A Battle Revolution, Chapter 55
Thanks to a rather nasty encounter on my fourth day out on the road, I was able to gain a considerable distance and cut my journey short a whole night. Route 114, which connected the northern end of Meteor Falls and Fallarbor Town, was a beautifully scenic route. It had a small waterfall coming down the northern mountains, a pristine lake and plenty of strange vegetation all around the chocolate covered terrain. However, it was also home to unique Pokemon, two of which were trapped in an eternal war with each other. They were the Zangoose and Seviper.
I had the supreme fortune of not exactly running into either of these Pokemon directly. Normally, any trainer would take the chance to catch one, or at the very least scanning the critters with their Pokedex. I, on the other hand, had heard enough of these two in a report while I was in Rustboro to know to steer clear. As far as people in the Hoenn region could tell, their feud is as old as time, and the grassy areas of Route 114 is their primary battleground. As I took in the scenery, I could hear scuffles in the grass. At one point, a Seviper scurried out of the tall grass, desperate to escape a pair of Zangoose hot on its trail.
Now, I don't like snakey critters, such as Ekans or Arbok, so that's my excuse for not taking advantage of the opportunity to throw a Pokeball at the wounded Pokemon. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy to watch those Zangoose devour that poor Seviper almost in front of me. This was a side of Pokemon in the wild I hadn't experienced, and it scared me to the core. So much so that I hopped on my bike and decided to skip over the slow, scenic tour. The possibility that one of my Pokemon could end up like that Seviper was more than enough reason to get out of Route 114 as soon as possible.
So because of that, I was able to arrive on the outskirts of Fallarbor Town by nightfall. Like I remembered from the specials on TV, most of the town was just wide open field. Most of the fields were cleared, I'm guessing because it was already autumn, but there were still a few fields with tall stalks planted. In the center of town, the most recognized feature of any location stood: the Pokemon Center. However, I was pleasantly surprised by another building just beyond the center. Whatever it was, it was closed for the night, but in the dim light I could make out a symbol that resembled a Pokeball. For a moment, I thought it could be a brand new gym.
Inside the center, I left my Pokemon with Nurse Joy, and then asked her about the building outside.
"Is it a new gym?"
"Not at all," she answered, switching on the machine that would instantly revitalize my Pokemon. "It's called the Battle Tent. It's a new extension of the Battle Frontier Program situated in Ever Grande City. It was opened a few weeks ago, but honestly I haven't inquired much about it. The Battle Frontier Program is somewhat separate from the rest of the League, so we nurses aren't told all the specifics. And there haven't been many visitors, either."
"Yeah, I guess this town is a bit out of the way, huh?" The boonies, as one of my teachers back in Pallet Town would've said. She called Pallet Town that, as well.
"I guess so, but then again, you can get used to the peace and quiet. The only visitors I get are trainers just passing through town from Meteor Falls, or the odd human patient."
"Human? Is it because of the Zangoose on Route 114?" I guess my random thought of being attacked had happened.
"That's actually not as common as the news would have you believe. Actually, my most frequent patient is Professor Cozmo, a scientist that lives on the edge of town. He's usually getting himself hurt while exploring Meteor Falls." I remembered seeing a house out by the fields, so I guessed that was his.
"How about you? You also just passing through town?" Nurse Joy asked, eager to keep the conversation going.
"Well, after you said all that, I'd feel bad saying the same," I muttered, feeling a bit awkward. Nurse Joy giggled.
"Don't worry, I won't take offense. You look a bit younger than most of the trainers I see, though. How old are you?"
"I'm ten! I'll be eleven soon, but I'm not even sure what the date is." Keeping track of time wasn't exactly at the top of any trainer's agenda. Well, maybe for the obsessive ones.
"Today's September twenty-ninth," Nurse Joy answered, taking a quick look at her computer screen, "that help?"
"Yeah! Now I can register the day on my Pokenav..." I quickly went to tinker on the device, but before I could figure out how to adjust the date, Vulpix leapt onto me from behind the counter.
"Your Vulpix is all rested up! You don't see many of her around the Hoenn region."
"I heard they usually live around Route 7, back in Kanto. Mine is from there, I think, but I'm not sure..." My voice trailed off, as I became more focused on figuring out that infernal Pokenav. Nurse Joy noticed I was having trouble, and extended her hand, so I took off the Pokenav and gave it to her.
"I'll fix it for you. Vulpix from Hoenn live around Mt Pyre, but they aren't common. Local legends say they light the way for the dead at night." Nurse Joy pushed a few buttons on the device, and handed it back to me. I looked at the screen, seeing the date blinking back at me, time and all.
"Thanks! What do you mean light the way? What's at Mt Pyre?"
"It's a small island mountain on Route 122, way out on the other end of Hoenn. It's become a burial ground for deceased Pokemon, and the island is also a repository of Hoenn's oldest legends and myths. If you're ever in the area, you should pay your respects."
"Y-Yeah, sure thing," I stuttered. The last time I went to a Pokemon burial ground was in Lavender Town, and the ghost Pokemon there chased us out of the place. That memory brought to mind Gary Oak, whom I hadn't seen since that time I went to Indigo Plateau to see Deneb. I wonder how he was doing after all this?
"It's getting late, would you like me to set you up in one of the hospital beds for the night? I doubt anyone is going to come in with grave injuries, seeing as how Professor Cozmo is attending a conference in Mossdeep City."
"Thank you! I'd been camping out for a few days, so a bed would be great!"
~o~
The next morning, after a rather healthy breakfast of fresh fruits courtesy of the townsfolk, I marked the Battle Tent as my next destination. Unfortunately, Nurse Joy couldn't give me any more information about what the tent was for, but she did enlighten me a bit on the Battle Frontier Program after looking it up on her computer. It wasn't exactly situated in Ever Grande City, but just a ways south of it, on a large island converted for the program.
In short, the Battle Frontier was a sort of second Pokemon League exclusive to the Hoenn region. Anyone was allowed into the island to participate, provided they had a valid trainer card. Of course, having proved yourself with gym badges from the region or other regions earned you special bonuses while inside. Unlike the League, however, the Battle Frontier focused more on getting trainers to adapt to any and all situations when it came to battling Pokemon. Most of the events on the island were more than just standard Pokemon battles; from endurance matches to an event where Pokemon battle without commands from their trainer, only the greatest trainers came out on top. It was just the sort of place Deneb or Gary would've loved.
"Are you looking to sign up, kid?" The voice snapped me out of my daze. I looked up from the explanation sheet posted on the front desk, seeing eye to eye with the man behind it.
"Are there any special rules I need to know about first?" It seemed like a good question to ask, but the man still let out a loud sigh before reaching for a flyer.
"The Fallarbor Town Battle Tent is a test of a trainer's ability to strategically combat opponents using a limited amount of commands to achieve victory. If the opposing Pokemon is not defeated in the three commands allotted, the Pokemon's performance is judged based on three attributes: mind, skill and body. Any and all trainers are welcome to participate in this event at this location, and those possessing a trainer card are eligible to receive credit for their victories redeemable at the Battle Frontier in Ever Grande City. Do you understand?"
I had to replay his long winded reading a few times in my head, but I was sure I got it all down. He was reading with such enthusiasm, I was finding it hard to concentrate...
"Yes, sign me up!" Instead, he pushed a pen and clipboard into my hands.
"Please fill out this form with the appropriate information, and submit your trainer card with it when you're done." His job complete, the man returned to reading a comic book featuring a girl that strikingly resembled May from Littleroot Town. I looked over the application, spotting the usual fields like name, age, etc.
I took a seat by the desk and got right to work filling out the form. By this point, Vulpix was already sound asleep at my feet, seeing no wild Pokemon or anything remotely green in sight. The application looked like the standard fare, but at the same time it just went on and on. If everyone had to fill this out just to enter, I could see the place being virtually deserted by trainers. We're out here to adventure, not file papers. Once I was finally done filling it out, I turned in the clipboard to the man with my Hoenn trainer card. He turned to the computer screen and punched it all in at a fraction of the speed it took me to fill it out. Afterwards, he stamped my trainer card with a special logo matching the one on the exterior of the tent.
"Welcome to the Battle Frontier, Star. Please proceed through this door to await your next opponent."
"Thanks!" I answered as enthusiastically as I could, hoping my cheer would transfer to him. All he did was sigh again before returning to that comic book of his.
I called for Vulpix, who followed me behind the desk and through the door. On the other side was an arena much like any gym, complete with chairs on the far end with a few people sitting down. In the center of them all was a small table, an elderly woman sitting behind it. I walked over to her, unsure what I was supposed to do next.
"Excuse me, am I supposed to sit down here?"
"No, young lady, you're supposed to be out on the arena preparing for battle. I'll be calling up your opponent momentarily." By this point, I was used to getting the cold shoulder from people, so the woman's attitude didn't really faze me this time. As ordered, I walked back onto the arena, finding the small square labeled 'trainer' and standing within. Vulpix sat down in front of me, eagerly awaiting her challenger. After a few minutes of standing around, the woman ordered someone out to the arena. It was a boy, probably around fifteen years old.
"Wyatt, please choose a Pokemon to battle Star's Vulpix," instructed the woman from the table. How she learned my name without ever asking is a question for the ages, but what was on my mind was the fact she decided Vulpix was my choice for the fight.
"Excuse me, but I didn't-"
"Your Pokemon was on the field this entire time. You shouldn't travel with a Pokemon at your side if you don't want this sort of thing to happen, young lady. Wyatt, please decide in a timely manner." I couldn't believe the old bag, but I didn't want to get disqualified by complaining further. My lips sealed, I looked across to this Wyatt, who didn't take long to sift through his Pokeballs for the critter to release. It turned out to be a small gray Pokemon, most likely a rock type. I took out my Pokedex to scan the little bugger.
"Aron, the Iron Armor Pokemon-"
"Young lady! There are no devices of any kind allowed on the arena! Do you want to be kicked out of the competition right now!?" The woman's scream startled me so much, I nearly dropped the Pokedex on the floor. I quickly snapped it shut and stuffed it in my bag, feeling a few droplets of sweat forming on my forehead. A few of the trainers started snickering, including Wyatt.
"I-I'm sorry, I-"
"Didn't know, I'm guessing. Would you like me to explain how to participate in this event, or would you prefer to further make a mockery of yourself here?" I hung my head in shame, feeling my face getting hot. I quietly shook my head, not daring to make eye contact with the old woman.
"Very well. As per the rules, each trainer will get three, I repeat for our newcomer, three commands total. After that, I will judge each Pokemon based on the outcome of the match and determine the winner. Are we clear?" I nodded, as did Wyatt. The old woman raised her right hand, signaling the start of the match. To my dismay, I didn't get to see what type of Pokemon Aron was.
"Aron, use Headbutt!"
"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"
Despite being a small, almost heavy looking critter, Aron lurched forward at a blazing speed. However, Vulpix vanished from sight just before his attack struck, and she reappeared behind Aron, crashing into him and sending him forward a bit. After this, the old woman raised her hand, which had me a bit confused at first. Wyatt called for Aron to return to his side of the arena, so I quickly mimicked his action with Vulpix. After a moment, the woman raised her hand again.
"Aron, wait for the Metal Claw!"
"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!"
Vulpix stood her ground, blasting Aron with a flurry of flames. I didn't expect the attack to do much in the way of damage, but at least it'd keep Aron from attacking. Or so I thought; just as Vulpix finished her attack, Aron showed up right in front of her, and took a fast swipe at her with one of his stubby little arms. The blow struck dead on and hard, knocking Vulpix back a ways to my feet. Again, the woman raised her hand, and the Pokemon returned to their starting positions. That attack had done quite a number on Vulpix, but she was still standing tall. The hand went up again, signaling the final round.
"Vulpix, Tackle!"
"Aron, Roar!"
An unexpected call, the small critter across from me let out a rather deafening roar, cementing Vulpix on the spot. Because she didn't attack, the old woman raised her hand, signaling the end of the round. The other trainers clapped for a bit while Wyatt recalled his Aron, and I took the chance to look over Vulpix's wound. The old woman signaled us over to her desk, and my heart began to race on the way there.
"Based on your performances, I have concluded the following: Star wins the full two points for the mind category. You both tie for the skill category, so each earns one point. And for the final category, body, Wyatt earns the full two points. Therefore, the match ends in a draw, three-to-three."
The other trainers around us started whispering amongst themselves, but I wasn't exactly sure what to make of all that. I looked to Wyatt, who just shrugged at me and smiled a bit. The old woman made a few notes on a paper before looking at me directly.
"Because you're the newcomer, you have the option of challenging Wyatt again for the full victory," she said, her eyes drilling into my very being. I swallowed hard, and looked down at Vulpix, trying to decide.
"I haven't got all day, young lady. Will you challenge again, or not?"
"No," I blurted out. Again, the other trainers started whispering amongst themselves. At the time, I wasn't sure that's what I wanted to say, but it just came out on its own.
"Very well. You may take a seat and await your next opportunity."
"No, thank you. I think I'll be moving along, now," I said, a bit unsure if the woman would even let me. She nodded, and scratched my name off a list before her. That done, I picked Vulpix up in my arms and started out of the arena. I didn't even say goodbye to the man tending the front desk, not that he even noticed me leaving. Once outside, I made for the Pokemon Center to have Vulpix all patched up before I moved out from town.
"Oh, hello Star! I take it you paid a visit to the Battle Tent?" Nurse Joy took Vulpix from my arms, inspecting the small bruise on her cheek before taking her to the machine.
"Yeah, but it wasn't what I expected. Not even the Pokemon League has such boring rules and people running it." I, of course, was going by Lance and what I had seen during the League Tournament a few weeks prior.
"They're probably just sour they have to look after these lousy tents. The actual island where the Battle Frontier is located is quite a sight, you know!" Joy dug around the stack of magazines on the counter, finding the one she was looking for within seconds. She flipped through a few pages before showing me a picture of the island. It was almost like looking at a fairground.
"This is the Frontier?"
"Yup! I've been there once before, before it was opened. It was beautiful then, so I can only imagine how it is now. Don't let those guys in the tent get you down, I'm sure visiting the actual island will be worth the trip!"
"I guess you're right," I told Nurse Joy, looking over the pictures for the second time. Even if I went as a tourist and not a trainer, I was sure it'd provide plenty of fun memories to look back on. "Thanks, Nurse Joy! I'll be sure to visit while I'm in the area."
"Good girl! Now, here's your Vulpix," she said, handing me back my fluffy critter. Vulpix barked happily in my face, licking my cheek before she leapt onto the floor. "I hope I see you here again in the future, Star!"
"Yeah, me too," I replied, a smile glowing on my face.
Though I doubted deep down I'd ever be in the Fallarbor area again.