Chapter 6:

The Challenger

As the trio approached the center of the city, they looked around for a pokémon center. After spotting one, they headed over towards it to heal up their pokémon. Once inside, Omar looked to Noelle. "So, you going to challenge the Oreburgh Gym today?"

"Well, I might as well. We have a lot of daylight yet, and I think that my pokémon could handle the challenge."

"What about your Phantump? Do you plan on ever using him in a battle?"

"Well… I'm not sure honestly. He is still a little baby and I am not sure he really even knows any moves."

"You could train him before you challenge the gym. If he could learn a grass type move, it would certainly help you out in the gym."

Noelle nodded and looked at his little companion who was floating around checking out the pokémon center. He thought that Phantump probably would be able to battle eventually, but he wasn't sure this was the time for him to do so. "Yeah, I think I will see what he can do before I throw him into any battles."

After the team had finished healing up their pokémon at the center, they left and attempted to locate the pokémon gym. "I think we walked past it when we entered the city," Ariya told the boys.

They backtracked back to the pokémon gym that was located near the entrance of the city they had used. Noelle approached the door and took a deep breath before walking through the automatic doors. Noelle looked upwards and could see a young man with a helmet on standing up on top of multiple flights of stairs. Littered throughout the gym were young trainers practicing with their rock-type pokémon.

Noelle began up the stairs, and approached the young man standing at the peak. "Hello trainer," he called out as he saw Noelle approach. "My name is Roark, the gym leader at the Oreburgh City Gym. Are you here to challenge me for the Coal Badge? Or are you just here for some training and information about our mining operations?"

"My name is Noelle Atlas from Eterna City, and I have come here to challenge you to a pokémon battle. This is the first gym I am challenging since leaving on my adventure."

Ariya and Omar giggled a little at the formality they weren't used to seeing from Noelle.

"Very well, I accept your challenge. If you would follow me I have a battlefield in the back of the gym we can use."

Noelle, Ariya, Omar, and the pokémon who were out of their pokéballs followed Roark down a flight of stairs at the back of the gym. Once they arrived, Roark pointed at a spot for Noelle to stand at, a spot for Omar and Ariya to watch from, and proceeded to his own spot at the other side of the field. "Alright Noelle, we will have a 3-on-3 battle. Once one person no longer has any of his 3 pokémon left to battle, the other person will be the winner of the battle."

Noelle looked down at Phantump. He was only planning to use Snorunt and Ralts. "Maybe if I just use all my power and knock out two pokémon with one of mine, Phantump will be able to sit this one out anyways," he thought. "Alright Roark!" Noelle called out, "Let's get this battle started!"

Roark let loose a pokéball on the battlefield and out came a geodude. "Geo!" he cried as he prepared for his opponent to emerge.

"Alright," Noelle thought, "If I use Snorunt, he will have a type disadvantages against Roark's rock type pokémon. Ralts will have no advantages or disadvantages against Roark's pokémon." "I'll use Ralts as my first pokémon then!" yelled Noelle.

Ralts ran to the field from Noelle's side, ready to attack when given the command. "Let the battle begin!" yelled Roark. "Geodude, use Stealth Rock!"

Sharp, pointed stones showered down all around Ralts' feet. "Ralts, avoid those stones, and get close to Geodude!" Noelle responded.

Ralts teleported away from the sharp stones and next to Geodude at the other side of the field. "Now Ralts, use Confusion!"

As Ralts aimed his psychic energy at Geodude, Geodude picked up a stone from the ground. "Geodude counter with Rock Throw!" Roark called out.

Geodude hurled the rock he was holding at Ralts, and Ralts' Confusion attack connected with the rock in midair. It vibrated and shattered, sprinkling small pebbles all around the pokémon's feet. "Geodude, Rock Throw again!" Roark shouted.

As Geodude readied a rock to toss at Ralts, Noelle called out from across the field, "Ralts! Use Disarming Voice!"

Ralts let out a very loud cry in the direction of Geodude. He dropped the rock he was about to throw and covered the spots on his head where ears would be located and winced with discomfort. "Ralts, follow up with Confusion!"

Ralts landed this Confusion on Geodude. Geodude had no guard up and took the brunt of the psychic blast. He rolled across the ground before getting back up at the ready. "Geodude, Rock Throw one more time!"

Geodude readied a rock and let this one loose before Ralts could do anything about it. Noelle was caught slightly off guard with how quickly Geodude managed this after being knocked down by an attack and called out for Ralts to dodge the attack. The rock made full contact with Ralts, which sent him hurdling backwards towards Roark. "Geodude, Rock Throw one more time!"

Noelle looked at the ground where the sharp stones lay in front of his side of the field. "Ralts, teleport in front of the sharp stones!"

Ralts appeared in front of the sharp stones as the rock Geodude threw sailed past Roark and into the wall behind him. "Now Ralts, launch those stones at Geodude!"

Ralts levitated the sharp stones with his psychic energy and launched them all rapidly at Geodude. Geodude covered his eyes during the attack, and as he felt the stones starting to lighten, he opened his eyes and moved his hand away from them. Ralts was charging and approaching rapidly towards him. "Ralts, hit him with a direct Confusion!"

"RAAAALLLLLTTTTSSSS!" Ralts cried out as he connected a powerful blast of psychic energy with Geodude.

Geodude rolled onto the ground, as and he tried to lift himself back up, was unable to do so and fell back flat onto the ground. Ariya and Omar cheered from the sidelines for their friend. "Well, looks like my Geodude cannot fight any longer. That was a good strategy, Noelle" Roark said as Geodude was returned to his pokéball. "Now let's see if you can handle this challenge!"

Roark threw a second pokéball onto the field, and this time an onix emerged form the ball. He let out a loud groan and looked down at Ralts, who stood so small compared to Onix, it was almost humorous. "I will withdraw my Ralts and put Snorunt into the fight!"

Snorunt emerged with a confident nod of her head and turned to face her enormous opponent. "Snorunt, let's start this out with Ice Beam!"

"This should be super effective against Onix if it makes contact," Omar said to Ariya while watching from afar.

"Onix, dodge that attack!" Roark yelled out to his pokémon.

With an almost immeasurable feat of speed, Onix curled around the beam of ice, successfully dodging it. "Now Onix, use Rock Throw!"

Onix dragged his tail across the ground and launched a volley of rocks out of the ground towards Snorunt. "Snorunt, use Icy Wind to slow down and freeze the rocks!" Noelle commanded.

Snorunt whipped up a blast of ice-cold wind from behind her, slowing down the volley of rocks. Some of them froze solid and fell out of the sky, however, a good number of them broke through and made contact with Snorunt. "Ruuunt!" she groaned as she was rolled over backwards.

"Onix, get up close and use Rock Throw so she can't stop them!" Roark called out.

Onix began to snake towards Snorunt until he was right up close to her. As he pulled his tail back to shower her with rocks from the ground, Snorunt heard Noelle call from behind her, "Snorunt, use Ice Beam on his head!"

Snorunt looked up at the massive pokémon and launched Ice Beam right for him. As the beam connected with Onix, the rocks were already sailing through the air towards Snorunt. As they one-by-one hit Snorunt, she slowly buckled until she fell flat to the ground. Onix shook his head off and returned to where Roark was standing. "Great job buddy!" Roark told his enormous companion.

Noelle recalled Snorunt to her pokéball, told her it was a job well done and looked to Ralts. "You ready Ralts? I have a plan."

"Ralts!" he responded as he made his way onto the battlefield.

"Alright," thought Noelle, "If this worked once, it should work again, and this time, I have super effective damage on my side."

"Onix, charge Ralts!" shouted Roark.

As Onix approached Ralts at an alarming speed, Noelle called out to his partner, "Ralts, use the icy rocks on him!"

Ralts nodded and psychically picked up the rocks that Snorunt had frozen from Onix's Rock Throw. He launched them full speed at the rushing pokémon, and they all seemed to land perfectly. Upon doing this, Onix skidded to a stop, and attempted to lift his head up. While doing so, it fell back down, and he was unable to continue. "No! Onix!" Roark shouted as he returned him to his pokéball. "You are doing well Noelle. However, how will you fare against my strongest pokémon?"

Roark tossed out his final pokéball, and out came a cranidos, pawing at the ground, prepping to charge. "Alright Ralts," said Noelle, "we just have to finish off this pokémon and we will have won our first gym badge."

Ralts nodded as Noelle looked down to Phantump who was clinging to his pants next to his ankles. His plan seemed to be working and we would not have to send Phantump out in this battle after all.

"Cranidos, use Headbutt!" Roark called out to start the final matchup.

Cranidos charged Ralts with an unmatched speed. "Ralts, dodge him!" Noelle commanded.

Ralts quickly pulled to the side, however, Cranidos adjusted his route and clipped Ralts with one of the spikes sticking out of his head. Ralts spun out of the way before falling on his rear end. He stood back up with a burst of determination. "I'm not sure if Ralts can pull this off, but I am going to give it a try," Noelle thought. "Ralts!" he yelled, "Wait for Cranidos to charge you and get ready to attack!"

Ralts nodded and prepared himself. Cranidos had come full circle and was swinging back around to charge Ralts. As he closed in on Ralts, Noelle finally called, "Ralts, use Disarming Voice!"

Ralts let out the same loud cry as before, and as the noise connected with Cranidos' ears, he lost his balance and tripped up his footwork. He tumbled a little and slammed into Ralts full speed, but barely connected the attack with his dome. The commotion kicked up a dust cloud surrounding the pokémon. "Ralts!" "Cranidos!" both the trainers yelled simultaneously.

Ariya and Omar were now standing up trying to see the outcome as the dust cleared. When the pokémon were finally visible again, Cranidos was standing – panting and badly hurt- but standing. Ralts was lying on the ground next to him, unconscious. "Looks like I won that collision," said Roark quietly in the room that had now fallen silent.

Noelle returned Ralts to his special pokéball. He looked down at Phantump, who was looking up at him worriedly. "Alright buddy." Noelle leaned down close to Phantump. "I am going to need you to give this a shot, okay? If you know any moves, use them. I don't think Cranidos can take much more."

Phantump began to quiver slightly. "Look, don't be scared. Just get out there and try your best. I know you will do great!" Noelle said confidently.

Phantump slowly floated out onto the battlefield, the whole while watching his trainer get further and further away. He finally turned around to look at his opponent on the battlefield. Cranidos was panting, and very beat up. Phantump quivered as Cranidos pawed at the ground. "Cranidos, this should be easy. Finish this with one last Headbutt! Put all your speed into this, and let's finish this battle!"

Cranidos charged up before taking off at even higher speeds than before. Phantump saw him take off running, and in turn, turned around and started running towards Noelle. "Phantump, no! You have to stay on the battlefield!"

"Tuuuump!" he responded as he neared Noelle.

Cranidos was tearing up the ground under him as he ran full speed ahead. He was slowly gaining on Phantump, who was nearing the edge of the battlefield by Noelle. Phantump approached Noelle, as Cranidos was only about 10 feet behind him and would catch up in a couple seconds. Noelle dove out of the way as Cranidos smashed into Phantump.

As Noelle got back to his feet, he turned quickly to the collision. He stared intently as the dust settled ever so slowly to reveal the crash site.