~ Chapter 64 ~

Battle with Fantina

"Even with the type advantage and a Spitirtomb, Fantina was not an easy mathc. She pushed me to my limit, and pushed my Pokémon to their fullest. I had to use everything I'd learned until that point to beat her, and even then I had to learn some new things on the fly. My grandfather's help would've been welcome…he gave it anyway of course, but I did my best to ignore it. If I'm going to win, I want to win based on my own skill. Anything else would have felt like cheating. It was a tough fight…but it was worth every minute to prove myself to not just Fantina, but apparently myself."

Fantina stared Sam down like an alpha staring down a challenger to their position of power.

In truth that wasn't that far off.

Fantina had a reputation for being a tough battle. She was merciless when she combined her Ghost Pokémon's prowess with her skills for showmanship and flashy contest battles.

One's defeat against Fantina was usually flashy, grand and epic—and incredibly painful for one's ego.

But as the two of them stood across the field of dry, dead grass and false tombstones, fog pouring across the field, leaving chills running up your spine, there was no doubt in Sam's eyes—he would be walking away the victory at any cost.

"Vell, shall we begin?" asked Fantina, pulling a Poké Ball from what looked like thin air.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Sam drew his first Poké Ball.

"Come! Show me vhat you have learned!" cried Fantina as she released a Duskull.

Sam smiled as he countered Duskull with his Weavile.

Aurelio materialized behind his grandson. "You're halfway to the Elite Four," Aurelio reminded Sam, "At this level, battles don't drag on as long as they used to—not as often. Extremely skilled trainers can down an opponent's Pokémon in just a handful of moves."

"Suddenly I'm not looking forward to taking down the Pokémon League," joked Sam under his breath, "If there's not going to be much of a challenge, what's the point?"

"Careful," warned Aurelio wryly, "You don't want to underestimate the Pokémon League…they'll make you regret it."

Sam didn't respond, as his focus went entirely to the battle at hand.

Fantina had silently set her Duskull on Weavile, sending the Pokémon in through a Shadow Sneak. The Duskull remained where it was, but using the spotlights above and the darkness below, it was able to enlarge its shadow and extend across the ring towards Weavile.

Sam called for Weavile to dodge, and just in time.

But Fantina closed the vice, and executed a move that put the pressure on Sam.

"Duskull! Future Sight!" she called.

Sam swore under his breath. Future Sight was not a move that would harm him…yet, and for all it wouldn't do any Super Effective damage; it would do a large chunk of damage, and could be repeated.

It would do damage in a few more moves. Future Sight predicted the attack, and would out a few turns later, lashing out at the enemy.

Sam had a timer on him now to start striking and take down the Duskull. Weavile might survive one Future Sight, but it wouldn't survive more than two or three.

"Weavile! No time to waste, Night Slash!" cried Sam.

Weavile cried and charged at Duskull, slashing at the Pokémon with a wave of purple energy.

"Icy Wind!" cried Sam, pressing the attack. The timer was counting down as he thought.

A blast of cold wind blew around Weavile and Duskull, striking Duskull with pieces of ice and hail.

As the wind blew, Sam sent his Weavile in for a Feint Attack. Sneaking behind Duskull in the shadows, and striking it from behind.

Duskull was sent flying back by the attack. The small ghost Pokémon spun, its eye girating between its two eye sockets. It was shaky, about to fold. Sam had to whittle this Pokémon down just a little more before he won this round.

Weavile had the type advantage in this match, and Sam was going to abuse that.

"Weavile, use Screech!" called Sam.

Weavile immediately opened its mouth and let out a high-pitched sound. Evenryone except for Aurelio's ghost, Fantina and Sam covered their ears from the pitch.

While Duskull cowered at the sound, Sam silently sent Weavile after Duskull, and had it slam into Duskull with another Feint Attack.

Duskull flew again, and was slammed into the side of the arena, where it hit the ground unconscious.

Just in time, too, as the Future Sight took hold of Weavile, and knocked the Pokémon to its knees panting for air.

Though Weavile had the type advantage against a Psychic move like Future Sight, the move was still powerful, and Duskull hadn't left any ounce of power out of it. Weavile could have kept going, but Sam wasn't going to force his Pokémon into a round just to have it lose.

Weavile had earned a good, long rest, and so Sam returned his Pokémon to its ball.

Niya, who acted as the referee for this match at Sam's and her aunt's suggestion, called the match in favour of Sam, as the Gym Leader and her challenger began selecting their next Pokémon.

Sam had two more rounds to go before he beat Fantina. They were both down one Pokémon each. This was going to be fun.

Everyone watched with baited breath as they waited for the two opponents to choose their Pokémon.

It took them a few moments, but it felt longer for everyone watching.

Fantina sent out her Mismagius, and Sam went for Honchkrow.

The two Pokémon, eternally battling for territory in Eterna Forest, where they occur naturally, were bitter rivals in the wild. This battle would play on that it seemed.

Fantina opened up with a Confuse Ray.

Sam followed that up with Haze and a dodge.

A thick level of fog covered the battlefield. Even those in the stands couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.

Sam slipped the Silph Goggles onto his face—something he picked for moments just like this a few days ago—so he could better see the battle.

Honchkrow had managed to dodge the Confuse Ray, but Mismagius was closing in, seemingly only partially inconvenienced by the fog.

The Pokémon seemed at home in the mists, and though it had issues aiming and seeing properly, it looked ready to strike at Honchkrow again. It was only a matter of time before Mismagius was able to strike out at her enemy, Sam had to act quick.

Sam called on Honchkrow to use Night Slash. The Pokémon's wing tips glowed with a malicious darkness. Slicing through the mist with its dark-infused wings, it struck Mismagius.

Mismagius didn't take long to recover though, coming back at Honchkrow with a Confuse Ray.

Honchkrow scrambled to dodge the glowing orb that was launched at it.

Mismagius cackled as its attack narrowed in on Honchkrow.

Sam's quick thinking and Honchkrow's quick flying were able to evade the glowing orb of doom. Sam had Honchkrow let out a Dark Pulse that eradicated the confusion orb, but it also dispelled the mist.

Mismagius and Honchkrow were on even terms now.

Fantina commanded another Confuse Ray, while Sam called another Dark Pulse.

The Dark Pulse eradicated the Confuse Ray, and Sam had Honchkrow follow it up with another Night Slash.

Mismagius tried to dodge, but Sam called for another bout of Mist once more, cloaking the entire field in a thick fog. Sam's plan for Honchkrow was obscuring its opponent's visibility, and striking with Super Effective moves.

It worked.

Mismagius was downed by the Night Slash, the Dark Type move Super Effective against the Ghost Type Pokémon.

Sam recalled his Honchkrow, while his friends cheered.

Niya declared Sam the winner of this round, and Fantina recalled her unconscious Mismagius.

A wide smile spread on Fantina's face. "You have grown stronger since last ve met," she smiled, "You have learned the importance of defeat. It has made you stronger. It has made you faster; it has honed your skills to a precision of meticulous destruction. Your enemies are picked apart with surgical accuracy. I am glad. But this battle is not over yet."

"I should hope not," smirked Sam, "I came this far, waited this long to challenge you. I'd hate to see you give up after all that."

Fantina chuckled, and drew her next Poké Ball.

Sam grabbed his last Pokémon as well.

He had won the first two rounds. If he lost this round, he'd still be able to pull off of a victory. But it wouldn't be as sweet a win. He wanted to win this round two. If he got lazy, he'd definitely lose this. Never underestimate a Gym Leader.

Fantina unleashed her Haunter, and Sam sent out his Spiritomb.

Fantina's eyes widened as she saw her opponent's Pokémon.

"A Spiritomb?" she wondered, mesmerized and amazed, "As a trainer of Ghost Type Pokémon, vun's dream is alvays to own a Spiritomb. They are impossible to find—alvays coming in pairs. I've heard the legends, and how vun must bring a Keystone to the Hallowed Tower but…never in all my years…how?"

"I was gifted a Keystone, last time I was in the city," explained Sam, "I…never expected to get a Spiritomb out of it."

"Luck favours you," chuckled Fantina, "I am jealous. Vhere did you receive this Keystone?"

Sam didn't answer. He couldn't. He didn't mention that Fantina's own niece and the rest of his friends had Spiritomb as well, or how they came to gain them. The Shrine Maidens, all of that was a secret he would never share.

Fantina smirked. "Cynthia has been meddling again, hasn't she?" chuckled Fantina, "Such strong trainers she favours…it's almost as if she vants Valentina to lose."

Sam smiled back, Aurelio himself chuckle behind Sam. "Cynthia always had a habit of meddling in things she shouldn't have. I wonder why she chose to give you four a Keystone, I wonder…the Great Mother and her Shrine Maidens don't normally allow that kind of—anyway, forget me. Beat her, my boy! You've got this in the bag!"

Sam had caught Aurelio's, musings of the Great Mother—something else Sam would need to ask about later.

Aurelio was right for now, the battle was still happening. He needed to battle, and win.

Sam took advtange of the lull in the fighting to send his Spiritomb in to strike.

Spiritomb slipped into the stretching shadows of the gym and snuck on Haunter. A wave of wicked shadow and arms reached up out of the darkness, aiming for the Pokémon.

But Fantina, ever prepared, ordered Haunter to use Hypnosis.

Sam shifted uneasy, and quickly had Spiritomb use Ominous Wind.

Purple winds lashed Haunter in the face, knocking the Pokémon back, and shattering the Pokémon's machine-like focus as it tried to hyponotize Spiritomb.

As Haunter stumbled back, Spiritomb unleashed a Dark Pulse, knocking the Pokémon back further.

Spiritomb closed the gap, and on Sam's orders, unleashed its own Hyponosis.

Haunter fell asleep, hitting the ground as it ceased floating. From here, Spiritomb followed it up with Dream Eater, devouring the dreams of the sleeping Haunter, causing the Pokémon harm and damage, as Spiritomb took its energy for itself.

The Dream Eater continued, until Haunter's troubled sleep stilled, and it stopped moving. Not dead, but defeated.

Sam had done it. He had defeated Fantina, in a swift and effective fashion.

Niya called the match in Sam's favour, and his friends, grandfather, and Pikachu erupted in cheers.

But Sam's eyes looked only at Fantina, who was impressed, proud, and a little disappointed.

Fantina gave Sam a warm smile, but quickly let her face go back to neutral.

Within moments, the woman, in her large ballgown, and her high heels, would clack over across the floor. She was ever graceful, and intimidating, even in defeat. She handed Sam his new badge, the Relic Badge.

"Use it vell, child," she told him quietly.

He did not know if he meant his skills, or the badge, but Sam chose not to think on it too hard just yet.

"You are vun step closer to the Pokémon League," announced Fantina, "One step closer to taking on the Elite Four and the Champion. The battles will get harder, but also faster. Skill, efficiency, speed…that is what assist victory in this vorld, at this level. I vish you luck, and I will be there to see you take the title."

That was the last thing Fantina said to Sam before stalking back over to her Haunter, to comfort and return the Pokémon to its Poké Ball.

This had been the quickest Gym Battle Sam had ever had, but it filled him with the greatest adrenaline rush to date.

He was excited to see what came next.