Chapter 42: Lucas vs. The Elite Four part. 2
The challenge of the Elite Four.
One of the most difficult obstacles any Trainer has to face, and the reason why the current Champion changed so seldomly. After a Trainer battled across the land to collect eight different badges in eight different town against eight different Pokemon specialties, they would have to face an obstacle of water, rock and stamina known as Victory Road. All to face a succession of four battles against the strongest Trainers in the League for the honor of facing the Champion in a final battle to prove who was the most powerful Trainer in all of Sinnoh. And despite these hurdles and many others, Lucas had managed to get this far. Over several months he had gotten his badges, and over several days crossed Victory Road. He had even gotten half-way past the Elite Four, and now only two more people stood in his way. He had defeated Crasher Wake and Flint and now he had entered the room belonging to the third member. He had no idea who he would face next until an alluringly familiar voice called out to him, "I told you we'd be seeing each other again soon, Lucas,"
His next opponent was Cynthia, the beautiful, older, blond woman that had tended his wounds in Celestic Town after he was charged by Professor Rowan to deliver a package to her. Though out of his age group, and far out of his league, the teen had instantly developed a crush on the woman with long hair and even longer legs. Before he left the town for Mt. Coronet to go to the next Gym, Cynthia had told Lucas cryptically that they would meet again. Seeing the woman again so suddenly robbed the young man of just about all his mental functions. Just before seeing her again, the teen ran into another one of his crushes, Volkner, just in the previous room. Seeing two people he found so attractive in one day was just too much for the otherwise confident young man. When Cynthia greeted him and stepped down from her podium, all he could do was let out a croak and do everything in his power not to face-plant against the now hidden floor of the arena.
"I was confident you would get this far, Lucas. I have heard you are a good Trainer who greatly cares about his Pokemon. But now's the time to show me if you have what it takes to be great. I'm not just an Elite Four member, I was also the previous Champion before the current Champion defeated me two years ago. I am an expert in Pokemon types as well as research. For the Elite Four I have chosen to specialize in psychic-types. I like you Lucas, but I respect you too much to hold back even a little. Do whatever you can to defeat me, because otherwise, your story ends here,"
A sudden well of willpower came from somewhere deep inside Lucas. Every single relationship the teen had been in, male or female, was always initiated by his partner. For all of the teen's cockiness and his almost reckless defiance against those in authority or people who had insulted him, he always became amazingly shy and nervous around people he found attractive. It was a personal nuisance and shame to the otherwise confident and determined young man, but he begrudgingly accepted that whoever he would end up spending the rest of his life with would probably have to ask him first. But despite his crush on his next opponent, his mental paralysis would not occur, because between his personal instinct to act like a complete and useless fool, a second instinct took control. The instinct to protect and honor his Pokemon no matter what. He nearly cost himself the Gym match against Volkner in Sunnyshore City because of his infatuation and he swore to himself he would never let anything like that happen again. So despite the way the dim light played on Cynthia's glamorous features, all of Lucas' focus was on one thing and one thing alone: winning.
"Go Haunter!" Lucas roared.
"Go Alakazam!" Cynthia called back in her deep, sultry voice.
Though his crush on the black-clad older woman was no longer a factor in the match, it did little to make the battle any easier. Lucas could see why this woman had been the Champion and the person who defeated his older brother for the title. Her team was well trained, well-conditioned and incredibly experienced. There were no flaws in her strategies or mistakes in her attacks and she would shift and switch out her Pokemon just as often as he did. The teen boy felt a complete idiot to think suppressing his crush on her would be the biggest obstacle he would have to cross in this match. Even at an intense disadvantage he was not about to back down, he had come too far to go home empty-handed. He had even gone as far as to defeat two of the Elite Four members.
Alakazam, Jynx, Gallade, an Espeon and Bronzor all pushed Lucas' team back, knowing attacks like Hyperbeam, Psychic, Earthquake and Toxic Spikes to sabotage all the boy's attempts to turn the match around. That was when Lucas realized his main flaw. He was playing too defensively. It wasn't enough to just survive these attacks or react, he had to take back control. While none of his moves were wrong or poorly selected, he needed something that would bring the damage while hopefully not harming his own Pokemon too badly. Lucas started his new strategy by reviving his Haunter for the third time. Cynthia's poker face revealed no information when the teen sent the Pokemon to the field another time. The first two times the opposing Trainer had knocked her out quickly with her much faster Alakazam and Espeon. For this round she brought back her Jynx, a Pokemon only slightly damaged by a lucky Dragon Claw from Jaws before her ice attacks took the dragon out. This time Lucas didn't hold back. He didn't try to curse or hypnotize the human-like Pokemon. Instead he just went out for straight Shadowball attacks.
The new offensive seemed to have an effect. Like the arduous take down of Flint's Magmortar, the teen kept throwing everything he had and shifted strategies whenever Cynthia's tactics changed. When switching out her Pokemon proved too costly, Lucas could afford to cast strategies that required a few rounds to set up. When switching proved beneficial to the experienced Trainer, Lucas focused on the most powerful attacks his Pokemon knew. Slowly, in an unknown time in the dimly lit, misty arena, Cynthia's team started to get knocked down. First her Gallade met his defeat against Jaws, then Haunter managed to take out Alakazam and Jynx before being knocked out again and with the combined efforts of Sparky and Franky against the high-defensed Bronzor the older woman was pushed to her final Pokemon.
And then once again Lucas was put to a trial by fire, another match that required fast thinking on his feet as old, tired and true strategies and even his fresher ideas proved useless. For a claim of a psychic specialty, Cynthia's final Pokemon proved to be neither. Bringing up old memories of when the teen met his rival Morgan all the way back in Solceon Town, the former Champion's last trump card was the ghost-and-dark type, Spiritomb.
Untouchable by normal, fighting or psychic attacks, and practically unfazed by ghost attacks, Spiritomb proved be a battle that put the previous four Pokemon and the seemingly infinite amount of rounds before then to be the warm-up act. Dark Pulse attacks, Dream Eater attacks and Thunderbolts threatened to once again bring the Mohawked teen to defeat. Memories of how the boy had even caught a Spiritomb blanked as he struggled to figure out how to take out the final Pokemon.
For most of the battle the two Trainer's exchanges consisted exclusively of shouted commands and words of encouragement to their respective Pokemon. But just like right before the match, Cynthia addressed Lucas directly, "This fight has been going on for a long time. You look exhausted and your Pokemon are probably even more tired than you are. Even if you survive this match against me, in this shape you won't stand a chance against the last Elite Four member and the Champion. This battle today has proven to me that you are every bit the Trainer I thought you are, but I don't think you're completely ready for this. If you forfeit, you'll still have every ounce of my respect. Think of your team Lucas. I may not know you well, as this is only the second time we've met, but if that boy with the bloody cheek and sleeping Pokemon was the real you, than I know they're the most important thing to you,"
Lucas smiled, "Trying to take care of me again? I appreciate that, but you really don't need to. You're right that to me my team is the most important thing in the world, even more important than my own life. You're right about another thing you said to me right before this match started, that if I don't beat you my story ends in this room. It's because I love my Pokemon that I can't quit. I only took the Elite Four challenge because I thought I could win, that I had trained my Pokemon well enough to survive this battle. I've jumped the gun before, but I like to think I'm not as stupid as I used to be. If I quit now it means I was cruel enough to expose my team to something they weren't ready for, and that's something I'd never do. Because if I did, then I'd have to quit being a Trainer entirely because I wouldn't deserve the title. You promised me you wouldn't hold back, Cynthia. Don't show me you're a liar,"
The blond woman gave the younger boy a huge, warm smile before bowing her head to him. Her long hair cascaded into her face, obscuring half of it. As she pulled her face back up to reengage in battle, her eyes were narrowed and her expression set in cold determination. This fight was going all the way to the end. And despite the mountain of advantages the calculating, experienced woman and her team had, Lucas was still sure he could win, even if he wasn't exactly sure how. Suddenly the boy had an epiphany. He was able to catch the Spiritomb not because he had used something with a distinct advantage, but simply because his attacks were strong. Once again he wasn't paying attention and let Cynthia dictate the match. And like his battle against Morgan in the fight for the Pokemon, he ignored the human element and her actions, and focused entirely on the Pokemon. Jaws, then Gizmo, and back to Jaws, Lucas finally took out the Spiritomb with shear force.
The third battle was over. The lights in the room finally came back up, nearly blinding the teen who had adjusted to the dark. Once again the wave of adrenaline subsided and the toll of the battle hit the tattooed teen. Cynthia was right about one thing, he was quickly becoming utterly exhausted. As Lucas slouched slightly to catch his breath, the older woman approached him with poise in her posture, grace on her face and kindness in her eyes and smile. The end of the battle meant Lucas' feelings also came flooding back and his face involuntarily went red. The woman lifted her hand and traced the side of Lucas' face, "I see you did as I told you with the salve, the scar is almost gone. I guess I should have known better what you are capable of. After seeing how you came to Celestic Town the hard way and how determinately you went to Mt Coronet so soon after. Take care of yourself and your Pokemon. The next time we see each other I don't want it because you had to try the Elite Four challenge again,"
Once again Lucas left the room wordlessly, only able to give the beautiful woman a nod.
"Lucas has done it again and now only one obstacle stands between him and the current Champion, Dawn. Through a long, tense, nail-biter of a fight our rebellious challenger has taken out the near-unstoppable Cynthia. But now he has to face a veteran battler who has been part of the Elite Four for nearly three decades, the Grounded Matron!" For all Lucas' bluster and determination, that impulsive promise to his brother in the middle of their fight about becoming a multi-league Champion, it still felt incredibly surreal to be standing in this room, in the room of the final member of the Elite Four. Unlike the previous three arenas, this final room had no gimmicks, no light shows, just the plain white walls and a dirt floor covered with rocks, gravel and a few stone formations. And standing before him at her podium was a severe old woman wearing a fur stole. Her eyes were wise and serious, and despite her age and the enlarged bones in her hands that suggested she had arthritis, she stood tall and proudly, the air of dignity from someone who had rightfully earned her place. Her appearance and the way she watched him shuffle towards her reminded him of his maternal grandmother, a sharp-tongued old lady who didn't suffer fools. But he wasn't stupid when it came to sizing up opponents, there was more general than socialite standing before him.
The calculating way she watched him and the way she stood reminded Lucas just how tired he really was. Not only had he just had three back-to-back battles with the strongest Trainers in the League, they were also some of the longest battles he ever encountered. Only the exhausting war-like fights against Cosmic had left him as drained as he felt now. Gizmo slumping on his shoulder only proved his team was even more tired than he was. But even feeling the way he did now, he did his best to straighten out and face the old woman eye-to-eye. As the two Trainers stared each other down, neither said anything, only the running commentary of the announcer made a din in the plainly set up room.
After a seeming eternity the old woman broke the silence, "I've heard a lot about you, young man. The prickly looking boy with the Eevee who came to Sinnoh out of nowhere and helped take down Team Cosmic. I'm not impressed. I don't buy into hype, I only believe what I see for myself. If you want my respect you're going to have to beat me,"
The old woman's statement caused Lucas to bristle. She may have been older and a more experienced Trainer, but he had earned the right to be there. He had worked very hard to become the Trainer—and the person—he was, standing before the veteran. And to be so easily dismissed was an insult he wasn't going to tolerate, "Don't worry Granny, you can count on it. I don't buy into hype either. Just because you're a member of the Elite Four doesn't make you better than me,"
"I must say I do admire your spirit," The woman gave her opponent a small smile but her eyes remained fierce and proud, "My name is Bertha and my specialty is ground-type Pokemon. When I first became an Elite Four member Professor Oak was still just Sam, Professor Rowan's aide and most of the current Gym Leaders were in diapers if they were alive at all. I've met a thousand kids like you and I'll meet a thousand more. You don't back down, but that isn't enough of a strategy to get past me. Go Whiscash!"
"Go Sparky!" Lucas roared and the battle began. Many might have seen the teen's first move as strange for his first selection to be an electric-type. The water-and-ground type fish was untouchable by electric moves, much like the rest of Bertha's team would be, and in turn electric-types were extremely weak against ground moves, but Lucas had a plan. The Rotom's Levitate ability prevented ground moves from hitting, taking away one of the two lethal disadvantages the Pokemon had. "Use Confuse Ray!"
The attack did no good, the dopey-eyed catfish had the ability Own Tempo, preventing the Pokemon from getting confused and Bertha responded immediately, "Whiscash! Rock Blast!"
The slow fish slammed itself against the ground causing the rocks and boulders from the arena floor to be launched up, and collided painfully with the cheerful ghost. The teen boy recalled Sparky immediately, the damage was high but thankfully the Pokemon wasn't knocked out. Next he called out his Gyrados. The faster Pokemon was able to blast two Waterfall attacks while only getting hit by one more Rock Blast attack, defeating Bertha's Whiscash. The old woman reacted confidently by next sending out her Hippowdon that caused a blinding Sandstorm to whip up on the field. Though the attack could never hit, Bertha kept ordering her Pokemon to use Dig, giving the ground-type a chance to get away from damaging moves for a turn while the Gyrados continued to get knocked by the damaging sand. Though Franky did his best to damage the hippo-like Pokemon whenever he could, Lucas didn't want his creature to just pointlessly take damage while he waited out his opponent. He switched out his Pokemon again, this time calling on Jaws the Garchomp to finish off the opposing Pokemon.
"Use Earthquake!" Lucas ordered after switching out the Pokemon. Bertha had previously ordered the Hippowdon to once again use Dig while Franky was still on the field and now underground it was helpless to escape the dragon-and-ground type's powerful attack. Two Pokemon down now. For all the old woman's bluster Lucas was in the best shape of the Challenge since facing Crasher Wake. The teen wasn't about to let his guard down, but he wasn't going to let the momentum he was building go to waste either. Bertha's next Pokemon was Rhyperior, the final form of the Rhydon line like the Trainer Riley had. The teen knew what he was getting into and knew he had to be especially careful. This Pokemon would be extremely powerful and Lucas had to bank on speed rather than power.
The next round became a duel of Earthquake attacks, both Pokemon having weakness to the move due to their secondary types. Jaws with his dragon attribute and Rhyperior with a secondary rock-type. Like Franky, Jaws was able to get off two moves to his opponent's one, but the rhino-like Pokemon still had more stamina. Though greatly weakened the Rhyperior still had some power left, while the Garchomp became the first Pokemon on Lucas' team to get knocked out. It was a setback, but Lucas wasn't going to get fazed that easily. The teen then sent out Donna and switched her out with Haunter when the Rhyperior used another Earthquake attack that nearly knocked the Espeon out.
"It's an unbelievably amateurish move to switch out your Pokemon as often as you are," Bertha remarked as she sent out her fourth Pokemon, a Golem.
"I don't like seeing my Pokemon get hurt," Lucas snapped back.
"If you don't want your Pokemon to get hurt then why are you a Trainer? Pokemon battling is about having your Pokemon attacking your opponent until they are defeated. If you aren't willing to let your Pokemon take damage, how do you expect to win? It's a miracle you've gotten this far and if switching out your Pokemon just as I'm about to knock them out is your master strategy, then we might as end this now because you will lose that way," Bertha stated seriously.
"Pokemon fight naturally, that's true, and when they fight they get hurt. But Pokemon training isn't about wailing on each other, I know this from years of fighting on the street. It's about testing their strength and your heart and mind. My Pokemon are going to get injured, but I never want them hurt more than they have to be, just enough to prove how strong they are. That's my strategy, not retreating. And if you don't get that I can't wrap my brain how you've managed to be an Elite Four member this long!" Lucas pushed back defiantly.
Bertha's polite smile transformed into a more genuine one, "I'm surprised you don't fight more like your brother. That's right, young man, I know you're the baby brother of John. It's been nearly ten years since I've fought him but genuinely good battles stay in my mind. He definitely wasn't one of those anonymous young Trainers I take out on a daily basis. He understood real battling. He had faith in his Pokemon and wasn't afraid to let them get scuffed up a bit to win. He treated his team like his equals, not like the weak pets you treat your Pokemon as,"
"I'm glad I'm not like him. That's the nicest thing you've said to me this whole battle," Lucas hissed. His patience with the self-righteous old woman was more than up. More than any other battle, he was not going to lose here and now. He would not have her think she proved him right, "I have faith in my Pokemon. They aren't pets, they aren't tools and they aren't soldiers. They're my friends. I know they'll do whatever it takes to win, but I won't abuse that trust they have in me. When I first came to Sinnoh I was supposed to live with my brother—that guy John you think you admire so much. On the day I arrived he left me on my own instead of picking his little brother up from the docks in a strange region like my parents told him to. When I was dragging my lost ass to his house I came across a sick Eevee that was just about to die. That Eevee was what made me become a Trainer. When I told my brother what I was going to do and showed him my Pokemon, he summoned out his Nidoking and that little Eevee stood his ground. Even though he almost died just a few hours earlier, if I would have said so, he would have attacked that Pokemon that was at least twenty-times bigger than he was.
"Over these past few months that I've become a Trainer, my Pokemon and I have seen and been through a lot. Situations where any of us could have been seriously hurt or killed if we weren't there for each other. My Pokemon sure as hell aren't weak, and I don't need to see them get hurt in order to prove that to you or anyone else. And when this battle is over Grandma, you better believe you won't forget about me even when they're dragging your wrinkly, senile corpse to the home. You're going to remember not 'John's baby brother', 'that delinquent' or the 'former champion's sibling' but Lucas. Lucas, the kid from Cherrygrove City!" Lucas roared defiantly. With this final battle cry the teen and his team came back from the brink and turned the final match of the Elite Four Challenge. Bertha's Golem stood no chance against a reenergized Franky. And against the old woman's final Pokemon, a speedy Gliscor, victory came from Gizmo, the Eevee the tattooed boy found abandoned by his Trainer and underestimated in nearly every match Lucas had.
As the dust and sand cleared after the end of the battle, the old woman who had been part of the Elite Four for as long as much people could remember was smiling brightly, a soft, kind look to her eyes as she confronted her opponent. Bertha took defeat graciously, the mark of both an honorable warrior as much as an old woman who still found new things to learn even as her time on earth was steadily marching to its close, "You're very right Lucas. This will most certainly a battle that will stick in my mind for years to come. Congratulations young man, you have defeated the Elite Four,"