~ Chapter 71 ~
Canalave City; Battle for the Badge
"Lucario became one of my closest and favourite Pokémon. Any Trainer will tell you, they will always have a special bond with their first Pokémon, their Starter Pokémon, or ones that were the hardest to capture. I love all my Pokémon equally, and I've bonded with each of them in a special way. My first Pokémon will always hold a special place in my heart, no matter how long it's been…but there's something about being able to converse with your Pokémon. Being able to talk to them as if they're another person. You bond differently. I was as close with Lucario as much as any of my other Pokémon I've trained and owned, but being able to speak with him as if he were Alyssandra, or Niya, or Jeremy, or another human, changed the way we bonded as Trainer and Pokémon. It helped that he was incredibly wise, and well versed in emotional intelligence. I've gotten a lot of good advice from my Lucario over the years..and our bond in battle was always unmatched due to our non-verbal communication."
Sam walked into Byron's gym, Lucario's Pokémon in his hand. His friends were behind him, and Aurelio stood behind Sam, slightly off to the right.
"Are you ready?" asked Sam.
Lucario grunted in comfirmation through his mental connection with his trainer. "Yes, Master."
"You don't have to call me Master," corrected Sam, not for the first time, "We're friends—Trainer and Pokémon. You don't serve me."
"Is it not the same thing?" wondered Lucario.
"Not entirely, no," laughed Sam, "You'll understand eventually."
Lucario nodded in comfirmation.
"The old man is following us again," continued Lucario.
"Yeah he does that," replied Sam, speaking of Aurelio.
Lucario could sense the aura of the ghost of Sam's grandfather, and was aware of his presence, if not what he was saying. Though Lucario couldn't communicate with Aurelio, or even see him in the traditional sense, he could feel him, sense his presence.
Sam had explained early on what Aurelio was, why he was there, and that it should be kept secret. Except from Alyssandra who knew Aurelio was there and exsited, believed Sam, but still couldn't speak with him.
Lucario had spent almost a day talking with Sam, so Sam could catch him up on everything. In this time, Sam had been given some very good advice about Alyssandra from Lucario—advice Sam had to eventually put to use.
Byron stood on the other end of the field, talking to three other people, all of who looked incredibly familiar.
It wasn't until Sam stepped onto the field that he realized the three people Byron were talking to were Rort from the Fuego Ironworks, his granddaughter Gardenia, Gym Leader of Eterna City, and Byron's son, Roark, the Gym Leader of Oreburgh City and Head Foreman of the Oreburgh Mine.
"Sam!" cried Gardenia, running over to Sam, Roark in tow. Rort slowly walked over to the two, his leg looking stiff as he walked.
"How're you doing, Sam?" asked Roark.
"Not bad," replied Sam, "How about you guys, and you Rort?"
Rort reached Sam just as he asked. "Been better," he rumbled, "Hurt my leg a bit the other week, and I'm off until I'm healed. Still a bit stiff, but I'm managing."
"I'm guessing you came to watch me battle your brother?" Sam asked Roark.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he boomed with a laugh, "My brother's a tough Trainer. He was Oreburgh Gym Leader for fifteen years before Roark here took over. But you…you've got raw skill. I'm waiting to see my brother get put in his place."
Rort let out a booming laugh.
Gardenia chuckled. "We also want to see just how far you've come," she explained, "It's been a while since either of us saw you battle. Roark was your first Gym Battle, and I was your second. Since then, you've defeated Fantina, Crasher Wake, Maylene, and you're three badges away from the Pokémon League."
"I want to see your quick mind and clever tactics at work at this level," smiled Roark, adding to his cousin's explanation.
"Let's get the battle going," Byron cried from the other side of field, shouldering a steel shovel, "Not to be impatient, but I've got appointments after this unfortunately, and I don't like being late."
"Sorry, dad!" cried Roark.
"Keep yer pants on, Byron!" bellowed Rort, "You're just speeding along your defeat."
"We'll see," laughed Byron.
Roark, Rort and Gardenia wished Sam well, and Sam took his spot in the battle box.
Byron slammed his shovel into the ground by his feet.
Aurelio grunted. "I remember when he took over at Oreburgh for his father," he explained to Sam, "His father left Oreburgh to take over this gym for Byron's grandfather. The two gyms have been passed down within the family for generations. If Byron is anything like his father and grandfather…you're going to have an interesting fight ahead of you."
"I'm not worried," muttered Sam.
Everyone took their seats in the surrounding arena, and the referee approached the edge of the railing of his raised platform.
"The match between Sam Accardi of Twinleaf Town, and Gym Leader Byron of Canalave City is about to begin," cried the referee, "Only the challenge can make substitutions. The battle ends when one person's Pokémon are all unable to battle. If either of you wish to forfeit at any time, simply recall your Pokémon and step back from the battle box. Does everyone understand?"
Sam and Byron replied in the affirmative, and the match was started.
Byron began by releasing his Magneton.
Sam smiled and let go his Lucario.
The jackal-like Pokémon stared down the three-eyed Magneton.
Byron's face did no betray his inner thoughts, though Sam had a feeling he was trying to figure out what to do next. Lucario, being a Steel and Fighting Type, had a resistance against Byron's Steel Type Pokémon and attacks, and a leg-up against them due to Lucario's own Fighting Type moves.
Byron called for a Thunderbolt, to try and zap and slow down Lucario, but Lucario saw it coming, and dodged left and right as the bolts shot down from the heavens.
Byron gritted his teeth, but kept cool, now calling for a Tri-Attack. It wouldn't do much damage, as even though it was a combination of a Fire, Ice and Lightning attack, the move was still a Normal Type move, and were not as strong as a pure Fire, Ice or Lightning move.
Once more, Lucario was able to dodge the beams of elemental energy as it came towards it.
Lightning tore up the field.
Ice froze across the ground.
Flames sizzled and singed scorch marks in the floor.
Some of the ice melted from the intensity of the heat but patches remained here and there.
Lucario would need to be careful when it returned to its side of the field, but for now Sam sent out a mental command to Lucario. Sam was going in for a Force Palm.
"That Pokémon is fast," noted Aurelio, "A good addition to your team."
Lucario ran at blinding speeds, aiming right for the centre of the Magneton. Using all its energy, it slammed its open palm right into the Pokémon. There was a brief pause, then a burst of air and energy ripped through Magneton. A shockwave, like a sonic boom, erupted in a circle around Magneton, and a blast of air and energy shot out from behind the Pokémon in a expression of the force of the strike.
Within seconds, Magneton collapsed, falling apart, unable to battle.
The Fighting Type move had incapacitated the Steel Type Pokémon in one strike.
Lucario returned in a flash to Sam's side, while Sam congratulated his Pokémon.
Byron looked impressed and incredulous at the same time.
Rort was wooping and cheering out from the stands, while Gardenia and Roark muttered amongst each other.
Sam's friends cheered and cried out, Pikachu danced with two small fans he had had Jeremy purchase the night before, like some kind of cheerleader.
"Pika pika!" cried the yellow Pokémon.
Sam smirked.
Byron gave a small chuckle. "Heh, not bad kid." His rough gravelly voice reverberated through his body. "I won't underestimate you going forward…let's try this Pokémon on for size."
Byron thanked his recalled Magneton, and returned the ball to a small pouch at his side. He drew his next Poké Ball, and tossed the ball towards the field.
A Steelix erupted from the Poké Ball. The thing was massive, nearly scraping the surprisingly low ceiling of the Gym.
Roark gave a low whistle. "Dad's had that Steelix since he was a boy. It used to be an Onix. They ran the Gym together back when I was a kid. Father of my Onix too."
"Tough stock," grumbled Rort, "If I remember, that Steelix was the son of our father's Onix. You evolve them upon inheriting the Canalave Gym don't you?"
"That's always been the way," nodded Roark.
"I've never understood that tradition," sighed Gardenia.
"That's gotta be an old and tough Steelix," added Niya, "If it's been around since Byron was at least Roark's age. And it's got a tough lineage of Gym Pokémon behind it."
"You worried?" asked Jeremy.
Niya laughed. "Never," she shrugged, "Sam's got this. Somehow, some way, Sam's always got this."
"Sam's got skill that's why," Alyssandra interjected defensively, though she knew it wasn't needed.
Byron didn't waste a second, and cut Lucario's visibility by unleashing a violent and powerful Sandstorm.
It was so bad, even those in the stands were forced to wear Go-Goggles just to see what was going on.
Sam slipped his on, and called for Lucario to close his eyes.
"Aura?" asked Lucario.
"Aura," Sam replied in the affirmative, "He doesn't seem to be aware—or believe—in your ability to see through Aura. Use that to your advantage."
"Shall I go in for a melee attack?" asked Lucario as it scanned the battlefield, and locked on to Steelix's Aura signature.
"No," smiled Sam, "Use the Sandstorm to your advantage. If you can't see him, he can't see us, right?"
"That would be sound logic, Master," agreed Lucario.
"Sam," corrected Sam.
Lucario nodded. "Master Sam."
Sam sighed. "We'll work on that training next. Hit Steelix with an Aura Sphere. It'll come out of nowhere, and psych Byron and Steelix out. They won't be expecting you to see them, let along hit them dead on with a ranged attack."
"Not much of a challenge," sighed Lucario, "Aura Sphere latches on to one's Aura and therefore never misses."
"They don't need to know that," replied Sam, "Besides, they'll be expecting you to strike them from afar again, while they wait for you to strike with a second Aura Sphere, you can hit Steelix from behind, point blank."
"A decent plan, Master Sam," agreed Lucario.
Sam sighed once more. It was an improvement at least.
Lucario remained silent as he held his hands beside his body. Between the gaps between his palms, a large, ball of spherical energy shone. Teal, and effervescent, the ball glowed with an unearthly, spiritual light.
Then, forcing his palms forward, Lucario unleashed the Aura Sphere as it shot through the Sandstorm, and slammed itself right into Steelix.
The large Pokémon groaned, nearly falling over from the impact.
The Aura Sphere did its job—and being a Fighting Type move made it super effective against Steelix's Steel Typing.
Byron's eyes widened a bit.
He had promised not to underestimate Sam, and while he hadn't intentionally, there was too much unknown about Lucario for Byron to properly understand how the Pokémon was able to aim a projectile at Steelix through a Sandstorm.
Next, Lucario dashed through the Sandstorm, slipping past what seemed like individual grains of sand. His eyes were closed, but was able to lock on to the reeling Aura Signature of Steelix as the Pokémon thrashed about in the Sandstorm, expecting another projectile.
Byron, however, prepared for another strike—this time by sending Steelix into the ground.
The large Pokémon burrowed deep beneath the massive battlefield, like some kind of snake or worm.
Lucarion burst from the Sandstorm, and stopped. He had seen Steelix burrowing, though he never expected it. Neither had Sam—though he kicked himself for not doing so.
"What now?" asked Lucario.
Sam paused and thought for a moment. "How persistent is that Aura Sphere?"
"How do you mean?" asked Lucario, confused.
"How persistent is it. How far will it go to not miss," clarified Sam.
Lucario smiled, picking up on what Sam intended. "I've never tested its full capabilities…but I would be willing to. It locks on to Aura Signatures, so provided the target doesn't die before connecting, and provided the target is within my range of sight…"
"Try it," urged Sam, "It's worth a chance."
From within the depths of the Sandstorm, Lucario kept an eye on the burrowing Steelix. The Pokémon seemed to be preparing to attack Lucario from below. Lucario would not allow it the chance.
He shot the Aura Sphere with great intensity, and the ball of Aura Energy shot through the air, and burrowed into the field after Steelix. There was a massive shockwave of energy and air as the Aura Sphere hit the dirt. The Sandstorm was dispersed by the blast, and chunks of dirt and pieces of the field flew in all directions from the explosion.
Lucario shot into the air at Sam's command and sent the giant chunks of earth towards the empty side of the bleachers. The chunks crashed into the stone bleachers, damaging them as they fell, but saving the now terrified crowd that huddled together to avoid the rocks.
Lucarion landed with cat-like prowess, silently, and without disturbing even a single pebble.
The dust cleared from the crater that was now the field, and within it, the unconscious body of Steelix lay. It was unable to battle, wounded and battered.
Aurelio stood by Sam, a giant piece of debris through his body. He stepped to the left and phased back through the debris so he stood free of it. "A bit overkill, no?" he asked.
Byron recalled and thanked his Pokémon.
His face was calm, but inside, Lucario assured Sam he was starting to panic.
Right up until he grabbed his finaly Poké Ball. A calm and confidence washed over Byron.
Sam knew he had a trick up his sleeve.
In truth, Sam was correct.
Byron unleashed a massive Bastiodon, large even by the standards of a Bastiodon. The Ultimate Pokémon Defence.
"Your Pokémon hits hard and fast," smiled Byron, "You're strong, you're skilled. I can respect that. Bastiodon isn't as fast as your Lucario…but its defense is impeccable. Can you break it, I wonder?"
Bastiodon roared from within the crater.
"Aura Sphere?" asked Lucario.
"Give it a shot, but go easy, we don't want to tire ourselves out until we figure out what Byron's planning," replied Sam.
Lucario shot a quick Aura Sphere but Bastiodon threw up a quick Iron Defense, and took the attack with minimal damage to itself.
Next, Byron commanded Bastiodon to use Taunt, and Lucario, normally calm and composed, immediately fell for the Taunt. It gave in to its competitive, bestial nature, and charged at Bastiodon despite Sam's cries to calm down.
Right as Lucario closed in for a Force Palm, Bastiodon raised another Iron Defense and took the hit to the face. There was blowback and a shockwave, but Bastiodon didn't falter.
Next, Bastiodon unleashed a Metal Burst attack, flipping the damage it took from the Force Palm back at Lucario with greater force, knocking the Pokémon back across the field.
It wasn't Super Effective, but it knocked Lucario back, and the Pokémon for sure took damage.
Bastiodon aimed a Stone Edge at the downed Lucario, but Sam cried into the Pokémon's mind using their mental link, stirring the Pokémon to action.
Byron had the Ultimate Defense with Bastiodon, but all defences have a weakness.
"I need you to close your eyes," stated Sam as Lucario dodged the Stone Edge, "You can't see or fall for another Taunt. We need to play this safe or he'll still take us down, Super Effective or not."
Lucario agreed. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Sam?"
Sam smiled. "Attack behind the face shield?"
Lucario gave a grunt of agreement.
"Go for it," said Sam.
Bastiodon tried for another Taunt, and Lucario prended to fall for it.
He charged right at Bastiodon, eye's open once the Taunt wore off. Bastiodon prepared for another Metal Burst.
But Lucarion lept behind the Pokémon.
The move was so sudden it threw Bastiodon and its trainer off.
Byron watched Lucario flip through the air, forgetting to call for an Iron Defense.
Lucario landed behind Bastiodon, and slammed its palm into the Pokémon.
Bastiodon let out a roar, but didn't go down. Byron by now called for a quick Iron Defense, and the Pokémon through its shields up. But Lucario wasn't giving up, and neither was Sam.
Bastiodon tried to run, turn around, and generally move out of range of the next Force Palm, but it was too slow.
Lucario slammed another Force Palm into Bastiodon's back, and then another, and another, and finally Bastiodon went down, unable to battle.
Byron immediately thanked his Pokémon for all its hard work, and recalled Bastiodon.
He stood there, disbelief on his face while his brother cheered loudly with Pikachu.
Roark's face was a combination of disbelief, and pride. He had seen for himself how much Sam had grown since his first Gym Battle at the Oreburgh Gym.
Gardenia too, was proud at how far Sam had come, and how strong he had become. "He's good at working with very litte," noted Gardenia.
"And turning our strengths against us," added Roark, remembering how Sam's Staravia had taken down his Onix using Onix's size and low speed against it.
"He'll be Champion before we know it," continued Gardenia.
"He's got a ways to go yet," spoke a voice from the end of the bleachers.
Everyone turned to see Palmer standing there, Professor Rowan beside him, and Sakura Oak at the Professor's side.
"Rowan you old fart! Your timing's as clever as ever!" roared Aurelio with laughter, "Look at you! You've gotten old."
Aurelio doubled over laughing.
Sam shot Aurelio a glance. "Who's the ghost here?"
Aurelio immediately stopped laughing as he realized, Rowan was old, but he was still alive.
Aurelio merely grunted in response. "Palmer's looking old," he said finally after a pause, "And tired…and loveless still. Him and Cynthia should've stayed together…the poor boy's never been kind to his heart."
The referee called the match in favour of Sam, and thus Byron and Sam walked over to greet Professor Rowan and Palmer.
"Professor, Tower Tycoon," Byron stated, holding out his hand to shake.
The handshakes were returned.
"Glad to see you again, old friend," laughed Palmer, "Been a while since you've lost, eh?"
Byron laughed. "Longer than I thought. I'm still in shock," he replied.
"How are you, my boy?" asked Professor Rowan curtly. His reponse said he was in a rush, and had come not to watch Sam battle, but under a short time constaint.
Something was wrong.
"How long have you been here?" asked Sam as he approached Rowan and Palmer.
"Since Byron sent out his Steelix," smirked Palmer, "You've gotten stronger. You've got lots of skill and raw power. Your Pokémon are well trained."
"Wasn't that move with the Steelix a bit overkill though?" asked Rowan, again, curtly.
Sam chuckled, remembering his grandfather's exact words not too long ago.
"So, the real question is," responded Sam, "What's wrong?"
Palmer laughed. "Sharp as ever, this one. Eh, Rowan?"
Rowan grunted in agreement. "Mm."
"Don't be like that now, Rowan," chided Palmer, "It's not all doom and gloom."
"If we don't hurry, it might be," muttered Rowan.
Byron handed Sam his Mine Badge. "You've earned it kid," he smiled, "But the celebration may have to wait. Seems like the Professor needs you, urgently."
"Your friends too," added Professor Rowan, placing his hat on his head and turning towards the door with Sakura, "Come meet me at the library as soon as you're done here."
"I'll escort them personally," smiled Palmer cheekily, "So they don't get lost."
Aurelio let out a bellowing "Ha!"
Rowan's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing else. He turned and exited the door, Sakura in tow.
"How bad is it?" asked Sam seriously as his friends gathered their stuff, and Jeremy gathered Pikachu.
"Bad," muttered Palmer, "Team Galactic bad. You…might want to bring the Gym Leaders, to be safe." Palmer motioned over to Gardenia, Byron and Roark.
"Would you guys mind joining us?" asked Sam.
Gardenia nodded. "We're Gym Leaders," she replied, "It's our job to protect our cities and the Sinnoh Region from danger, just as much as it is handing out Gym Badges. We'll happily join you."
"Count me in, kid," grunted Byron, "Come on, son."
Roark nodded and followed his shovel-wielding father out the door after Rowan.
"Come on," said Sam to those who remained, including Rort, "Let's get going then. Things are about to get heavy, it seems."
