The Broken Spirit
The doors of the gym smoothly slid open. As if the long absence of any visitors hasn't deter its ability to opened up for potential challengers. The lights within the gym lit up simultaneously to reveal the gym arena.
Red and Emily both were in awe as the unused gym arena exposed itself. The arena was a standard arena approved by the Pokemon League guidelines with white chalk outlining its boundaries. However, there was a five meter gap between the edges of the field to the outside area.
They both peered into the gap. It was so deep that it became hard to decipher the bottom for it was too dark to see. The ridged side of the battlefield was revealed looking quite sturdy.
Red and Emily nearly fell into the abyss when a loud voice boomed. Over the intercom a voice sounded.
"Challenger, please take your place in the battle arena. Be cautious as you walk across the bridge into your position. The gym leader will be with you shortly," a man ordered sounding quite bored as if has been doing this all day. He abruptly cut off transmission.
"Damn, I almost fell to my doom!" Emily exclaimed her heart raising. Red nodded.
"Alright, wish me luck!" Red said walking over the solid iron bridge that led to his box.
"Yeah, just don't screw up this time since it might be a while before you can get another try," Emily said taking a seat on the side.
Red waved her off crossing the bridge gripping the rail provided onto him to not fall. He made it onto the inner rectangle. The rocky ground felt no different to the all the other battlefields and felt quite as sturdy.
Taking his spot, Red looked forward to the large double doors that lay in front him. He anticipated that was the place the gym leader was going to come from. He kept a stern look to give the gym leader he was ready to give him a fierce battle.
The sounds of gears whirling behind him meant that the bridge was retracting as the gym leader approached the field.
The creaks of the doors slowly began to open. Red held his breath as if it was hindering his ability to look intimidating. It felt it took ages for the doors to fully open but it only revealed darkness. It was too bleak to even see the person that approached Red who could hear the loud steps on smooth concrete.
"What a surprise to see you again," called out the gym leader. "And on some interesting circumstances."
Red's eyes widen in surprise. From the shadows appeared no other then the notorious leader of the criminal organization Team Rocket. Emily almost fell out of her seat when she saw Giovanni appear.
Dressed in a brown sports jacket with a white shirt under as well as matching brown slacks. He greeted Red with a devious smirk, hand in pocket and the other at his side. He wordlessly approached his place.
"What the hell are you doing here!?" Emily jumped from her seat.
Giovanni's eyes switched to her. "And I see you brought the Silph Co's CEO daughter along with you." He turned back to Red. "I didn't know you were that kind of person, boy. Taking advantage of a wealthy girl is something a hero shouldn't be doing. You're turning out to be more of a criminal than me."
Red clenched a fist. "Don't accuse me of being worse than you, Giovanni! I don't extort people the way you will do!"
"Don't be ashamed to admit it boy. A trainer like you will make a great successor to Team Rocket's boss," Giovanni said in a serious tone.
"I just don't understand how a man like you was accepted as the gym leader."
"Well, you'll be surprise that this gym has been voted as the most difficult gym in Kanto," Giovanni boasted.
Red lowered his hat. "And defeating you will ensure myself a spot in the Indigo League."
"Don't get cocky, kid," Giovanni scoffed. "I will defeat you here in my gym as I should have back at Silph Co!"
"Don't let this bastard win, Red!" Emily shouted glaring daggers at the criminal boss.
Giovanni chuckled. "Then this will be a six against six gym battle. I will fully crush you as well as that foolish dream of yours," he declared.
Red grabbed for a Pokeball. "There's no way I'm going to lose to fiend like you! Nidoking stand for battle!"
Nidoking appeared before him with a fierce look. He flexed his muscles ready to maul his upcoming opponent.
"Ah, your own Nidoking. An admirably Pokemon, but it won't stand a chance against my own," the boss said throwing his Pokemon into the field.
Giovanni's Nidoking entered the field with a load roar. Seeing he was up against his own kind, he roared even louder.
-"Be prepared to get clobbered to the ground!"- Giovanni's Nidoking shouted afterwards his display of dominance. Red's Nidoking responded with a simple snarl.
"I will show you, Giovanni! My Nidoking will be more than capable to deal with yours," Red said with distaste. "Nidoking, Ice Beam!"
-"Try to take this on!"- he yelled firing his Ice Beam.
"Block with Water Pulse," Giovanni swiftly ordered.
-"Such a weak attack won't hurt me!"- Nidoking roared launching his Water Pulse.
Ice and water collided with each other. The result was three frozen rings of water that collapsed onto the ground and shattered into a million shards that disappeared into nothing. A beautiful sight that was ignored by the two Drill Pokemon.
"Plunder him with Rock Slide, Nidoking!" Red said with haste.
Wanting to put his foe on the defensive, Red's Nidoking hurled boulders with all his might. The large rocks were launched at the defending Nidoking with tremendous force.
"Break those pebbles with Rock Smash," Giovanni issued his order taking his right hand out of his pocket to gesture to the rocks.
With glowing fists, Nidoking punched the incoming Rock Slide. The boulders shattered with a single blow as if they were made of glass. He destroyed the next boulders in the same manner creating a cloud of debris. Red's Pokemon's handiwork was turned to dust that obscured both Poison types.
Giovanni smugly smile. His expression fired up Emily who kept an eye on him and a hand on her Pokeball in case he tried anything. She huffed turning her attention to the battlefield. The dust began to settle revealing Giovanni's Nidoking first who was easily distinguishable by the fierce, cold-blooded look in its eyes.
-"Hiding from you, you coward!"- the exposed Nidoking scoffed. His scanned the field hoping to catch sight of him.
"In front of you fool," Giovanni rudely pointed out the enemy.
Red's Nidoking appeared in front of Giovanni's stunned Pokemon. He was about to lash out with a punch but Red's guy tackled him to ground before he could.
"Get back up and Water Pulse."
"Grab him, now!" Red ordered.
Reaching out, Red's quicker Pokemon grasped his burly foe by the arm preventing escape. He kept the tight grip even though his foe was preparing a super effective attack.
-"Let go you bastard!"- he hissed. From his mouth, a large Water Pulse was shot. It exploded in his opponent's face for a direct hit. He tugged his arm but to his surprised, it didn't budge.
Nidoking looked somewhat unaffected by the Water Pulse and responded with his own special attack. Giovanni's Nidoking lifted his arm to protect his most vulnerable places from the Ice Beam. His whole arm was engulfed in ice dealing massive damage as well.
-"Gah!"- he jerked succeeding in escaping. He lifted frozen arm in agony. He slammed it into the ground to break the ice but the numbing cold remained.
Giovanni didn't even lift an eyebrow to his Pokemon's injury and focused more on Red's Nidoking.
"How is that you're Pokemon managed to take on that Water Pulse from close range?" he asked looking slightly confused.
"I just had Nidoking raise his defenses with Amnesia," Red answered without thinking.
"I see." Giovanni muttered. "Then we will attack from the physical side."
-"Grr, you will pay for that! I won't even spare your trainer a pleasant corpse to bury!"- the hurt Nidoking roared.
Giovanni placed his feet two feet apart and placed his hands behind his back. "Nidoking, Earthquake."
A wicked smile appeared on Nidoking's face as if this was the revenge he wanted. He forgot about the pain in his arm and spread his legs apart looking more menacing than ever.
Red's Nidoking held a firm face showing some confused emotion.
"I would hold on to something if were you, boy," Giovanni said which sounded more like a threat to Red.
"What do you mean?" Red asked.
Giovanni's Nidoking let out an ear piercing roar that felt like it could break walls by itself. He lifted a burly leg to swiftly stomp the floor. It went straight into the ground creating a small crater around his foot. A powerful shockwave flowed throughout the area. The force violently shook the ground to simulate a large earthquake.
Red, completely unprepared, was thrown off his feet into the hard ground. Though the shockwaves were weaker at his end, Red acknowledged Nidoking's sheer power. He looked up to see that Giovanni looked unaffected even though he was violently shaking in place like he was. He immediately remembered of Emily and looked over to her.
To his relief, Emily looked fine who stood at the edge of the field with a worried look. That was when he questioned the fact that she wasn't affected by the Earthquake. He held onto the ground fearing he will be thrown into abyss behind him.
The shaking soon stopped and the thundering noise of the floor shaking stopped pounding Red's ear drums. He was surprised that the rock formation managed to survive such a strong shockwave.
Nidoking didn't take the ordeal all that well as he lay on his side looking quite hurt. Eyes clenched in pain, he sprawled on the floor as if still waiting for the earthquake to settle. He opened on eye before opening the other. He slowly picked himself up feeling beat up.
"Are you all right, Red?" Emily asked once she had the chance.
"Yeah, I'm fine but Nidoking on the other hand…"Red's voice trailed off. He directed his focus on Giovanni who was unscathed. " How is that you didn't get thrown off your feet?"
"Because I'm not an amateur trainer and I can keep my stance under an Earthquake," Giovanni answered. "Developed this sense of stability over the course of many battles I had."
Red ignored the insult to ask his next question. "And how is it that Emily wasn't affected by the earlier Earthquake?"
Giovanni gestured to the border of the battlefield. "Don't be such an incompetent idiot and use head for some critical thinking," he scoffed. "I had this area isolated from the rest so I can freely use Earthquakes without disturbing the city by such powerful moves. The Pokemon League allowed me to construct this for my gym."
"But aren't you worried this place will one day collapsed by one of your earthquakes?"
"Do you take me as a fool? I had iron beams integrated into the ground to sustain the entire rock formation," Giovanni explained. "This place won't fall anytime soon but your confident stance will. Megahorn!"
His sudden order was immediately taken by his Pokemon. Nidoking roared and charged Red's Nidoking with his head lowered. His horn emitted white light as he ran up to the tired Nidoking.
"Nidoking, watch out!" Red ordered
Red's Nidoking looked like he was in a trance. His eyes looked half awake and his body quavered with fatigued. He took the not so effective move to the middle of his plated chest. He was launched back onto his back.
-"Now you realized the difference in our powers,"- Giovanni's cocky Pokemon said.
-"Yet, I won't give in,"- Red's Nidoking spat out some spit onto the ground. He got back up to too his feet.
Red wanted to end this soon and so he decided to use his most deadly move. "Nidoking, end this with Thrash!"
Red's Nidoking didn't move a muscle and held his stance.
-"What are you to afraid to move?"- mocked the opposing Nidoking.
Red's Nidoking closed his eyes to concentrate on his next move. Taking a deep breath he reopened them to face his foe. He lifted his right leg and stomped the ground with all his might. A shockwave was fired that shook the place with such intensity.
-"Was-that –an-Earthquake?"- Giovanni's Nidoking said bewildered. He quickly lost his balance and was overtaken by the powerful move. He bounced on ground as if where on a giant trampoline. He repeatedly smashed into ground with a sickening noise each time.
Red bent his knees to better absorb the shock. He felt this Earthquake was more powerful but he didn't even feel the force of the attack for it was directed his foe and not him. He saw that Giovanni managed to maintain his balance even under the powerful Earthquake.
The rumbling came to a halt as well as a knocked out Nidoking settled on the ground. Red's Nidoking looked quite tired afterwards. He smirked seeing his cocky foe was on the ground not making a retort.
Giovanni didn't show his disappointment but his voice conveyed those emotions. "How pitiful, Nidoking. Defeated by your own technique used by a complete amateur. Now our challenger has a head start." He returned his defeated Pokemon.
"I won't let this happen again," Giovanni said. "Show them true power, Nidoqueen!"
Nidoking's heart fluttered. He felt blessed for being in the presence of a fully grown Nidoqueen for a second time.
Nidoqueen flashed him flirty eyes and accompanied with a sweet smile, Nidoking lost himself.
-"You don't happen to be interested in the Nidoking that defeated your own teammate?"- he asked dumbstruck by her beauty.
-"How cute,"- she giggled making Nidoking's heart race.
"Ice beam," Red ordered eager to get this battle started.
Nidoking didn't even hear his order and continued to hit on her. –"But how can a beautiful lady such as yourself serve under a Gym? You must powerful to even be on this battle field!"-
"Ice beam," Giovanni ordered.
-"Don't say such nice things about me. I'm not that strong.."-Nidoqueen acted as if she was shy. She took a step forward making her admirer heart beat so fast it felt like he was in a marathon.
Nidoking smiled big ready to woe her some more. That was when he felt numbing cold hit his chest. He looked down to see an ice patch coating his chest plates. He his mind soon processed the pain making cringed in pain.
Tears formed in his eyes as he tried to see Nidoqueen. She flashed him a devious smile before he began to lose conscious. –I thought this was my chance,- he thought before collapsing on the ground.
"Your Pokemon seemed to be distracted in the end," Giovanni noted.
"Grr…he was simply charmed by your Nidoqueen. He is easily swayed by women," Red gritted his teeth as he returned his Pokemon.
"But my Pidgeot won't be that easily swayed!"
Pidgeot appeared with a smirk. Without a second thought, he took the skies to take the one advantage he had against his large foe.
"Flying away won't help you any bit," Giovanni mocked.
"It will make him a harder target to hit," Red said.
"Nidoqueen, knock that oversized chicken out of the sky with your Ice Beam."
Nidoqueen slightly lifted her head to fire the Ice Beam. The beam was shot from her horn like a lightning bolt in the foe's direction. The beam was twice the size of a normal Ice Beam as well as being twice as fast. Pidgeot had less than a second to dodge the super effective move.
Escaping a frigid doom by an inch, Pidgeot swooped down only to come back up. He had to dodge a few more quick Ice Beams before his opponent had to take a break.
-"You're an agile one, I'll give you that,"- Nidoqueen said out of breath.
-"And your Ice Beams are quite incredible," Pidgeot remarked.
Red couldn't understand how a Pokemon's non STAB move was so powerful. He looked up to Giovanni who looked quite intrigued.
"How are you this?" Red asserted his question.
Giovanni shook his head with a smug smile. "What in the world are talking about?"
"How can your Nidoqueen's Ice Beam be so powerful? Never in my career as a trainer have seen that kind of power before," Red demanded answers. He even remembered Ice, a trainer who has mastered Ice Pokemon, didn't show that much power with his Ice Beams.
"What a foolish question to ask boy," Giovanni retorted. "With intense training to perfect the move, of course. You must know how that works."
Red wanted to talk back but he had nothing to base his counter argument. I mean, that's the ONLY way to master a move, Red realized.
"Fine, I get it-"
"Red, look in Nidoqueen's hand!" Emily yelled from the sidelines. She pointed to Nidoqueen's right hand.
Red noticed the clenching she did with it. He was shocked when he saw a purple orb glow in that hand. An ominous glow overtook it as if it was landing strength to it's wielder.
"That must be the item giving Nidoqueen her phenomenal strength!"
"Sharp girl," Giovanni said not ashamed that he has been found out.
Red glared his opponent. "How can you be so calm after being caught in the act of cheating?" He pointed a rude finger to Giovanni.
"How are accusing me of cheating, when I haven't done anything of sorts," Giovanni replied lifting his hands. "Such an amateur mistake to make, trainer. That is nothing much but a life orb."
Red's accusing finger dropped. "Tell me what this orb is!" Red demanded.
"Don't act so hasty," Giovanni said n a scolding fashion. "The Life Orb is an item that a Pokemon can hold. It boosts the user's moves by thirty percent, yet it will take part of the user's health in exchange for the extra strength."
Red nodded seeing that was a fair trade. "So, this item has been approved by the Pokemon League."
"What kind of gym leader you see me as? I wouldn't be using it if it wasn't approved by those fools at the League," Giovanni politely responded.
Red smirked. "This is good news for me then." Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "I will just wear your Pokemon down with the Life Orb Recoil!" he proclaimed.
Giovanni shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not going to happened anytime soon," Giovanni said somewhat serious.
"And how are you going to stop me," Red sneered.
"I don't need to stop you," a smile crept on Giovanni's face. "My Nidoqueen won't be taking Life Orb recoil."
"Stop your bullshit!" Emily shouted. "Red, hurry up and beat this bastard!"
The challenger raised a hand to stop the outraged girl. "I want to hear him out by what this immunity to the Life Orb is," Red said.
"Now you're keeping a cool head," Giovanni remarked. "Fine, I will explain just this once because I feel like you kids need to be educated on such important matters."
"just get out with it already!" Emily barked. She had her Zorua out in a Squirtle illusion ready to face Giovanni if it comes to it.
Giovanni ignored her. "It all boils down to Nidoqueen's ability, Sheer Force."
"But I thought Nidoqueen and Nidoqueen both shared the ability Poison Point and Rivalry," Red said confused by a third ability.
"But they also share the Hidden ability Sheer Force," Giovanni added. "A rare ability they receive through a special process, but that's a whole other explanation that will take too much to explain."
"Well, just explain this Ability to me."
"Sheer Force increases moves with secondary effects by thirty percent but the trade for this kind of power is that these secondary effects are negated in the process. So, all the after effects like the freezing effect from Ice Beams or the paralysis from Thunder Bolt don't happen," he explained like a professor giving a lecture at a school.
"But how does that affect recoil damage?" Red asked folding his arms interested. He completely forgot about his gym battle or the fact that a region wide criminal boss was lecturing him.
"That is where the secondary effects play with this ability. Life Orb Recoil is considered as a secondary effect by Sheer Force thus negating all damage caused by the item," Giovanni finished.
Red wouldn't have thought about doing such an ingenious strategy if he learned of the ability. He was simply left speechless by Giovanni's explanation.
Pidgeot, who was preening his feathers the entire time, looked back up to face foe. He landed on the ground without both trainers' noticing. Seeing it was done he returned to the air.
"Such, power she must wield," Red muttered. "Being hit by one of her attacks will so heavy damage to Pidgeot."
-"Then I must avoid being hit at all costs," Pidgeot chirped.
Nidoqueen huffed. –"You say that as if it is an easy task."-
-"You'll see why I am so confident in a minute,"- Pidgeot said doing a loop in the air.
Red looked up to his Pidgeot. "I'll assure you that they won't lay a finger on your Pidgeot! Let's try to force them on the defensive side. Dart Pierce!"
-"Keep me on the defensive when I have all this power,"- Nidoqueen said amused.
"Thunder Bolt with a wide range Nidoqueen," Giovanni swiftly ordered.
Nidoqueen fired her large Thunder Bolt that it the entire room. Pidgeot watched the energy approach him only to disappear at the last second.
-"What! Where are y-!"-
Nidoqueen was struck from behind. Bright colored feathers flashed before her eyes. She stumbled but managed to regain her balance. She glared daggers at the Pidgeot above her head.
-"Take this!"- She roared unleashing another Thunder Bolt.
Pidgeot dodged the thunder bolt that struck the roof of the building. He dashed to Nidoqueen to strike at her unguarded flank. He retreated back up close to the ceiling.
"Nidoqueen, focus not on where your opponent is but where he will be," Giovanni said slightly frowning.
-"Grr, I won't allow you to make a fool out of me anymore!"-
She unleashed a third thunder bolt to the sky larger than anything she has fired before. Her effort was wasted energy when Pidgeot disappeared before it could hit. Nidoqueen didn't stop and intensified the energy of her attack. The electricity now came from all over her body that jumped out in random directions.
Pidgeot attack from the front this time to run into an electrified armor. The electricity jumped towards his as if he was a lightning rod and lit up his body. His stopped his tracks as he lit up like a light bulb.
"Pidgeot!" Red cried.
Nidoqueen looked down on her victim. –"Hah, go you-what!"-
Pidgeot deviously smiled. His stuck his right wing straight into the ground with Steel Wing. He twitched feeling the electricity run through his body into the ground.
"What are doing? Ice Beam him now that he is close enough," Giovanni demanded.
Nidoqueen blinked in disbelief. She stopped the flow of energy and lowered her head. She was to slow react as Pidgeot pulled out his wing the moment he had the chance. He brought his Steel Wing to swing straight for his foe's face. The metal clashed against the Horn Drill Pokemon making her tumble backwards.
The Life Orb dropped from her grasped and rolled to Pidgeot feet. He remembered what it was and acted on that knowledge. He stole the Life Orb and jumped back into the sky with his prize.
"Pidgeot, that was some great work," Red praised. "Not only did you badly damage Nidoqueen but you stole her power boosting item as well!"
"Get back up on your feet," Giovanni grumpily ordered.
Nidoqueen rolled back onto to her fee feeling quite embarrassed. She gave Pidgeot an icy look to ensure her hatred for him right now.
"Let's try this for now since you lost your life orb," Giovanni began sounding annoyed. "Use Toxic on yourself."
-"That damn bird still manages to humiliate me even without attacking,"- Nidoqueen cursed as she spat out a gunk of purple liquids straight up. The toxic rained onto her blue hide now looking more like her purple counterpart. The poisoned ran down her body to form a poisonous barrier.
"Looks like we will have to call of the physical attacks for now," Red remarked. "But with that life orb, we can make use of your other move."
Pidgeot took a look at the orb he just stole. It was the size of a Pidgey egg that was a bright purple color. It looked fragile like glass but to his surprised it was as hard as steel. In the center he could see what looked like a pink glowing core. The energy inside flickered as his emotions activated.
Power definitely runs through it, Pidgeot noted.
"Air Cutter!"
Pidgeot clutched the Life Orb as he performed his move. The item brightened as he used his Air Cutter. Power suddenly poured into Pidgeot as he released his move. Large blades of air were shot from his wings.
Nidoqueen tensed up as the Air Cutter slashed at her body. She lifted her plated arms to take most of the attack.
To Pidgeot's surprise, Nidoqueen took the attack quite well. She didn't even flinch from the cuts as she simply shook her arms after the attack as if they just sore from lifting weights.
"How did she take so well?" Red exclaimed. "Life Orb boosted Air cutter should have done at least descent damage."
"Your Pidgeot is not powerful enough to hurt Nidoqueen from the special side," Giovanni explained. "Such a weak move won't even scratch Nidoqueen's hide."
Pidgeot wanted to curse but suddenly felt weaker. Like his life was sucked right out of him, and was absorbed by the orb n his claws. As the energy escaped his body he dropped few feet. He regained his balance overcoming the fatigue feeling.
"Keep trying to make a dent but can assure you. The Life Orb will take him out before he can do any significant damage," Giovanni gloated in a modest manner. "But where is the fun in that. Nidoqueen make the bird sing by using Ice beam."
This is bad! I must attack from the physical side to do any damage, Red realized. He watched speechlessly as Nidoqueen chased Pidgeot with her Ice Beam that was slower and thinner but it was still enough to keep Pidgeot on the move at normal speed.
Emily didn't like the situation any more than Red. She caught Giovanni smiling as his Nidoqueen played with her prey. It boiled her blood adding more to her fire.
"Red, you can't just let this continue!" she shouted. "You got figure out how to get pass her defenses. That will give Pidgeot the chance to hit hard."
"I'm trying my best," Red responded. He looked back at Nidoqueen to get a better visual of her toxic defense. He tried first to look for an open spot free of the poison. There were but most of it was from the front which would be dangerous to aim for.
How about I try to think of a way take off the Toxic? Or find a way to hit her with the Toxic on yet not affect Pidgeot. Red realized the last thought was crazy. But, he didn't that was so crazy when he critically thought about it.
Will, this really work? Red wouldn't bet his life on this hunch he had.
Pidgeot squawked as he made a sharp turn to escape the ice beam that skimmed the tips of his wings.
It's all or nothing now!
"Pidgeot! We are going in for an assault!" Red shouted his order to be heard.
-"How!"- Pidgeot was barely able to dodge the Ice Beam from a long rage. It crazy to get any closer yet still be able to evade such a swift attack.
"We are getting pass her Ice Beam with Quick Attack!" Red said.
Giovanni scoffed, "Have you forgotten about the poison or has despair clogged up your ability to strategize?"
"I can assure you that I'm completely sane," Red confidently replied even though he didn't feel so good. "We will avoid the Toxic!"
Pidgeot sighed. –"How will I do this?"- He flew around in a circle ready move. He trusted his trainer's decision even at times he felt he has gone mad.
-"I'll do as you say, Red!"-
-"Risking your life without a second thought. You birds are brainlessly as they say,"- Nidoqueen retorted.
Red lifted a hand. "Go for it Pidgeot. Let's prove to them the impossible can be done!" He lifted his index finger to point at his large foe.
"Quick Attack to get in close!"
Pidgeot didn't delay any further. He increased his speed to the point he was nearly invisible and white trail followed him. Nidoqueen tried to follow him with her beam but she only managed to create abstract art on the wall of Giovanni's gym with ice.
Pidgeot stopped right behind Nidoqueen her blind spot for the moment.
"Steel Wing!" He shouted his order overriding Giovanni's warning for Nidoqueen.
Pidgeot lifted a Steel Wing. His focus was at the Horn Drill Pokemon's body but his eyes locked on to Nidoqueen's shocked eyes when she tilted her head to watch the action unfold.
A large wing smacked into the heavy mass creating a loud boom sound. He had enough strength to knock his foe face forward into the ground. He swung his wing back to shake off the toxic that slid of the metal like raindrops on a window.
-"Damn!"- Pidgeot dropped onto the floor to as he gave up his life as an offering to the Life Orb.
Pidgeot looks like very tired. I should let him heal while he has the chance, Red thought.
"Pidgeot, recover with Roost!"
Pidgeot sighed in relief when he relaxed his body to heal himself. White light began to heal his body from all the damage he has taken so far.
"Nidoqueen, now's your chance. Earth Power," Giovanni ordered.
"Fly up high once she gets up," Red ordered.
-This kid doesn't realize I don't need to stand up to perform this technique,- Nidoqueen thought as she lifted her right arm. Closing her eyes, she slammed a fist into the ground. Cracks formed on the ground that branched off into larger breaks. Gold light seemed to be trapped underground for there was light pouring out of the cracks that made their way to Pidgeot.
Pidgeot was vulnerable to the ground attack now that he was on flat ground. The shockwave reached him in matter of seconds. It stopped right under him before a powerful blast erupted from the ground like a small volcano eruption. Golden light blinded everyone as energy engulfed Pidgeot.
Pidgeot was launched into the air dropping the Life Orb in the process. It rolled its way to Nidoqueen snatching it back up. Pidgeot grimaced as he flapped to stay in the air.
-"It's my time to make a fool out of you,"- Nidoqueen remarked.
"Don't give him a second to breath. Thunder Bolt!" Giovanni lifted a hand to gesture the avian above him.
Nidoqueen fired her Thunder Bolt that was large enough to stop her foe from effectively escaping. Pidgeot had to run through the bolts to break free but receive a powerful electrocution. He escaped the worse of the attack but made it out with major damage.
"This is getting bad," Red said seeing that Life Orb gave her that boost to finally hit Pidgeot. "You can't get hurt again, Pidgeot. Use Double Team and hide yourself in the clones!"
Pidgeot created enough clones to obscure the roof from sight. They all flapped their wings to fly in an orderly fashion around the room.
"Such tactics won't help you bring down my pokemon," Giovanni stated. "If you won't attack, then I will. Thunder Bolt every single one until the original is found."
"I'm not going to have him hide there forever," Red replied. "Pidgeot, use this chance to charge up your Brave Bird attack!"
Nidoqueen began her extermination with her wide range attack. The clones disappeared once they were shot. Each Pidgeot cloaked itself in the Brave bird aura which just made it easier for his foe to aim.
"No!" Red shouted as he watched the real Pidgeot get shot from the sky.
His Brave Bird formation disappeared after being hit. He opened his wings to regain his momentum.
-"Screw this! I need my speed to defeat her."- Pidgeot told himself. He stopped to look down at Nidoqueen who gave him a cold look. He returned a mean look before vanishing.
Nidoqueen sharply turned back just in time to see her feathery foe reappear before her. She smirked at Pidgeot's flabbergasted look as she fire her ice beam that sliced right through him like a knife through butter.
-"Wait, what!"- the Pidgeot she shot faded away. Nidoqueen was struck from her right flank before she could make sense of the situation.
Pidgeot jumped back shaking the toxic off his body. The tar dirtied his feathers looking like just went for a bath in an oil spill. He sighed as he felt the poison affect him. He did smile due to the fact that he managed to defeat the Nidoqueen.
-"You will be one of the strongest opponents that I ever fought,"- Pidgeot said seeing be returned.
"That was excellent, Pidgeot! Using one of your clones to distract Nidoqueen," Red praised.
-"I had an extra clone around and didn't want it to go to waste,"- Pidgeot explained. Gave me the chance to perform a direct Pierce Dart attack.
"This won't end like this," Giovanni grumbled immediately releasing his next Pokemon.
A large bipedal creature appeared. It's gray rocky hide made look like it was part of a mountain it probably came from. It roared as it lifted its rather large head that had a horn in the shape of a drill.
"Rhydon: the Horn Drill Pokemon. Rhydon's horn can crush even uncut diamonds. One sweeping blow of its tail can topple a building. This Pokémon's hide is extremely tough. Even direct cannon hits don't leave a scratch."
Red pocketed his Pokedex and took out a Pokeball.
"You won't last long Pidgeot since you're covered in poison," Red said raising the Pokeball.
-"I can feel the poison taking affect,"-Pidgeot remarked stumbling a bit as well as scattered thought. He returned to his ball before toppling over.
"Charizard, standby for battle!"
Red threw his Pokemon's battle into the field to give Charizard enough room to materialize.
Charizard looked up to his opponent with a solemn look. He looked past him to see he was owned by Giovanni.
-" I thought this was going to be a gym battle,"- Charizard aid noting the setting he was in.
-"This is a gym battle fool!"- Rhydon shouted. –" I will crush you with my bare hands!"- he clasped his hand together making a clacking noise.
Giovanni observed his next challenger. "I'm surprised you managed to tame such a powerful creature at your level," Giovanni remarked. "Trainers usually find it difficult to even keep their Charizard follow a single order."
"Don't act so surprised," Red said back. "I'm at a level higher than you. This battle will prove otherwise."
"If you were even has as smart as a regular trainer, you would have known better than to send a fire type against a rock and ground type," Giovanni jeered. "Rhydon, Rock Slide!"
-"Try and stop this!"- Rhydon dislodged huge boulders towards his target.
"Dodge it, Charizard!" Red saw better use of energy was to simply dodge than attack.
Charizard wordlessly followed his order. He leapt into the air to fly out of harms ways. He hovered 6 meters above ground waiting for next move.
-"Get down here you asshole!"- Rhydon yelled stomping the ground. –"Stop being a coward and fight me here!"-
Charizard frowned.
"Rhydon, use Stone Edge."
"Dodge it, Charizard."
Rhydon formed sharp rocks that spun around as if he had his own gravitational pull.
-"Be a real man and try and stop this,"- Rhydon demanded. –"Or just be the coward and hide yourself from me!"-
-I'm am not a coward!- Charizard thought outraged. Being called a coward set off a nerve in his brain. It brought back memories of that bitter defeat. Ember's cold look as he watched him get beaten up by his own kind.
-"Gahh!"- Rhydon fired his rocks that shot like bullets.
Charizard lifted a Metal Claw ready to break the Stone Edge as to prove his worth. One flew right pass his eye as he tried to claw it. These rocks were way too fast for him to keep up. He ended up being struck by the rest of the sharp rocks. He roared in pain feeling as if they pierced his body.
"Charizard!" Red shouted as his powerful Pokemon dropped onto the ground like dead weight.
-"Hah, should have tucked your tail behind and flied back home when you had the chance,"- Rhydon laughed.
Charizard moaned, -"I'm not done you asshole."- He slowly picked himself up. His body ached wanting to stay on the ground but he wasn't going to allow that again.
"I see that your Charizard still needs more training," Giovanni mocked. "Think on how to properly train him as you leave this place in defeat. Stone Edge once more!"
Rhydon pounded his chest feeling hyped up. –"It's over for you!"- He fired another Stone Edge at the grounded Charizard.
Charizard didn't stay to try and fight. He flew up high to dodge the rocks.
"Ahh!" Red ducked to avoid the Stone Edge. The weapon-ized rocks shot above him striking the wall behind him. The rocks lodged themselves into the thick concrete walls.
"Watch where your Pokemon is aiming!" Emily scolded Giovanni who ignored her.
-"I thought so, you scared lizard. You had to avoid that or you'll have been dead in seconds,"- Rhydon mocked lifting his head to follow Charizard.
Charizard was getting really pissed by his cocky foe. –"That's it! I'll show you my power!"-
"Wait, Charizard! What are you doing?"
Charizard toned out Red's voice as he filled his head with hate. He dropped down with claws extended. Letting out a wild roar, he released his Metal Claw and aimed for Rhydon's large stupid head. He clawed him on the side of his face.
Rhydon made a face in agony. He quickly responded with an uppercut that his foe dodged. He received another hot lash to the other side of the face.
-"Shut your stupid mouth!"- Charizard dropped down on the ground to assault his rock-ground opponent. He slashed across his chest with more Metal Claws making him stumble backwards.
"Don't let him make a fool out you, Rhydon," Giovanni unkindly said.
Rhydon agreed with his trainer. He finally lifted an arm to grab Charizard by the wrist. He did the same for the other arm. Crushing the limbs he pushed Charizard back.
-"Grr, I won't let you,"- Charizard hissed lashing out with his mouth trying to bite him. He couldn't pull free but he had to keep fighting.
"How pitiful," Giovanni said looking at Red. "To see a Pokemon as rare as yours fall into the hands of such a weak trainer as yourself."
"You shut your mouth, Giovanni. Red here is much greater trainer than you," Emily yelled.
"Great trainer?" Giovanni shook his head mockingly. "Would a great trainer have a pokemon that won't listen to him in the heat of the battle?"
Red gritted his teeth. "Charizard, get your act together. We got to pull through this one!"
"It's far too late now. Rhydon, Horn Drill him till he faints."
-"Got it!"- He faced his foe eye to eye and with sick smile said,-"It'll be my pleasure to end your misery."-
-"You big head fuc-!"
Rhydon jammed his horn into Charizard opened stomach. A high pitch drill sound filled the room followed by cries of pain.
"Charizard," Red helplessly said.
The moment Charizard reached Blaze range he pushed Rhydon back with all his force. Panting he dropped to his knees clutching his chest.
"Yet, he still struggles to live. I have ordered you to end him," Giovanni sternly said.
-"I'll make sure to make it as painful as I can."- he took a step forward.
"Charizard, listen to me!" Red pleaded for his attention yet Charizard remained oblivious to his surroundings.
-How did I let this happen?- Charizard thought in dismayed. He felt the throbbing pain in his chest that felt so close to his beating heart. –Did I fell you, Red?- He looked up to see his tormentor grinning.
-That stupid smile troubles me, but the thing that bothers me the most how he reminds me so much about Ember's Charizard. How he beat me to pulp. How he shoved me to the side like a Sunkern on a windy day.-
Charizard began to feel the hatred fill him again. He couldn't push aside the fact that he was so easily overpowered.
-"I have a goal now,"- Charizard grumbled.
Rhydon stopped in his step a bit puzzled. He was just surprised that he could talk at all. That's when he noticed the small flames that escaped his body like stray butterflies.
-"And you will not stop me from achieving it!"- Charizard got right back up flaming already spewing from his mouth. From the power he had within he unleashed a torrent of fire. The large fire engulfed the fire resistant flames yet painful yells could be heard from within.
"What the hell?" Giovanni raised both of his arms to shield his face from the intense heat.
Charizard had a wild look in his eyes that Emily noticed. Never has she seen such violent flames in her life. To her, it seemed as if the flames had a life of their own swirling around Rhydon.
-"Something feels wrong about him,"- Zexal noted sensing the weird energy the flames emitted.
The fire suddenly seized. Charizard didn't shut his mouth and simply fell over. His Blaze glow disappeared before he hit the ground.
"Charizard!" Red cried. He raised his Pokeballs pulling back inside.
From the leftover smoke, Rhydon appeared with terrible burns all over his hard hide. He cringed in pain as his struggled to move in place.
"What is this? I thought you were supposed to be resistant to fire yet you stand with terrible wounds," Giovanni said.
-"This nothing,"- Rhydon gasped. He rolled his shoulders recoiling back in the sudden pain. –"I can still manage to fight!"- His tone however, hasn't gone down.
Red sighed looking at the Pokeball. "Sorry pal, but this is another traumatic lost for you." He pocketed the Pokeball. He felt sorrow for how his friend was badly beaten.
"That was an interested twist, but all of your luck stops here," Giovanni proclaimed. "You have proven to be a force to reckoned with now. I won't be holding back any longer." Giovanni pulled out his hands out of his pockets looking more serious than ever.
Charizard, I will win this for you, Red thought to himself. To show you how much we have actually grown. I hope you are inspired by our work that you will too let go of the past and continue forward with us!-
Red let go of the Pokeball in his hand.
