Chapter 33: Fighting Spirit
Roku's P.O.V.
Cianwood City
We eventually reached the shoreline of our destination, in which I promptly collapsed off of Lapras' back and started kissing the ground.
"Man, you really are scared of the sea," Calem said as he and Reia slid off of Lapras.
"Heh, just kidding," I said, standing up. "We just tamed a raging sea and a powerful thunderstorm, so I'm not really scared of the sea anymore."
"Well, then," Reia said, adjusting her hat. "Shall we?"
I nodded, and we made our way into the city, which was no bigger than Cherrygrove, if anything. After looking around for the pharmacy for about 5 minutes, I saw the familiar roof of a Pokemon Gym.
"Ooh, this place has a Gym!" I said excitedly. "We should go take it on!"
"We've got priorities, Roku," Calem said seriously. "Amphy is in trouble, and we need to get that medicine to her."
"Well..." Reia said. "We could make a little pit stop. Besides, we could be back in time. Amphy won't be going anywhere."
"Wow..." Calem said, pinching his eyebrows. "Well, if you want to be selfish, then go right ahead. I'm gonna go searching for the Pharmacy."
"OK, see you," Reia said. "Let's go, Roku."
Reia, Latias and I stepped into the Gym while Calem went off on his own to find the medicine. As soon as we walked in, I immediately felt the pressure of an enormous waterfall. The deluge was coming down heavily in front of us, and there was a big hefty man standing underneath it.
"Is that the Gym Leader?" I asked. "What does he think he's gaining from getting water pounded on his head?"
"Some say it's good resistance training," Reia replied. "I never got it, though."
I looked around a bit more and noticed that the water was coming from a half-pipe that was suspended above the interior. There was a crank attached to it as well, and a light bulb popped up in my head.
"We need to stop the water...but how?" Reia said, stroking her chin.
"I was just thinking the same thing," I said, pointing at the crank.
"Ah! We could use that!" she exclaimed.
I nodded and walked up to a slope on the wall, which was about 20 feet high on its own.
"I'll climb up and turn off the water," I said.
"Be careful, Roku," Latias said.
I stepped up and began climbing. The ground was a little wet from all the moisture in the air, so it was extermely difficult. By the time I got to the top, my legs felt like jelly.
OK...made it to the top, I thought. Now where's that crank?
I located the crank and grabbed it, pulling as hard as I could, but the crank didn't move one bit. I kept the pressure on, but I couldn't get it to move even a fraction of an inch.
"Any luck yet?!" I heard Reia shout.
"Nothing! I can't get it to move!" I shouted back, trying again.
"Come on, Roku! You can do this!" Latias screamed. "I know you have the power!"
She's right...I thought. I have to do this so we can get back and help Amphy.
I grabbed the crank once again and pulled with all of my might. The crank eventually gave way, and I was able to lift the pipe and stop the water.
"All right, Roku!" Reia cheered, jumping for joy.
"Whoof..." I sighed, taking a deep breath. I turned back and slid down the slope, stopping at the girls and saying, "OK! Let's get that Badge!"
We stepped up to the Gym Leader, who was still wincing as if the waterfall was still going. To make matters worse, he was growling with his teeth clenched, which made me giggle a little.
"Uh, dude..." I said, tapping his forehead. "We stopped the water. You're making yourself look like an idiot."
"Huh? Who? What?" he stuttered, opening his eyes and looking around. He eventually saw us and said, "Who are you?"
"I'm Roku, and this is Reia," I said, introducing ourselves. "We're here for a battle."
"Wait, so...you stopped the waterfall?" he asked, which I promptly nodded. He laughed real loudly, so loud that it echoed inside the gym.
"Ha! That's real gutsy, kid!" he said, smiling. "Alright, since ya got the guts, I guess I can give you a battle. Are you and your girlfriend taking the challenge together?"
"Which one?" Luna snickered.
"Shut up," I said to Luna as Latias slapped her in the back of the head. I turned back to the leader and said, "Yeah, she'll be fighting, too."
"Well, alright then!" he said loudly, a smile on his face as he waved for his best pupil to come forward. "The name's Chuck! Here's to a good match!"
I nodded, then Reia and I stepped to our side of the field. Chuck and his student pulled out their Poke Balls, and we followed suit.
"This is a Cianwood City Gym Challenge!" shouted Stan, who was off on the sidelines in the center of the field. "This will be a 3-on-3 double battle! The trainer who knocks out the opposing team's Pokemon first is the winner! Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon! Mega Evolution is permitted!"
He mentioned Mega Evolution...I thought. Does that mean Chuck has a Key Stone?
"OK! Primeape, you're up!" Chuck shouted, throwing his ball in the air and releasing the hyperactive monkey. His student threw out a Machoke.
"A couple of Fighting-types, huh?" I said. "Well this'll be easy. Braixen, battle stance!"
"Go get 'em, Reaper!" Reia shouted.
We threw out our Pokemon, and the battle began.
"Braixen, use Psyshock on that Primeape!" I shouted.
"Special delivery, meathead!" Braixen shouted, focusing his psychic power to raise bits and pieces of debris up into the air.
"Primeape, dodge it and use Rock Slide!"
Much to my dismay, Primeape jumped up and completely avoided Braixen's attack. Then, as he was coming down, he slammed his fist into the rocks that Braixen used for his attack and sent them flying towards us.
"Crap! Braixen, get out of there!" I shouted.
Braixen had other ideas, though, employing his psychic power to stop them completely. The rocks dropped to the ground, but so did Braixen, his breathing heavy.
"You OK, buddy?" I asked, worried.
"Yeah..." he said, standing up and rubbing his head. "Got a bit of a headache, but I'm good."
"Braixen, you need some rest," I said. I turned to Reia and said, "Hey, think you could cover Braixen for a bit?"
"No problem," she said, smiling. She knew this meant she finally had a crack at the Gym Leader. Reia turned back to the field and said, "Reaper, shift targets! Use Aerial Ace on that Primeape!"
Reia's Scyther nodded and blasted off at nearly supersonic speeds, slamming Primeape with a vicious claw. The monkey flew back into the wall of the Gym, sliding down and hitting the ground. He didn't move after that.
"Gah, dammit..." Chuck said, returning his fallen Pokemon. "OK, let's see how you like this! Poliwrath, you're next!"
The ball released the large amphibious Pokemon, and I winced a little. Poliwrath was a Water- and Fighting-type Pokemon, which meant that while Braixen had a slight advantage with his psychokinetic abilities, he was still a Fire-type, so he was at a major disadvantage.
"Reia, think you can get Reaper to distract them a bit?" I said, looking at the blonde. Reia nodded and looked back at the field with determination as she adjusted her hat.
"OK! Reaper, use Aerial Ace on Poliwrath!" she shouted.
Reaper blasted off once again, flying straight at Poliwrath at lightning speed. However, an obstacle appeared out of nowhere as the Gym Trainer's Machoke flew in and grabbed the Scyther right out of the air, using Seismic Toss to lob him back to our side of the field. He hit the ground hard, leaving an imprint in the ground and sending up a nice little plume of dirt.
"OK, Poliwrath! Wash 'em away with Surf!" shouted Chuck as the Gym Trainer's Machoke jumped back behind the amphibious Pokémon.
"Crap! Braixen!" I shouted frantically.
But Braixen was just standing there, staring the opposition down as Poliwrath launched a massive tsunami at us. I saw him grip his twig tightly, and just as the wave was about to cascade over him, he thrust it out, doing the most amazing thing I had ever seen him do.
Braixen had stopped the water dead in its tracks.
"What?! How is this even possible?!" I heard both Chuck and his Pokémon shout in unison.
Braixen had the most determined look on his face as he shoved it right back, completely shutting down the attack. Everyone who had showed up during the battle was awestruck as they cheered us on, applause ringing throughout the entire Gym.
"Braixen...!" I shouted, my eyes locked onto the Fox Pokémon. "That was incredible!"
Braixen looked right at me and grinned that same wolfish grin he always had before becoming bathed in a brilliant white light. The entire population watched as the fox began his final evolution, growing and changing shape before the light exploded off of him like shattered glass. I was very impressed at what stood before me now: a tall and slender biped fox with fur cascading down his body and arms like a robe. His twig had grown out into a full-on branch, and his face was more pointed, not to mention he had bigger ears and larger fire-shaped tufts of fur poking out from them.
"Delphox, the Fox Pokémon and the evolved form of Braixen," my P*DA rattled off as I checked the data. "Using its powerful psychic energy, Delphox can create fiery vortexes capable of temperatures of 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit, incinerating any foes unlucky enough to be caught up in this fire storm."
Delphox ignited his branch and spun it, going into a battle stance.
"Come on! Let's finish this little suaree!" he shouted cockily.
Poliwrath just growled at him as the two stood stock still, staring each other down. During the stare down, I saw Reaper fly in and drop Machoke with a well-aimed Aerial Ace. The Gym Trainer returned the fallen humanoid and replaced it with a Mankey.
"Take care of that Mankey for us, please, Reia?" I asked my friend nicely. She just rolled her eyes and told Reaper to keep his focus on Mankey while Delphox and I looked at Chuck and his Poliwrath, ready to throw down.
"OK! Delphox, Psyshock!"
"Poliwrath! Hydro Pump!"
The two attacks were launched nearly at the same time, but Poliwrath's attack was far stronger, blasting through Delphox's move and barreling straight for him. Delphox was forced to hastily jump up to avoid it, and that's when Poliwrath saw his opening.
"Now! Dynamic Punch!"
Poliwrath's fist seemed to grow a bit before he launched himself up in the air, aiming to hit Delphox.
"Not this time, Chuck!" I shouted. "Delphox, use Psyshock to guard against it!"
Delphox had his power ready and was pulling up debris in front of Poliwrath, but he just burst right through them without any trouble. Before I knew it, I heard bones cracking as Poliwrath's fist landed an earth shattering blow to Delphox's chest and sent him flying back.
"Delphox!" I shouted frantically as I ran up to catch him. I let out an oof and slid back quite a ways when his body made contact with mine, but he wasn't moving at all...or even breathing.
"D...Delphox...?" I said quietly, almost whispered, as I lightly shook him. "H-Hey...wake up bud..."
No response. At all.
"Delphox?!" Lyra shouted as she exploded out of her Poké Ball and ran up to meet her friend. She gasped as her eyes locked onto his body, a massive dark bruise appearing on his chest from where Poliwrath made contact.
"Delphox..." I managed to say as tears streamed down my face. "You gotta wake up..."
Reia ran up to me and gasped, her hand shooting up to cover her mouth.
"He...we have to get him to a Pokemon Center!" she cried out.
She didn't have to tell me twice. With Delphox still in my arms I turned around and sprinted as fast as I could to Cianwood's Pokemon Center. I clutched his body tightly in the hopes that they could save him, that he would be alright. I was running full-tilt, faster than I had ever ran, tunnel vision setting in as I located my target and ran straight for it.
I burst through the doors and ran inside, shouting, "Somebody! Help him!"
Everyone in the center gasped as they looked at me and the mangled fox Pokemon in my arms. Within seconds the Pokemon Center staff were flocking me, taking Delphox out of my arms and asking me several questions, none that I could make out clearly. All I did was stand there and watched as they carried one of my beloved partners through a set of swinging doors.
I didn't see him again for several hours.
Cianwood City Pokemon Center
"Oh no...so that's what happened..."
One of the nurses sat with me and Reia in the waiting room as the rest of the staff were working their magic on Delphox. She had said that after we had told her what had happened to put him in such rough shape.
"It's not the first time something like that has happened," she continued. "A few years ago, Chuck's Poliwrath learned how to use a special new technique that he'd developed himself. He dubbed it Dynamic Punch, and while it was really risky and inaccurate, the move would devastate weaker-bodied Pokemon and send them and their crying trainers here to us...some in even worse condition than your Delphox..."
"And the Pokemon League just lets this happen?" Reia said, her words dripping with anger.
"I'm afraid so..." the nurse said with a sad nod. "While the Pokemon League has control over who they choose to be Gym Leaders, they can't remove his authority because of the move's drawbacks. Chuck's Pokemon actually have to land a hit with Dynamic Punch to do any real damage, and because of the wind up, his attacks usually end up becoming predictable."
I just sighed and looked at my hands as I was twiddling my thumbs. No way that attack should be legal, but the trade-off does make sense. And that just helped me develop a strategy quicker than ever. Only problem was...I needed Delphox to pull it off. And with the shape he was in...I was afraid that he would never be the same again.
I felt a paw on my knee, and I looked down to see Luna looking up at me. Her eyes shone with a brilliant confidence that our friend was going to be OK. No words needed to be exchanged, I could already tell what she was thinking.
The hell are you getting mopey for? No way that fox boy would give up on us like that. Delphox will be back with us in no time, just you wait!
"Thanks Luna..." I said as I scratched behind her ears, smiling as she began to purr.
"Roku?"
I turned to see the nurse with a smile on her face.
"Your Delphox is stable and awake. Would you like to see him?"
Reia and I couldn't help but look at each other in shock, disbelief and several other emotions. We both shot out of our chairs and bolted it to the inside of the medical facility.
Author's Note: Ya boy Strato's back with another chapter! Big shoutout to WyldClaw for giving me the push by actually reviewing to the story! I find it ironic that this is the first story I ever posted and it never had any reviews; MMBN: Rise of a Champion seemed to be more popular. For a good reason, I guess.
Anyway, please read and review.
Strato Abyss signing out.
