sighing, she asked,"At least have breakfast with me before you go?"
He didn't decline. One last home cooked meal would be depressing, but the look on his mother's face was more than he could stand. He left Mudkip in the living room to its own devices and sat down in the dining room, waiting for his mother. She brought out bacon and eggs and sat down next to him. He ate slowly. Alicia didn't touch hers. She just stared at her son, a mixed look of saddness and pride in her eyes. Sean broke the silence.
"Mudkip and I had our first battle yesterday," he'd been planning on telling her before the "episode" anyway.
"Really?," she perked up slightly,"How'd it go?"
"Surprisingly well. We make a great team. The guy used a Machop, it was tough. Mudkip handled it, though."
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be, Sean.."
Sean definitely hadn't expected THAT. His mother's sad attitude had gotten the impression into him that this was going to be a sob-fest. He didn't even think for second that she'd be giving him information like that.
Sean looked up at her. She seemed to have finished. Her sad expression had been wiped clear and her words came out clear and resolute.
"I truely think you will become a great Trainer, Sean..."
A cool breeze made its way through the window, chilling the two of them.
Sean stood and said,"Mom, it's time I left. I'm heading for Kingston again," determination rang in his voice.
Alicia didnt say a word, but with a nod she followed him to the door. The two embraced and she kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you, Sean. I'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
"I love you too, Mom. And I know you will be," he turned his head back toward the living room,"Come on, Mudkip! Time to go!"
Mudkip dashed over to him and seated itself on Sean's foot. A last look into his mother's eyes and he was off. The trail looked different today. Darker, yes. The sun still hadn't began its ascent over the hillside and the morning was cool and damp. But something else as well. A sense of adventure coursed through Sean's veins. His first day on the road. Mudkip seemed slightly less playful than normal. Sean's attitude radiated from him and the little Pokemon could sense it.
The forest again loomed ahead. It was again dark and intimidating, but this time nothing plagued Sean's mind. He was set and they passed through it with little trouble.
Kingston was just waking up as they reached its borders. The sun had begun to settle itself in the sky, but it was nowhere past 9:30. Their first stop would be the Pokemon Center. Sean vaguely knew his way around town this time, and he navigated to the Center in little time at all. Only one Joy was present, but she happily attended to Mudkip's check-up as the few Trainers who had stayed the night roused themselves and their Pokemon from slumber.
"Here you go, Sweetie. Your Mudkip is in fine shape."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Sean answered a deep tone.
His words had drifted off before he could speak any more words. A poster on the wall to his right had caught his eye. He walked up to it and read:
"Pokemon League Tournament: Are you qualified to be the world's best Pokemon Trainer? Do you think you have what it takes to defeat the League's Masters? If so, enter the Pokemon League Challenge. All you need to do is earn eight badges in select towns and you qualify to participate in the most highly celebrated tournament the world over! (Sign ups for the League in Pallet Town, New Bark Town, or your local Pokemon Center)"
Nurse Joy noticed his interest in the poster.
"Itching to try out your skills in a Gym Battle?," she giggled.
If his father was any good at his profession, he would have to be in this competition. And if he couldn't find him on the road, he could definitely find him at the Tournament.
"Yeah, I think I could do pretty well in the League," he boasted to Nurse Joy,"How do I sign up?"
"All right, first you need a Starting Pokemon. Mudkip qualifies, so you're set there. Next, you'll need to fill out this Registration Form. You can take a seat over there. Here's a pen," she handed it to him and returned to the back room to talk to a Chansey while he filled it out.
The questions were pretty straight forward. Name, address, birthday, starting Pokemon, anything you'd expect to be on a Registration Form. (Depending on what that may be) He finished in little time at all and returned to the counter. Nurse Joy took it from him and scanned it onto the Center's computer system.
"I'll have this sent to the League's office in no time at all. But in the meantime," she held a finger in the air as if she had just remembered something," you'll need a PokeDex."
She motioned for him to follow her. They walked to a room in the back and she went directly to a file cabinet. Reaching in the top drawer, she pulled out a PokeDex, still wrapped in its plastic shipping case. It was black and shiny, almost like volcanic glass, striped diagonally across the front was a streak of silver. Nurse Joy went to her desk, pulled a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the top from the casing. Plucking the PokeDex from its plastic home, she opened it, pressed a few buttons and pointed it towards Sean. A flash went off, it had taken his picture.
"Thanks for the warning," Sean whined, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, don't worry, the picture's fine."
She then typed in his name and his Trainer ID Number before handing it to him.
"That should do it. There's just a small entrance fee, and you'll be ready to start you Badge Quest," giggling again.
"Fee? How much?"
"Just ten dollars."
He pulled out his wallet,"I've only got three-fifty."
"Oh, that's all right. I'll lend you the rest. But only because you took my advice on becoming a Trainer," she finished off with wink.
"Remembered that, huh?," he laughed, scratching the back of his head nervously.
She didn't say anything. The other Trainers were almost all the way through their morning routines, and they would want their Pokemon checked up.
"It was nice talking to you again, Sean. I'll see you later,' she said hurriedly.
"You too. And thanks."
"It was nothing at all," she finished their conversation with a friendly smile.
Sean pocketed his new PokeDex and walked back into the lobby to scope out some of the other Trainers. He remembered Mudkip was in his Pokeball, and promptly released it onto the floor.
"Kip?," it looked around to verify its surroundings.
"Hey, Buddy. How do you feel about taking the Pokemon League Challenge?"
"Kip? Mud!."
Sean wasn't really sure if Mudkip knew what he was talking about, but it was still happy. Mudkip looked around, surveying the Pokemon it was surrounded by. A Marill caught its eye and it casually strolled over to chat. Sean, feeling he had nothing better to do at the time, followed his companion. He seated himself next to the Trainer that owned the Marill.
"It's cute," he said blankly.
"Yes, my darling little Marill definitely is, to say the very least, cute," she said snottily.
Sean quickly decided that this wasn't a person he wanted much to with. She wasn't very attractive, and her attitude was very lacking in the kindness department.
He stood up and strolled over to a few boys who were having a heated discussion about their prized Pokemon. He sat down in a chair, completing the circle. They seemed to have noticed he sat down, but they continued their discussion as if they he had been there the whole time.
"Fire-Type moves blow any Pokemon out of the water. My Charmander rocks!," declared one boy.
"Fire? Pshhaw! Electric moves are the only way to go. My Pichu is the strongest in the world," a second said.
"You're both wrong. Fighting-Type moves and Pokemon are the best in world. What could either of you been thinking? Morons," the third remarked. All it granted him was a slug to the face by each of the other contestants.
A wrestling match ensued. Each boy took his turn kicking, punching, and clawing each of the others as they rolled around on the floor. After a few minutes of scurrying, they stopped, exhausted. Sean had been watching the whole thing. The Fire supporter looked up at him and said:
"Why don't we let this kid decide?"
"Yeah!," said the Fighting supporter,"Which type's really the best?"
Sean rested his head on his hand and replied,"Water."
"WATER?!," they screamed in unision,"What kind of sissy uses Water-types?," they chuckled.
"I do," Sean replied, standing up, his furious piercing glare stripped through each of them,"And what do you have to say about it?"
"I'd say my Pichu could beat your puny Water-Types into submission with a single attack," the Electric supporter bellowed,"And don't you even try to deny that it could."
"It couldn't," Sean retorted.
"You wanna take this outside?!," Nurse Joy had picked up on their screaming match,"No battles inside, Pokemon OR people!"
"Not a bad idea...," the Pichu Trainer said,"I'll show you that a Water-Type stands no chance against an Electric-Type!"
Sean recalled Mudkip on his way out. He followed the Trainer behind the Center where a large arena had been erected. The Pichu Trainer took his place on the right-hand side of the stadium and produced a Pokeball from his pocket. Sean strolled calmly to the left-hand box. He already had Mudkip's Pokeball in hand. Both bellowed their choices at the same time.
"GO!!," each throwing their respective Pokeballs to the field.
Pichu popped from its Pokeball, sparks flying from its cheeks. It looked to be a formidable opponent. Sean knew his strategy, however.
"Pichu, this boy has insulted Electric Pokemon everywhere! He claims his puny Water-types can beat you! Are you gonna take that from a weakling like him?!"
"ChuuUUUUU!!!," it squeaked menacingly.
Mudkip then appeared in a flash from its Pokeball.
"Kip?," it looked around blankly.
"Mudkip! Battle number two buddy. This one means summoning a little pride in your type! He thinks his Pichu can beat you! What d'you have to say about that?," Sean asked trying to rile Mudkip up. It worked.
"Mud! Kip!," it stared at Pichu with a blazing fury.
(Trapt breaks in with the Battle Music, the chorus from Headstrong)
"Back off! We'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong!
Headstrong, we're headstrong!
Back off we'll take you on!
Headstrong, to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"
"Pichu, start it off with a Quick Attack!," Pichu's trainer yelled.
Pichu took off. Almost literally. Pichu was much faster than Machop had been. Before Sean had seen where it had gone, Mudkip was rolling over itself on the ground. It recovered quickly, shaken slightly, but barely injured.
"Good, a weak Attack..Perfect..," he thought to himself.
"All right, Mudkip! Let's start off the battle with a Growl Attack!"
Mudkip responded quickly.
"MrrrAAA!," Mudkip wailed at Pichu. Sean's plan had been set into action.
Pichu's attack was slightly lowered, but its Trainer obviously felt it was high enough to take down Mudkip on the offensive.
"Pichu, Swift Attack, now!"
Another lightning quick attack. Pichu leapt into the air and tiny glowing stars materialized behind it. With a loud cry, Pichu propelled them toward Mudkip.
"Mudkip, hold your ground. There's no point in wasting your energy trying to dodge it."
Mudkip planted its feet. All the Swift Attack had managed to do was slide Mudkip back a few inches. Besides that, he was unharmed, and still very much in the battle.
"One more time, Mudkip, give it a Growl!," Sean ordered, a glint in his eye.
The opposite Trainer began to laugh.
"Your strategy is very lacking, maybe you should work on it when I send you home crying to your mommy!," Pichu's Trainer taunted.
The tiny mouse laughed with its Trainer. It still hadn't dawned on them. It was about to.
"Let's end this. Pichu, power up!," the Trainer bellowed to his Pokemon.
Pichu lit up, its mouth curled into an evil smile. Sparks of electricity bounced over the ground around it. The sky itself seemed to darken as the Pichu built up power in its tiny little body.
"No Water-Type could survive this!," he yelled to Sean,"Watch as your pathetic Pokemon fries! Pichu, Thunder Attack, now!"
Pichu's energy build up was released into the air. The clouds engulfed the electricity and escalated its power before releasing its waves once again, directly toward Mudkip, who stood motionless awaiting any commands from its Trainer. Sean said nothing. He had planned on the Trainer resorting to electricity. The Thunder Attack hit home, creating a cloud of dust over the entire arena. Neither Trainer said a thing. A minute passed and the dust hadn't cleared, and the opposite Trainer finally said something.
"Guess we know who the better Trainer is," he bragged,"Your pathetic Water-Type proves its inferiority in a one-on-one battle and all you can do is stand there. What are you smiling at?"
The Trainer looked down and gasped. Mudkip looked up at the Trainer with a wicked glint in its eye.
"Back off, we'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong!
Back off, we'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"
"But..How?!," he searched for some logical answer.
"I figured you'd resort to electricity after I lowered Pichu's Attack enough. Because of Mudkip's Dual Ground-Type, I didn't have to worry about Pichu's Electric Attacks. And now that its tired out from charging up that Thunder, this'll be an easy win."
It was amazing how in a matter of a day, Sean's confidence had risen to the point of creating a strategy.
"No! Pichu still has plenty of fight left!," the other Trainer called out in desperation.
"Think again. Mudkip, Water Gun!," Sean roared.
Mudkip sprang into action. Rearing onto its hind legs it puffed its cheeks with water, building pressure. In the instant before it couldn't hold any more, it took aim and released its mouthful at Pichu who was too tired to dodge the blast. The Water Gun careened toward Pichu in a high pressured aqua blitz. Reaching its destination, the stream of water struck Pichu on every part of its body, being so small. It fell limply to the ground and struggled to get back to its feet.
Its Trainer let out a growl,"Pichu, you'd better get up and fight!"
Pichu agonizingly regained his feet, ready to stick it out to the last.
"Mudkip, let's finish this off. Mud-Slap Attack!," Sean commanded.
Mudkip, hardly the least bit weakened, spit the mud onto its tail. Turning sideways he catapulted the mud at his target. A direct shot, Pichu was reeling. The mud was firmly stuck to his face, and it couldn't see the oncoming attack. Its Trainer was a little slow in informing it of it as well.
"Pichu!," it ears perked at the sound of its name," Quick, dodge right!"
Much too late. Mudkip was already in the air. His tail cocked to the back, he pivoted in the air and released the force behind his tail right across Pichu's cheek. The tired Electric-Type spun once in the air before coming to a final rest in a fainted heap on the ground.
The Trainer recalled his Pichu and ran, crying, back into the Pokemon Center. Sean didn't care enough about beating such a haughty Trainer to brag about his win. What he did do was run onto the field and lift Mudkip into the air. They shared a victory dance and walked back to the Center when they were finished. The other two Trainers who had been fighting followed him.
"That was a truely amazing battle. Your Mudkip was awesome."
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be," Sean said, playing back his mother's words to his two new admiring fans.
They stopped and stared at this. His words must have confused them. But they quickly recovered and began to follow him again.
"But seriously, Nate's really good and you beat him like he was nothing! He even beat the Kingston Gym Leader!"
"Gym Leader?," he queried. He'd known there was one here, and he planned on battling him, but he wanted more information on him first.
"Yeah. He's a pretty young guy. No older than fifteen. I don't remember his name, though.
"It couldn't be," Sean thought to himself, "What kind of Pokemon does he use?," he asked, recovering appearance
"He only had one, but it was really good. Nate only won because it got hit with is Pichu's Thunder Attack," the kid rambled.
"Yeah, but what WAS it?," Sean asked, getting impatient.
"Umm..A Larval...Uhh...A Larvitar! I remember now! It was a Rock-type."
"Ok, thanks, guys. I think that's all I'll need to know. I'm gonna go heal Mudkip then take a nap, see ya later."
They said their goodbyes and were off. Sean proceeded to the desk and handed Joy Mudkip again. This would take longer than a regular check-up, so Sean took a nearby chair, whipped out his PokeDex,and typed in Larvitar.
A robotic-sounding voice blared on in a monotone. It was almost painful to listen to, but very informative;"Larvitar: The larva Pokemon. Highly trained in the types of Rock and Dark, Larvitar attacks with greatly damaging attacks, such as Rock Slide and Crunch. What it has in Attack, it loses in its Speed category. Larvitar's evolutions are also extremely powerful. Tyranitar, Larvitar's final evolution is one of the strongest and most widely sought after Pokemon in the world."
"Sounds like a toughie," Sean thought out loud,"This may take a little bit of planning.
Nurse Joy was fairly quick in healing Mudkip. There was, however, no idle chit chat this time. Strict business. Sean took Mudkip from her and left the Pokemon Center. His goal was to find the Pokemon Gym, which would be quite a task, as he had only seen it once, with his mother, and they hadn't really been paying attention then as they hurried Mudkip to the Pokemon Center.
Lost, yet again, Sean made his way for Main Street. The shops and main buildings were in sight again as he travelled down the long, uncurving street. Bored, he released Mudkip on the pavement to walk next to him. The Pokemon was tired. It had been napping in its ball and really wanted to get back. It showed its appreciation of being woken up by splattering Sean's perfectly white shoes with a layer of mud.
"Urgh..Mudkip, you brat," he whined while kicking his shoes on the cement to shake it loose.
Finishing his task, he looked up. A familiar shop sat across the street, "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities," read the sign. Maybe Meredith would be there today? Collecting Mudkip in his arms, he hastened into the street, dodging cars, as he made his way to the shop.
As early as it was, Sean could see Meredith behind the counter as he came to the sidewalk. God, she was beautiful. He got a plan just then..He quickly walked to the door and pulled it open.
"Good morning!," he beamed.
"Well, hello. How are we doing today? And how are you Mudkip?," she asked, looking down at the little Water-type.
"Kip!," it replied.
"We beat some punk kid who was showing off up at the Pokemon Center. We're off to battle the Gym Leader now. Wanna come with us?"
"Sure, but you better be careful. My money's on Jon," she teased.
"Jon?," he asked aloud, to no one in particular, "Maybe it IS him.."
They walked together down the street, Meredith leading the way. A large building soon came into view. The Gym was large, shaped out of a giant boulder. Windows had been carved and fitted with glass. The front doors were automatic, swinging opened as they walked forward. The receptionist was nowhere to be found. Sean recalled Mudkip.
"She must be refereeing a match. That's the only time she ever usually leaves the front desk," Meredith stated.
Together walking to the arena, they spotted the Gym Leader and his challenger in a fiercely contested match. Sean's eyes closed into slits as he realized who the Leader was. Predictions having been proven, he pulled Meredith off to the wall and watched the Match from there.
The challenger was quite good. He and his Graveler made a marvelous team. But Jon and his Larvitar were better. It made up for its Speed disadvantage by practically reading its Trainer's mind. They were totally in tune with each other and at the simple call of an attack, Larvitar launched itself into a series of ferocious assaults.
"This Match is about to end," the Trainer called to Jon, "My Graveler's Fissure'll finish off your Larvitar for good. You heard it Graveler. Let it fly!"
Graveler raised a fist and struck the ground furiously. A crack split the Gym floor, widening as it travelled. Finishing its attack off, Graveler hurled itself into the air, returning to the earth in a ground-shattering smash. The floor itself split in two, leaving a gaping hole right in the middle of the room. Larvitar had been dodging in the meanwhile, leaping over cracks and all the while, heading for Graveler.
"This is over," Jon stated, "Larvitar, Earthquake!"
Its turn in play, Larvitar made its move. Launching itself from the security of the ground, Larvitar prepared for its attack. Gravity took in and just as it hit the ground, a strong motion from its legs pummeled the floor with the attack. The very ground they stood on shook. Meredith and Sean grabbed the wall for support and watched as Graveler, helpless to avoid the attack, was swallowed up into its own Fissure. The referee shouted out her decision:
"This Match goes to the Gym Leader, Jon, and his Larvitar."
"Why is it that whenever somebody brags that they're gonna win, they don't?," Meredith asked laughingly.
Sean shrugged. He was too concerned about his Match with Larvitar to be very interested in what she had to say a the moment. Getting himself into the right state of mind wasn't going to be easy. He motioned for Meredith to follow and walked onto onto the field as Jon and opponent were shaking hands.
"You and your Graveler fought well, Tom," he said, "I hope come back to battle me again some day."
"Count on it," Tom said, walking out of the arena.
Jon sprayed a Super Potion of Larvitar before recalling it. He sighed and threw his hair to one side. He wore the insignia of the Gym, a large black "K" surrounded on all sides by falling rocks. His eyes were dark brown, hair reddish-white color of a Ninetale's fur. He locked his eyes on Sean as his head turned their way. Eyes widening, he ran up to him, completely ecstatic to see his old friend.
"Sean?! What the hell are you doing here?!," Jon asked.
"I'm here to chalenge you for a Badge," Sean stated, a smile on his face.
"You're a Trainer? Ow my arm!," he screamed, pretending a heart attack.
"Screw you," Sean said jokingly. "I watched you and Larvitar battle. Pretty impressive."
"We have been training together for three years. We should be relatively good by now. What kind of Pokemon do you have?," he questioned.
Sean shook his head "no." He wouldn't give him the privelage of knowing that just yet.
"When did you become the Leader here?"
"The old Leader died about a year ago. Since I was the oldest in the Apprenticeship Program, I had to take over. I currently have ten pupils under me..I'm still learning myself. It's fun, though. Larvitar likes the challenge, and if he's up to it, I am."
"Well you seem to be doing fine for yourself," Sean said.
"Yeah..The money's great. The League even sends me supplies."
"Where do we battle then?," Sean asked, his want to talk having been cut off, "We obviously can't do it here," he said, pointing at the ruined Gym floor.
"Yeah, that happens all the time," he groaned,"We'll have to steal the practice field from my students out back. They can watch us."
"Sounds like a winner," he said, adrenaline rising.
He noticed Meredith had been standing there politely listening to their conversation. He suddenly felt sorry he'd brought her. She'd probably be bored out of her mind.
"By the way, Jon. This is Meredith. Her father runs the Secondhand Pokemon shop in town."
"How do you do?," he reached for her hand and kissed it. She giggled at this.
"Show off..," Sean growled.
A few minutes later, they were walking toward the back of the Gym. Jon lead them through doors and hallways. It seemed like a very long walk.
"Dude, where's the Arena?," Sean asked, getting impatient.
"Outside of town. We're walking under stores and other buildings right now. It's actually in the forest. There's a little clearing that we put it up in. It's much easier to battle there than in the middle of the city."
Finally, they reached a door that read, "Practice Arena." The door flew opened on its own. Or so it appeared at first.
"Oh, hello, Mathew," Jon said,"My opponent and I will need to use the Practice Arena for our match."
"Ruined the other one again, huh?," Mathew snickered.
"That'll be all Mathew, round up your classmates and get to the stands..Little snot," he added as Mathew walked off.
The Arena was surrounded by forest. The traditional lines had been painted on the firm ground. A little girl stepped up and whispered something to Jon. He nodded and she ran happily to the sidelines and picked up two flags, one red, one green. Sean and Jon took their respective sides and Meredith walked to the stands and sat wth the class.
Each of them grabbed their Pokeballs from their belts and enlarged them, ready for battle. The little girl with the flags looked at Jon, and he nodded.
"This will be a One-on-One Pokemon Battle with no time-limit! First to lose one Pokemon is defeated. The Challenger is competing for the Cobblestone Badge," she raised the flags," Begin!"
Simultaniously throwing their Pokeballs, they readied themselves for the oncoming battle. Their Pokeballs smacked to the ground, unleashing the contenders. Larvitar appeared with a cry, it locked itself into its battle position and awaited its opponent. Mudkip flashed out a second later, its skin was shiny, it must of rested itself in its Pokeball. There was general confusion from the crowd as they looked on at Mudkip. All but Sean, Jon, and Meredith laughed.
"You expect to beat our master's Larvitar with THAT?!," Mathew squealed," Why not just throw sticks at it?"
"Mathew, you know nothing. Sit down before you make an even bigger fool of yourself," Jon snapped,"If you paid any attention in class, any of you, you'd know that that small Pokemon over there has a very great advantage over Larvitar in type. It's dual Water-Ground combination make each of its types extremely effective against Larvitar. But...Type isn't everything," he sneered.
He decided to begin the match, "Larvitar, Take Down!"
Larvitar was already on the move. Its heavily armored body pistoned acoss the field as fast as it could. Which was, surprisingly enough, pretty fast for such a heavy Pokemon. Like a small tank it drove toward Mudkip, who stood perfectly still waiting for any sign of his Trainer's voice.
"Mudkip, dodge to the right, then Tackle!"
Mudkip responded. Diving to the right, he avoided Larvitar's charge and initiated one himself. Throwing his strong back legs into the Tackle Attack, Mudkip managed to knock Larvitar onto its side. It regained its footing in no time. The crowd looked on with increasing interest. This unknown Trainer wasn't doing half bad.
"Larvitar, Leer!," Jon yelled over the oohs and ahhs of his students.
Larvitar's eyes turned red. It stood to its full height and glared down at Mudkip. Afraid of the stare, Mudkip turned his head away.
"Larvitar, Bite Attack!"
"No, Mudkip! Turn around!"
Not quick enough, Mudkip turned his face back to the fight to see Larvitar sink its teeth into his right hind leg. Mudkip quickly shook it off. Its leg was bleeding freely. It appeared to have been injured pretty badly. Larvitar was good, he'd have to think up a strategy, and quick, if he wanted any chance of beating it.
"While it's hurt, Larvitar! Hyper Beam!," Sean heard Jon bellow.
"What?!," Sean exclaimed.
In horror, Sean watched as Larvitar opened its mouth. A ball of golden energy formed between his teeth. The ball grew bigger. Sean knew this meant trouble.
"Mudkip, get ready to dodge!," he yelled out to him.
"Kip," it said resolutely.
Larvitar finished its power-up. The ball stuck nearly a foot out of its mouth now. Its eyes narrowed. It waited for its master's call.
"Now, Larvitar, release the Hyper Beam!," Jon bellowed, his eyes flashing wildly.
The energy released from the Hyper Beam tore up the ground. Larvitar was blown back a few feet as it struggled to stand againstthe powerful beam it had created. Rocks and dirt flew everywhere. It screamed toward Mudkip, its target, with great accuracy. Mudkip squealed. The beam was going to engulf it. This might mean more than the match, it could mean its life. Sean's heart skipped a beat as he prepared for the right moment to give Mudkip his command. There was no sound from the crowd. All that was heard was the breaking of rock and dirt. Mudkip stood firm, ever faithful to his Trainer, his friend. He would follow him to the end, even if this was it.
To Be Continued...
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Closing Note: Cliffhanger! Don't ya just hate me? Ha! =P A much more exciting Chapter in my opinion. But let's get some response to these people. Let me know what you think of my story. Is it even worthy of your attention. I need some kind of clue whether or not to keep writing! *Espeonage*
A Renewed State of Mind
By: Espeonage
Chapter Three: On the Road at Last
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Sean's back and neck were completely stiff from the night he'd spent on the hard ground. He hadn't realized until late in the night that he'd forgotten a pillow, and didn't have the right state of mind to go home and get one. Getting up was extremely slow going and their disheveled campsite didn't make anything any better for Sean. Picking up his randomly strewn items, he filled his pack and called Mudkip back from running around the tall grasses and rocks of the field. The previous day's battle still played freshly in his head and he could hardly wait to go home and tell his mother before he headed towards Kingston for the third time in three days. But this time was different. This time he didn't plan on coming back.
The walk home was brisk. The pain in Sean's neck had woken him up before the sun had risen and dew still coated the grasses and bushes of the field. Mudkip kept pace with Sean's quick strides and sang itself a song as it walked.
"Mud Kip Mudmud Kip..." it sang without much rhyme or rhythm.
Sean snapped his fingers along with Mudkip's song, mostly to humor it, and continued at his quick pace back the house. Upon reaching the front porch, he could hear the sounds of cooking from the kitchen. Alicia was humming a slow song to herself. Slipping upstairs unnoticed, Sean showered, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. He then returned to his room. It looked to be the last time he'd see it in a long while. Gathering a few last-minute necessities such as jeans, deoderant, boxers, and his heavy coat, he was ready to go. His bag was packed tight, Pokeballs attached securely to his belt, and Mudkip was in his arms as he headed down the stairs, much less quietly. His mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs, a bit surprised, as she didn't know he'd even been home.
"Oh, Sean. I was hoping it was you. What are your plans for today?," this seemed to be a routine question for her by now.
"I'm going to start my journey today, Mom."
"You're leaving? Today..? All right..," she finished her whine and walked solemnly back to the kitchen.
Sean followed. She must of known he was going to start his quest eventually. And he couldn't wait forever.
"Mom, what's wrong?," he stupidly asked. He knew perfectly well what was wrong.
"I don't want to be left alone..."
"You could always catch a Pokemon," he snickered at this, but she just glared at him.
"Oh, cut it out, Sean! Just get going if you're leaving!," she practically yelled at him.
Sean was slightly taken aback. It definitely wasn't what he'd expected from her. He was walking, awe-struck, toward the door, when his mother burst through the kitchen door and wrapped her arms around Sean, literally crying onto his shoulder. Again, he was very taken aback. Not used to seeing his mother in this state, he put a reassuring arm around her and rubbed her back.
"Mom, this isn't "goodbye." I'll be back, ya know."
She wiped the tears from her face,"I know that, Sean," sighing, she asked,"At least have breakfast with me before you go?"
He didn't decline. One last home cooked meal would be depressing, but the look on his mother's face was more than he could stand. He left Mudkip in the living room to its own devices and sat down in the dining room, waiting for his mother. She brought out bacon and eggs and sat down next to him. He ate slowly. Alicia didn't touch hers. She just stared at her son, a mixed look of saddness and pride in her eyes. Sean broke the silence.
"Mudkip and I had our first battle yesterday," he'd been planning on telling her before the "episode" anyway.
"Really?," she perked up slightly,"How'd it go?"
"Surprisingly well. We make a great team. The guy used a Machop, it was tough. Mudkip handled it, though."
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be, Sean.."
Sean definitely hadn't expected THAT. His mother's sad attitude had gotten the impression into him that this was going to be a sob-fest. He didn't even think for second that she'd be giving him information like that.
Sean looked up at her. She seemed to have finished. Her sad expression had been wiped clear and her words came out clear and resolute.
"I truely think you will become a great Trainer, Sean..."
A cool breeze made its way through the window, chilling the two of them.
Sean stood and said,"Mom, it's time I left. I'm heading for Kingston again," determination rang in his voice.
Alicia didnt say a word, but with a nod she followed him to the door. The two embraced and she kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you, Sean. I'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
"I love you too, Mom. And I know you will be," he turned his head back toward the living room,"Come on, Mudkip! Time to go!"
Mudkip dashed over to him and seated itself on Sean's foot. A last look into his mother's eyes and he was off. The trail looked different today. Darker, yes. The sun still hadn't began its ascent over the hillside and the morning was cool and damp. But something else as well. A sense of adventure coursed through Sean's veins. His first day on the road. Mudkip seemed slightly less playful than normal. Sean's attitude radiated from him and the little Pokemon could sense it.
The forest again loomed ahead. It was again dark and intimidating, but this time nothing plagued Sean's mind. He was set and they passed through it with little trouble.
Kingston was just waking up as they reached its borders. The sun had begun to settle itself in the sky, but it was nowhere past 9:30. Their first stop would be the Pokemon Center. Sean vaguely knew his way around town this time, and he navigated to the Center in little time at all. Only one Joy was present, but she happily attended to Mudkip's check-up as the few Trainers who had stayed the night roused themselves and their Pokemon from slumber.
"Here you go, Sweetie. Your Mudkip is in fine shape."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Sean answered a deep tone.
His words had drifted off before he could speak any more words. A poster on the wall to his right had caught his eye. He walked up to it and read:
"Pokemon League Tournament: Are you qualified to be the world's best Pokemon Trainer? Do you think you have what it takes to defeat the League's Masters? If so, enter the Pokemon League Challenge. All you need to do is earn eight badges in select towns and you qualify to participate in the most highly celebrated tournament the world over! (Sign ups for the League in Pallet Town, New Bark Town, or your local Pokemon Center)"
Nurse Joy noticed his interest in the poster.
"Itching to try out your skills in a Gym Battle?," she giggled.
If his father was any good at his profession, he would have to be in this competition. And if he couldn't find him on the road, he could definitely find him at the Tournament.
"Yeah, I think I could do pretty well in the League," he boasted to Nurse Joy,"How do I sign up?"
"All right, first you need a Starting Pokemon. Mudkip qualifies, so you're set there. Next, you'll need to fill out this Registration Form. You can take a seat over there. Here's a pen," she handed it to him and returned to the back room to talk to a Chansey while he filled it out.
The questions were pretty straight forward. Name, address, birthday, starting Pokemon, anything you'd expect to be on a Registration Form. (Depending on what that may be) He finished in little time at all and returned to the counter. Nurse Joy took it from him and scanned it onto the Center's computer system.
"I'll have this sent to the League's office in no time at all. But in the meantime," she held a finger in the air as if she had just remembered something," you'll need a PokeDex."
She motioned for him to follow her. They walked to a room in the back and she went directly to a file cabinet. Reaching in the top drawer, she pulled out a PokeDex, still wrapped in its plastic shipping case. It was black and shiny, almost like volcanic glass, striped diagonally across the front was a streak of silver. Nurse Joy went to her desk, pulled a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the top from the casing. Plucking the PokeDex from its plastic home, she opened it, pressed a few buttons and pointed it towards Sean. A flash went off, it had taken his picture.
"Thanks for the warning," Sean whined, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, don't worry, the picture's fine."
She then typed in his name and his Trainer ID Number before handing it to him.
"That should do it. There's just a small entrance fee, and you'll be ready to start you Badge Quest," giggling again.
"Fee? How much?"
"Just ten dollars."
He pulled out his wallet,"I've only got three-fifty."
"Oh, that's all right. I'll lend you the rest. But only because you took my advice on becoming a Trainer," she finished off with wink.
"Remembered that, huh?," he laughed, scratching the back of his head nervously.
She didn't say anything. The other Trainers were almost all the way through their morning routines, and they would want their Pokemon checked up.
"It was nice talking to you again, Sean. I'll see you later,' she said hurriedly.
"You too. And thanks."
"It was nothing at all," she finished their conversation with a friendly smile.
Sean pocketed his new PokeDex and walked back into the lobby to scope out some of the other Trainers. He remembered Mudkip was in his Pokeball, and promptly released it onto the floor.
"Kip?," it looked around to verify its surroundings.
"Hey, Buddy. How do you feel about taking the Pokemon League Challenge?"
"Kip? Mud!."
Sean wasn't really sure if Mudkip knew what he was talking about, but it was still happy. Mudkip looked around, surveying the Pokemon it was surrounded by. A Marill caught its eye and it casually strolled over to chat. Sean, feeling he had nothing better to do at the time, followed his companion. He seated himself next to the Trainer that owned the Marill.
"It's cute," he said blankly.
"Yes, my darling little Marill definitely is, to say the very least, cute," she said snottily.
Sean quickly decided that this wasn't a person he wanted much to with. She wasn't very attractive, and her attitude was very lacking in the kindness department.
He stood up and strolled over to a few boys who were having a heated discussion about their prized Pokemon. He sat down in a chair, completing the circle. They seemed to have noticed he sat down, but they continued their discussion as if they he had been there the whole time.
"Fire-Type moves blow any Pokemon out of the water. My Charmander rocks!," declared one boy.
"Fire? Pshhaw! Electric moves are the only way to go. My Pichu is the strongest in the world," a second said.
"You're both wrong. Fighting-Type moves and Pokemon are the best in world. What could either of you been thinking? Morons," the third remarked. All it granted him was a slug to the face by each of the other contestants.
A wrestling match ensued. Each boy took his turn kicking, punching, and clawing each of the others as they rolled around on the floor. After a few minutes of scurrying, they stopped, exhausted. Sean had been watching the whole thing. The Fire supporter looked up at him and said:
"Why don't we let this kid decide?"
"Yeah!," said the Fighting supporter,"Which type's really the best?"
Sean rested his head on his hand and replied,"Water."
"WATER?!," they screamed in unision,"What kind of sissy uses Water-types?," they chuckled.
"I do," Sean replied, standing up, his furious piercing glare stripped through each of them,"And what do you have to say about it?"
"I'd say my Pichu could beat your puny Water-Types into submission with a single attack," the Electric supporter bellowed,"And don't you even try to deny that it could."
"It couldn't," Sean retorted.
"You wanna take this outside?!," Nurse Joy had picked up on their screaming match,"No battles inside, Pokemon OR people!"
"Not a bad idea...," the Pichu Trainer said,"I'll show you that a Water-Type stands no chance against an Electric-Type!"
Sean recalled Mudkip on his way out. He followed the Trainer behind the Center where a large arena had been erected. The Pichu Trainer took his place on the right-hand side of the stadium and produced a Pokeball from his pocket. Sean strolled calmly to the left-hand box. He already had Mudkip's Pokeball in hand. Both bellowed their choices at the same time.
"GO!!," each throwing their respective Pokeballs to the field.
Pichu popped from its Pokeball, sparks flying from its cheeks. It looked to be a formidable opponent. Sean knew his strategy, however.
"Pichu, this boy has insulted Electric Pokemon everywhere! He claims his puny Water-types can beat you! Are you gonna take that from a weakling like him?!"
"ChuuUUUUU!!!," it squeaked menacingly.
Mudkip then appeared in a flash from its Pokeball.
"Kip?," it looked around blankly.
"Mudkip! Battle number two buddy. This one means summoning a little pride in your type! He thinks his Pichu can beat you! What d'you have to say about that?," Sean asked trying to rile Mudkip up. It worked.
"Mud! Kip!," it stared at Pichu with a blazing fury.
(Trapt breaks in with the Battle Music, the chorus from Headstrong)
"Back off! We'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong!
Headstrong, we're headstrong!
Back off we'll take you on!
Headstrong, to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"
"Pichu, start it off with a Quick Attack!," Pichu's trainer yelled.
Pichu took off. Almost literally. Pichu was much faster than Machop had been. Before Sean had seen where it had gone, Mudkip was rolling over itself on the ground. It recovered quickly, shaken slightly, but barely injured.
"Good, a weak Attack..Perfect..," he thought to himself.
"All right, Mudkip! Let's start off the battle with a Growl Attack!"
Mudkip responded quickly.
"MrrrAAA!," Mudkip wailed at Pichu. Sean's plan had been set into action.
Pichu's attack was slightly lowered, but its Trainer obviously felt it was high enough to take down Mudkip on the offensive.
"Pichu, Swift Attack, now!"
Another lightning quick attack. Pichu leapt into the air and tiny glowing stars materialized behind it. With a loud cry, Pichu propelled them toward Mudkip.
"Mudkip, hold your ground. There's no point in wasting your energy trying to dodge it."
Mudkip planted its feet. All the Swift Attack had managed to do was slide Mudkip back a few inches. Besides that, he was unharmed, and still very much in the battle.
"One more time, Mudkip, give it a Growl!," Sean ordered, a glint in his eye.
The opposite Trainer began to laugh.
"Your strategy is very lacking, maybe you should work on it when I send you home crying to your mommy!," Pichu's Trainer taunted.
The tiny mouse laughed with its Trainer. It still hadn't dawned on them. It was about to.
"Let's end this. Pichu, power up!," the Trainer bellowed to his Pokemon.
Pichu lit up, its mouth curled into an evil smile. Sparks of electricity bounced over the ground around it. The sky itself seemed to darken as the Pichu built up power in its tiny little body.
"No Water-Type could survive this!," he yelled to Sean,"Watch as your pathetic Pokemon fries! Pichu, Thunder Attack, now!"
Pichu's energy build up was released into the air. The clouds engulfed the electricity and escalated its power before releasing its waves once again, directly toward Mudkip, who stood motionless awaiting any commands from its Trainer. Sean said nothing. He had planned on the Trainer resorting to electricity. The Thunder Attack hit home, creating a cloud of dust over the entire arena. Neither Trainer said a thing. A minute passed and the dust hadn't cleared, and the opposite Trainer finally said something.
"Guess we know who the better Trainer is," he bragged,"Your pathetic Water-Type proves its inferiority in a one-on-one battle and all you can do is stand there. What are you smiling at?"
The Trainer looked down and gasped. Mudkip looked up at the Trainer with a wicked glint in its eye.
"Back off, we'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong!
Back off, we'll take you on!
Headstrong to take on anyone!
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"
"But..How?!," he searched for some logical answer.
"I figured you'd resort to electricity after I lowered Pichu's Attack enough. Because of Mudkip's Dual Ground-Type, I didn't have to worry about Pichu's Electric Attacks. And now that its tired out from charging up that Thunder, this'll be an easy win."
It was amazing how in a matter of a day, Sean's confidence had risen to the point of creating a strategy.
"No! Pichu still has plenty of fight left!," the other Trainer called out in desperation.
"Think again. Mudkip, Water Gun!," Sean roared.
Mudkip sprang into action. Rearing onto its hind legs it puffed its cheeks with water, building pressure. In the instant before it couldn't hold any more, it took aim and released its mouthful at Pichu who was too tired to dodge the blast. The Water Gun careened toward Pichu in a high pressured aqua blitz. Reaching its destination, the stream of water struck Pichu on every part of its body, being so small. It fell limply to the ground and struggled to get back to its feet.
Its Trainer let out a growl,"Pichu, you'd better get up and fight!"
Pichu agonizingly regained his feet, ready to stick it out to the last.
"Mudkip, let's finish this off. Mud-Slap Attack!," Sean commanded.
Mudkip, hardly the least bit weakened, spit the mud onto its tail. Turning sideways he catapulted the mud at his target. A direct shot, Pichu was reeling. The mud was firmly stuck to his face, and it couldn't see the oncoming attack. Its Trainer was a little slow in informing it of it as well.
"Pichu!," it ears perked at the sound of its name," Quick, dodge right!"
Much too late. Mudkip was already in the air. His tail cocked to the back, he pivoted in the air and released the force behind his tail right across Pichu's cheek. The tired Electric-Type spun once in the air before coming to a final rest in a fainted heap on the ground.
The Trainer recalled his Pichu and ran, crying, back into the Pokemon Center. Sean didn't care enough about beating such a haughty Trainer to brag about his win. What he did do was run onto the field and lift Mudkip into the air. They shared a victory dance and walked back to the Center when they were finished. The other two Trainers who had been fighting followed him.
"That was a truely amazing battle. Your Mudkip was awesome."
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be," Sean said, playing back his mother's words to his two new admiring fans.
They stopped and stared at this. His words must have confused them. But they quickly recovered and began to follow him again.
"But seriously, Nate's really good and you beat him like he was nothing! He even beat the Kingston Gym Leader!"
"Gym Leader?," he queried. He'd known there was one here, and he planned on battling him, but he wanted more information on him first.
"Yeah. He's a pretty young guy. No older than fifteen. I don't remember his name, though.
"It couldn't be," Sean thought to himself, "What kind of Pokemon does he use?," he asked, recovering appearance
"He only had one, but it was really good. Nate only won because it got hit with is Pichu's Thunder Attack," the kid rambled.
"Yeah, but what WAS it?," Sean asked, getting impatient.
"Umm..A Larval...Uhh...A Larvitar! I remember now! It was a Rock-type."
"Ok, thanks, guys. I think that's all I'll need to know. I'm gonna go heal Mudkip then take a nap, see ya later."
They said their goodbyes and were off. Sean proceeded to the desk and handed Joy Mudkip again. This would take longer than a regular check-up, so Sean took a nearby chair, whipped out his PokeDex,and typed in Larvitar.
A robotic-sounding voice blared on in a monotone. It was almost painful to listen to, but very informative;"Larvitar: The larva Pokemon. Highly trained in the types of Rock and Dark, Larvitar attacks with greatly damaging attacks, such as Rock Slide and Crunch. What it has in Attack, it loses in its Speed category. Larvitar's evolutions are also extremely powerful. Tyranitar, Larvitar's final evolution is one of the strongest and most widely sought after Pokemon in the world."
"Sounds like a toughie," Sean thought out loud,"This may take a little bit of planning.
Nurse Joy was fairly quick in healing Mudkip. There was, however, no idle chit chat this time. Strict business. Sean took Mudkip from her and left the Pokemon Center. His goal was to find the Pokemon Gym, which would be quite a task, as he had only seen it once, with his mother, and they hadn't really been paying attention then as they hurried Mudkip to the Pokemon Center.
Lost, yet again, Sean made his way for Main Street. The shops and main buildings were in sight again as he travelled down the long, uncurving street. Bored, he released Mudkip on the pavement to walk next to him. The Pokemon was tired. It had been napping in its ball and really wanted to get back. It showed its appreciation of being woken up by splattering Sean's perfectly white shoes with a layer of mud.
"Urgh..Mudkip, you brat," he whined while kicking his shoes on the cement to shake it loose.
Finishing his task, he looked up. A familiar shop sat across the street, "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities," read the sign. Maybe Meredith would be there today? Collecting Mudkip in his arms, he hastened into the street, dodging cars, as he made his way to the shop.
As early as it was, Sean could see Meredith behind the counter as he came to the sidewalk. God, she was beautiful. He got a plan just then..He quickly walked to the door and pulled it open.
"Good morning!," he beamed.
"Well, hello. How are we doing today? And how are you Mudkip?," she asked, looking down at the little Water-type.
"Kip!," it replied.
"We beat some punk kid who was showing off up at the Pokemon Center. We're off to battle the Gym Leader now. Wanna come with us?"
"Sure, but you better be careful. My money's on Jon," she teased.
"Jon?," he asked aloud, to no one in particular, "Maybe it IS him.."
They walked together down the street, Meredith leading the way. A large building soon came into view. The Gym was large, shaped out of a giant boulder. Windows had been carved and fitted with glass. The front doors were automatic, swinging opened as they walked forward. The receptionist was nowhere to be found. Sean recalled Mudkip.
"She must be refereeing a match. That's the only time she ever usually leaves the front desk," Meredith stated.
Together walking to the arena, they spotted the Gym Leader and his challenger in a fiercely contested match. Sean's eyes closed into slits as he realized who the Leader was. Predictions having been proven, he pulled Meredith off to the wall and watched the Match from there.
The challenger was quite good. He and his Graveler made a marvelous team. But Jon and his Larvitar were better. It made up for its Speed disadvantage by practically reading its Trainer's mind. They were totally in tune with each other and at the simple call of an attack, Larvitar launched itself into a series of ferocious assaults.
"This Match is about to end," the Trainer called to Jon, "My Graveler's Fissure'll finish off your Larvitar for good. You heard it Graveler. Let it fly!"
Graveler raised a fist and struck the ground furiously. A crack split the Gym floor, widening as it travelled. Finishing its attack off, Graveler hurled itself into the air, returning to the earth in a ground-shattering smash. The floor itself split in two, leaving a gaping hole right in the middle of the room. Larvitar had been dodging in the meanwhile, leaping over cracks and all the while, heading for Graveler.
"This is over," Jon stated, "Larvitar, Earthquake!"
Its turn in play, Larvitar made its move. Launching itself from the security of the ground, Larvitar prepared for its attack. Gravity took in and just as it hit the ground, a strong motion from its legs pummeled the floor with the attack. The very ground they stood on shook. Meredith and Sean grabbed the wall for support and watched as Graveler, helpless to avoid the attack, was swallowed up into its own Fissure. The referee shouted out her decision:
"This Match goes to the Gym Leader, Jon, and his Larvitar."
"Why is it that whenever somebody brags that they're gonna win, they don't?," Meredith asked laughingly.
Sean shrugged. He was too concerned about his Match with Larvitar to be very interested in what she had to say a the moment. Getting himself into the right state of mind wasn't going to be easy. He motioned for Meredith to follow and walked onto onto the field as Jon and opponent were shaking hands.
"You and your Graveler fought well, Tom," he said, "I hope come back to battle me again some day."
"Count on it," Tom said, walking out of the arena.
Jon sprayed a Super Potion of Larvitar before recalling it. He sighed and threw his hair to one side. He wore the insignia of the Gym, a large black "K" surrounded on all sides by falling rocks. His eyes were dark brown, hair reddish-white color of a Ninetale's fur. He locked his eyes on Sean as his head turned their way. Eyes widening, he ran up to him, completely ecstatic to see his old friend.
"Sean?! What the hell are you doing here?!," Jon asked.
"I'm here to chalenge you for a Badge," Sean stated, a smile on his face.
"You're a Trainer? Ow my arm!," he screamed, pretending a heart attack.
"Screw you," Sean said jokingly. "I watched you and Larvitar battle. Pretty impressive."
"We have been training together for three years. We should be relatively good by now. What kind of Pokemon do you have?," he questioned.
Sean shook his head "no." He wouldn't give him the privelage of knowing that just yet.
"When did you become the Leader here?"
"The old Leader died about a year ago. Since I was the oldest in the Apprenticeship Program, I had to take over. I currently have ten pupils under me..I'm still learning myself. It's fun, though. Larvitar likes the challenge, and if he's up to it, I am."
"Well you seem to be doing fine for yourself," Sean said.
"Yeah..The money's great. The League even sends me supplies."
"Where do we battle then?," Sean asked, his want to talk having been cut off, "We obviously can't do it here," he said, pointing at the ruined Gym floor.
"Yeah, that happens all the time," he groaned,"We'll have to steal the practice field from my students out back. They can watch us."
"Sounds like a winner," he said, adrenaline rising.
He noticed Meredith had been standing there politely listening to their conversation. He suddenly felt sorry he'd brought her. She'd probably be bored out of her mind.
"By the way, Jon. This is Meredith. Her father runs the Secondhand Pokemon shop in town."
"How do you do?," he reached for her hand and kissed it. She giggled at this.
"Show off..," Sean growled.
A few minutes later, they were walking toward the back of the Gym. Jon lead them through doors and hallways. It seemed like a very long walk.
"Dude, where's the Arena?," Sean asked, getting impatient.
"Outside of town. We're walking under stores and other buildings right now. It's actually in the forest. There's a little clearing that we put it up in. It's much easier to battle there than in the middle of the city."
Finally, they reached a door that read, "Practice Arena." The door flew opened on its own. Or so it appeared at first.
"Oh, hello, Mathew," Jon said,"My opponent and I will need to use the Practice Arena for our match."
"Ruined the other one again, huh?," Mathew snickered.
"That'll be all Mathew, round up your classmates and get to the stands..Little snot," he added as Mathew walked off.
The Arena was surrounded by forest. The traditional lines had been painted on the firm ground. A little girl stepped up and whispered something to Jon. He nodded and she ran happily to the sidelines and picked up two flags, one red, one green. Sean and Jon took their respective sides and Meredith walked to the stands and sat wth the class.
Each of them grabbed their Pokeballs from their belts and enlarged them, ready for battle. The little girl with the flags looked at Jon, and he nodded.
"This will be a One-on-One Pokemon Battle with no time-limit! First to lose one Pokemon is defeated. The Challenger is competing for the Cobblestone Badge," she raised the flags," Begin!"
Simultaniously throwing their Pokeballs, they readied themselves for the oncoming battle. Their Pokeballs smacked to the ground, unleashing the contenders. Larvitar appeared with a cry, it locked itself into its battle position and awaited its opponent. Mudkip flashed out a second later, its skin was shiny, it must of rested itself in its Pokeball. There was general confusion from the crowd as they looked on at Mudkip. All but Sean, Jon, and Meredith laughed.
"You expect to beat our master's Larvitar with THAT?!," Mathew squealed," Why not just throw sticks at it?"
"Mathew, you know nothing. Sit down before you make an even bigger fool of yourself," Jon snapped,"If you paid any attention in class, any of you, you'd know that that small Pokemon over there has a very great advantage over Larvitar in type. It's dual Water-Ground combination make each of its types extremely effective against Larvitar. But...Type isn't everything," he sneered.
He decided to begin the match, "Larvitar, Take Down!"
Larvitar was already on the move. Its heavily armored body pistoned acoss the field as fast as it could. Which was, surprisingly enough, pretty fast for such a heavy Pokemon. Like a small tank it drove toward Mudkip, who stood perfectly still waiting for any sign of his Trainer's voice.
"Mudkip, dodge to the right, then Tackle!"
Mudkip responded. Diving to the right, he avoided Larvitar's charge and initiated one himself. Throwing his strong back legs into the Tackle Attack, Mudkip managed to knock Larvitar onto its side. It regained its footing in no time. The crowd looked on with increasing interest. This unknown Trainer wasn't doing half bad.
"Larvitar, Leer!," Jon yelled over the oohs and ahhs of his students.
Larvitar's eyes turned red. It stood to its full height and glared down at Mudkip. Afraid of the stare, Mudkip turned his head away.
"Larvitar, Bite Attack!"
"No, Mudkip! Turn around!"
Not quick enough, Mudkip turned his face back to the fight to see Larvitar sink its teeth into his right hind leg. Mudkip quickly shook it off. Its leg was bleeding freely. It appeared to have been injured pretty badly. Larvitar was good, he'd have to think up a strategy, and quick, if he wanted any chance of beating it.
"While it's hurt, Larvitar! Hyper Beam!," Sean heard Jon bellow.
"What?!," Sean exclaimed.
In horror, Sean watched as Larvitar opened its mouth. A ball of golden energy formed between his teeth. The ball grew bigger. Sean knew this meant trouble.
"Mudkip, get ready to dodge!," he yelled out to him.
"Kip," it said resolutely.
Larvitar finished its power-up. The ball stuck nearly a foot out of its mouth now. Its eyes narrowed. It waited for its master's call.
"Now, Larvitar, release the Hyper Beam!," Jon bellowed, his eyes flashing wildly.
The energy released from the Hyper Beam tore up the ground. Larvitar was blown back a few feet as it struggled to stand againstthe powerful beam it had created. Rocks and dirt flew everywhere. It screamed toward Mudkip, its target, with great accuracy. Mudkip squealed. The beam was going to engulf it. This might mean more than the match, it could mean its life. Sean's heart skipped a beat as he prepared for the right moment to give Mudkip his command. There was no sound from the crowd. All that was heard was the breaking of rock and dirt. Mudkip stood firm, ever faithful to his Trainer, his friend. He would follow him to the end, even if this was it.
To Be Continued...
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Closing Note: Cliffhanger! Don't ya just hate me? Ha! =P A much more exciting Chapter in my opinion. But let's get some response to these people. Let me know what you think of my story. Is it even worthy of your attention. I need some kind of clue whether or not to keep writing! *Espeonage*