AN: Thanks for all the support guys! It means a lot! I love seeing notifications in my email about it so I was inspired to write this chapter and get some of my other stories updated or up! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Pokémon so the matter is irrelevant.
Chapter 19: Opportunity Knocks Down
Keygan woke up warm and peaceful. Having arrived in Fuchsia City earlier than expected was great. It allowed the three to rest and relax before Keygan would want to rush off to the gym the next day in hopes to challenge it and earn the badge. She didn't have much long left before she'd reached her goal. The goal to challenge the league for control.
"When we enter the gym we have to be cautious. I've heard the gym leader uses poison types." Javan said as they walked.
"Catelin?" Keygan asked seeing her stop.
"I'm fine. Do you mind if I meet up with you later?" Catelin asked nervously.
"Well, I'm going to the gym now." Keygan said curiously. Didn't her friend want to go watch her gym battle? Despite she was aware her battles put Catelin off she always made sure she was there to help out when she needed.
"I'll be there. I just need a minute." Catelin explained.
Keygan and Javan looked to one unsure. They both shrugged and made their way down the road to the gym.
"Bulbasaur!" the Pokémon cried.
"Wonder what's going on?" Keygan wondered out loud.
"I don't know." Javan said.
"A Pokémon like you had no use being at my gym." The man at the door said.
"Bulba!"
"No!"
"Why not?" Keygan asked interrupting them.
"Hm. A mere child has no quarrel in this matter."
"It does when it is blocking the path of me and my gym battle." Keygan snapped.
The black hair man's eye widen upon hearing that she was there to challenge the gym. Inwardly he cursed to himself and smirked because apparently there was someone stupid enough to challenge him. Didn't anyone tell this little fool?
"This baby of a Pokémon isn't at full potential."
"But it can be." Keygan said.
"That takes time and patience that I currently no longer possess. I am Koga the gym leader and I am accepting your challenge child." Koga said as he turned and walked back into his gym leaving the teens out there with the grass and poison type.
"Bulbasaur!" the grass type cried as he then scratched at the door. He knew he wasn't at his full potential. He wanted to be and training under the poison type master would be the best way to do so. He just wanted a chance to prove himself.
"Bulbasaur." Keygan said kneeling down. "I don't know if this matters or I'm coming off too strong, but I would take you."
"Saur?!" Bulbasaur said in shock. This girl was offering him a trainer. Trainers could be strong, but…this girl had a Vulpix sitting on her shoulder. Vulpix wasn't that powerful. Ninetales was power so she must not be as good as she appears. "Bulbasaur!" He quickly shook his head and ran off the other direction that lead behind the gym.
"Ouch." Javan said. "It appears Bulbasaur thinks only gym leaders are strong enough."
Keygan rolled her eyes. She didn't ask him.
"Vulpix." Vulpix said patting the side of her head.
"I'll live." Keygan said getting up and walking toward the gym door and entering.
The gym seemed dark and quiet. Keygan could feel Vulpix's body temperature rising as she was preparing for something or someone to come out and attack them. Suddenly the lights flashed on leaving a plain battle field with a ceiling of rafters. Standing on the other side of the field was Koga.
"For a minute I thought I had scared you off." Koga said as she entered.
"Never." Keygan said stepping into the trainer's box.
Before anyone could say anything else a person cloaked in black jumped from the rafters and landed in where the referee stood. He looked to both trainers.
"Battle shall begin. Use three Pokémon." He said swiftly.
"Fine." Keygan answered.
"Well then. Go Venomoth!"
"Vena." The monotone moth said.
"Fine. Go Beedrill!"
"Bee."
Both poison and bug types stared down at one another. This battle was more than a badge. It was life and pride on the line. Beedrill couldn't help feel grateful that it was Keygan who found him in the forest that day and not him.
"Psybeam!" Koga called the first move.
"Agility!" Keygan called to increase Beedrill's speed so he was able to dodge the super-effective attack.
Javan felt like biting his nails. Keygan was at a real disadvantage going into this battle. Luckily the battle had been three on three as far as he could tell. However, Koga used poison type Pokémon which were strong against her Clefairy as well inflicted nasty status conditions. He wondered if Keygan knew that or was she just walking in blind which was what she seemed to do a lot in his opinion.
"Aerial Ace!"
Beedrill swooped in and smacked Venomoth. Unfortunately the moth didn't go down and regained his balance in the air and prepared to counter.
"Double Team!"
Beedrill's head moved quickly back and forth as the multiple Venomoth's appeared before him.
"Psybeam!"
The move came from the left and slammed into Beedrill sending him hurtling to the floor. Before slamming into the field he caught himself and darted back up. He shook off the feeling, but could still feel the painful sting of the super-effective damage.
"Aerial Ace!"
"Intercept it with Psybeam!"
"Quick use X-Scissor!"
"Drill!" Beedrill suddenly did a loop around and as he came back around, he had his stingers crossed creating a glowing X-shape that blocked the psychic type move.
"Now Aerial Ace!"
Still using X-Scissor Beedrill's body took off in streaks of white and struck Venomoth who fell to ground.
"Venomoth cannot battle. Beedrill wins."
"Yes!" Keygan said clinching her fist.
"Bee." Beedrill agreed with a quick nod.
"You have only barely escape the crept into the horror. Muk come to me!" Koga said calling out his next Pokémon.
"Muk!" the Pokémon cried.
"Ew." Keygan said to herself.
"Pix." Vulpix agreed.
"Alright. Aerial Ace!"
"Body Slam!"
Keygan gasped as Muk jumped and slammed its body onto Beedrill hurtling them both to the ground. They slammed into the floor and Beedrill struggled to free itself.
"Try and use Agility to free yourself!"
It was no use as she watch Beedrill continue to struggle. Muk's body simply seemed to spread making escape impossible.
"Fire Blast!"
"What?!"
"Muk!"
Muk then blasted off the ground using the powerful fire type move.
Keygan involuntarily took a step forward as she flooded with concern for her first caught Pokémon. She felt horrible letting this happen and the Koga stood there smirking. He seemed pleased with himself and what he ordered his Pokémon to perform. There was no way Beedrill would survive a close range Fire Blast.
Vulpix gritted her teeth. That was cruel and not that playing around cruel she did to Catelin and Jigglypuff. She wanted to go out there and give the Pokémon and its trainer a piece of her mind, or flames. See how they like it.
"Beedrill!" Keygan cried out as the flames dissipated.
"Drill..." Beedrill moaned fainted as his seared body laid on the field.
"I'm sorry. You did well." Keygan said as she returned him.
"Haha! Poison types are deadly you see. You were foolish to challenge me. Give up child and I might let you walk away in one piece." Koga proclaimed.
"Never!" Keygan shouted. "You think we're going to run. That would be dishonorable to Beedrill and his will he showed. He'd sting me for running."
"Vulpix!" Vulpix agreed. And she would burn her trainer as well.
"Clefairy I choose you!" Keygan said.
"Your choice says otherwise." Koga said seeing she was using a fairy type.
"We'll see. Metronome!"
Keygan knew she was taking a risk, but so far taking risk seemed to produce pretty good ideas. Now it was time to see if it would pay off once again. Koga simply laughed at her attempt and expected her to get something ineffective.
"Fairy!" Clefairy shouted as her fingertips glowed white and shinned out. The white glow transitioned into a green color and the light burst producing multiple of green arrow like strikes that pelted Muk who roared in pain.
~Thousand Arrows, a ground type move only known by one Pokémon. This move can hit flying targets. ~
Keygan looked in disbelief at Clefairy who was happily jumping around at the move she had gotten. She seemed well aware that she got a ground type move which was super-effective against a poison type.
"Muk..." Muk groaned but still got back up and glared at Clefairy who only smiled.
"Sludge Bomb!"
"Psyshock!"
Javan now knew why she didn't seem all that worried when she mentioned her three Pokémon. Vulpix was strong enough by herself and Beedrill couldn't be poisoned. She had also been taking Clefairy out alone and training somedays. That explained why. She was teaching her a new move.
"Screech!" Muk then switch and let out an ear bleeding screech. Clefairy quickly covered her ears at the awful sound and Vulpix dug her head into Keygan's leg as said trainer covered her own ears. "Now Sludge Bomb!"
The attack was on target. Clefairy was knocked off her feet but quickly rolled over and got back up. Clefairy groaned but was still able to battle. Keygan could see the damage was pretty heavy and both Muk were running out of steam.
"Psyshock!" Keygan attacked.
"Sludge Bomb!"
Every time she attacked with the super-effective move it didn't work. He would always block it somehow. She needed to change up this game.
"Metronome!"
Keygan knew the risk, but she didn't have much else to do at this point. The only other moves besides Psyshock were Dazzling Gleam which wasn't effective at all and Hidden Power which wasn't much help at all either.
Clefairy put her finger toward the ceiling and white sparkles shimmered down and touched her body causing it to glow. Clefairy instantly looked better, healed almost from the move used. Keygan smiled that Clefairy getting the move Moonlight paid off to get some of her strength back.
"Clefairy!"
"Sludge Bomb!" Keygan doubt that Clefairy would have survived if she hadn't got that lucky chance to heal.
"Metronome!" Keygan tried again.
Clefairy then moved in toward her opponent and attacked with a bone that appeared out of nowhere. She slammed the club into Muk before quickly backing away. Clefairy cheered happy that her move choice had worked out so well again. Muk let out an agonizing roar and slumped to the ground.
"Muk is unable to battle. Clefairy is the winner."
"One more." Keygan said to herself. She also looked around. She wasn't sure what to expect from gym leaders now. It was hard to tell who was on her side and who wasn't. Whoever was in charge in of the region didn't care about who got hurt or died as long as he stayed in control.
"Crobat go!"
"Cro!" The bat Pokémon cried.
"Cross Poison!" Koga called immediately.
Keygan couldn't keep up with how fast Crobat was moving. Before any of them could blink Crobat was in front of Clefairy and attacked.
"Fair!" Clefairy cried and hit back toward her trainer landing near her feet on her back.
"Clefairy!" Keygan called out.
"Clefairy cannot battle. Crobat wins."
"Thanks Clefairy. Rest up." Keygan said returning her.
Crobat sure was strong to take Clefairy out that quickly. Muk's last attack and even the previous battle despite the Moonlight probably wore her out. Honestly Keygan didn't expect to win the battle with Clefairy, but she had hoped she could have done so damage.
"Vul?"
"Ready Pix?" Keygan asked.
"Vulpix!" Vulpix cried as she jumped out onto the field.
"Your last Pokémon shall be our victim. Crobat Wing Attack!"
"Dodge using Quick Attack!" Keygan said and Vulpix jumped avoiding the attack.
"Toxic!"
"Flamethrower!"
Luckily Vulpix's flames were able to beat the toxic back keeping the deadly move from reaching Vulpix.
"Luck will only save you so many times." Koga said.
"You're not wrong." Keygan said. "But strategy increases our odds. Vulpix Safeguard!"
"Pix!" Vulpix howled as a green light expanded from Vulpix's body outward forming a force field before disappearing.
"No!" Koga roared. She came prepared. No one who had yet challenged him came aware of what he might do.
"Yes. Vulpix Fire Spin!"
Vulpix launched a flame that touched the ground below Crobat before shooting up surrounding the bat in spiral of flames.
"Cross Poison!" Koga cried. His plan worked as the attack broke the flames allowing his Pokémon to escape, but not before doing some damage. "Poison Fang!"
Vulpix gasped as Crobat was suddenly next to her and bit down on her leg. She cried out and attempted to pull away. Suddenly the Safeguard activated and protected her. Crobat looked surprised and his grip on Vulpix loosened.
"Flamethrower!"
"Pix!" Vulpix cried as she struck Crobat with a close range Flamethrower.
Catelin needed more than a minute. She needed to get away. She couldn't understand her. Keygan was always so calm while Catelin shook with fear during these kind of days. Keygan was putting more on the line than her pride or skills as a trainer. No one should have to sacrifice their life. Yet, Keygan walked on. Catelin didn't want to see anything bad happen to her. Her only true friend.
She walked into the mart. A little shopping would calm her down and hopefully allowed her to summon the courage to walk to the gym and go inside. The nightmare of seeing Keygan in peril replayed and she didn't want to see it happen. She didn't know what she'd do. However, each time Keygan came out okay. Brock and Misty didn't agree with the Champion's ways and didn't hurt her. Lt. Surge, she heard Vulpix got her out safely, but it was her friends who help find her. Catelin wondered if she helped Keygan the same way she helped her. Catelin attended and watched all she did...
Catelin rushed toward the gym. She had to get back before it ended. She hoped she see most of it if not all of it. Catelin wanted to stop and slap her herself thinking she didn't do anything. Catelin supported Keygan and at times when she could made sure nothing bad would happen to her. She had her back. Trusted her and now, she wasn't doing her part in the fight. From what she heard this fight wasn't easy from the rumors she heard while at the center. Trainers put into comas and slowly dying with no cure. She wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy and especially not the girl she considered her best friend. As she reached the gym she saw a Pokémon sitting outside.
"Excuse me." She said hurriedly as she pulled the door open and scooted him back. She needed inside.
"Bulba!" Bulbasaur cried as the door was finally opened and he was able to run inside and try to convince the poison type master to take him on as his Pokémon. As he reached the field he stopped seeing the battle take place. Catelin arrived around the same time as well.
"Crobat Cross Poison!"
"Quick Attack!"
Using the momentum from her Quick Attack Vulpix was able to flip over the attack and send herself spinning in a ball toward the opposing Pokémon.
"Flamethrower!"
Vulpix's reached a moment above Crobat. The bat Pokémon only caught a glimpse of the look in the fire type's eyes to see the pride and satisfaction. Vulpix was pleased with herself as she hit Crobat with another close range attack and the Flamethrower was conveniently placed above Crobat sending him blasting toward the floor. As the flames expelled so did the battle.
"Crobat is unable to battle. Vulpix wins. The winner is the challenger." The monotone referee said before he jumped and flipped up hiding back into the rafters which only recently Keygan noticed had gotten darker.
"We did it! Awesome Vulpix!" Keygan said to her partner.
"Vul!" Vulpix turned around and cheered back.
"You shall not taste victory." Koga said with a venom in his voice.
"I won." Keygan said bluntly.
"Pix..." Vulpix growled.
"My efforts will not fail and shall not end here!" Koga announced.
"Dos!" a voice said.
"Vulpix look out!" Keygan cried.
"Pix!" With the warning the Fox Pokémon was able to easily dodge the incoming attack that splattered across the field in a spider web.
"The battle is not over." Koga said.
"Liar!" Javan cried. "You said three on three!"
"I never agreed." Koga smirked.
"Ariados Spider Web!"
Not knowing where the attack was coming from it was too late until the attack came and landed on top of Vulpix pinning her to the floor. The fire type found herself unable move and struggle to free herself. Vulpix took a deep breath and prepared to attack when she felt her body become heavy and unable to move. She growled at the thought she was being held down by a Psychic attack.
"Leave her alone!" Keygan cried.
"I plan too." Koga said.
"Ariados Toxic!"
"No!" Keygan said. The battle was over. Vulpix's Safeguard wasn't in effect anymore. Keygan then sprinted toward her Pokémon.
Catelin had been watching since the near of the battle. She was tempted to join Javan, but didn't as her eyes were locked tight on the battle. Vulpix did amazing as always being so well trained. However, as the battle began to close she thought she saw something move above her.
"Keygan! It's not Vulpix!" Catelin cried realizing what was happening, but noticed moments too late as she saw the move Toxic strike her friend down. Her eyes widen seeing all that occured up close and personal. She felt a wave of fear wash over her and it was only the next voice she heard that made reach for help.
"Pix!" Came Vulpix desperate plea for her trainer. Vulpix had watched the attack strike Keygan on the back near her head. The Toxic exploded on contact and Vulpix could see her trainer fall the ground. As much as she struggled it useless, she was useless, against the binds of Psychic.
"Jigglypuff come out and use Hyper Voice!"
"Puuufff!" Jigglypuff said coming out to her trainer's call and attacking the Ariados. The Psychic hold on Vulpix released.
"Slowpoke come out and use Confusion!"
Slowpoke's Confusion quickly lifted Keygan and moved her away from the frenzy over to Javan. He then returned his Pokémon after thanking him and lifted the unconscious girl into his arms.
Vulpix took the chance and let out a flame and to burn the webbing that was keeping her from protecting her trainer. She then turned and ran toward Koga.
"You rat!" he called her as he dodged out of the way of her charge.
Vulpix then sped up using Quick Attack and bounced off Koga. He might be a ninja, but he was truly no match for the speed of a Pokémon. By using him as a spring board she was now up near the rafters where she could see everything above and below. She caught a glimpse as her trainer was being carried out of the gym. She saw her attacker. She let out a growl and attacked with Flamethrower hitting Ariados with a direct hit. Ariados fell from the rafters to the floor and Vulpix landed in front of the fainted bug. She thought it now over as she ran toward the others who were escaping the gym. Her trainer matter more.
As the fire type took off in a sprint to follow those other trainers one Pokémon watched on. Vulpix wasn't weak by far what he saw. She was powerful able to take two evolved Pokémon on her own. Her trainer was something else too and now...his trainer hurt her. Who was stronger? This trainer he met today and who offered him a hand in strength or this mislead ideal that was nothing but a toxin. He wasn't sure, but turned to follow the Pokémon who seemed covered in veil of light protecting her. Bulbasaur would soon see, it wasn't the Safeguard.
AN: That's the end of chapter! Woo! Glad I got it up! Our hero is down again and meet a new Pokémon! What will happened?! I hope you'll come back for the next chapter to find out! In meantime please Review, Favorite, and Follow! See ya later!