Chapter 7: The Bug Gym Finale
Point of View Flare
I stepped onto the arena and faced Viola as I felt adrenaline begin to pump through my body. I let out a nervous sigh as I waited for her to withdraw her choice for my opponent. No matter what she threw at me, I had no choice but to win, since Gray would struggle against the other pokemon, like he did with the first one.
A smirk formed on Viola's face as she unclipped a pokeball off her belt. Viola cocked her arm and threw the pokeball, and a blinding light flashed . As my vision recovered, I made out a vivillon fluttering in the air.
Viola clipped the pokeball on her belt for safe keeping, and then faced Alex and I, "Are you two ready to begin?" Viola asked us two.
"You ready Flare?" Alex asked me, and I turned back and gave him a quick nod.
"We're ready," Alex said to Viola.
"Alright, begin!" Viola shouted, and adrenaline kicked in even more, as my heart began pounding within my ribcage.
"Flare, use flame charge," Alex commanded.
Not wasting a single second, I inhaled a deep breath as I concentrated my energy, and within a few seconds, a flame engulfed my entire body. Once the flames shrouded my body, I darted off towards the vivillon and once I was in range, I jumped towards the bug type in an attempt to tackle it out of the air. The vivillon swiftly flew out of the way and I fell back to the ground. After landing, I inhaled a deep breath and the flames around my body flowed into my mouth, and I blew them back out in the form of a massive flamethrower.
"Use gust!" Viola desperately shouted. The vivillon then gave one mighty synchronized flap of its wings and a visible gale of wind collided with my flamethrower, and the force caused a torrent of flames that caused me to slightly lose my balance.
"Flare, use ember, don't give it any room to breathe," Alex commanded me excitedly.
Doing as he commanded, I shot an ember at the vivilon, but it flew above the attack. After the first attack, I continued to spray a flurry of embers, until I had to stop to catch my breath. My head hung low for a moment as I began panting.
"Use stun spore!" Viola shouted. My head cocked up just in time to see the vivillon open its mouth and release a cloud containing tiny spores. The vivillon the flapped its wings, and the cloud of spores were blown in every direction possible. I closed my eyes as the spores flew around me. After a moment I opened my eyes to see that I was perfectly fine and looked back at the vivillon in surprise.
Flare, are you alright?" I nodded back at Alex, and he directed his attention back to the vivillon, "Alright, try ember again, and don't let up on it," Alex told me. I took in a very deep breath before I exhaled and sprayed out a hellstorm of embers at the vivillon, but the butterfly like pokemon swooshed out of the way as it barely dodged my attack.
As I continued to shoot embers at the vivillon my body all of a sudden became very fatigued, it all just hit me within a few seconds. I swayed back and forth as I tried to keep my footing, but after a moment I smacked into the ground. I tried to looked around but my vision was blurred, and I felt so tired.
"Wha… what's going on," I said in a drowsy tone, as I tried to pull myself back up, but I couldn't muster up the energy.
"Flare?" Alex called out to me, but his voice sounded so far away.
'What's going on?" I asked myself mentally as I tried to understand this situation.
"Looks like your fennekin is finished, you can either send out your absol again, or your umbreon," Viola said.
Just as I was about to give into this unexpected drowsiness, the memory of that stun spore attack replayed in my mind. I remembered it doing nothing, and it was so odd. I turned my head and I looked at my fur to notice spore like things attached to my fur. My eyes widened in surprise from the sight, how could I have been so stupid?
"Well, which pokemon are you sending in next?" Viola asked Alex, as his arms dropped in disappointment, and he looked back at Gray and Black.
With the little strength I had left, I pried myself up, and forced myself to stand, "I'm… I'm not done," I said as I closed my eyes and used whatever energy I had left, to engulf my body in flames. The flame around my body was weak, and barely managed to keep its form, but as I looked at the spores on my body, I could see them burning off me. As the spores burned off, I could feel my energy slowly coming back, and within a moment the spores were gone. My energy didn't feel like it was as high as it was before I was hit with the stun spore, but it still recovered significantly.
"Actually, it looks like your fennekin caught on, a bright little guy, isn't he?" Viola said as she looked at me and gave me a nod of approval.
"Bright, figuratively, and literally," I added to her previous statement, as I waited for Alex to tell me my next move.
"Are you sure you can go on, Flare?" Alex questioned with concern.
"I got this," I replied with a confident smirk.
"Vivillon use hurricane!" Viola commanded. The vivillon flew up quite a distance into the air until it started flapping its wings really hard, and as it continued to flap its wings a strong breeze started to pick up. The breeze soon turned into a mighty gale that started to blow me off my feet, but I was quick to dig my claws into the ground. I held on with everything I had as the gale attack tried to blow me away.
I knew I had one shot at beating this vivillon, so I was going to have to take this shot now. I haven't quite mastered this attack yet, so I could only use it once at best, but right now it was all or nothing. I inhaled a deep breath as I closed my eyes and took a moment to concentrate. I channeled the flames in my body and meditated for a moment as I tapped into the energy of the flames, almost as if they were actually living beings. When I felt fully concentrated and in link with my powers I opened my eyes. I changed my footing up a bit and I inhaled another deep breath, before I exhaled a spiralling flame that overpowered the might gales of the hurricane and seared towards the Vivillon. The butterfly stopped its hurricane attack and tried to flutter away, but instead it became ensnared in my fire spin attack. The flames circled the vivillon and after a few moments the attack ceased. The vivillon soon fell straight for the ground with a stream of smoke following it. Viola was quick to run out onto the arena and catch her pokemon.
Viola cradled the vivillon as she unsnapped one of the pokeballs off her belt, "You fought very well Vivillon," Viola said as she returned the vivillon to her belt.
I panted in exhaustion as I watched Viola care for the injured pokemon. I felt my legs give out, and I fell onto the ground. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, and I was lifted off the ground. With the little strength I had left I looked up to see Alex.
"You did awesome, I'm proud of you for winning this one," Alex said with a smile as he sat me down right next to Gray. I let out a tired yawn as I rested my head on the ground, but I planned on staying awake for the final match.
Point of View Black
What Flare did was actually pretty impressive, I'm not going to lie. I would hate to be trapped in one of those things. I gave a quick glance at the fennekin that was next to the absol, Flare looked as if he was about to pass out. I guess I would too if I was in that sticky of a battle.
"Black," Alex called to get my attention. I looked towards my trainer as he knelt down to get as close to my eye level as he could. He placed a hand on my shoulder but I was quick to move arms length from him, I never understood why humans always wanted to touch us pokemon, yeah I get it we're furry and all that.
"Black, I know you're getting over an injury, so I'm not going to force you to fight, but I'm also not going to deny you the opportunity. What do you wanna do?" Alex questioned me.
Truthfully I didn't really care too much about this gym battle thing. The only reason I even took remote interest in it was so I didn't die here, but if I didn't have to fight I wasn't going to. Just as I was almost set on my answer I gave a quick glance back at Flare, and the asshole absol. I didn't really want to listen to this later from Flare then again, and I wanted to hear that absol condescend me later even less. This decision wasn't an easy one… I didn't want to seem like a coward, nor did I want to fight. I pondered the thought for a moment before I came to a conclusion.
"Alright, fine. But don't think I'm actually taking an interest in your pokemon cruelty games," I answered Alex as I gave him a nod, which was probably the indications he was looking for the start with.
"Alright, sweet!" Alex gleefully said, "Just step onto the arena and listen to my advice throughout the fight."
"Yeah-yeah, I wasn't born yesterday, I watched Flare and that absol do this ya know," I responded to Alex as I walked onto the arena.
"Are you two ready to begin the last battle?" Viola questioned us.
"Yes, we are," Alex answered for us.
"Good, because this last one may be a challenge, especially for a dark type," Viola said as said as she threw her last pokeball, and a bright light started to take a shape. The form soon revealed a scyther, one that wore a cold blooded look on its face. I cringed a bit as I looked at his blades until I noticed that they weren't sharp like most scythers, instead they appeared mostly blunt. I guess if they wanted these battles to be safe the couldn't have razor sharp blades that would easily decapitate me, that wouldn't exactly be a pretty sight.
"So, let's begin!" Viola chimed as she excitedly raised her fist into the air.
"Umm Black," Alex said as he took a moment to think. This is when it probably occurred to him that he didn't know any of my attacks other than quick attack, which was something like all pokemon knew.
"Just say quick attack or something," I stated as I got into a defensive position. I personally never understood why the trainers had to tell me how to fight. There is absolutely no form of surprise if I have some idiot blurting out my attacks.
"I know, use tackle!" Alex commanded me.
'Well, I'll just let the scyther think he knows what is coming his way,' I thought to myself as a small sneer formed on my face.
With a plan formulated in my mind, I ran towards the scyther, and as I closed in my running pattern turned into zig zags.
"Scyther, use slash!" Viola ordered.
As I closed in the scyther swung his blade downward, but I quickly jumped to the side. I quickly slid to a stop, blades length from the scyther. The first logical thing to do would be to get an idea of his capabilities, just get a feeling for his speed and stuff.
"Black use quick attack!" Alex ordered me around.
"Scyther, X-scissor." With that command said, the scyther darted towards me in a flash, he crossed both of his blades near his chest, until he swung both at me in an X shape. The two blunt blades smacked into my skull and sent me tumbling the the ground with a serious migraine. Those blades may be blunt, but they hurt like hell.
I grunted as I pulled myself back up. "Okay, now I'm getting a little mad," I muttered to myself as my view deadpanned on the scyther.
"Black, stay quick and keep your eyes open or you won't know what hit you," Alex told me.
"No dip sherlock holmes," I muttered.
"Scyther, Fury cutter!" Viola shouted to her pokemon.
"I don't like the sound of this…" I whispered as the scyther dashed towards me at light speed. It stopped right in front of me and began swinging a series of attacks at me. I was quick to jump back, but the scyther kept pursuing me as it threw its attacks aimlessly at me. As the scyther chased me I felt my adrenaline kicking in as I kept jumping away from his attacks, everything was slowing down, even the scyther. After a moment I saw a small opening. I impulsively lunged towards the scyther, and with everything I had I rammed my head into the scyther's gut. The bug type flinched back as it placed one of its blades on it's gut, but kept the other on guard.
"I gotcha," I said with a sneer as I moved back to a safe distance.
"Air Slash!" Viola shouted at her pokemon.
The scyther quickly jumped back and he swung his blade in my direction, and a wave of wind came towards me. I was quick to dive out of the way as the attack hit my last location. I looked back to see a giant slash mark in the ground, if I was a second later I would be in bad shape right now, especially since the scyther has a type advantage, one good hit and I'm done. I let out a sigh of relief since I was still standing.
"Black, do what you did the first time, wait for your opening and strike, I know you can do it."
"Boy, you just love stating the obvious, what else am I going to do?" I spoke to myself.
"Scyther, continue with the air slashes, give the umbreon no breathing space," Viola told her scyther, and he responded with a nod.
The scyther began swinging his blades, and multiple air slashes flew towards me. I quickly zigzagged around them as I charged at the scyther. One of the air slashes cut the side of my cheek, but I continued running towards him. Once I got up close the scyther smashed his blunt blade down towards me, but I sidestepped the attack. I attempted to tackle him, but the side of his free blade smacked into the side of my head, and knocked me to the ground. I groaned in pain as I looked at the scyther and say doubles for a second, until my vision stabilized. I quickly recovered to my feet as the scyther tried to swing his blade at me again, luckily I was fast enough. As the Scyther's blade was extended out towards the ground, I quickly jumped towards the Scyther and head butted him in the forehead. The scyther flinched back and attempted to grasp his skull with his two blades, I on the other paw just wobbled around as my skull rung. Turns out a scyther's exoskeleton is almost as hard as the thick bones of an umbreon.
Despite my dazed state I ran towards the scyther and I slammed my whole body into him. We both tousled to the ground, sadly with him on top. The scyther broke his dazed state as he lied atop of me. The scyther glared at me for a moment, until I rammed my head into his forehead again. I let out a screech of pain as my head became very numb. The scyther fell on top of me again, but this time his body was completely limp. Using all the strength I had left, I shoved him off of me. The scyther rolled onto his back, and remained unconscious. I managed to roll over onto my stomach and get off the ground. I looked towards the Scyther and I saw that the forehead of his exoskeleton was slightly cracked… I prayed that my skull wasn't cracked from that head but, but I doubted it. As I stared at the scyther a bright light flashed towards him and sucked the Scyther in. I looked back to see Viola holding the Scyther's pokeball.
"Good job Scyther," She said to her pokeball, before she looked towards Alex, "Well, it looks like I lost this battle, congratulations Alex!" With this words said Alex and Flare ran out onto the arena towards me. Alex was quick to pick me up and give me a strong hug.
"Hey, let me down!" I said in shock as my trainer finally let me go, "Don't touch me, I don't like it," I snapped at my trainer.
"Congrats Black, you won the last match!" Flare congratulated me excitedly.
"Thanks, I guess," I responded nervously, not really knowing how to respond to this kind of attention.
Viola stepped out onto the arena and she approached Alex with something in her hand, "Well, I guess you earned this today, not just you though, you and your pokemon earned it," Viola said as she held out a badge in her hand. The badge kind of looked like a bug with two green gems on it, one on each side of it.
"Wait wait wait!" I began to say in confusion, "We did not just go through that for a little stupid boy scout badge did we? I mean don't we get something that makes it worth nearly dying?" I questioned in disbelief.
"No, that's it. I mean most of this eight gym badge stuff is mostly about the thrill of adventuring and growing closer with your friends and growing bonds," Flare answered me.
"Unbelievable," I said in anger.
After a bit of talking between Alex and Viola, we all headed back to the hotel. Everyone lied around the hotel lazily, until Alex called all of us.
"Hey, I picked these up earlier, since I knew we'd win that battle," Alex said as he reached into a bag.
"We as in not you," I remarked. After my snide comment I picked up the scent of something sweet from whatever was in that bag Alex had.
"The other night I got some really fancy pokepuffs for when we won, I hope you guys enjoy them," Alex said as he began to pass out the treats to us.
"Wow, I didn't know you could get rewarded for violence nowadays," I said jokingly as Alex gave me three of the treats. It didn't take long for me to scarf them down, they were oh so delicious, even my pride wasn't too high and mighty to accept something this delicious.
"You guys should get a good night of sleep tonight, because tomorrow we are leaving to head out to the next gym,"
Chapter End
Author Point: Thanks to genericgamer207 and The pokemon Melody for editing this chapter.