A Brawl for a Badge
Early the next morning, Brendan was on the beach with his Pokémon, just finishing up some stretches like they had done before facing Roxanne. Gwen was the most excited because she knew she would be Brendan's first choice for this battle, since Brawly supposedly trained fighting-types.
May was happily watching her friends as they prepared for their next test. She sat on one of the chase lounges with a hot cup of green tea and a bowl of mixed fruits, including multiple kinds of melons, bananas, and pineapples. She had Lily, Miranda, Graham, and Erza sitting on the beach with her, watching the four figures on the beach getting loose and limber for their match.
"You guys looked great over there," she called out with smile. "I know you guys will be great today!"
Thanks May, Gwen said excitedly. I think we should be ready for the battle by now.
"Yeah, I'd say you're right," Brendan said as he pulled out Clint's and Nikki's Pokéballs. "Alright you two, return for now." They were both brought back into their Pokéballs, which Brendan placed on his belt. "Gwen, you ready for this?"
You act like you don't know that answer already, she said in a sassy tone.
"True, so what do you say we head to the Gym and take on Brawly?"
May finished what fruit was left, had her Pokémon return to their Pokéballs and she took her tea with her as they left the beach and began to walk toward the southern part of town, where they were told the gym was.
It didn't take long to find it, since the building was similar to the Rustboro City gym. "Alright, let's go inside!" Brendan said as he approached the automatic doors. When they got inside, however, all three of them were confused. Instead of a battlefield, there were rows of work out equipment, with multiple people and Pokémon already there working out. A man with grey hair, an orange shirt, and athletic shorts was standing at the front desk next to a woman with black hair, a blue sports bra and yoga pants when they arrived. The man walked up to them with a smile.
"Hello there, and welcome to both of you. I haven't seen either of you before, so you must be new to the island," he said.
"Yeah," Brendan said, a tone of confusion. "We are looking for the Dewford Gym, but I think we got directions to the wrong type of gym."
"Oh no, you're in the right place," the man said. "I'm Brawly, and this is my gym. It has two sections: the workout room, and the battlefield."
"That's a relief," Brendan said. "Well, I should introduce myself too. I'm Brendan Maple."
"So you made it here. Roxanne told me that the new Petalburg gym leader's son was coming here for a battle," Brawly said as he shook Brendan's hand in greeting. He then turned to May. "Then that must make you May, and the Kirlia is Gwen, right?"
Yeah, that's right! Gwen said cheerfully. Brendan nodded.
"Then you three should follow me! Hannah, could you send Jack to the battlefield for me? We'll need a referee," Brawly said as he led the trainers and Gwen to the back of the weight room, and opened a door in the back. They entered the room and saw a battlefield surrounded by bleachers. "So, you only have the one gym badge from Roxanne, right?" Brawly asked.
"That's right," Brendan said.
"Then I will be using my standard team for this battle," Brawly said. "It will be a three-on-three battle, agreed?"
"That sounds good to me," Brendan said.
"I'll be sitting in the bleachers," May said as she sent out her Pokémon so they could watch the match. She then gave Brendan a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck out there."
Brendan smiled at her. "Thanks May," he said. Brawly went to the left side of the battlefield and took his position, while Brendan and Gwen did the same on the right side. That was when a young man with two flags in-hand. This had to be Jack, but then Brendan recognized him.
"Hey, you're the DJ from the party two nights ago!" he said.
"Well, if it isn't Brendan Maple, good to see you my man," Jack said. "I shoulda guessed you'd be the challenger today. Brawly, you'd better be careful with this one. He's an incredible battler."
"I will keep that in mind. So Brendan, are you ready to begin the battle?" Brawly asked.
"Absolutely,' Brendan said.
Bring it on! Gwen said.
"Then come on out Rick!" Brawly said as he tossed out a Pokéball. The Pokémon that appeared was very familiar to Brendan, since it was a common site in Johto. It was a Machop, the grey-skinned fighting type that was known for having immense strength.
"Gwen, what do you say we try to win this without losing a round?" Brendan said.
I like it, Gwen said with determination.
"Then get out there. You'll be battling first," Brendan said. Gwen cheerfully skipped onto the battlefield, and took a stance that looked almost like a ballerina's before a dance began.
"Begin the battle!" Jack said.
"Rick, use Bulk Up!" Brawly said. Rick took a deep breath and began to take deep breaths as a red aura surrounded the fighting-type.
"Gwen, use Disarming Voice!" Brendan said. Gwen began to sing in a shrieking voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and a light pink ring of energy flew at Rick, who had little time to dodge. "Now use Double Team!" Brendan said. That was when multiple copies of Gwen appeared around the battlefield, and the sonic rings hit Rick, throwing him off-balance.
"Rick, use Karate Chop!" Brawly said. Rick sprinted at Gwen, and spun so the ulnar side of his right hand would strike her in the neck.
"Gwen, use Confusion and stop his attack!" Brendan said. Gwen's eyes and her red horns began to glow blue, and that aura wrapped around Rick, stopping him merely a centimeter from her neck.
Boy, do not test me! Gwen said as she threw Machop across the field, where he landed hard on his side, but he still struggled to his feet.
"Rick, use Focus Energy!" Brawly said. Rick closed his eyes once more as sparks of energy escaped from his pores and flew into the air. His muscles began to bulge as his strength also increased.
"Great," Brendan muttered under his breath. "Gwen, finish this with your strongest Confusion!" Gwen smirked.
You got it Goldenrod, she said as she gripped Rick's entire body with her psychic power. Brendan just rolled his eyes at the nickname. Gwen then threw Rick across the field, this time throwing him into a wall. Rick slid down the wall and slumped to the floor.
"Rick is unable to continue, Gwen wins the round!" Jack said.
"Return Rick!" Brawly said. Once Rick was inside his Pokéball, Brawly turned back to Brendan. "Man, I should have realized that Jack wasn't kidding when he said you were strong. But I guess that was my mistake for underestimating you as a challenger." Brawly began to chuckle. "Now, I guess I should be getting serious for this battle. Go, Franz!" The Pokéball released a short, grey and blue humanoid Pokémon.
"What Pokémon?" Brendan asked.
"Franz is a Meditite, a meditation Pokémon that has amazing strength for its size," Brawly said. "And, its secondary type is psychic."
So that means that we should use Fairy Type attacks mostly, Gwen said to Brendan only.
I know what you mean, that and some power boosting attacks, Brendan responded. Gwen smiled.
We don't want to destroy Brawly's confidence, Gwen said with a slight laugh.
"Franz, use Focus Punch!" Brawly said. Franz closed his eyes and began to gather his energy, first to his center, then to his fist.
"Disarming Voice!" Brendan said. Gwen shrieked once more. The sonic rings hit Franz head on, knocking him back and causing the energy around his fist to dissipate. "Nice hit!"
Did you expect any less? Gwen asked.
"Franz, get up, and use Bullet Punch!" Brawly said. Franz's fists began to glow like steel before he sprinted toward Gwen with his fist raised.
Brendan's and Gwen's eyes both went wide. Bullet Punch, a steel type attack, was one of Gwen's few weaknesses. They needed to act fast. "Gwen, use Protect, then Double Team!" Brendan said. Gwen threw up a green field of energy just as Franz was about to hit Gwen, and that sent him stumbling backwards from the recoil. Then Gwen proceeded to create over twenty copies of herself. "Now, use another Disarming Voice!"
My vocal cords can only take so much of them, Gwen said, but she still shrieked loudly, sonic rings flying from all of the copies, and each one struck at the same time. The one real attack sent Franz into the air.
"Now, use Confusion, and throw Franz to the ground," Brendan said. Gwen reached out with her energy, gripping the Pokémon tightly and holding him in place before she swung her arm toward the ground, causing him to crash into the floor with tremendous force. Where he landed was where he remained.
"Franz is unable to battle, Gwen is the winner!" Jack said. "Brawly, you'd better step it up man, or you'll be more beaten than the eggs I had this morning."
Brawly recalled Franz with a bit of a grimace. "Yeah, I can't believe how strong that Kirlia is," Brawly said. "You two are probably the single best team of Pokémon and trainer I have ever seen at this level. But with my pride as a Gym Leader on the line, I can't let you win this next round. Go Aries!" He threw his next Pokéball, and it released a fat-looking Pokémon that looked like a small sumo wrestler.
"Wow, what is that Pokémon?" Brendan said.
"Aries is a Makuhita. They have a great deal of power from their dense muscle," Brawly said. "He won't be beaten easily."
"Alright, Brawly is down to his last Pokémon, while Brendan still has all three of his Pokémon left," Jack said. "You may resume the battle!"
"Gwen, use Confusion!" Brendan said. Gwen's body once again began to glow with a blue aura which soon ensnared Aries. "Now, throw him to the ground!" Gwen swung her arm down, sending the Makuhita plummeting to the ground.
"Aries, use Vital Throw!" Brawly said. Just as Aries was about to land, he flipped and landed on his feet, then sprung forward, his left arm held out for a lariat, while his right arm was in front of his chest. Gwen had no chance to dodge as Aries's left hand got to her neck, and his right hand grabbed her waist. Aries then swept Gwen's legs out from under her and choke-slammed her. Aries leapt back toward Brawly and took up a fighting stance.
"No, Gwen!" Brendan said as he saw her eyes bug out from the impact. Gwen struggled to her feet. "Hey, are you alright? Can you keep going?"
Yeah, I'm just fine. Don't forget, fighting type attacks have little effect on me, Gwen said. But that thing is strong. I don't think taking too many of his attacks will be a good idea.
"Yeah, you're right about that. So what do you say we end this?" Brendan said.
Let's do this in style, Gwen said.
"Then use Double Team, followed by Confusion, then Disarming Voice!" Brendan said. Gwen smiled as almost twenty copies of Gwen appeared around the entire battlefield. Then they all began to radiate blue aura, which gripped Aries tightly and raised him into the air. The last thing they all did was shriek at the top of their lungs, sending multiple sonic rings at Aries while he was still in the air. Every ring was perfectly accurate, and it struck Aries from all sides, making him cry out in protest. "Now throw him to the ground!" Gwen's copies all nodded as they swung their arms down, sending Aries flying into the ground. He slammed into the dirt, sending up a dust cloud. When it settled, Aries hadn't moved.
"And it looks like this battle is over," Jack said. "Aries is unable to continue, that means Gwen wins the round, and the match goes to Brendan!" Gwen's clones all faded away as Brendan ran onto the field.
"Gwen that was amazing!" Brendan said as he picked up Gwen to celebrate.
Yeah, but I'm going to be feeling that Vital Throw for about a week, she said with a cringe.
"Hey, we'll take you to the Pokémon Center and get you healed up in no time at all," Brendan said as Brawly walked over to him.
"Well, you two were incredible. I really need to increase my training, then I will call you for a rematch once I'm ready. Since you won, I present you with the Knuckle Badge," Brawly said as he held out a badge shaped like a boxing glove. Brendan took it and placed it into his badge case next to the Stone badge. "And another gift from me, here is TM08, use it to teach Bulk Up. The move will raise both attack and defense at the same time. It's pretty invaluable if you want to buff up your Pokémon in a tough situation."
"Thank you so much Brawly!" Brendan said. "And I look forward to that rematch!" That was when May surprised him by spinning him toward her and kissing him on the lips.
"Congratulations on your second badge," May said.
"Thank you May," Brendan said. "I'm just glad you were here to see it." They then turned to leave, bidding a fond farewell to Brawly as they left.
"Now, I think we have to get to Slateport City as soon as we can," May said as they walked back outside.
"Right," Brendan said. "Isn't there going to be a contest there in about a week?"
"Yes, that's why we need to hurry. You already have two badges. I need my second ribbon!"
Do either of you remember where Mr. Briney, said he was staying? Gwen inquired.
"I think it was the Wingull Inn, or something like that," Brendan said.
That man is really obsessed with Wingulls.
"Yeah, it seems that way," May laughed.
While their stay on Dewford Island had been fun, Brendan, May, and Gwen were ready to continue on their journey through Hoenn, blissfully unaware of what was getting ready to unfold in the tropical region.
Hey everybody, before I end this chapter, I should tell everybody that I am discontinuing my collection of OCs since too few people have sent them in. For those of you who have already sent them, I will make the call whether I will use your characters for the tournament, or if I will just make my own OCs. If I use your character, I will still give you credit via shoutout. If not, then better luck next time.
I know, it was an easy win against Brawly, but I can promise you that this is the last easy gym battle for Brendan. From here, it will only get more difficult for Brendan.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. You can look forward to the next chapter, for the second leg of Brendan, Gwen, and May's trip to Slateport, followed quickly by May's next contest.
As always, reviews are welcomed (please review, I'm really trying to improve my writing).
