"What do you mean he is not here?" I questioned the Gym assistant. "He is a Gym Leader, if his Gym is opened, he is supposed to be here."
"He is also Oreburgh Mine's safety supervisor," Ian replied with a calm smile as if he was already used to answer this kind of question. "Look if you really want to have your battle you can always go to the mines yourself and ask him."
I was really starting to get annoyed by this guy. He's supposed to be the Gym assistant, that was his job. Not mine! But as I was about to shout at him, a familiar voice interrupted.
"That sounds like a solid plan," I rapidly turned around and saw the face that has been at every news channel and magazine. Ash Ketchum was standing by the door of the Gym with that coordinator newbie trainer from before, his Pikachu and Jolteon by his side. A big smile on his face as he spoke: "We can go together. I really want to have my battle too."
"T-Th-The Saint!" The Gym assistant stuttered in shock, eyes widening in surprise.
I chuckled at both the Gym assistant's disbelief expression and Ash's gloomy one. It seems that the Ace Ranger does not like his newfound popularity.
"Please, don't call me that." Wow, I've never heard someone put so much begging in one word before. He must really loath that nickname. "Where can I find the Oreburgh Mine?" I raised an eyebrow at the abrupt change of topic, but Ash was unfaced as he kept on smiling.
"I can take you there, as it's clear that the Gym assistant is useless, and I want a battle soon," I answered, for a second I thought the Gym assistant would protest to me calling him useless, but he just proved me right by simply staring at Ash and stuttering in disbelief.
"Good," the Ace Ranger replied with a smile- this time, less forced and more honest. Before putting on a hat and covering his face with a white mask and sunglasses.
I simply raised an eyebrow in question and turned towards the newbie trainer, who sighed and answered my unasked question: "As soon as we entered the city, we were mobbed by the news crew and citizens… well, technically he was mobbed by them and I was just dragged along. When we finally got free, he decided to put on a disguise."
He does know that attire will only make him stand up more, right? I thought to myself, but as it was none of my business, I just shook my head and kept quiet.
Surprisingly no one paid attention to the weird group we made, too busy trying to hunt down The Saint. It did help that he had returned Jolteon and Pikachu safely hid in the Ace Ranger's bag. There was a nice and comfortable silence while we were in the city… at least, for me. The other two were too preoccupied trying not to get recognized. But that changed once we got closer to the mines and away from the city, Ash's pokemon came out and his mask and glasses were put away. Then, he turned to me, making me curse internally. Just my luck!
"Hey!" He smiled brightly. I'll never understand how someone can smile that much. "I just wanted to tell you to thank you for agreeing with the pokemon trade."
So, that's why Reggie didn't tell me who he had gotten the Onix from. I muttered internally. That damn brother of mine!
"It's fine. Steelix is a better fit for my team." I replied, trying to keep the conversation short.
But, of course, with my luck, things wouldn't be that easy, the girl turned to me and exclaimed: "You evolved him already?!"
"Of course," I scoffed.
"Dawn I did tell you that the Onix was on the verge of evolving, all he needed was the means to do so." At least, I could count on Ace Ranger Ash to be the voice of reason… even if he was an infuriating fool as well. "I am happy that things worked out on your side too." He told me.
"Hn," I just grunted.
I was being impolite, and I did not care at all, it got them to finally get them off my back and stop trying to include me in their conversation. The topic was rapidly shifted to the newbie's approaching contest, with Ash telling her that being the runner-up on her first contest after only a week as a coordinator was nothing to laugh about and that the next time, she'll get the ribbon. I know nothing about contests, they are a waste of time for me, but if she can come second after only one week as a trainer she isn't as useless as I once thought her to be. But she's still useless... just not that much.
Before any of us knew it we reached the mines. The change in behavior was immediate. The chattering and joyful exchange between the miners stopped to turn around to look at our group with shocked expressions, some even paled when they gazed at Ash. At first, I was confused but when one of them shouted saying that he was going to look for the Gym Leader and rushed inside the mine as if he was being chased by a Salamence I understood. While the news crew and young people looked at the chance to meet Ash as an opportunity, as being lucky to have met the famous Saint. The Older citizens saw the young Ace Ranger that has been entrusted with the capture of the infamous Hunter J when meeting Ash. They see danger, something big is happening in their city and that's why he was called in.
I turned to my right, only to meet the newbie's worried expression as she gazed at her mentor. The Ace Ranger was clearly trying to hide his unease with a fake smile, he was a horrible liar. When looked closer I could see that even his pokemon tensed while trying to look nontachly. I decided to say nothing, there was no need for me to get involved, it was none of my business. As if reading my mind, the newbie turned back to me and glared heatedly. I simply scoffed at her and waited patiently for the Gym Leader to come out.
As if being summoned, he rushed out of the mine being followed by a Rampardos. Oh, how I wanted to fight that pokemon. But it is clearly part of his Team A, he won't be facing me with it… but maybe he'll use it against Ace Ranger Ash. Just in case, I'll stick around after my battle, if I end up going first.
Returning my concentration back to the Gym Leader, I saw the same paleness, like the other miners, on his face. "What happened? Where's the fire?" He asked worriedly.
"Tch!" I scoffed. "There's no fire, no attack. If any of them would have taken the time to ask instead of jumping the gun they would have known, we only want to have a pokemon battle each." I glared at them, making them flinch and look away.
Weaklings! I insulted them in my head, ignoring the newbie's shocked expression and Ash's grateful look. I didn't do it for him, they just pissed me off.
"Oh," the Gym Leader said dumbly. I was starting to hate this city's gym staff. An idiot after another. "Of course, just let me get my things."
"We'll wait for you at the Gym." I snapped at him, turning on my heels. "Don't be late!"
I didn't wait for them to follow me and marched all the way back to the gym. When I got there, I could only groan at the sight I was met with; a horde of reporters and fans waiting by the door.
Who the hell gave out Ash's position?! I growled in my head. Doing my Gym Battle now will be useless!
"For Arceus' sake!" Someone cursed behind me. I turned around to see a panting Roark and newbie, while the Ace Ranger looked as fresh as before. "I'll have to talk with Ian after the battle, this kind of behavior is unacceptable. I am deeply sorry, Mr. Ketchum."
"Ah, it's ok." Ash sighed with a tired smile, as he took off his disguise and let his Pikachu out. I sighed myself when the screams of the fans became louder when they finally saw their precious Saint. Luckily, they did not approach. Maybe they were frightened by the Gym Leader's glare. "I kind of have to get used to it until the storm passes," he joked. "But the problem is that I am not the only one facing you today."
The three of them turned to face me. I simply sighed and shrugged my shoulders: "You can go first; they'll leave once you are finished fighting."
"Ok, thank you, Paul!" He beamed, but he looked somehow tense. It could be because of the noisy reporters and fans… but something tells me it was something else. Not that it mattered, it has nothing to do with me.
We made our way towards the door; I had no issue going in. No one really had an issue, the crowd of people opened up to make us the way. Trouble appeared when Ash tried to get inside the Gym. Fans asking him for pictures and autographs, reporters shouting question after question. He simply smiled at the reporters and signed various papers for his fans. It took him almost half an hour to get in the gym, and then he did so with a horde of people following him in. Luckily, Roark kicked the reporters out, but we still had a huge crowd of fans in the bleachers.
Once everyone was in place, Roark finally spoke up: "Will you be using old pokemon? Or will you use this Gym Battle to train your new ones?"
"A mix," the Ace Ranger replied gaining cheers from his fans. What did he say to gain such a response?! I'll never understand fans, I sighed in my head, "Two new ones first and then an experience pokemon."
"Ok, then let's start with the new pokemon," Roark announced. "This will be a three vs three pokemon battle! The contender is allowed to switch pokemon and the battle will go on until no pokemon from one side can fight any longer. Are you ready?"
"Ready!" Ash replied, adjusting his hat and taking out a Poke Ball from his belt as his Pikachu jumped off his shoulder.
"Come out Geodude/Froakie!" They both shouted at the same time.
But all I could think of was: A Froakie?! How did he get a Froakie?! Then again, he does have like 10 starter pokemon listed on his trainer page.
"A Froakie, eh." The Gym Leader commented with an interesting look on his face, which Ash simply answered with an excited smile.
Something I've noticed since I've met the Ace Ranger is that all adults that interact with him wear the same expression of weariness and excitement to see what he'll do next- even my brother! How is he capable of causing those reactions? How can he train his pokemon to the level they are capable of fighting against Legendary pokemon? What is his secret?
"Froakie Quick Attack! Chain it with Smokescreen and Water Pulse!" I snapped back at the battlefield, startled by the sudden commands from Ash. He hadn't done the same against me. Why? Is that there was no need for him to attack me first? No danger? "Now use Pound!"
Suddenly a smack was heard. I snapped my head towards Ash's side of the battlefield, only to see that Froakie had been slammed against the wall behind its trainer, looking worse for wear and struggling to get up. The ninja pokemon had gracefully jumped around the battlefield with the use of Quick Attack and then hid with the use of Smokescreen to attack Geodude with Water Pulse from various sides, like a true ninja. But when it went for a physical attack, it was thrown back with force. I looked towards Roark's pokemon, as the smoke started to clear out, and noticed a light glow disappearing from around Geodude's form- it also looked as bad, if not worse, than Froakie.
"Bide!" Ash cursed, frowning slightly. He then turned back towards the water pokemon and shouted: "Come on Froakie! I know you can do it!"
I was about to roll my eyes, for all his goods points he can be a pain in the ass. Caring too much for his pokemon, when there was no need. But when I looked at the water pokemon who had stopped struggling and looked back at its trainer with determination, I could not say anything. I was too stunned by what I was seeing. Bide return the double of damage a pokemon had received, and Geodude should have fainted by Froakie's attacks. So, seeing the starter pokemon calmly standing up, just because his trainer had put his trust in it… I was just in disbelief. Especially, when said pokemon started to glow.
"Frogadier!" The newly evolved pokemon shouted victoriously.
"This is what I'm talking about!" Ash exclaimed, alongside his Pikachu, the newbie, and all of his fans. "Double Team chained with Quick Attack!"
Once more the frog pokemon jumped around the battlefield with a speed only seen in electric pokemon, but this time there were six of them.
"Geodude Sand Attack!" Roark shouted, soon the field was filled with sand and the clones disappeared one by one.
"Frogadier Ice Punch!" Ash countered.
As the frog pokemon jumped to hit the rock pokemon, it was hit with a Rock Slide, only to then disappear with a puff of white smokescreen. It used substitute! Suddenly, from the sandstorm, the real Frogadier appeared dealing the final blow, with an Ice Punch point-blank.
At least it happened to someone else this time, I sighed internally as the rest of the crowd cheered for their Saint.
"Geodude is unable to battle, Gym Leader please your next pokemon!" Ian called out as Frogadier jumped on Ash's arms for a congratulating hug.
"Onix, you are next!" Roark called out and the rock snake appeared on the battlefield. What the Ace Ranger did next surprised us all, except the Gym Leader, as he recalled Frogadier, after one last congratulation, and called out his Honedge. "Good. After taking such damage a just evolved pokemon should rest. A Honedge… my dad would love that pokemon."
"The steel-type gym, right?" Ash replied with an excited smile, not every day does your pokemon evolve.
"Yes," Roark replied. "This time we'll attack first! Onix Bind!"
"Honedge fast, Iron Defense!" Ash called out, just in time, lowering the damage his sword pokemon was about to take. A pile of rocks shouldn't be that fast, even they were in snake form. I should start training Steelix, if an Onix can be that fast, then my pokemon can do it too. "Now Metal Sound and Retaliate!" Finally, being liberated from its binds the sword pokemon floated regally in front of its trainer ready for the next command, which came rapidly. "Sword Dance and then Iron Head!"
"Onix counter with Iron Tail!" Roark called out.
"Keep up the Sword Dance and retaliate with Close Combat!"
"Onix keep up the Iron Tail and raise your defense with Harden!"
The orders kept on coming out from the trainers, turning the pokemon battle into a fencing battle between the sword and the tail of the rock snake. Until the Honedge used Shadow Sneak, to rapidly travel behind the Onix and attack him with a Flash Cannon point-blank. The rock snake tried to evade it with dig, but Ace Ranger's pokemon are all too fast for normal pokemon- especially, those so big that make an easy target. That did not mean that the steel pokemon finished the battle unscathed, it also looked worse to wear and very tired. But unlike the rock pokemon, it kept on floating.
"Two for two," Roark commented as he recalled his fainted pokemon. "You've trained your pokemon splendidly. But it's time you recall that Honedge of yours because we are about to get serious." He took out a Poke Ball from his belt and called out: "Rampardos, come out!"
"Well, done Dame," Ash told his steel pokemon with a proud smile before recalling it and calling out his next pokemon. "Bulbasaur now it's your turn!"
Suddenly the whole gym went dead silent. On one side of the battlefield, there was a revived pokemon, a frightful Rampardos, and on the other side, there was a first stage starter pokemon, a cute Bulbasaur. People were between being in disbelief and looking at Ash as if he had gone insane.
"A-Ash, you do know that this is a pokemon from my A-Team, right?" Roark asked, more like stuttered in disbelief.
"I know. I also know that as good as a Regional Professor that Rowan is, he has popularized the belief in Sinnoh that evolved pokemon equals powerful and better pokemon." Ash replied calmly, his words sounding so weird to my ears but hitting a nerve as well. "My Bulbasaur doesn't want to evolve but still holds the power of a Venusaur in his little body." It was then that I noticed the everstone collar around his neck. "Don't worry about us, if anything you should be worried about your pokemon."
I could only look at the Ace Ranger in shock, not even bothering to control my expression. What bullshit was this trainer I had slightly grown to respect spouting! His pokemon will get killed!
But it wouldn't be Ash Ketchum if he didn't prove everyone wrong and turn our worlds upside down at the same time. No matter what attack the Rampardos tried to use or how fast it moved, it never landed a single hit. Not its Zen Head or Assurance, nor its Ancient Power or Head Smash, and when it used Pursuit, it was received with a combo of Sleeping Powder and Venoshock. Followed by a Solar Beam to the face, which had been powered up with a Sunny Day and Growth.
A pin being dropped could be heard over the overwhelming silence. No one could believe their eyes, as a fainted Rampardos laid behind its trainer and the cute Bulbasaur skipped towards its looking as if it could go another round.
"Rampardos is unable to fight, the winner is Bulbasaur. The Gym Leader no longer as another pokemon. Ash Ketchum has won the Gym Challenge!" Ian finally called the battle, breaking the spell over the gym.
Suddenly the crowd on the bleachers came back alive and returned cheering for their Saint. Even the newbie next to me rushed towards Ash to hug him and scream his ear off. But I could not give a crap to any of them. If anything, it all felt as if it was happening miles away from me.
How is a damn Bulbasaur able to do that?! How can it be that fast when its species isn't supposed to be fast at all?! H-ho-how is it that every time I meet him my views on pokemon training and battle are turned upside-down?!
My mind came to a halt. I didn't even notice when Roark gave Ash his badge or how the crowd left, following the other two trainers. Or even the Ace Ranger and newbie telling me goodbye.
I only came back to it when Gym Leader Roark called me out for my battle. I turned around to meet an empty gym and a rattled Gym Leader. At least, I'm not the only one. Right now, I'll focus on my battle and enjoy the now silent gym, later I'll talk with my brother and figure out what the hell is the mystery of Ash Ketchum.