Sorry it's been a long time (about a week) I've had major writer's block and haven't seen to been able to get over it. So this chapter is going to be a gym chapter, even though the next chapter was supposed to be. But no fear! It won't have anything to do with the actual story line, anyways this is the LAST gym chapter for this story so enjoy.
Reviews will be at the bottom. Please R&R
Chapter 23: Two Plus Two Equals FOUR!
The boat skimmed across the serene ocean, blowing up a powerful wake in its path. A few Winguls chirped above, while some wild Magikarp splashed out of the water. The sun beamed down and was reflected by the top of the sea. Not too far from the boat was another island known as Kumquat!
"We're not too far from Kumquat Island," Tyson said as he steered the boat around the ocean, a smile etched on his face while his gentle eyes danced in the sun's rays.
"And my final badge!" Dustin couldn't help himself as his lips curved up; his cheeks became full of life as his eyes sparkled at the thought of the final badge. "I can't wait! Dude this is going to rock!"
"So after that recent training session, I myself actually think you're going to win," Kamme unwillingly said, however a smile gripped around her lips as she spoke. "Your Wartortle defeated my Milotic with ease! And I thought I was a serious Water type trainer."
"Thanks Kamme," Dustin gleamed. "I'm so ready! I can't believe this will be my last badge, number four! And then it's to the Orange League! Where I'll receive my trophy and have fun battling!"
"Easy there buck-o," Kamme joked. "I said I think you can win your fourth badge, you'll need a lot more training before taking on the Orange Crew Leader." She shot a look over at Tyson, "But I'm sure Tyson will help you out."
"You bet dude," Tyson nodded as Dustin looked at him. "I'll help your Pokemon learn some awesome moves! Trust me, after some more training there's no way you'll lose!" he smiled along with the dark haired trainer.
"I can't wait!" he responded with a smile. Tyson increased the speed of the boat, causing the aquatic vehicle to skim more quickly on the ocean. Only a little while longer until the final badge battle of the Orange League!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"We're here," Tyson, said as he twisted the key and took it from the boat ignition. He walked onto the dock, as Dustin and Kamme got their things.
Kamme grabbed her bag and walked off the boat, latching onto Tyson's right arm and rubbing her head against his muscles. "Oh Tyson! This is so cool!"
Dustin didn't pay attention to the two as he grabbed his bag and walked onto the dock. Without glancing over to the two he quickly said in one breath, "I'm-going-to-the-gym-meet-me-at-the-Pokemon-Center-k?-Have-fun!" and with that last word he zoomed across the dock, a trail of smoke left in his wake.
"He's enthusiastic," Tyson laughed as he watched Dustin storm into the city. He looked down at Kamme and grinned, "So where do you want to go?"
"Hm..." she placed her index finger over her chin, "Let's see..." she turned around to face the city. "I say we go get something to eat!" her mind filled with images of fancy French Restaurants, "SOMETHING FRENCH!" she jerked up Tyson by the arm and trailed into the city.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Where's the gym at?" Dustin thought aloud as he viewed the holographic map displayed on the PokeGear's screen. "It says I'm here," he looked up from the screen and viewed a huge hotel building, "But this looks like a hotel..."
The door of the hotel opened and from it walked a small girl trainer with blue pigtails. "That wasn't fair!" she whined as she walked by Dustin. "That gym trainer was really mean!"
"Gym trainer?" Dustin caught the cabooses of the train of thought. He turned around and caught the girl, "Did you say a leader of a gym was here?"
"Yes!" the girl crossed her arms, "Her name is Luana! And she's a brat! And a cheater! And a mega mean person!" she pouched her lips and walked into the crowd, completely ignoring Dustin by all means.
Without further thought the mellow trainer walked through the doors and into a hotel lobby, where a woman at the desk greeted him.
"Hello sir," she smiled, her pearly white teeth matching her dark green hair.
"Um...hello," Dustin replied as he walked up to the desk, a confused look on his face as he viewed the hotel lady, who was dressed in an elegant kimono type dress made of red silk with yellow patterns.
"May I help you?" she asked once after finishing up on her writings at the desk.
"...Um..." he raised an eyebrow before thinking, "Is there a leader here? Like an Orange Island Gym Leader? Because I couldn't –"
"Yes," she nodded. "This is the Kumquat Island Gym."
"In a hotel?"
"Why oh course," she nodded gently once more. "Luana, the Kumquat Island Gym Leader, is also the president and owner of this gym. Her battles are held down stairs."
"Oh," he shook his head, "My name is Dustin and I'm here for a battle! I've won the other three badges and need the final badge to enter the Orange League! Could I battle her? Please, please, please?"
"One moment," she reverted her attention to the phone on the desk, picking it up while she dialed a number.
"Hello?" a voice on the other end picked up.
"Luana, we have a challenge," she answered. "His name is Dustin, he's won the other three badges and wishes for a challenge immediately."
"..." The leader remained silent for a moment, "Ok," she finally spoke, "Send him in!"
"Very well," the clerk hung up the phone and smiled down at Dustin. "Luana will see you, please take the elevator to the lowest level and good luck Dustin," she winked childishly and returned back to her job instantly.
"Thank you," Dustin said as he rushed to the elevator.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Tyson and Kamme sat across from each other at some fancy French café. While the music from the country played in the background, the two drank their waters. The streets were busy today, as was the restaurant.
"What to order?" Kamme thought out loud for a second as she scanned the menu. She couldn't pronounce half of the names of the plates, however the description of the foods sounded delicious.
"I think I'm just going to get a hamburger," Tyson came back after taking a swig from his water. "This place is kind of..."
"Romantic!" her eyes shifted into large golden stars. "The music! The names! The culture! The...something! The French!" she giggled like a little child in the candy shop. "Though I think a hamburger sounds good," she responded with a smile.
"So have you figured out what you want to eat?" the waiter, a common island male with long blue hair asked, he defiantly wasn't French.
"Hamburger," both answered.
The waiter raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" he questioned one more time, "We have a lot to choose from...and you want a hamburger?"
"The customer is always right," Kamme falsely smiled, trying not to let the mean side of her overcome her, which would probably result in her yelling her head off at the waiter, who was getting annoying!
"Very well," the waiter wrote down the orders. "It'll be right up," he replied and started to walk off from the two.
"I wonder how Dustin is doing..." Tyson thought about his friend, who was probably in the middle of a heated battle right now, or so he thought. "I hope he's doing fine, because I know Luana is a top notch trainer!"
"Dustin will do fine," she giggled sheepishly. "Quit worrying about him," she took another sip from her water. "Besides, this place is too..." she wasn't sure the word for the place anymore.
"Romantic," Tyson mocked her with a slight laugh.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The elevator doors opened automatically once Dustin had reached the proper level. The young trainer walked out of the elevator and into a huge arena, with lights gleaming down on the stadium and a judge already in the judge's box.
"You must be Dustin," a female said.
"Uh-yep," he smiled and started walking forward.
"My name is Luana," she replied and walked out of the dimmed area of the arena. She had shoulder length brownish-red hair and wore a yellow throw over jacket above her black shirt and jeans. "I am the Kumquat Island Gym Leader!"
"Cool!" Dustin replied as he made his way into the trainer's box. "I'm here to earn my fourth badge! So I challenge you!" he pointed outwards.
"Very well," Luana stood in her trainer's box and glanced over at the judge. "As you know this is the last of the Orange Crew Gyms, and the most difficult." She began explaining, "Unlike the previous gyms there is no pre- challenge, instead we just have a battle, a simple Pokemon battle."
'Sounds easy,' Dustin mentally noted.
"Except for one thing," her lips slightly curved upwards as Dustin's face became warped with surprise. "The battle we will hold will be a double battle! Two Pokemon versus two Pokemon!"
"Gym Leader Luana versus Challenge Dustin," the judge, a female began. "Two Pokemon each in a double battle, no time limit! The first to successfully take out both Pokemon is the winner!"
"Since I'm the leader here it's my job to choose first," she replied as she took out two Pokeballs, one in each hand.
"BEGIN!" the judge sliced the thin air with her arm.
"Dusclops go!" she threw the first Pokeball, then the second, "I choose you, Sandslash!" Within about the same time both Pokeballs sprung open, forming from the light merged a ghostly Pokemon and a spiked mouse.
"A Dusclops and a Sandslash," Dustin thought out loud as he reached for one Pokeball and a Diveball, "I've got just the team to counter this!" he chunked both balls and commanded, "Let's go Charmeleon! Come on out Wartortle!" from the two orbs came a burning lizard and a sharp turtle, both eager to battle.
"Dusclops use a Shadow Ball!" she shouted, "Sandslash use Defense Curl!"
As if it was a dance number both Pokemon obeyed. Dusclops opened its palms and formed up a burning ball of purple fire while Sandslash ducked down, putting its spiked back in the air.
"Fire!" Luana ordered.
"Clops!" the Beckon Pokemon hurled the Shadow Ball at both enemies. In the nick of time both Charmeleon and Wartortle jumped in opposite directions, causing the orb to explode into the ground, leaving a small crater with dark energy flowing through it.
"That's the way!" Dustin cheered with his first successful dodge. "Now Charmeleon use Flamethrower! Wartortle try a Water Gun! Both on Dusclops!"
"Disable now!" Luana countered.
Wartortle fired off his crystal clear jet of water first, while Charmeleon brought up the rear. However Dusclops put out its hands and send the jet of water at the jet of fire, both jets met and hissed into a cloud of steam.
"Wha?!" Dustin stood in awe.
"Dusclops Psychic abilities allow him to send moves back at its enemies," Luana winked. "Now Dusclops show us your Thunderbolt on Wartortle!"
"Dus!" the Beckon Pokemon focused its hands together as static electricity flowed through its mysterious body. Within finagling summoning enough for an attack Dusclops unleashed the energy in a beam of pure lightning, aimed at Wartortle...
"Charmeleon jump in the way with a Dragon Dance!"
Right before the thunder hit the Turtle Pokemon, Charmeleon jumped in the way, his body was glowing blue as the thunder hit the blue, causing the Thunderbolt attack to be disintegrated in a matter of milliseconds.
"That's the way! Great job dudes!" Dustin cheered as Charmeleon landed from the jump.
"Enough kidding around!" Luana growled. "Sandslash come out from hiding!"
Hearing its master's command, the Mouse Pokemon stood back up, revealing both needle sharp claws and a battle face like none other. "Slash, slash, sand, slash!" it hissed as it saw both Charmeleon and Wartortle.
"Now the fun truly begins," Luana smirked.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"That hamburger was so delicious!" Kamme chirped as she walked from the café, her arm latched around Tyson's. "Wasn't it?"
"I can't believe I paid that much for a burger..." he sighed as a sweat-drop rolled down the side of his head.
"Where do you want to go now?" Kamme looked up and smiled.
"I don't know..." he grimly replied. "I'm out of money..."
"Ok then," she just giggled, "don't worry. You still have plenty of money left on the boat, you want to go get it and then we can eat some dessert!"
"Fine," he slowly answered, "But I pick the place!" he quickly ended.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Don't let her psyche you guys out," Dustin said to his Pokemon, "We can still win this! Just work as a team and we got it in the bag!" he clutched his fist together and brought up a determined smile on his face.
"Sorry Dustin," Luana began her speech, "But this is all mine! I never lose; no one around her is good enough to beat me! Now Sandslash use Slash on Charmeleon! Dusclops back it up with a Calm Mind!"
"Charmeleon use Iron Tail!"
Sandslash ran up to Charmeleon and swung cuts at it, however Charmeleon was fast enough to avoid most damage. "Char!" he roared and brought his, now stone cold tail into Sandslash's stomach, sending the Mouse Pokemon flying a few feet back.
"Get up!" Luana swayed. "Dusclops fire off another Thunderbolt! Sandslash just stand there!"
Before another word was said Dusclops fired off a wave of electric energy, shocking Wartortle to the bone as he tried to hide in his shell. When the thunder died down the Turtle Pokemon popped out of his shell, a little blackened on the skin but still all right.
"Great job with your Withdraw attack!" Dustin complemented.
"Sandslash use a Poison Sting on Charmeleon!"
"Slash!" the Mouse Pokemon turned around and fired off a storm of tiny thin needles, piercing into Charmeleon's reptilian skin and barbing the Fire type Pokemon with poison extracts.
"Now Dusclops take out Wartortle!" Luana stated as she watched Charmeleon rub his stomach in pain. "Thunderbolt! FULL POWER!"
"NO!" Dustin cried aloud as he watched the Beckon Pokemon summon up some electric energy. He glanced over at Charmeleon, "You ok dude?"
"Mel..." he weakly growled.
'Oh great...' Dustin began thinking pessimistically as he watched Dusclops charge up some more. 'What to do...if only Tyson was here...or Kamme...' he began thinking in a rush, "I know!" he shouted out loud, "Charmeleon use Façade!"
Charmeleon strangely drew power from the poison, which seeped in his leathery skin. With a quick sprint he charged up in front of the charging Dusclops. "MELEON!" he growled, bellowing out a powerful jet of gold and blue flames, completely engulfing the Beckon Pokemon in a storm of burning embers.
"NO! This can't be!" Luana cried as she felt the flame's heat waves dance on her face.
Charmeleon took in deep breaths as the flame died down, revealing a fainted Dusclops. "Char...char...char..." he panted, trying to re-catch his last breath. His tail was blazing a bright red, full of strange energy.
"Dusclops is unable to continue," the judge announced.
Without speaking Luana withdrew Dusclops, a look of distaste and worry on her face. "I'll just win with Sandslash! Now use Slash on Charmeleon!"
"Stop Sandslash, Wartortle! Water Gun!"
"Tortle!" the Turtle Pokemon fired off a jet of blue H2O, rushing into Sandslash's side as it drew closer to Charmeleon. The jet of water saved Charmeleon, however Sandslash was now drenched and trying to catch it's breath.
"Try a Slash!" Luana commented.
Sandslash just stood there; it was too tired to move.
"Sandslash!" Luana said once more.
"Slash..." the Mouse Pokemon closed its dark eyes and then fell over on its side, crying one final sigh as it curled up into a ball, fainted and too fired to battle anymore.
"Sandslash is unable to continue," the judge cut the air, "Challenger Dustin is the winner of this battle!"
"YES! YES! YES!" Dustin ran to the field, clutching both of his Pokemon in a huge group hug. "GREAT JOB DUDES!" he cheered to his two Pokemon.
"CHAR! WAR!" both said in unison.
Luana withdrew Sandslash and then walked up to Dustin. "Congratulations, your love and trust in your Pokemon won you the final Orange League Badge." She opened her right hand, which revealed the final badge.
"Thanks," Dustin looked up and took the badge. "It's so cool!"
"That badge is the Jade Star Badge," Luana announced. "Your final badge. Now you must reach the island of our leader. Congratulations and good luck!"
"YES!" Dustin stood up, holding the new badge in his hand, "I got the Jade Star Badge!" he cheered, making the V sign with his right hand.
Now that Dustin has all four Orange Badges he only has one more obstacle, the final leader. Can he make it to the final battle island? Can he win against the leader of the Orange Crew and become a Champion? All this and more in the further chapters of Pokemon Charged!
DONE! Like I said that was the last Gym chapter. So I hope you enjoyed. Dustin finally has all four Orange Badges, but don't worry, the battling has only begun! –Smiles really big-
Now to reviews: The following reviewed Ch22:
-Alan Wilkinson
-Blaze Potter
-Taro MD
-Pokemon Crystal
-Dragon Shadow1
Thanks everyone, I appreciate it, and please continue R&R. And everyone else R&R –smiles again- Next chapter should be up soon, hopefully. I think the writer's block is gone, and I'm really glad –smiles a third time- L8r!