14. As Iron Sharpens Iron
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. If I did we'd see Ash go head to head with Alain in a battle of X v. Y Mega Charizards. Maybe I'm reading into things too much, but it is interesting that Charizard reappeared towards the end of B&W and that, of all the Mega Evolutions they could make the focus of those Mega Evolution specials they just happened to pick Charizard. Merrin even mentions Ash to Alain.
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
As they strode up to the Cyllage City Gym the next morning, everyone was in a good mood. Serena and Ash were finally together and both were quite happy about it. They were however still somewhat tentative about their new relationship, trying to figure out exactly how to act with one another. Half the time they behaved as if nothing had changed; the other half the time they shot one another sneaking glances and felt a bit tongue-tied.
Ordinarily Brock would have found humor in this awkward dance, but his excitement and nervousness about the upcoming battle consumed his thoughts. It had been some time since he'd been in a serious match and he knew he was a bit rusty. As a result, he spent most of the walk in silence, focusing on some last minute mental strategizing.
In contrast to their friends Clemont and Bonnie maintained a steady conversation the entire way to the Gym, chatting amiably about the upcoming battle. Bonnie gushed with enthusiasm about all the "cool things" she hoped to see while Clemont focused his remarks on strategy and technical detail. The conversation, much like the siblings' relationship, was combination of very different perspectives and personalities that just plain worked...most of the time.
After making it up the hill they entered the Gym and found Grant eagerly waiting for them. After the disappointment of two days ago, Serena had insisted that they call the Cyllage Gym Leader and double-check his availability before they even left the Pokémon Center.
Smiling at his friends, Grant greeted the group. "Welcome back. Hope you are all looking forward to a good battle. I know I am."
"Me too," replied Brock. "Ash tells me that you usually have challengers climb the wall," he said, motioning to the artificial mound behind Grant.
"It's not a strict requirement, but yes, I do make that request. But I accept official challenges either way. Considering this isn't an official match…"
"Of course I'll be climbing," Brock said. "The pride of the Pewter Gym is on the line after all."
"Well in that case," smiled Grant, "I'll see you at the top." With that the Gym leader turned and began to scale the wall.
"We'll meet you guys there," Clemont said, fixing a pointed glare at Bonnie. He hadn't let her climb the wall when Ash had battled here and he saw no reason to let her climb it now. Getting the message, she huffed and began to follow Clemont in the direction of the elevator.
Serena turned to go as well but didn't get more than a step before her left hand encountered resistance. Ash remained firmly rooted in place, his grip preventing her from leaving. Turning, she caught his gaze. There was a determined look in his face. Noticing he had her attention, he smiled and gestured with a jerk of his head, indicating that he wanted her to make the climb.
"Oh no Ash, I don't think…" she started, fear evident.
"Of course you can Serena. We'll do it together!"
"Okay, if you say so…" She sounded hesitant but didn't want to let Ash down.
Brock had been about to get started after Grant when he overheard their conversation. Turning around, he decided to encourage Serena as well. "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. It'll be hard I'm sure, but Ash's right, you can do it!"
"Okay, let's go then," she said, determination on her face. With that she marched over to the wall and gripped the first hand hold.
"Hold on there," Brock cautioned. "You should let Ash and I go first."
Serena was miffed by this. "Why? Worried that I'll go too slow, huh?"
"Yeah Brock," Ash added, "isn't it 'ladies first?'"
"Sure Ash, ordinarily it would be. But there are other, practical things to consider." With that Brock turned and looked straight at Serena. Catching her gaze, he put his hands on his hips and, with an exaggerated motion, patted his hands against them a few times.
Serena looked down at her own legs and instantly caught Brock's meaning. Blushing, she replied, "Oh…right." Turning to her boyfriend she said, "Brock's right, you guys go first."
"I don't get it." Ash always tried to do the right thing, but in this case he was at a loss as to the reason behind it.
Brock shook his head at another example of Ash's density. "Let's just say that next time you're planning on asking Serena to go climbing, give her a heads up so she can dress a bit more appropriately. That is, if you want to insist she goes first."
"What do you mean?" Ash took a look at Serena's outfit. She was wearing her usual clothes, pink hat, black top, red skirt… "Oh," Ash said, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Yeah, uh…" he trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"Don't worry Ash, besides I probably will be a lot slower than the rest of you anyways." Serena smiled, glad that she hadn't had to actually spell it out for him…at least, not this time. Sighing, she took off her hat and, calling Bonnie over, handed it to her. As the boys began to climb Serena removed her hair tie and, moving her fingers deftly, gathered up her dirty blonde locks and bound them in a tight bun. Clenching her fist in determination, she strode over to the wall and began to climb.
By the time the trio got going, Grant was already well ahead. Having advantage of both being the designer of the wall and a frequent climber, Grant reached the top before Ash and Brock even made it halfway. The two Kanto natives finished roughly the same time a few minutes later. Serena however lagged behind; as Brock and Ash were setting foot on the summit, Serena was still struggling midway up the wall.
About three quarters of the way up Serena came to a halt. Her pace had been slowing over the past minute or two, but it was only now that she stopped altogether.
"I don't think I can go any further," Serena moaned. "Somebody help me!"
"Serena, don't give up until the end," Ash said. Part of him wanted to race down and somehow help her…but the rest of him knew that this was, quite literally, a wall she needed to climb on her own. It was still really hard for him to watch, harder than he would have thought. "Guess that comes with being a boyfriend rather than just a friend," he thought.
Ash's encouraging tone drew Serena's eyes upward. Catching her gaze, he continued. "You're almost there. Just keep climbing!" The others joined in, giving their shouts of encouragement. Gritting her teeth, Serena moved her leg up to the next handhold and pushed herself further up the rock face. "I have to do this, I have to get stronger. Not just for Ash, not just for my friends…but for myself and for Fennekin too."
It was still slow going, but she was again making upward progress. A few minutes later, with a finally huff of exertion, she pushed herself up over the edge onto the battlefield, gasping for breath and face red with effort. Ash caught her hands and gave her the support she needed to pull herself the rest of the way up. Standing and dusting herself off, she looked to her gathered friends, embarrassed at having taken so long.
Suddenly Ash began clapping and the others quickly joined in. Embarrassed by the attention, Serena blushed and waved off the applause.
"I don't know what you guys are clapping about," she started, "I'm the last one to finish."
"But you did finish," Grant responded, "despite a very difficult climb. In fact, I'd venture to say you got more out of it than the rest of us put together. So congratulations!"
Serena didn't know what to say, so she just gave a shallow bow in response. Ash smiled and, putting his hand in hers, led her off to the sideline. After the couple reached their friends, Serena retrieved her hat from Bonnie and began to put her hair back in its usual style. Brock meanwhile turned to face Grant.
"How does a two-on-two battle sound Grant? No time limit and substitutions are allowed."
"Sounds fine to me," Grant smiled.
The two competitors took their places on the battlefield. Although it wasn't an official challenge, there was still a referee present. After the referee's brief recitation of the agreed upon rules, the two competitors each took out a Pokeball.
Grant led off. "Onix, let's go."
Brock smiled. "I thought you would do that. Let's see how you handle this. Steelix, let's go!"
With a shimmer of light, two enormous snakelike Pokémon emerged. The spectators sighed in anticipation. The wait had been frustrating, but now it seemed like it would be worth it. This was sure to be an epic battle.
"Steelix, let's start out with Autotomize," Brock called it. This was sure to be a long battle; starting off with a stat boosting move now could mean the difference between victory or defeat later.
"Onix, use Rock Polish," commanded Grant.
"That's a good call on your part Grant. Speed is going to be key to winning this matchup." Brock shouted across the field.
"Thanks. And you're right, so that's a good move on your part as well."
Turning to his Pokémon, Brock called out his next attack. "Alright Steelix, hit it with Dragon Breath."
As Steelix began to power up its attack, standing on the sidelines Serena voiced her confusion. "I don't get it, Steelix and Onix look about the same to me. Why is Grant at a disadvantage?"
"Cuz Steelix is a Steel type, and as a Rock type Onix is weak to Steel type moves," Ash responded, not taking his eyes off the battle.
"It's not just that," added Clemont, "Steelix is the evolved form of Onix. That alone gives it an advantage."
"Not always Clemont," Ash responded. "Back in Kanto Pikachu and I beat a Raichu to get my Thunder Badge. And that's far from the only time I've seen something like that happen."
"Wow, I guess there's really a lot more I have to learn about Pokémon and battling," Serena commented.
"Guys," Bonnie whined, "All this talking is distracting me. I wanna watch the battle!"
"Bonnie," Clemont scolded. "Ash's just trying to help Serena."
Bonnie turned from the battle to look at her friends. Bowing in contrition she said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited about watching the battle…"
"That's alright Bonnie," Serena said. "I understand how things can get when you care about something." At this she glanced sideways at Ash.
Noticing Serena's gaze, Ash blushed slightly and nodded. Chuckling nervously, he turned his full attention back to the battle.
The two opposing Pokémon had already traded some ranged attacks, but now Steelix was trying to come in close and wrap around Onix in a Bind attack. Knowing that Onix's rock skin would not hold up very well against Steelix's impenetrable metal coat, Grant was having it avoid contact with the Iron Snake Pokémon. But, given the dimensions of the two Pokémon and the size of the battlefield, this could only go on for so long.
"Onix's Speed is a tough wall to climb, isn't it Brock," Grant smiled bemusedly as the pursuit continued.
"Maybe, but I've already climbed one wall in this Gym. You and Onix can't run forever Grant," Brock said. "Steelix, use Autotomize again!"
"Onix and I don't need forever Brock. We just need long enough." It was an enigmatic comment to say the least.
"I wonder what Grant has planned," mused Clemont aloud.
While Serena was eager to know the Cyllage City Gym leader's strategy, another concern was more pressing. "Why do they keep talking to each other like that," Serena asked, a hint of confusion in her voice. "It seems kind of a weird way to battle."
"Grant did this during my battle with him" said Ash. "Gym leaders are supposed to teach challengers as well as battle. And, though he's not a Gym leader anymore, Brock is still super serious about that."
Before anyone else could respond, a sudden flurry of moment grabbed the attention of the four spectators. The inevitable had finally occurred; Steelix had cornered Onix and was coiled up, ready to launch an attack. Brock's repeated use of Autotomize had significantly boosted Steelix's Speed; furthermore, Onix had been slowing over the past minute and was looking quite fatigued. It looked like Brock's patience was finally going to pay off.
"Gotcha! Steelix, quick wrap around that Onix, then Bind!"
As Steelix charged, Onix and Grant both remained motionless.
"What is Grant doing," Serena said, concern evident. "Shouldn't he have Onix dodge?" But the others had no answer for her.
As Steelix was almost upon Onix, Grant finally spoke. It was a simple word, issued with all the calmness and determination that the four friends had come to expect from Cyllage City's Gym leader.
"Now!"
At this command, Onix, who had been curled at the edge of the platform, suddenly sprang up and to the side, twisting out of Steelix's way with a celerity that made it clear that its earlier display of fatigue had been an act. Brock shouted for Steelix to turn back, but its forward momentum was much too great. The Steel type instead went hurtling off the battlefield, heading straight for the artificial waterfall on the battlefield's side.
"No," screamed Brock, immediately conscious of what was about to happen but unable to do anything to stop it. Steelix had hated water ever since it was an Onix. While its evolution had diminished its physical weakness to the substance, it had in no way lessened its mental aversion. Brock watched helplessly as Steelix impacted the wall behind the waterfall with a resounding thud and then dropped to the plunge pool below, much to the dismay of the spectators. The sound of the massive Pokémon's impact in the water made a gigantic whoosh, sending water hurtling into the air in every direction.
For a moment Steelix lay motionless in the water. Then, with a suddenness that took even Brock by surprise, the Steel type sprang up into the air, clearly eager to get out of water as quickly as possible.
Knowing that there was no way Steelix could jump high enough to make it all the way back up to the battlefield, Brock pulled out its Pokeball and extended his arm. He aimed carefully for, while Steelix was quite large, it was also far away. When he judged the moment right Brock triggered the Pokeball.
"Steelix, return" Brock called out. The red beam from the Pokeball hit the Iron Snake Pokémon, converting it back to energy and pulling it back inside. Turning back towards his opponent, Brock nodded his head.
"Well played. That was some feint."
Grant smiled. "Well, I have to admit that this wasn't the first time I've pulled that trick."
Brock laughed. "Well you won't fool us again. Steelix, let's finish this!" With this statement Brock flung his Pokeball, causing Steelix to reemerge on the battlefield. After fully materializing, Steelix let out a mighty roar, clearly angered by the unfortunate turn and eager to rectify its mistake. But it was equally clear that Steelix's tumble had caused it to suffer some serious damage.
"Onix, use Rock Tomb."
As rocks began to swirl around Onix, Brock considered his next move. Although the move wouldn't be that effective against a Steel type, given Onix's strength and the amount of damage Steelix had suffered it might pay to be careful. "Unless…" With that Brock chuckled to himself. He was definitively drawing from Ash's playbook with this next idea, but given what had just happened it would be the last thing Grant would expect.
"Steelix, Autotomize once more and then go get that Onix!"
As Steelix powered up its Speed once more, on the sidelines Serena expressed concern.
"Not again! Didn't Brock learn his lesson?"
"'Course he did Serena," Ash smiled. "Steelix won't fall for the same trick twice. Besides, keeping up that Rock Tomb will slow Onix down!"
As they watched, Steelix finished powering up its move and then hurled straight at Onix, plowing through a number of stones and taking some damage as it went.
"Alright Onix, now dodge it again," Grant called.
Onix began to move out of the way, but before it could it felt the impact of Steelix's head on its torso and went hurtling into the ground, dazed by the impact. Before Onix could recover Steelix began to wrap its serpentine body around the fallen Rock Pokémon.
Grant gritted his teeth. Although hardly ideal, he could only see one way out of this. Steelix had already taken a good amount of damage…
"Alright Onix, you wrap yourself around Steelix as well."
Recovering from its momentary daze, Onix responded to the call of its trainer. The two snakelike Pokémon, one Rock, one Steel, coiled themselves around one another in a pose reminiscent of Asclepius' Rod. After a few moments the two Pokémon were completely entwined, each squeezing the other as hard as it could.
"Wow," exclaimed Clemont. "This is going to be a real test of will and endurance."
"Come on Steelix, you can do it," Bonnie shouted enthusiastically.
"Look at Brock's face," Serena said softly, pointing to the dark skinned Kanto native.
Her three friends turned their gaze in that direction. Brock's face was screwed up in intense concentration. It was clear that this was not just a trial of endurance for Steelix; Brock was also being put to the test. Shifting their gazes to Grant, they saw the same look of determination on his face. Trainers and Pokémon were both under incredible strain.
Several moments passed with neither Pokémon able to gain a clear advantage. While time would ordinarily be on Steelix's side, the amount of damage it had suffered made it unclear which Pokémon was likely to give in first. Each trainer's gaze was constantly switching back and forth between the two combatants, looking for any sign, however small, that might indicate one of the Pokémon was beginning to buckle.
Finally, Brock decided it was time to act. Once again it would be risky, but at this point he had to go for broke. "It's been a great match so far Grant. The way you and Onix battled brought back a lot of good memories, memories of the Gym Battles I fought with Steelix back when it was an Onix. But now I think it's time to end this. Alright Steelix, let go of Onix's head and then let's finish it off with Dragon Breath." The two Pokémon, completely entwined as they were, had ended up with their heads side by side in such a way that neither would be able to fire off a ranged attack.
Seeing that Brock had changed the terms of engagement, Grant quickly reacted. "You let go of its head as well and then use Flash Cannon with all you have!"
The two Pokémon unwound the uppermost parts of their bodies from one another and then leaned back, positioning for one final attack. While any attack at this close range would damage its user as well as the intended target, if one of the Pokémon could get an attack off first it just might be enough to knock the other out.
It wasn't meant to be. Although Brock had issued his attack first and Steelix's Speed was quite high, it wasn't fast enough. As Dragon Breath hurtled towards Onix, Grant's Pokémon was able to let loose its response. The two attacks collided midair, causing a tremendous explosion that whose aftereffects obscured everyone's vision. Before the smoke fully cleared Steelix and Onix both began to list quite heavily and then toppled completely over. The referee called out what was already obvious; both Pokémon had been knocked out simultaneously.
After thanking their Pokémon, both Grant and Brock recalled them back to their Pokeballs. They then turned and faced one another across the battlefield. Although Brock and Grant presented calm exteriors, inside both of them were somewhat nervous.
"Brock I must say I am impressed. Your Steelix has been raised quite well. I would expect nothing less of a Harrison, especially one with your level of breeding experience. But raising a Pokémon well is only part of being a trainer. It's clear that your battling skills are rusty. You're going to need to do better if you hope to scale this last wall. Now let me introduce my next Pokémon."
With a toss of his Pokeball Grant's Tyrunt materialized on the stage. Thanks to Ash's account of his Gym Battle and some research on the Internet the other day, Brock was familiar with the Royal Heir Pokémon. But, as was always the case, reading about something online was one thing; seeing it in person was quite another. Staring at the opposing Pokémon, Brock couldn't help but be impressed by its well-muscled physique and its obvious determination to battle hard.
"You're right Grant, it won't be an easy wall to climb" Brock nodded. "I do want to win. But having a good battle and bonding with my Pokémon is important too, which is why this will be my next Pokémon." With that Brock wordlessly tossed his Dusk Ball, causing Carbink to materialize.
Grant smiled. "I understand. Carbink can only be found here in the Kalos Region, so you must have just caught it. But as a Fairy type you have quite the advantage over my Dragon type Tyrunt."
"That's right," nodded Brock. "We may be a new team, but you won't be able to beat us easily."
"Well in that case, I look forward to seeing just how well the two of you work together."
For a moment there was silence as the two opposing teams stared at one another. The faces of the two trainers were impassive, betraying nothing. The Pokémon however were a completely different story. Tyrunt snorted and stomped loudly, clearly eager to begin. Carbink, while small, was visibly trembling, clearly a bit nervous at facing such a fearsome looking opponent. Brock noticed his Pokémon's anxiety and hoped that it would disappear once the battle was joined.
"The honor of the first move is yours Brock," Grant shouted, voice breaking the silence.
Brock smiled. "Alright Carbink, use Harden!"
"Okay Tyrunt, in that case let's start with Rock Tomb."
Rocks began to swirl around Tyrunt at a rapid speed. After a few moments, they began to fly in Carbink's direction. As the rocks began to impact the battlefield, it quickly became clear that Carbink's size would be an advantage. Most of the stones hit the ground harmlessly and the few that did manage to find their mark were small enough that they did little damage.
"That can't be that effective of an attack," Serena observed. "I mean, Carbink's a Rock type too and it's so small that most of the rocks are missing."
"True," Clemont agreed, "and the type matchup is clearly in Brock's favor. His Carbink doesn't actually know any Fairy type attacks, but as a Fairy type it will be completely immune to Tyrunt's Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor."
"Oh wow," Serena exclaimed. "Those are two of Tyrunt's most powerful attacks. That means Brock has a really good chance to win this."
Ash nodded. "But don't forget what I said before Serena, type isn't everything. Pikachu and I've proved that over and over. And that Tyrunt is really strong and Brock knows it."
"Okay Carbink," Brock shouted over the noise of the falling Rocks, "let's go on the offensive. Use Ancient Power!"
"Car," Brock's Pokémon responded. Charging up the attack, it hurtled a green orb in Tyrunt's direction. As the attack streaked across the battlefield, it encountered a number of falling rocks, which diminished its power.
"Dodge that, and then keep up the Rock Tomb."
Tyrunt reminded Ash and his friends of its incredible Speed by deftly avoiding Carbink's attack, leaping out of the way while keeping up the flood of rocks. Carbink hurtled several more orbs Tyrunt's way. Most were dodged and the few that did connect had been diminished in power by having to first travel through the constant barrage of stone raining down from above.
"Reminds me a bit of Counter Shield," Brock mused. Time was not on his side either. While each individual rock wasn't doing that much damage, given enough time it would wear Carbink down. He would need to move it closer…but getting too close would be risky. If Tyrunt could get Carbink in its jaws, it might be able to send it hurtling into the watery depths below and he wasn't about to let that happen to another one of his Pokémon. On the other hand it could be a replay of Ash's victory; Carbink might be too large to fit in Tyrunt's jaw, in which case getting in close could be to Brock's advantage. "And I'll bet Grant knows exactly what scenario would play out. Carbink are native to Kalos so he's probably has faced them before." Brock resolved he would only give it a try if it looked like he had no other options.
"Alright Carbink, get a bit closer and use Rock Throw!"
Carbink responded, moving cautiously forward, hurling large rocks as it went.
Grant smiled. "Alright Tyrunt, jump up and use Dragon Tail to send those rocks right back at it!"
Needing no further encouragement, Tyrunt leapt into the air. Tail flashing green, it then began to bat rocks in Carbink's direction, making use of both stones left over from Rock Tomb and rocks from Carbink's Rock Throw attack. Despite having been warned of Tyrunt's jumping ability, Brock was still shocked by the height, duration, and speed of Tyrunt's leaps.
Over the next few minutes both Pokémon kept the barrage up, with Tyrunt constantly jumping up and down while Carbink weaved back and forth to dodge the deflected missiles. Although the majority of rocks were either deflected or dodged, some did hit home. This damage, combined with the exertion that all this movement required, began to take their toll on both Pokémon.
Both trainers knew that their Pokémon were nearing their limit, but it was Brock who saw his opening first. Tyrunt's leaps were getting progressively less high and its dodging, while seemingly random, actually was following a somewhat irregular pattern, a pattern he now recognized and could reasonably predict. He had been waiting for the right moment and he was confident that it was about to come. Tyrunt's next leap would bring it in quite close to Carbink, leaving it vulnerable if Carbink was positioned right.
Tyrunt's jump reached its apex and it began a downward trajectory. Quickly estimating where it would land, Brock made his move.
"Carbink quick move left and then use Smack Down on Tyrunt as it nears the ground!"
Instantly getting what Brock was trying to do and seeing the danger, Grant called out a command of his own. "Try to twist out of the way Tyrunt." Yet he knew it was probably for naught. While Tyrunt was a fast runner and a high jumper, there wasn't really much it could do to direct its fall and avoid what was coming.
Brock's Carbink positioned itself and then launched itself into the air, connecting with Tyrunt and delivering a devastating blow. The sickening crunch of the two Pokémon colliding made everyone wince. Serena, still a bit unused to the extreme conditions of high level battles, went white, squeezing Ash's hand tightly. Even Bonnie, normally enthused by intense battling, expressed worry.
With a thud Tyrunt impacted the battlefield, kicking up some dust. It lay prone on its side, motionless. Carbink's landing, while still hard, was smoother, with its body was upright and facing directly at its opponent.
"Oh no," gasped Serena, "that looks like it really hurt! I hope Tyrunt is okay."
"Are you alright Tyrunt," called Grant, expression clouded with care for his Pokémon partner.
"Ty," echoed the Royal Heir Pokémon. It rolled over and, using its legs, gradually raised its body back upright. While still able to battle, it was evident that it had taken a massive amount of damage. One more big hit would finish it, something as clear to Grant as it was to Brock.
"Great job Carbink," Brock said. His tone was suffused with pride, something that made Carbink all the more determined to win this for its new trainer. Smiling, he turned to Grant. "You put up a great fight Grant. You and Tyrunt were definitely a difficult wall to climb. But now it's time to take the last step over. Carbink, Smack Down one last time!"
"Car," the Jewel Pokémon responded, hurling itself straight for Tyrunt.
Grant knew he had only one chance. Under ordinary circumstances, he could easily count on Tyrunt to execute successfully what he was about to ask it to do, but considering the amount of damage Tyrunt had taken, it'd be risky.
"Alright Tyrunt, wait until it gets in close and then grab it by the side with Crunch!"
Carbink took only a few seconds to reach Tyrunt, but it was long enough. Twisting its body just right, Tyrunt avoided the blow and instead grabbed Carbink midair, chomping down with Crunch and gripping it securely in its jaws. What's more, Carbink was positioned with its front facing outward, meaning any ranged attack it sent would be directed at empty battlefield rather than at Tyrunt.
"Well Grant, that was a great counter. I guess I was a bit too rash, or should I say, a bit too Ash."
At this terrible pun the spectators on the sideline groaned.
"He's as bad at making jokes as you are naming your inventions," Bonnie chortled.
Clemont however was trying to contain his own mirth. "What, I thought his comment was quite clever."
"You would," Bonnie responded, a mix of exasperation and playfulness evident in her voice. She really loved her brother but sometimes he could be so…Clemont.
"But," Brock continued, "Crunch isn't very effective against Carbink. You could try to throw us off like you did Onix, but we'll be able to free ourselves by then. And when that happens, it won't take more than one attack to end this."
"You're right Brock," Grant smiled, "we do have to do something. So how about this…Tyrunt, look up and use Draco Meteor to send Carbink as far into the air as you can!"
At this Tyrunt began charging its Draco Meteor attack. As an orange light began to fill its mouth, Serena turned to her boyfriend, confused.
"Ash, I don't get it, I thought Dragon type moves wouldn't do anything to Carbink."
Ash stared at the scene, wondering much the same. After a few seconds of silence, with a start he realized exactly what was about to happen. Something must have been evident on his face because Serena's next question was quick and to the point.
"Well?"
"It won't do any damage, but it's still a strong attack, strong enough to send Carbink flying. And believe me, when Carbink finally does hit the ground...well, it'll be bad for it no doubt."
Brock had made the same realization as well. "Carbink, get out of there!"
But Brock's cry was too late. Draco Meteor finished charging and the orange ball of light shot up straight into the sky, carrying Carbink along for the ride. High up in the air it exploded, raining down flaming balls of energy on the battlefield. Yet this was not the only thing falling to Earth, for among the debris everyone quickly picked out the shape of a falling Pokémon. They all watched helplessly as Carbink plunged back toward the ground. The scene evoked in Brock and Ash the memory of Carbink's capture. Yet as quickly as thoughts of this moment came they were pushed away as Carbink impacted the battlefield with an earth-shattering roar, one that was noticeably louder than Tyrunt's a few moments earlier. The force of the impact kicked up a substantial amount of dust, occluding everyone's vision.
As the dust cloud faded and battlefield became fully visible again, seven pairs of human eyes fixed their gaze on the point of impact. There Carbink lay motionless in the center of a small crater, giving no evident signs of consciousness. After a moment the referee made it official: Carbink was unable to battle, giving Grant the victory.
The match over, Brock absented himself from the trainer's box and began to run straight for his fallen Pokémon. Reaching the spot he squatted down and lifted up his new Pokémon friend, cradling it in his arms. Its eyes fluttered open, staring up into the face of its trainer, causing Brock to smile. "You did a great job Carbink.," he started. Holding up the Dusk Ball, he continued. "Now get a good long rest." With that he triggered the ball's return process and Carbink was converted back into energy. Turning, he looked to Grant and smiled ruefully. "Well, I guess I spoke a bit too soon. But great battle Grant! You really bring out the true essence and power of Rock type Pokémon."
Grant smiled back. "Thanks Brock, I really appreciate it. And great job yourself. For someone who hasn't battled much recently you did really well. I have to say I learned a lot from you."
Brock nodded. "Same here Grant. We'll have to battle again sometime. And if you're in Lumiose City anytime in the next few months feel free to drop me a line."
"You bet!" The two trainers clasped hands, an expression not just of their shared passion for Rock types, but of a new friendship forged by the fires of battle. Although Brock was disappointed with his loss he couldn't say he was terribly surprised. "I'll just have to make sure to get some practice in when I have some time. After all, you never know when it will come in handy." Letting go of Grant's hand, Brock turned and began to make his way back over to his friends. Riding the elevator back down, they all congratulated Brock on a job well done. He and his Pokémon had given it their all. The match had been a display of high caliber Pokémon battling that had been well worth the wait even if the end result was not what they all had hoped for. Only Bonnie remained quiet, a sullen expression on her face.
As they exited the Gym and began to walk back down the mountain, Bonnie couldn't contain herself any longer. "I can't believe you lost," Bonnie moaned, visibly upset.
"Well I can," replied Brock, unfazed by his defeat. "Grant is facing challengers all the time. It's been a while since I've battled at all, let alone as frequently as he must. A few days of practice can't overcome that, especially when you are just getting to know a new Pokémon. But, even when I was a Gym Leader I was hardly unbeatable. No one is. Just ask your brother."
"He's right," Clemont replied, nodding in agreement. "You've certainly seen me lose my share of battles. Not even Champions like Diantha win every battle."
"Still, I was really hoping Brock would win," she pouted.
Brock laughed. "So was I. But it was a good battle; I learned a lot and Carbink and I have gotten closer. At the end of the day, that makes me happy. When you become a trainer yourself you'll understand that defeats can often teach you more than victories."
Everyone nodded in agreement, even Serena. Sighing, Bonnie reluctantly nodded as well. Then, expression brightening, she said, "Well I can't wait to get started. Tenth birthday here I come!" With that she took off running down the mountain, everyone else hurrying after.
This was honestly one of the hardest chapters for me to write and actually the last one to be completed. Action has never been my forte and this is one area where, as a genre, television outstrips the written word. I hope I managed to convey to you accurately the images I am picturing in my head.
I know of course that we all wanted Brock to win, especially since he never seems to get his due in the anime; hopefully the "sequel" will remedy this. I think that if Brock had faced Grant at peak battle performance the result would have been quite different. But Brock's skills must have atrophied somewhat considering he's been focusing on his studies; he certainly makes some questionable calls in this battle. In the anime, where skill, knowledge of the arena, and level of relationship with your Pokémon actually matter (unlike the games where type advantage is hard to overcome) on this day the balance narrowly goes to Grant despite type matchups clearly favoring Brock.
There are some choices I've made in this battle that may seem controversial. First, the waterfall and the water surrounding the Gym can both be seen briefly in the anime; there's also a nice bench by the falls in the game. Furthermore, being able to recall and then send back out the same Pokémon is also something that has been depicted during the Battle Frontier, albeit under different circumstances. Finally, we've seen moves that will not directly damage a Pokémon be used (notably by Paul) to deal massive damage indirectly. What I did with Draco Meteor here is in keeping with that; all the damage Carbink suffered was due to hitting the ground, not from the move itself.
After this just one more chapter and then the epilogue. I'll try to publish both in another two-part update sometime before Christmas.