AN: Welcome to Chapter 4! Thanks to my new followers and favorite tee! Makes me happy and feel better about my week so far. Sorry I haven't got a chance to write, duties of President of an organization calls! Just a side note I started this journey on an emulator on my laptop and it is going well, until I snapped my charger…again. So for gym leaders I just used normal ones because I didn't feel like making any up and it works for the plan I have for them. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except our heroine!
Chapter 5: Rocking Down By Flames
Keygan arrived in Pewter City the next day. The city seemed like all the ones she had seen before in her time. Pretty normal with people walking around going to their day jobs. Keygan looked all these business people and thought about how lucky she was to get the chance to become a trainer. Actually she wondered if any of these people were trainers themselves and like Professor Eden had to keep it a secret. Yes, she picked on the ques the professor was giving when they met. Keygan's dream to free the trainer only grew a little stronger as she walked to the Pokémon Center.
"Hello and welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I help you?" the nurse asked.
"Can you take care of my Pokémon?" Keygan asked.
"Certainly, that's what we're here for."
Keygan laughed on the inside about the peppiness of the nurse. Were they all like that? She just smiled and handed the nurse Beedrill's Poké Ball and patted the counter to allow Vulpix to hop up. The fox Pokémon jumped and looked to Keygan.
Vulpix didn't want to really go with the nurse, but the fox knew she needed to be healed. Vulpix knew she needed her strength for the gym battle. Whenever that would be. Vulpix finally listened to Keygan's dream. To free trainers. Freedom. That was the word that stuck with Vulpix. As she thought about Pokémon were being suppressed to their Poké Balls because of this organization Keygan talked about. She didn't know the name, but Vulpix knew she didn't like them. She wanted to fight against them and free the others that could have just like her.
"Wow, it is unusual to see a Pokémon outside their ball," the nurse said seeing Vulpix.
"She's different," Keygan said with a smile.
Nurse Joy simply left the conversation at that and took the Pokémon back to be healed. Keygan then started to look at the map of Pewter City to see if she could find the town. It wasn't far the center apparently. Keygan looked at the time and saw it was only about ten. She would have plenty of time to challenge today if her Pokémon we up to it. She just had to wait and ask them.
"Keygan Jyotsna, your Pokémon are ready!" a voice came over the intercom.
Keygan jumped from her chair and rushed over the counter. Vulpix was sitting on the counter while Nurse Joy had Beedrill's ball in her hand.
"Thank you," Keygan said taking her Pokémon. "Come on Pix."
"Vul!" the fox said as she jump and followed Keygan out the door.
As soon as she was outside she released her Poison Pokémon. He stretched his stingers out and his wings. He then went over toward the other two. His trainer looked like she had something to say or ask.
"So, do you guys want to challenge the gym?" Keygan asked.
Both Pokémon looked at one another seeing if the other would speak up first. Keygan looked at them wondering if she should have asked. The Pokémon looked into one another's eyes. They then turned to their trainer with fiery eyes and nodded.
"Vul."
"Bee."
"Let's go."
Keygan returned Beedrill before Vulpix and she ran over directly to the gym. When she arrived the place was almost made of stone. Keygan sighed knowing that meant that the gym was most likely a rock type gym. Oh well, she figured she be in for much worse in the future. This was only the first obstacle.
"Vulpix, we should take off your scarf so it doesn't get torn or dirty," Keygan suggested.
Vulpix looked down at her neck to see her scarf. Sometimes she forgot she was even wearing it. It seemed almost natural now.
"Vulpix!" she agreed and allowed Keygan to take it off. Keygan placed the scarf in her pocket to put on her later.
Keygan walked up to the gym doors feeling her nerves. She had been in battles before so why this one so different. Was it because it meant something more? She pushed open the doors wanting to find out. Keygan walked in with Vulpix right behind her. The first area they came to was a battle field. Obvious the gyms meant business.
"Hello?" Keygan called.
"Hello. Challenging the gym?" a voice asked.
"I am."
"Then welcome. It's been a while since I have had a challenger," the voice said stepping out of the shadows. "I'm Brock."
"Name's Keygan."
"Vul."
"A Pokémon outside of the Poké Ball…"
"Why does everyone mention that?" Keygan asked.
"Nothing. Do you expect to win against me with a fire type?" he asked.
"Pix…" Vulpix growled feeling insulted.
"Yes. Don't underestimate us. Vulpix, I'm saving you for last." Keygan said pulling out a Poké Ball and calming her starter. Vulpix nodded and sat down to watch until her turn.
"Very well. Geodude go!" Brock said calling out his first Pokémon.
Referees were only used during the Pokémon League to unsure either fairness or cheating. Gym battles were rare now a days with very few people getting very far in collecting the badges. No one really knew why. They seemed to just stop after obtaining three or so. Keygan assumed it was getting too tough.
"Beedrill you're up!" Keygan called.
"Beedrill use Poison Sting!"
"Geodude Tackle!"
The Poison Sting seemed to bounce off the rock type, but still did damage. Geodude then jumped and Beedrill reflexes made him move out of the way.
"Fury Attack!" Keygan called.
While Geodude was still the air Beedrill attacked the rock striking him multiple times. Geodude took the damage and landed back on the group looking as if he was barely fazed by the attack.
"Geodude use Rock Throw!"
Beedrill couldn't evade all the rocks thrown at him and was pelted. He landed on the ground and attempted to get up.
"String Shot!" Beedrill quickly rose and fired his String Shot enveloping Geodude.
"Geodude Tackle!" Brock called and Geodude slammed into Beedrill sending him flying back. He landed on the ground at Keygan's feet.
"Beedrill!" Keygan shouted seeing that her bug type was fainted.
"Bee…" he moaned.
"Thank you Beedrill, you did well," Keygan said returning her fainted Pokémon. She then turned to Vulpix. "You ready?"
"Vulpix!" she cried running out onto the battle field. "Start with Ember!"
"Tackle!" Again, Geodude took some damage, but wasn't very effective.
"Dodge it!" Vulpix jumped effectively dodging the move. Geodude stopped and looked up. "Ember!"
"Pix!"
"Dude!" the rock type cried out before falling back.
"Geodude!" Brock cried seeing this fire type actually fainted his rock type. He grunted before pulling out a Poké Ball and returning the Pokémon. "You won't win so easy. Go Onix!"
"Roah!" the Rock Snake cried after being released.
Vulpix's eyes widen at the size of Onix. This Pokémon was huge. She wasn't even sure if it was a Pokémon, more like a mountain. She was expected to take this thing down?!
"Vulpix." Vulpix heard Keygan's voice. The fox turned looking at her trainer. "I believe in you."
Vulpix stared at Keygan and saw that Keygan had confidence in her. Vulpix nodded and turned and faced her opponent. She growled and took a stance ready to fight.
Keygan thought of her options in this battle. Onix was a much larger opponent than Vulpix. Her fox would be easily taken out if she was hit. Keygan knew her option to play in this battle.
"Vulpix Ember!" Keygan started and Vulpix released her attack.
"Screech!"
Vulpix covered her ears at the sound coming from Onix's mouth. It hurt! She thought her ear drums were going burst. It also hard to hear anything.
"Vulpix Roar!" Keygan yelled over Onix.
Vulpix released a roar that did the job that Keygan expected. The roar wasn't to switch Brock's Pokémon; it was to spook Onix and it did. Onix's Screech stopped as he heard a roar come from the small fire type.
"Wow…"
"Vulpix Ember!"
Onix roared at being pelted with fire again. He knew he was taking damage even though it wasn't very much.
"Onix Bind!"
"Evade it with Quick Attack!"
Vulpix swiftly moved out of the way every time Onix tried to grab her using Quick Attack. A couple times Vulpix released an Ember attack when she got the chance. Onix roared in the damage and in frustration.
"Onix slam your tail on the ground!" Brock commanded.
The force from Onix's tail stopped and lifted Vulpix into the air. It was then Onix took his chance to wrap around her. She cried and struggled to get free. It was no use as Onix's rock tail was too strong.
Keygan looked at her Pokémon unknown of what to do. She felt helpless. She promised herself she wouldn't do this to her Pokémon. Then something came to her.
"Vulpix Ember in one spot!"
"Pix!"
Vulpix nodded and launched her attack at the closest spot she could aim. She didn't have much of an idea of what Keygan was going for, but she had to learn to trust her trainer. Onix roared as Keygan's plan was working. She was heating the rock up. Onix had enough and tossed Vulpix. Vulpix regained herself and landed on the ground. She looked up to see Onix's tail bright red. The constant heat put on his tail caused not only damage, but a burn status. Onix was constantly taking damage now. Vulpix smirked. Her trainer was pretty smart.
"Now Vulpix Ember again!" Keygan said hoping this would do it.
"Vulpix!"
Onix was hit the Ember around his neck area and his body then became engulfed with flames as he was taking the burn damage. Onix then stopped moving and looked down at Vulpix. Vulpix growled as if she dared him at attack her. Onix then started to fall and slammed into the field crushing any rock underneath it.
"Onix!" Brock called to his fallen Rock Snake. The fire had been too much for him and he fainted.
"Vulpix!" Vulpix cried before making a one eighty and running to her trainer happy she had won. She knew in her fire power and she got lucky that Onix got a burn status. Vulpix jumped into Keygan's open arms accepting the hug. Vulpix thought it was warm and nice. Vulpix was glad she trust Keygan.
"Maybe…this kid has what it takes," Brock thought as he returned Onix. He then started walking over to Keygan. "Congrats. You're right, I shouldn't have underestimated you."
"Thank you." Keygan said.
"Here, the Boulder Badge." Brock said giving Keygan her badge. Keygan accepted it and looked at it happily. Her first badge. "Keygan…I should warn you of what you'll face. Some of the other gym leaders agree with the organization and they will try and stop you."
"What do you mean?" Keygan asked hoping she was wrong.
"Why do think trainers rarely make it to the league. Those leaders make sure they don't."
Keygan gasped while Vulpix looked up at her trainer. She was confused about what the two humans were talking about. What did the leader mean by trainers didn't make it very far because of the leaders? She was missing something. Vulpix decided she would protect Keygan. She was the only human she would ever trust.
"I thought so…" Keygan answered.
"Please take care of yourself. You're a lucky one. The organization not only makes sure Pokémon are suppressed to pleasing battles and war, but they decide who becomes a trainer. They pick kids who are either close to their ideals so they can recruit later on. They accept people like you to keep up a disguise as well as they're cocky wondering if anyone can stop them." Brock explained.
Keygan didn't realize their world they lived in was this…awful. It had to be stopped, but she had to be careful. From what she understood this could a life and death mission. She'd have to keep a close and open mind. No distractions. She'd also have to protect herself as Vulpix being outside her Poké Ball made her a target. Anyone else would confine their Pokémon.
"Understood." Keygan said understanding truly what she had gotten herself into.
AN: And that is the end of the chapter! So, I wiped the floor with Brock in the game with only Vulpix and Ember. It was interesting. Anyway! Next episode is ironic because Keygan doesn't like distractions and yet she gets her first one. Hope you liked it! Please review, favorite, and/or follow! See ya!