The Man From Fortree (Polo vs. Falkner)
"Incoming call," the computer's robotic voice said.
Professor Oak put down his microscope, the Bulbasaur acid underneath it still bubbling, and made his way over to the computer on his desk. He sat down on a swivel chair, and pressed the "Answer" button.
"Hello, this is Professor Oak speaking," he said.
"Hi, Professor!" Polo said from the other end.
"Ah, Polo!" the Professor replied. "How nice to see you! How are things going?"
"Pretty good," Polo said. "I've just gained permission from the Elder at the Sprout Tower to challenge Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader."
"Ah, I see. Well done!"
"Thanks, Professor. The reason I'm calling is to thank you for the Pokédex, actually. It was quite amazing! It's so complex, and it really helped me in the Sprout Tower."
"Ah, yes," the Professor mused. "The Pokédex. It's quite amazing, isn't it? Compiled by one of the greatest Pokémon trainers of all time."
"And that's another thing I wanted to ask," Polo's Chikorita, Dimitri, jumped into frame in the background. "Who… Who did the Pokédex belong to?"
Professor Oak sighed slightly. "It belonged to someone very close to your mother."
"Was it… my father?"
Professor Oak sighed again. "Polo, there are some things that you are not ready to hear. I'm sure your mother will tell you all about your father and his adventures when she thinks the time is right. In the meantime, you have your own adventures to embark on. Now, go on, and challenge the Violet City Gym!"
Polo grinned, slightly glumly, and nodded. "Alright, Professor. Thank you."
The picture of Polo flickered, then went away.
Professor Oak sighed yet again, and picked up a picture, hidden behind several other pictures of his children and grandchildren.
Two people stood, a tall man, his face shadowed, and a smiling, black-haired woman.
In the background, a Wingull flew overhead.
The Violet City Gym was an old building that didn't really look like it was originally built for a gym. It was tall, with a triangular roof, and the Poké Ball symbol that all the Pokémon Gyms sported, and the old, decaying wood had been repainted and revarnished. The door to the gym was a huge, wooden door with giant, brass handles. Polo, with Dimitri at his heel, heaved open the giant doors.
The gym was huge, and almost entirely empty. It must have, at one point, enclosed three stories, because the roof was around 10 metres off the ground. It was also dark, and Polo could only see a few lights on the ground and a single one lighting up the roof.
"Hello?" Polo called out. "Anyone in here?"
"Welcome, young trainer," a male voice called from way above.
Polo heard a flutter, and suddenly lights all over the gym turned on. He looked up, to see a Pidgeot gliding down towards him and Dimitri.
"Waa!" he cried out.
The Pidgeot cried out, and landed down in front of Polo, a smile across its huge face.
"Woah," Polo said as the giant Flying Pokémon sat in front of him. The Pokémon was about as tall as him, and had huge talons, and a large beak. Despite its obvious strength, it looked very friendly. "I really don't want to battle that!"
The Pidgeot nodded its head backwards, gesturing to a small platform behind it.
"What?" Polo asked. "You want me to go on the-"
The Pidgeot cooed in approval, and Polo and Dimitri walked onto the platform. Slowly, it began to rise towards the ceiling, making Polo and Dimitri both jump. Behind them, Pidgeot was slowly flapping its winds, flying in sync with the platform. Eventually, both Polo and the Pidgeot, as well as Dimitri, were on a glass platform, held up in the air by wooden pillars. At the end of the platform stood a young man in a blue, legged robe and a blue and white spotted jacket, with dark blue hair.
"Hello, young trainer," he said calmly, looking up at Polo as he walked towards him. "My name is Falkner Fortree, and I'm the Gym Leader here. Could I have the honour of knowing your name?"
"I'm Polo," Polo said. "And I'm from New Bark Town. This is my Chikorita, Dimitri."
"Chiii!" Dimitri cried happily.
"Hm," Falkner said. "Going against a Flying gym with a Grass-type. You are a brave young trainer. Now, before we battle, let me tell you a bit about myself and this gym.
"I was born twenty-five years ago in Fortree City, a small, treetop town in Hoenn. My dad was a Pokémon Trainer, who trained in Fortree Gym, and a travelling merchant, who would travel the region selling various wares on his Skarmory. It was a simple life, especially for a single father like my father, and I enjoyed growing up in the treetop city. But one day, my father, who was quite the powerful trainer by then, powerful enough to even beat the Gym Leader of Fortree City, decided that he would like to move to Johto, where they were in need of another gym. So, when I was five years old, twenty years ago, my dad moved to Violet City and started the Violet Gym."
"Wait," Polo interrupted. "There wasn't a gym here twenty years ago?"
"Yes," Falkner said. "Twenty years ago, there were only seven gyms in the region, so those who wished to challenge the Indigo League had to get one Gym Badge from Kanto.
"Anyway, my dad moved here, with the permission of the Indigo League, and started a Flying-type gym in an abandoned mansion. Trainers, who flocked from New Bark Town where they received their starters, flocked to the gym. Before this gym's creation, the nearest gym was in Azalea Town, which took a really long time to reach. There were also many obstacles, which were too difficult for a starting trainer to get past. But thanks to my dad's efforts, their hardships were reduced. He, like all Gym Leaders, used different Pokémon depending on the opponent's strength, and many a trainer was toughened up by his gym and its battles. His Violet Gym was one of the best things to happen to Johto since the vey first Pokémon Gym was built here, in Blackthorn City.
"But a few years ago, something terrible happened.
"My father was out one evening, training his Tropius. A terrible storm had whipped up, and it had always been scared of storms. My father had caught it in a storm, where it had been injured badly, when he was only six years old. So, my father was outside, caring for the shivering creature, when an Aerodactyl caring a cloaked man came swooping down. The man commanded his Pokémon to use Fire Fang, and it came at Tropius, its mouth burning, and bit into it, knocking the already-weakened Pokémon clean out. My father reached for his Poké Balls, only to find they were in his bag, which he had left ten or so metres behind him.
"I came out at this point, only to see my father be taken in the jaws of the Aerodactyl. The Aerodactyl carried him around for a bit, then shot straight up. It flew high into the sky, my father yelling in its mouth, then nosedived. Just before it hit the ground, it pulled out, but dropped my father. He fell in a heap, motionless."
Tears had started to gather in Falkner's eyes. "I had been standing, motionless, until then. Enraged, I picked up two of my father's Poké Balls, releasing Pidgeot and Skarmory, and drove away the man and his Aerodactyl. I immediately ran over to help my father, and in his last words, he gave all his Pokémon to me."
Falkner wiped a tear from under his eye. "And from that day forward, I promised to live up to my father's reputation, and hunt down the man who killed him."
Silence engulfed the battlefield.
"Anyway," Falkner said. "Enough about the past. It's time we had a battle." He returned Pidgeot to its Poké Ball. "Since you are a young, inexperienced trainer, I won't use my strongest Pokémon against you. Go, Pidgey!"
With lightning speed, Falkner threw a Poké Ball, releasing a Pidgey onto the battlefield.
"Alright," Polo said. "Go get 'em, Dimitri!"
Dimitri ran forward, crying with joy, as it faced up against the Flying Pokémon.
"Go, Pidgey! Tackle attack!"
Pidgey flew at Dimitri, slamming into his side. Dimitri, however, was barely fazed.
"Send it right back at 'em, boy!"
Dimitri ran at full pelt and jumped into the air, slamming Pidgey and taking it to the ground with him. Pidgey stood up and wobbled about, fazed by Dimitri's attack.
"Now, use your Razor Leaf!" Polo said.
"Hm!" Falkner said. "A risky move, but I like it. Just powerful enough to ignore the type weakness."
Dimitri stood up on his hind legs, leafs spinning on the stalk on his back, then slammed back down, releasing the leaves at full speed into Pidgey's flank. The Tiny Bird Pokémon keeled and again fell to the ground.
"Don't give up yet, Pidgey!" Falkner said. "Sand-Attack!"
Pidgey kicked up its legs and released a stream of sand into Dimitri's face, clouding his vision.
"Come on, Dimitri!" Polo said. "Give 'em another taste of your Razor Leaf!"
Dimitri released another stream of leaves, but the sand skewed his vision, and caused the attack to miss.
"Now," Falkner said. "Gust him, Pidgey!"
The Gym Leader's Pidgey flew at Dimitri, flapping its wings frantically, and released a strong gust of air into the Chikorita, hurting him greatly. He fell onto his side, crying out in pain.
"Dimitri!" Polo cried.
Dimitri was obviously weakened, but not fainted. He shook his head, stood up, and then faced Pidgey once more.
"Give 'em your best Tackle attack, Dimitri!" Polo said.
Dimitri leapt at Pidgey at full pelt, tackling him near the edge of the glass platform. The two sat their precariously, Pidgey fainted and Dimitri trying to run back onto the battlefield, then began to fall down the side.
"Dimitri!" Polo screamed, and ran over to the side. "No!"
Falkner threw a Poké Ball after the pair, releasing another Flying Pokémon, which caught them and put them down gently on the glass platform. Falkner returned his fainted Pidgey and Dimitri ran back to Polo, cowering slightly.
"Good work, Pidgeotto!" Falkner said as the bird Pokémon came to rest on his arm. He then turned to Polo. "I congratulate you on defeating my first Pokémon. But my second isn't going to be any easier."
Polo panted, stroking Chikorita. "Ready when you are."
Falkner smiled. "Pidgeotto, Tackle that Chikorita!"
Pidgeotto flew at Dimitri, who was still cowering in front of Polo, and knocked right into him, only missing Polo because of a sharp turn. Dimitri, however, didn't, and flew into Polo's legs, knocking him over. The Grass Pokémon fell before Polo, faint.
"No!" Polo cried, lifting himself from the ground whilst letting Dimitri back in his Poké Ball. "I won't let it end like this! Go, Sentret!"
Polo threw another Poké Ball, releasing the Scout Pokémon, who was standing on its tail.
"Use Gust, Pidgeotto!" Falkner cried.
Pidgetto flew at Sentret, releasing a gust of wind, which hit Sentret's tail, taking out its centre of gravity and knocking it to the ground. Sentret stood up shortly, however, only slightly injured.
"Sentret, use Scratch!"
Sentret jumped at the Flying Pokémon, catching with its claws in midair and sending it spiralling into the glass platform.
"Now, follow it up with a Quick Attack!"
Sentret leapt the fallen Pidgeotto with incredibly speed, slamming it down into the glass platform. The Pidgeotto cried out in pain.
"Pidgeooo!"
"Pidgeotto," Falkner said, calmly. "Use… Roost!"
The Flying Pokémon stood up and shed a few feathers, building a small, warm nest.
"Roost?" Polo asked, dumbfounded, and pulled out his Pokédex.
"Roost," it said in its computerized voice. "A Flying technique. The Pokémon rests on the ground and regains up to half of its maximum HP. The Pokémon, if Flying type, temporarily looses its Flying typing, as well as its resistances, immunities and weaknesses."
"A powerful move," Falkner said. "My Pidgeotto should be fully healed, and back in full fighting form."
"Damn!" Polo said. "Sentret won't stand a chance! Try your best! Scratch attack again!"
Sentret again jumped at the Pidgeotto as it was flying out of its nest, and scratched it. The Pidgeotto flew back a bit, but was fairly unfazed.
"Tackle, Pidgeotto!"
Sentret cowered as Pidgeotto flew into it at full pelt, and just managed to stop itself from falling over the side.
"Come on, Sentret!" Polo cried out. "Don't lose your spirit! Quick Attack!"
"Quick Attack yourself, Pidgeotto!"
The two Pokémon jumped at each other at an incredible speed, and collided in a cloud of dust and feathers. Pidgeotto emerged victorious, flapping over the fainted Sentret.
Polo had lost his first battle.
"Hey, kid," a man stopped Polo as he exited the gym. "Why do you look so glum?"
Polo sighed. "I just lost to Falkner."
"Aw, hey, kid," the man said. "Don't feel too bad. Falkner's a tough guy, and I see a kid lose to him every day!"
Polo smiled glumly. "Yeah, I guess your right."
"Listen, uh…" the man said, as if to ask Polo's name.
"Polo. My name's Polo."
"Well, listen Polo. I'm Kyle, and I'm quite an experienced nature. How's about you come and train with me?"
Polo's face brightened up. "That'd be great."
"I'll even trade you my Onix, kid," Kyle said, beckoning Polo to follow him as he walked away. "Come on, kid. I'm gonna help you beat Falkner."