The morning sun shone brightly as another day of Pokemon training begun.
The traveling trainers Eric and Kristen were headed toward Petalburg City,
where his father, the Gym Leader resided. The two had stopped to take a
break, as the unforgiving sun was showing no signs of cooling down. Eric
was busy preparing Talon, his Torchic for the upcoming match against his
father. Kristen was brushing her new Swellow, Nail, while her Mudkip, named
Neptune, soaked in a shallow river.
"Okay, Talon! Ready.....aim.......NOW! Use Ember!" Eric shouted.
Talon hopped into the air, chirping loudly, before blasting a nearby rock with small flames. The embers easily singed the boulder, leaving a small mark on its side.
"Great job!" Eric praised, petting Talon on his head.
Kristen, however, wasn't as pleased.
"Eric, it's great that your Torchic has mastered Ember and all....but you should work on its other attacks as well."
"Huh? What do you mean? Talon's fine with Ember." Eric laughed, "What's the point of having him learn melee attacks if his opponents can't get near him?"
"Because," Kristen started, "If you run into an opponent that is resistant to Fire-type attacks, you'll be stuck."
"Yeah, well what are the odds of that happening?" Eric retorted.
Nail turned his head toward some rustling bushes, interrupting the conversation. Eric and Kristen both looked on, curious to see if it was a wild Pokemon.
It wasn't a wild Pokemon, but a young boy, around the age of 10 or 11. His large, straw hat that was almost double the size of his head overshadowed his blue shorts and sleeveless white shirt. Stumbling out awkwardly, he smiled weakly and prepared to keep walking, but when he noticed Eric's Torchic he stopped.
"Hey, is that Pokemon yours?" the boy asked.
"Hm? Oh are you talking to me? Yeah that's Talon, my Torchic." Eric laughed.
"My name's Michael, wanna have a Pokemon battle?"
"A battle? Um, sure, fine by me. My name's Eric, by the way."
"Alright, I'll go first," Michael said, "Go! Surskit!"
Michael threw a Pokeball in front of Eric and Talon, and watched as a small circular Pokemon sprouted from the light. Blue, with long spider-like legs and two beady eyes, with a small golden horn on the top of its head.
"Sur! Surskit!" it peeped.
Eric flipped out his Pokedex to get some info on the small creature.
Surskit: The pond skater Pokemon. These Pokemon are known for their thin legs that allow them to slide on the surface of water. The gold colored antennae on the top of its head can secrete a sugary substance to distract enemies.
"Alright Talon! You up for a battle?" Eric called.
"Tor! Torrr!" Talon responded eagerly.
"Alright then! Let's go! Talon!! Ember attack!!" Eric ordered.
Talon jumped into the air, inhaled, and then exhaled its famous embers, sending them toward the Surskit at full speed. Michael's Surskit attempted to dodge, but it was very clumsy on land, and managed to take a few hits.
"Surrrr..." it squealed.
"You okay, Surskit?" Michael asked, and the bug replied by nodding, "Good. Use Bubble attack!"
The Surkit fired off many glowing bubbles at Talon with powerful force, slamming into him and knocking him back into the grass.
"Eric! Watch out! Fire Pokemon are weak against Water-type attacks!" Kristen called from the sidelines.
"Ya think I don't know that?!" Eric replied, "Talon, can you stand buddy?!"
Talon slowly got to his feet, but the Surskit replied with another blast of Bubble. This time Talon was prepared, and he jumped to the side and countered with a spray of Ember. Surskit was knocked back into the trunk of a tree, where it regained its composure and awaited orders.
"Talon! Let's try a different attack! Scratch it!" Eric commanded.
Talon began to run at Surskit, who was still standing there awaiting its next order. Talon continued to run at full speed, and jumped into the air, where it aimed its feet and tried to scratch at Surskit.
"Oh no you don't! Surskit, why don't we give that Torchic a whiff of your Sweet Scent?!" Michael laughed.
Surskit lowered its head, aiming its antennae at the still airborne Talon. A pink billowy haze sprayed from the tip this time, and the second Talon inhaled the aroma, it blushed and fell onto its butt, drooling.
"Talon! C'mon buddy! Shake it off!" Eric called.
Talon continued to stay in la-la land, leaving him open for another attack. Michael commanded a Quick Attack, and Surskit quickly rushed at Talon, leaving a glowing streak of energy behind it.
"TALON!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Eric roared.
His trainer's bellow was more than enough to snap him out of the trance, and Talon desperately side stepped the Quick Attack, revealing Surskit's back, and giving him an opening to attack.
"Now Talon! Quickly! Use Ember!!"
Talon blasted multiple embers at Surskit's back, damaging it greatly, but it was still not enough to knock it out. Surskit turned around and attempted another Quick Attack, but Talon was prepared.
"Ok ready Talon? Use Peck attack!" Eric yelled.
Talon rushed at Surskit(who was, in turn, rushing at him.) and both Pokemon collided. When the smoke cleared, Talon stood over a knocked out Surskit, smiling.
"Alright! We did it! Great job Talon!" Eric laughed.
Kristen's Neptune rushed over and congratulated Talon, and Nail flew down toward them to also chat. Meanwhile, Michael sighed and withdrew his Pokemon.
"Aww, return Surskit. Man, it seems like we'll never win a battle...." Michael said, depressed.
"Hmm, well your Surskit is very strong, but it's just that you come up against the wrong kind of opponent." Eric laughed.
Kristen glared at Eric, then looked at Michael.
"Actually, you would have won that battle if Eric had ordered a Scratch attack instead of Peck." she said.
"Huh? What are you talking about? I won the second he challenged me!" Eric retorted.
"Oh will you get over yourself? I'm surprised you even realized Flying-type moves are effective against Bugs." Kristen teased back.
"Huh? Flying type moves?" Eric asked, "I just told Talon to use Peck 'cause I thought it would look cooler when the attack hit."
Kristen fell over at this, flabbergasted at Eric's lack of combat knowledge.
"Y-You mean to tell me, that you didn't know that Peck was going to be a super effective hit?" Kristen asked, twitching.
"Nope! I guess it was a fluke!" Eric said, grinning.
At least, he was grinning, before Kristen punched him in the face and knocked him out. Panting, Kristen berated Eric and turned around to Michael, who was now shaking in fear after witnessing the brutal, yet comical display of violence.
"Why are you so upset about losing? You have plenty of battles ahead of you." Kristen said.
"Yeah but....it's my brother....he is always one step ahead of me, and I really want him to respect me, like I look up to him." Michael responded.
"Your brother huh? I bet he is a strong Pokemon trainer." Kristen replied, "And he probably has more experience than you."
"Yeah, that's true."
"So, then don't worry about it too much. If anything, too many wins will make you as pig headed as this guy over here." Kristen said, pointing to the still toppled Eric.
"Gahhhhhh...." Eric gurgled, still in a daze, "That punch was super effective..."
The crisp afternoon summer air wrapped its smile over the region of Hoenn, as the three kids wandered through the grasslands surrounding Petalburg.
"Are we there yet?" Eric whined.
"No." Michael responded.
"Are we there yet?" Eric asked again.
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we—"
"SHUT UP!!!" both Michael and Kristen shouted.
Eric meekly retreated toward the back of the group and began to fiddle with the buttons on his Pokedex.
"Don't worry Eric, I'll tell you when we get there." Michael said, feeling sorry for yelling.
"Well good," Eric replied, folding his arms, "I want to see how good of a trainer this "brother" is."
"Oh he's very good, all of his Pokemon are well trained at battling." Michael responded.
"Sounds interesting." Kristen said.
The group finally arrived at a small pond, where a young man, similar to Michael in appearance, was standing. Upon hearing the trainers approach, he turned around and spoke.
"Oh, hey bro finally back from your "training"? And who are these guys you've brought along?"
"This is Eric and Kristen," Michael said, "And you guys, this is my brother Jake. Jake, I almost beat Eric in a Pokemon Battle, but he turned the tables and beat me at the last second. Now he wants to challenge you." "Ha!," Jake laughed, "If you almost beat him, what makes him think that he is any match for me?"
After hearing this Eric's blood began to boil like the lava pits of Mt. Chimney. Grabbing Talon's Pokeball from his waist, he popped it open and released Talon.
"Ok big guy, let's put your money where your mouth is! Release a Pokemon! I'm challenging you to a battle!" Eric yelled.
"Fine." Jake said, tipping his straw hat to shield his eyes from the sun, "I choose Heracross!"
Jake threw a Pokeball and watched it burst open to unveil one of his prized Pokemon. Almost his trainer's height, Heracross was truly a formidable contender to stand in front of. Dyed in a shade of navy blue that made its gold eyes stand out even more, the gigantic beetle lifted its prickly forearms into a battle position, readying itself for combat.
"Herakurossuuu!" it cried, its raspy voice sending both Eric and Talon into a frightened tremble.
"If you want to back out of the fight, I understand." Jake snickered.
"I'm not backing anywhere. Talon you ready?" Eric yelled.
"Torchic!" Talon chirped.
"Eric," Kristen called, "Talon's got a type advantage. Now is the perfect time for you to go Ember-crazy."
"Ya hear that Talon?" Eric said, turning his head back to the battlefield, "We get to Ember all we want. So let's show Jake and his Heracross how it's done!"
Talon blasted a barrage of Ember toward the Heracross. The huge beetle stood stationary, preparing for the oncoming attack. Jake just let out a "feh" and smiled.
"Heracross, show Eric and his little chick here how we deal with Ember attacks." Jake called.
Heracross' gold eyes narrowed down as it stared down the Embers that were fast approaching. Lifting up both arms, Heracross prepared to strike.
"Heeerrrraa!!" it cried as it swung its arms rapidly. The sheer speed from its arms created a blue blur that deflected the Embers. The small fireballs flew into all kinds of directions, leaving Heracross completely unharmed.
"Tor?!" Talon cried in disbelief.
"No way, it negated the attack completely." Eric gasped.
"Eric, maybe you should take this trainer more seriously..." Kristen urged.
"See? I told you!" Michael cried.
"Hah!," Jake tipped his hat over his eyes, "Heracross finish this! Megahorn!"
Heracross spread and began to flap them rapidly, taking off. As it sped for the shocked Talon its single large horn began to glow a shining white, crackling with energy. It was only a matter of seconds before Heracross flew into Talon at full force, slamming him with its horn and sending him tumbling on the dirt.
"Talon! No!" Eric cried out as he ran over to his fallen Pokemon. Lifting up the bruised Pokemon and holding him tight, he scanned his body to make sure there weren't any serious injuries. When he was sure that Talon was simply knocked out, he recalled him back to his Pokeball. When Eric looked back up, he noticed that Kristen was stepping up to plate.
"Okay, my turn," she said calmly, "I'm breaking in my newest Pokemon. Go Nail!"
Kristen released Nail from his Pokeball and watched as the black bird took to the skies. Jake just chuckled to himself and recalled Heracross. Grabbing a new Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it and awaited the trainers' shocked expression. Emerging from the light, this new Pokemon was even more fearsome than the last. It was similar looking to Heracross, in that it was a beetle, but this Pokemon's skin was brown, dry, and bumpy. Its two beady eyes centered on Nail, and on its head rested two, huge horns with spikes protruding from the sides. The Pokemon beat its chest with its long, lanky arms, and released a loud battle cry.
"A Pinsir!" Kristen said, surprised.
Eric flipped his Pokedex out to get some info on the behemoth:
Pinsir: The Stag Beetle Pokemon. This fearsome bug Pokemon will attempt to grab its opponents with its giant horns and crush them alive. If this Pokemon encounters an opponent it cannot crush, it will fling it off to the side. Its long arms can also be used for punching and grabbing.
"Geez, that thing looks tough!" Eric exclaimed.
"Hopefully, Nail can take it! Nail, use Wing Attack!" Kristen yelled.
Nail flapping its wings rapidly, then flew toward Pinsir at blinding speed. Then, the Swellow fanned out its right wing and focused its might into it.
"SWEEEELLLLLLLOOOOOWWW!!!!"
The wing slammed hard into Pinsir, knocking it off of its feet. Pinsir slammed onto the ground hard, creating small tremors in the earth. Nail hovered in the air above, awaiting its next order.
"Hmm, your Swellow seems to have a great deal more experience in battle then that Torchic did." Jake said, calmly.
Pinsir slowly got up to its feet, but Nail was already prepared and swooped down for another Wing Attack. This time, Pinsir wasn't taking Nail for granted. It opened its horns and caught the Swellow between, squeezing and crushing its ribs. Nail wheezed as the air was forced out of its lungs. When Eric glanced over at Kristen, he saw a look of horror wrap its way over her face.
"Wait—I give up! Your Pinsir is obviously stronger than my Swellow." Kristen cried out, recalling it back into its Pokeball.
Jake recalled his Pinsir, and turned his back to the trainers.
"See? I told you, it's a waste of time. I'm training for the Pokemon League, and you low level trainers couldn't possibly beat me."
There was nothing Eric or Kristen could say to defend themselves. Jake was right, he was the better trainer in this case. Eric thought about how he would have to train Talon hard to make him as strong as the Pokemon he faced today.
"I think that loss was just what you needed to take your ego down a peg." Kristen said to Eric.
"Me? What about you, you lost just as bad!" Eric argued back. While the two teens argued over there losses, Michael slowly stood up and approached his big brother. He grabbed his pants leg and tugged until Jake turned around and acknowledged his presence.
"What do you want, squirt?" Jake asked.
"U-Um, can I b-battle you too, bro?" Michael stammered.
After hearing this, Jake began to laugh uncontrollably, but when he looked down, he saw a look of determination in Michael's eyes. That same look that he had when he first started Pokemon training.
"All right," Jake said, smiling, "Let's battle."
Eric and Kristen sat on the edge of a small stream as spectators onto the coming match. They watched as Michael nervously sent out his little Surskit. Jake pulled a Pokeball of his own out from his bag, enlarged it, and prepared for, in his mind, an easy battle.
"What Pokemon do you think Jake is gonna use, Kris?" Eric asked.
"Well, I'm guessing it's gonna be a bug type, since that seems to be his forte." Kristen replied.
"Go! Masquerain!!" Jake yelled, as he tossed the Pokeball.
Once again, brilliant white energy shot from the ball and formed into a Pokemon. But this time the energy materialized in the air, and took the form of what seemed two gigantic eyeballs and a very small body. Upon seeing this, Eric shrieked and hid behind Kristen, who just sighed.
"Eric, I swear, you're like a little kid sometimes. That is a Masquerain, the 'eyeballs' are its wings, look closer." She said calmly.
Eric took another glance at the fearsome Pokemon. What Eric thought were huge eyeballs were indeed just wings sprouting from the tiny bug body. Its face was similar to Surskit, in that it looked innocent and sweet with its beady little eyes, and it had small diamond-like appendages sprouting from its abdomen. Michael's Surskit nervously trembled as the large insect stared it down. Eric flipped out his Pokedex once again to gain some info on the creature.
Masquerain: The Eyeball Pokemon. The evolved form of Surskit, this Pokemon's large wings appear as eyeballs, which it uses to frighten its opponents. If it wings appear droopy, then it could mean a heavy rainfall. This Pokemon can flap all of its wings very rapidly, allowing it to move in any direction in the air.
"Oh ho! This thing evolves from Surskit!" Eric exclaimed.
"Maaaaasssssss" the overgrown bug cried as it loomed over the Surskit.
"I'll let you have the first move!" Jake called out, confidently.
"U-Um, okay," Michael feebly stuttered, "Surskit! Try a Bubble attack!"
"Surrrskit!" it squealed as it fired off a volley of glowing bubbles at Masquerain. The attack made a direct strike, but it barely damaged the intimidating Pokemon. The Surkit tried another blast of Bubble, but this time Masquerain side-dodged, and swooped down.
"Masquerain! Quick Attack!" Jake called. Masquerain zipped from side to side, confusing Surskit before striking it hard. The tiny pond skater flew backwards into the river, going underwater for a couple of seconds, and then resurfacing to continue fighting.
"Surskit try to lure it in with a Sweet Scent!" Michael called.
Surskit lowered its head and released a pink haze that engulfed Masquerain. As the cloudy smog enveloped him, the enemy Pokemon beat its wings harder and more rapidly, dissipating the intoxicating gas.
"That's not fair!" Michael whined.
"What's not fair? Using gaseous attacks against a Pokemon who creates its own wind source is just plain foolhardy!" Jake laughed, "Masquerain, use Bubblebeam!"
"Raaaaaaain!" the Masquerain cried as it blasted a huge spray of bubbles at Surskit, who barely managed to dodge them, and took some damage in the process. But Surskit was in the open for another attack, and Jake knew this as well.
"Masquerain, finish it with Silver Wind!" Jake ordered.
Masquerain's wings began to glow and it beat them harder than before. Large energy waves shot from its wings toward little Surskit, who stood right in the line of fire.
"This looks like it!" Eric yelled.
"Surskit! So something!!" Michael screamed.
Suddenly, Surskit's body began to glow and shimmer. Soon, its entire body was out of view and it became a big, bright, aura. Its body then began to reshape and form into that of a Masquerain. Its wings sprouted and it flapped them a couple of times to test them out. Taking flight, the Masquerain quickly dodged the array of Silver Wind.
"Oh man! It evolved!" Kristen exclaimed.
"Sweet! Now, it's Masquerain versus Masquerain!" Eric said.
Michael just stood in awe. His Surskit, the very Pokemon he cared and raised for, evolved. The big insect hovered over to Mike and allowed him to pet it.
"I-I can't believe it...you evolved!" he exclaimed.
"Great job." Jake complimented, "Now on with the battle."
"Ok! Masquerain, use Quick Attack!" Michael yelled.
Michael's Masquerain rushed at Jake's Masquerain, but it flew clumsily and awkwardly. Jake ordered his bug Pokemon to use Double Team, and it started to fly in circles around Mike's bug so fast, it appeared as if the match was now 8 versus one. Mike's Masquerain was now extremely confused, and it didn't know which enemy to aim at.
"Now! Bubblebeam!" Jake yelled.
The enemy Masquerains all fired Bubblebeams at Mike's Pokemon, blasting it from all sides. Squealing in pain, Mike's Masquerain fell to the river below. Splashing a bit in the water, the younger Masquerain attempted to fly again, but its wings were wet, and going airborne was now impossible. Michael was defeated.
"Masquerain, it's okay. You did a great job." Michael said, recalling it.
"Lil' bro, you may have lost the battle, but I have to say, I was impressed with the way you were able to handle your Pokemon after it evolved." Jake said.
"Well, it's only 'cause I watch you train yours all the time." Michael replied.
"Still," Jake started, "it was impressive. Listen, I know I'm hard on you sometimes. But that's only cause you remind me of myself. With your new Masquerain, I think we'd make great sparring partners."
"Oh really?! Awesome!" Michael exclaimed, happy to finally earn his brother's respect.
Eric and Kristen clapped. After witnessing the battles today, Eric felt totally different about his training. He now just how strong trainers could get. Eric smiled. He couldn't wait until he was one of the most respected and powerful trainers in the world.
"So, you two are heading to Petalburg, huh?" Jake said, "It's not too far ahead, it's about a couple more days walk, give or take a mile."
"Thanks" Eric replied, "hopefully we will arrive there sooner than later."
"Maybe we'll run into each other some day. Train that Masquerain well, Michael." Kristen said, starting to leave.
"Bye Eric! Bye Kristen! Good luck on your training! See you around!" Michael called, waving.
"See ya Eric! Maybe we will run into each other in the future!" Jake yelled.
Eric and Kristen continued to wander uphill, trying to make good time as they head to Petalburg. Petalburg City, where Eric would have to confront his father...
Next Chapter: Fathers and Sons
"Okay, Talon! Ready.....aim.......NOW! Use Ember!" Eric shouted.
Talon hopped into the air, chirping loudly, before blasting a nearby rock with small flames. The embers easily singed the boulder, leaving a small mark on its side.
"Great job!" Eric praised, petting Talon on his head.
Kristen, however, wasn't as pleased.
"Eric, it's great that your Torchic has mastered Ember and all....but you should work on its other attacks as well."
"Huh? What do you mean? Talon's fine with Ember." Eric laughed, "What's the point of having him learn melee attacks if his opponents can't get near him?"
"Because," Kristen started, "If you run into an opponent that is resistant to Fire-type attacks, you'll be stuck."
"Yeah, well what are the odds of that happening?" Eric retorted.
Nail turned his head toward some rustling bushes, interrupting the conversation. Eric and Kristen both looked on, curious to see if it was a wild Pokemon.
It wasn't a wild Pokemon, but a young boy, around the age of 10 or 11. His large, straw hat that was almost double the size of his head overshadowed his blue shorts and sleeveless white shirt. Stumbling out awkwardly, he smiled weakly and prepared to keep walking, but when he noticed Eric's Torchic he stopped.
"Hey, is that Pokemon yours?" the boy asked.
"Hm? Oh are you talking to me? Yeah that's Talon, my Torchic." Eric laughed.
"My name's Michael, wanna have a Pokemon battle?"
"A battle? Um, sure, fine by me. My name's Eric, by the way."
"Alright, I'll go first," Michael said, "Go! Surskit!"
Michael threw a Pokeball in front of Eric and Talon, and watched as a small circular Pokemon sprouted from the light. Blue, with long spider-like legs and two beady eyes, with a small golden horn on the top of its head.
"Sur! Surskit!" it peeped.
Eric flipped out his Pokedex to get some info on the small creature.
Surskit: The pond skater Pokemon. These Pokemon are known for their thin legs that allow them to slide on the surface of water. The gold colored antennae on the top of its head can secrete a sugary substance to distract enemies.
"Alright Talon! You up for a battle?" Eric called.
"Tor! Torrr!" Talon responded eagerly.
"Alright then! Let's go! Talon!! Ember attack!!" Eric ordered.
Talon jumped into the air, inhaled, and then exhaled its famous embers, sending them toward the Surskit at full speed. Michael's Surskit attempted to dodge, but it was very clumsy on land, and managed to take a few hits.
"Surrrr..." it squealed.
"You okay, Surskit?" Michael asked, and the bug replied by nodding, "Good. Use Bubble attack!"
The Surkit fired off many glowing bubbles at Talon with powerful force, slamming into him and knocking him back into the grass.
"Eric! Watch out! Fire Pokemon are weak against Water-type attacks!" Kristen called from the sidelines.
"Ya think I don't know that?!" Eric replied, "Talon, can you stand buddy?!"
Talon slowly got to his feet, but the Surskit replied with another blast of Bubble. This time Talon was prepared, and he jumped to the side and countered with a spray of Ember. Surskit was knocked back into the trunk of a tree, where it regained its composure and awaited orders.
"Talon! Let's try a different attack! Scratch it!" Eric commanded.
Talon began to run at Surskit, who was still standing there awaiting its next order. Talon continued to run at full speed, and jumped into the air, where it aimed its feet and tried to scratch at Surskit.
"Oh no you don't! Surskit, why don't we give that Torchic a whiff of your Sweet Scent?!" Michael laughed.
Surskit lowered its head, aiming its antennae at the still airborne Talon. A pink billowy haze sprayed from the tip this time, and the second Talon inhaled the aroma, it blushed and fell onto its butt, drooling.
"Talon! C'mon buddy! Shake it off!" Eric called.
Talon continued to stay in la-la land, leaving him open for another attack. Michael commanded a Quick Attack, and Surskit quickly rushed at Talon, leaving a glowing streak of energy behind it.
"TALON!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Eric roared.
His trainer's bellow was more than enough to snap him out of the trance, and Talon desperately side stepped the Quick Attack, revealing Surskit's back, and giving him an opening to attack.
"Now Talon! Quickly! Use Ember!!"
Talon blasted multiple embers at Surskit's back, damaging it greatly, but it was still not enough to knock it out. Surskit turned around and attempted another Quick Attack, but Talon was prepared.
"Ok ready Talon? Use Peck attack!" Eric yelled.
Talon rushed at Surskit(who was, in turn, rushing at him.) and both Pokemon collided. When the smoke cleared, Talon stood over a knocked out Surskit, smiling.
"Alright! We did it! Great job Talon!" Eric laughed.
Kristen's Neptune rushed over and congratulated Talon, and Nail flew down toward them to also chat. Meanwhile, Michael sighed and withdrew his Pokemon.
"Aww, return Surskit. Man, it seems like we'll never win a battle...." Michael said, depressed.
"Hmm, well your Surskit is very strong, but it's just that you come up against the wrong kind of opponent." Eric laughed.
Kristen glared at Eric, then looked at Michael.
"Actually, you would have won that battle if Eric had ordered a Scratch attack instead of Peck." she said.
"Huh? What are you talking about? I won the second he challenged me!" Eric retorted.
"Oh will you get over yourself? I'm surprised you even realized Flying-type moves are effective against Bugs." Kristen teased back.
"Huh? Flying type moves?" Eric asked, "I just told Talon to use Peck 'cause I thought it would look cooler when the attack hit."
Kristen fell over at this, flabbergasted at Eric's lack of combat knowledge.
"Y-You mean to tell me, that you didn't know that Peck was going to be a super effective hit?" Kristen asked, twitching.
"Nope! I guess it was a fluke!" Eric said, grinning.
At least, he was grinning, before Kristen punched him in the face and knocked him out. Panting, Kristen berated Eric and turned around to Michael, who was now shaking in fear after witnessing the brutal, yet comical display of violence.
"Why are you so upset about losing? You have plenty of battles ahead of you." Kristen said.
"Yeah but....it's my brother....he is always one step ahead of me, and I really want him to respect me, like I look up to him." Michael responded.
"Your brother huh? I bet he is a strong Pokemon trainer." Kristen replied, "And he probably has more experience than you."
"Yeah, that's true."
"So, then don't worry about it too much. If anything, too many wins will make you as pig headed as this guy over here." Kristen said, pointing to the still toppled Eric.
"Gahhhhhh...." Eric gurgled, still in a daze, "That punch was super effective..."
The crisp afternoon summer air wrapped its smile over the region of Hoenn, as the three kids wandered through the grasslands surrounding Petalburg.
"Are we there yet?" Eric whined.
"No." Michael responded.
"Are we there yet?" Eric asked again.
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we—"
"SHUT UP!!!" both Michael and Kristen shouted.
Eric meekly retreated toward the back of the group and began to fiddle with the buttons on his Pokedex.
"Don't worry Eric, I'll tell you when we get there." Michael said, feeling sorry for yelling.
"Well good," Eric replied, folding his arms, "I want to see how good of a trainer this "brother" is."
"Oh he's very good, all of his Pokemon are well trained at battling." Michael responded.
"Sounds interesting." Kristen said.
The group finally arrived at a small pond, where a young man, similar to Michael in appearance, was standing. Upon hearing the trainers approach, he turned around and spoke.
"Oh, hey bro finally back from your "training"? And who are these guys you've brought along?"
"This is Eric and Kristen," Michael said, "And you guys, this is my brother Jake. Jake, I almost beat Eric in a Pokemon Battle, but he turned the tables and beat me at the last second. Now he wants to challenge you." "Ha!," Jake laughed, "If you almost beat him, what makes him think that he is any match for me?"
After hearing this Eric's blood began to boil like the lava pits of Mt. Chimney. Grabbing Talon's Pokeball from his waist, he popped it open and released Talon.
"Ok big guy, let's put your money where your mouth is! Release a Pokemon! I'm challenging you to a battle!" Eric yelled.
"Fine." Jake said, tipping his straw hat to shield his eyes from the sun, "I choose Heracross!"
Jake threw a Pokeball and watched it burst open to unveil one of his prized Pokemon. Almost his trainer's height, Heracross was truly a formidable contender to stand in front of. Dyed in a shade of navy blue that made its gold eyes stand out even more, the gigantic beetle lifted its prickly forearms into a battle position, readying itself for combat.
"Herakurossuuu!" it cried, its raspy voice sending both Eric and Talon into a frightened tremble.
"If you want to back out of the fight, I understand." Jake snickered.
"I'm not backing anywhere. Talon you ready?" Eric yelled.
"Torchic!" Talon chirped.
"Eric," Kristen called, "Talon's got a type advantage. Now is the perfect time for you to go Ember-crazy."
"Ya hear that Talon?" Eric said, turning his head back to the battlefield, "We get to Ember all we want. So let's show Jake and his Heracross how it's done!"
Talon blasted a barrage of Ember toward the Heracross. The huge beetle stood stationary, preparing for the oncoming attack. Jake just let out a "feh" and smiled.
"Heracross, show Eric and his little chick here how we deal with Ember attacks." Jake called.
Heracross' gold eyes narrowed down as it stared down the Embers that were fast approaching. Lifting up both arms, Heracross prepared to strike.
"Heeerrrraa!!" it cried as it swung its arms rapidly. The sheer speed from its arms created a blue blur that deflected the Embers. The small fireballs flew into all kinds of directions, leaving Heracross completely unharmed.
"Tor?!" Talon cried in disbelief.
"No way, it negated the attack completely." Eric gasped.
"Eric, maybe you should take this trainer more seriously..." Kristen urged.
"See? I told you!" Michael cried.
"Hah!," Jake tipped his hat over his eyes, "Heracross finish this! Megahorn!"
Heracross spread and began to flap them rapidly, taking off. As it sped for the shocked Talon its single large horn began to glow a shining white, crackling with energy. It was only a matter of seconds before Heracross flew into Talon at full force, slamming him with its horn and sending him tumbling on the dirt.
"Talon! No!" Eric cried out as he ran over to his fallen Pokemon. Lifting up the bruised Pokemon and holding him tight, he scanned his body to make sure there weren't any serious injuries. When he was sure that Talon was simply knocked out, he recalled him back to his Pokeball. When Eric looked back up, he noticed that Kristen was stepping up to plate.
"Okay, my turn," she said calmly, "I'm breaking in my newest Pokemon. Go Nail!"
Kristen released Nail from his Pokeball and watched as the black bird took to the skies. Jake just chuckled to himself and recalled Heracross. Grabbing a new Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it and awaited the trainers' shocked expression. Emerging from the light, this new Pokemon was even more fearsome than the last. It was similar looking to Heracross, in that it was a beetle, but this Pokemon's skin was brown, dry, and bumpy. Its two beady eyes centered on Nail, and on its head rested two, huge horns with spikes protruding from the sides. The Pokemon beat its chest with its long, lanky arms, and released a loud battle cry.
"A Pinsir!" Kristen said, surprised.
Eric flipped his Pokedex out to get some info on the behemoth:
Pinsir: The Stag Beetle Pokemon. This fearsome bug Pokemon will attempt to grab its opponents with its giant horns and crush them alive. If this Pokemon encounters an opponent it cannot crush, it will fling it off to the side. Its long arms can also be used for punching and grabbing.
"Geez, that thing looks tough!" Eric exclaimed.
"Hopefully, Nail can take it! Nail, use Wing Attack!" Kristen yelled.
Nail flapping its wings rapidly, then flew toward Pinsir at blinding speed. Then, the Swellow fanned out its right wing and focused its might into it.
"SWEEEELLLLLLLOOOOOWWW!!!!"
The wing slammed hard into Pinsir, knocking it off of its feet. Pinsir slammed onto the ground hard, creating small tremors in the earth. Nail hovered in the air above, awaiting its next order.
"Hmm, your Swellow seems to have a great deal more experience in battle then that Torchic did." Jake said, calmly.
Pinsir slowly got up to its feet, but Nail was already prepared and swooped down for another Wing Attack. This time, Pinsir wasn't taking Nail for granted. It opened its horns and caught the Swellow between, squeezing and crushing its ribs. Nail wheezed as the air was forced out of its lungs. When Eric glanced over at Kristen, he saw a look of horror wrap its way over her face.
"Wait—I give up! Your Pinsir is obviously stronger than my Swellow." Kristen cried out, recalling it back into its Pokeball.
Jake recalled his Pinsir, and turned his back to the trainers.
"See? I told you, it's a waste of time. I'm training for the Pokemon League, and you low level trainers couldn't possibly beat me."
There was nothing Eric or Kristen could say to defend themselves. Jake was right, he was the better trainer in this case. Eric thought about how he would have to train Talon hard to make him as strong as the Pokemon he faced today.
"I think that loss was just what you needed to take your ego down a peg." Kristen said to Eric.
"Me? What about you, you lost just as bad!" Eric argued back. While the two teens argued over there losses, Michael slowly stood up and approached his big brother. He grabbed his pants leg and tugged until Jake turned around and acknowledged his presence.
"What do you want, squirt?" Jake asked.
"U-Um, can I b-battle you too, bro?" Michael stammered.
After hearing this, Jake began to laugh uncontrollably, but when he looked down, he saw a look of determination in Michael's eyes. That same look that he had when he first started Pokemon training.
"All right," Jake said, smiling, "Let's battle."
Eric and Kristen sat on the edge of a small stream as spectators onto the coming match. They watched as Michael nervously sent out his little Surskit. Jake pulled a Pokeball of his own out from his bag, enlarged it, and prepared for, in his mind, an easy battle.
"What Pokemon do you think Jake is gonna use, Kris?" Eric asked.
"Well, I'm guessing it's gonna be a bug type, since that seems to be his forte." Kristen replied.
"Go! Masquerain!!" Jake yelled, as he tossed the Pokeball.
Once again, brilliant white energy shot from the ball and formed into a Pokemon. But this time the energy materialized in the air, and took the form of what seemed two gigantic eyeballs and a very small body. Upon seeing this, Eric shrieked and hid behind Kristen, who just sighed.
"Eric, I swear, you're like a little kid sometimes. That is a Masquerain, the 'eyeballs' are its wings, look closer." She said calmly.
Eric took another glance at the fearsome Pokemon. What Eric thought were huge eyeballs were indeed just wings sprouting from the tiny bug body. Its face was similar to Surskit, in that it looked innocent and sweet with its beady little eyes, and it had small diamond-like appendages sprouting from its abdomen. Michael's Surskit nervously trembled as the large insect stared it down. Eric flipped out his Pokedex once again to gain some info on the creature.
Masquerain: The Eyeball Pokemon. The evolved form of Surskit, this Pokemon's large wings appear as eyeballs, which it uses to frighten its opponents. If it wings appear droopy, then it could mean a heavy rainfall. This Pokemon can flap all of its wings very rapidly, allowing it to move in any direction in the air.
"Oh ho! This thing evolves from Surskit!" Eric exclaimed.
"Maaaaasssssss" the overgrown bug cried as it loomed over the Surskit.
"I'll let you have the first move!" Jake called out, confidently.
"U-Um, okay," Michael feebly stuttered, "Surskit! Try a Bubble attack!"
"Surrrskit!" it squealed as it fired off a volley of glowing bubbles at Masquerain. The attack made a direct strike, but it barely damaged the intimidating Pokemon. The Surkit tried another blast of Bubble, but this time Masquerain side-dodged, and swooped down.
"Masquerain! Quick Attack!" Jake called. Masquerain zipped from side to side, confusing Surskit before striking it hard. The tiny pond skater flew backwards into the river, going underwater for a couple of seconds, and then resurfacing to continue fighting.
"Surskit try to lure it in with a Sweet Scent!" Michael called.
Surskit lowered its head and released a pink haze that engulfed Masquerain. As the cloudy smog enveloped him, the enemy Pokemon beat its wings harder and more rapidly, dissipating the intoxicating gas.
"That's not fair!" Michael whined.
"What's not fair? Using gaseous attacks against a Pokemon who creates its own wind source is just plain foolhardy!" Jake laughed, "Masquerain, use Bubblebeam!"
"Raaaaaaain!" the Masquerain cried as it blasted a huge spray of bubbles at Surskit, who barely managed to dodge them, and took some damage in the process. But Surskit was in the open for another attack, and Jake knew this as well.
"Masquerain, finish it with Silver Wind!" Jake ordered.
Masquerain's wings began to glow and it beat them harder than before. Large energy waves shot from its wings toward little Surskit, who stood right in the line of fire.
"This looks like it!" Eric yelled.
"Surskit! So something!!" Michael screamed.
Suddenly, Surskit's body began to glow and shimmer. Soon, its entire body was out of view and it became a big, bright, aura. Its body then began to reshape and form into that of a Masquerain. Its wings sprouted and it flapped them a couple of times to test them out. Taking flight, the Masquerain quickly dodged the array of Silver Wind.
"Oh man! It evolved!" Kristen exclaimed.
"Sweet! Now, it's Masquerain versus Masquerain!" Eric said.
Michael just stood in awe. His Surskit, the very Pokemon he cared and raised for, evolved. The big insect hovered over to Mike and allowed him to pet it.
"I-I can't believe it...you evolved!" he exclaimed.
"Great job." Jake complimented, "Now on with the battle."
"Ok! Masquerain, use Quick Attack!" Michael yelled.
Michael's Masquerain rushed at Jake's Masquerain, but it flew clumsily and awkwardly. Jake ordered his bug Pokemon to use Double Team, and it started to fly in circles around Mike's bug so fast, it appeared as if the match was now 8 versus one. Mike's Masquerain was now extremely confused, and it didn't know which enemy to aim at.
"Now! Bubblebeam!" Jake yelled.
The enemy Masquerains all fired Bubblebeams at Mike's Pokemon, blasting it from all sides. Squealing in pain, Mike's Masquerain fell to the river below. Splashing a bit in the water, the younger Masquerain attempted to fly again, but its wings were wet, and going airborne was now impossible. Michael was defeated.
"Masquerain, it's okay. You did a great job." Michael said, recalling it.
"Lil' bro, you may have lost the battle, but I have to say, I was impressed with the way you were able to handle your Pokemon after it evolved." Jake said.
"Well, it's only 'cause I watch you train yours all the time." Michael replied.
"Still," Jake started, "it was impressive. Listen, I know I'm hard on you sometimes. But that's only cause you remind me of myself. With your new Masquerain, I think we'd make great sparring partners."
"Oh really?! Awesome!" Michael exclaimed, happy to finally earn his brother's respect.
Eric and Kristen clapped. After witnessing the battles today, Eric felt totally different about his training. He now just how strong trainers could get. Eric smiled. He couldn't wait until he was one of the most respected and powerful trainers in the world.
"So, you two are heading to Petalburg, huh?" Jake said, "It's not too far ahead, it's about a couple more days walk, give or take a mile."
"Thanks" Eric replied, "hopefully we will arrive there sooner than later."
"Maybe we'll run into each other some day. Train that Masquerain well, Michael." Kristen said, starting to leave.
"Bye Eric! Bye Kristen! Good luck on your training! See you around!" Michael called, waving.
"See ya Eric! Maybe we will run into each other in the future!" Jake yelled.
Eric and Kristen continued to wander uphill, trying to make good time as they head to Petalburg. Petalburg City, where Eric would have to confront his father...
Next Chapter: Fathers and Sons