-Chapter 9-

Quick Attack

Marleon grimaced at the thought. He looked back in the gym for a moment. He had a few strong Pokemon, but he had not battled with them, let alone even gotten used to any of them. He hadn't even given the new gym system a try. He knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against Charstar, at least with the team he had. "Listen, Charstar, I really don't want to-", Marleon began to say, and he heard a few of the Valors laughing and scoffing. "What a wimp!", someone said in the background. "No wonder he picked Team 'Extinct'!", another shouted. Charstar grinned, "So, you're admitting right here, right now, that you don't have what it takes to beat me? And that Team Valor is the superior team?"

The Lavatic Gym Leader awaited his response. Marleon sighed. "If I battle you, will it shut you up?", he asked. Charstar blinked at the response. He grinned, smugly crossing his arms, "Wow, what a response! Alright, let's do this thing! Why don't you invite us all in?", he asked. Marleon shook his head. "I haven't had any time to clean up the gym since I've been back. You know where the Oceanside Arena is, right? Meet me there in about an hour.", the Rain Dance Gym Leader instructed. "Hmph...sounds good.", Charstar agreed, "I'll be looking forward to it. See you there, Gyarados!" Marleon nodded slowly, and then closed the door. He could hear laughing, cheering, and such coming from the other side of the door as the Valors and their champion left. He rubbed his head, looking back at his current team.

"Fine...if he wants a battle...I'll give him a battle.", he spoke to himself.

A little less than an hour had passed, and Marleon walked along the path to the arena. He could hear a lot of commotion as he approached, and as it turned out, the news spread quickly that there was going to be a battle between two of the former gym leaders of the Fire Islands League. News was literally spreading there as Charstar and his entourage of Valor trainers were accompanied by a Channel 130 Action News crew, complete with a cameraman and a reporter. The small metal stands around the flat battlefield were filled to the brim, two of them full of Team Valors cheering on Charstar. One set of bleachers held a small group of Team Mystic trainers who didn't know who they were going to cheer for yet. The last set of stands was also full, but with Team Instinct trainers ready to cheer on Marleon.

"So you showed up! Good! I was getting worried you'd chicken out!", Charstar boasted when he saw Marleon approach. The Rain Dance leader exhaled, "Was the news crew really necessary, Charstar? You went a little too far this time.", he said. Charstar laughed, "Nah! I want all of Rain Dance Island to see this, and by the way...it's being broadcast on all the islands too. The whole league wants to watch this battle, as I'm expecting you to give me a good fight!", he replied. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with.", Marleon said, starting to walk to one of the ends of the battlefield. The Valors began to boo when he said that. "Heh...you're awfully out of character, Gyarados. Not like you to be so unwilling to battle.", Charstar said with a grin. Marleon stopped, not even looking to his opponent, as he responded, "You don't even know the half of it, Charstar. I lost my entire team. Drago...my Gyarados is dead. Those who adopted my Pokemon are refusing to return them to me. I've had to start all over and I only have a handful of Pokemon to work with."

Charstar blinked. "What...really?", he asked. Marleon looked at him, eye to eye. Charstar exhaled, "So you were serious when you said you weren't ready to battle. Fine, I'll tell everyone to go home then.", he said. Marleon shook his head, and pulled a Pokeball from his belt, "It's already too late. You promised the entire league an epic battle. So let's get this over with.", he said, "Send out your Pokemon. I only brought one with me to battle you with."

The news crew began a live broadcast, announcing the battle. Cheers from the stands as Charstar took his place. He was no longer smiling, as he took a Pokeball off his belt. "Let's go...Typhlosion!", he announced as he threw the ball and sent out the Fire-type Pokemon. The Typhlosion flared his fiery mane and roared loudly. Charstar patiently waited for Marleon to call out his Pokemon. "I hope you chose someone worthy for me to battle, Gyarados!", he called out. Marleon closed his eyes. "Oh...I did. Come on out...Magikarp!"

Marleon's golden Magikarp appeared on the battlefield, and at once began to flop around and complain. Charstar was speechless. The crowd clamored, from boos to laughs. "What the hell, Gyarados?", Charstar shouted. Marleon crossed his arms, "Well? Are you going to battle him or not?", he asked. "Damn you! Why are you doing this? You had nothing else better?", Charstar spat. The Rain Dance Leader smiled, "I have a Glaceon and a Seel, both of which I knew was a mismatch against you, and an Altaria but she decided to take a nap on my bed, so I wasn't going to bring her along. So here you go, Charstar. I trust my Magikarp completely. Now, are you going to attack or not?"

Charstar balled his hand into a fist, but he held back what he was going to say. "Fine then. Have it your way. Typhlosion! Quick Attack!". The news reporter began commentating as Typhlosion went on all fours and then vanished, hitting Magikarp with a powerful kick. The fish was propelled to the other side of the battlefield, and kept flailing wildly. "Magikarp! Splash!", Marleon announced. Magikarp collected a little bit of the dew on the tiles of the field and flailed his tail at Typhlosion. It did nothing but produce a few small droplets of water that fizzled on contact with the fire type. "Typhlosion! Inferno!", Charstar called. The Pokemon flared his fire, aimed at Magikarp, and unleashed a devastating fire attack...but it missed the fish and nearly hit the section of stands with the Team Mystic trainers. Their buddy Pokemon hopped in the way to protect their trainers, but luckily, the flames hit nearby. "Whoa!", the newscaster gasped. One of the Mystic trainers, Alex, was pulling her Gengar back, who was just about ready to storm onto the battlefield in anger from the close call. "Gengar, wait!", she cried, finally returning her Gengar before he interfered with the fight. Charstar huffed, then shouted at Typhlosion, "Hey! Watch where you're aiming!" He was now regretting televising the battle. It almost came off like he was trying to target the Mystic trainers. "Magikarp...Splash again!", Marleon called.

Magikarp flailed and did little. Charstar was angry, and pointed at Magikarp, "Typhlosion! Hit that stupid fish with a Double-Edge! Finish him off!" Typhlosion charged up, his paws glowing a bright light, as he surged at Magikarp and landed the blow. Connecting it, the attack dealt a massive amount of damage, while simultaneously hurting Typhlosion. "This is it! Magikarp is done for!", the newscaster announced.

But Magikarp didn't go flying off into the distance, and didn't faint. What happened next astounded everyone watching, both presently there and watching the live broadcast. The Magikarp began to glow just as bright, even brighter actually, and began to change shape. "What is this?", Charstar questioned. Marleon smiled, "I think...you picked on him one too many times.", he responded.

The Typhlosion was now pinned down underneath the large, scaled body of a Red Gyarados! The sea serpent glared down at the fire type and let out an intimidating roar. The Team Instinct crowd stood and rallied with cheers. The Mystic group was still stunned from the fire blast, and the Valors only watched in silence, completely speechless at the turn of events. Marleon checked his Pokedex, and then grinned, before pointing at Typhlosion, "Alright Gyarados! Let's go with a Dragon Rage!", he announced. The Pokemon complied, and began to create a vortex, encasing Typhlosion in it and sending him skyward. The Fire Pokemon landed with a thud afterward, dazed. "Typhlosion! Flamethrower!", Charstar called, but Typhlosion was dizzy and stumbling. "Now's our chance, Gyarados! Hydro Pump!", Marleon called. "What?!", Charstar shouted, as the Gyarados built up a torrent of water in his maw, and unleashed it on Typhlosion. The Fire-type was propelled out of the arena and hit the grass nearby with a thud, laying there motionless, fainted. "That's impossible! That Gyarados shouldn't be able to know Hydro Pump already!", Charstar complained, but Marleon grinned and showed his Pokedex, "I didn't know he did either, but he is a much higher level than I realized. All the hate he received from the trainers here...he just took it all in, and slowly grew more and more powerful. You just were the spark that set him off."

"What a battle! There you have it! Marleon Takenawa of Team Instinct just defeated Charstar of Team Valor!", the reporter announced. Charstar watched speechlessly as the Valor crowd began to disperse, while the Team Instinct crowd ran onto the field to congratulate Marleon and his new Gyarados. "No shelter from the storm!", they kept calling happily, "Instinct! Instinct!"

Charstar returned Typhlosion, and approached Marleon. The Instinct crowd settled down. "How?", Charstar asked, "How could you have possibly known that you'd defeat me with...with a Magikarp?!" Marleon hesitated, looking up to the Red Gyarados. He chuckled a little, and gave his new Pokemon a pat on the side, then turned to Charstar. "I trusted my instincts." The trainers in yellow laughed and celebrated some more. The cameras were rolling, still broadcasting the victory for Team Instinct. Charstar, surprisingly, began to chuckle. Then he burst out laughing. "Damn...damn good battle, Gyarados! Both Gyaradoses! I wouldn't have expected any less of you!" Charstar extended a hand. Marleon approached and shook his hand. "You trusted your instincts, huh? Damn it. Of course you'd have to say that cliché line.", Charstar whispered. Marleon shamefully laughed and rubbed the back of his head, "My bad."

Once Charstar had left and the Instinct crowd finally dispersed, Marleon looked up to his Gyarados. He could tell the Pokemon was pretty badly shaken up. "Come on, Red, let's go to the Team Instinct headquarters and get you healed up. I uhh...I hope you don't mind me calling you 'Red'.", he asked. The Gyarados nodded in agreement to the name, and Marleon returned him, exhaling. He took a chance on bringing Magikarp. He actually fully expected to be defeated and humiliated at the arena, but it would seem he got very lucky.

He stepped into the facility and turned to the Pokemon Center. After Red was revitalized, he went down the hallway and swiped his card across the scanner. The doors slid open and Marleon was greeted with cheers when the Team Instinct trainers saw him walk in. "Marleon! You beat the snot outta Charstar! That was amazing!", trainers left and right were applauding him for the battle. He chuckled softly, "It was nothing, really. Hey, let me catch up with V, I need to talk with her.", Marleon said. The trainers nodded, one of them said, "She's in a conference call, but we can let her know you're here." "Thanks, I'm gonna go relax in my quarters for a little while.", Marleon said, heading down the hall. He had to shake a few hands and give a few fist bumps to the celebratory trainers. He didn't realize how big of a deal it was to show Team Instinct's strength.

As he passed one of the rooms, he stopped and listened in. He heard V's voice...and Rose's as well. Marleon couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation, as Rose had called V after the broadcast. "I told you countless times already, and I hate repeating myself, Vicky! You don't touch our gyms in Mariner City! They are absolutely off limits!", Rose huffed. V was calmer, but Marleon could hear her becoming increasingly annoyed, "Well sooner or later they're going to change hands. If not by us, then I'm sure you'll have to deal with Team Mystic. Besides, Garrett has been greedy on this side of the island. We only have three gyms for Instinct!", she replied. Rose crossed her arms, "We had an agreement! You don't attack our gyms, and we leave yours alone!", Rose said. V scoffed, "And you've repeatedly broken that agreement! We lost five gyms to Valor today alone!" Rose leaned into the camera, "I can't stop Charstar when he comes here! What he wants, he takes!" V sighed, crossing her arms, "...Well, he got put in his place today. In any event, you're going to have to realize that the world doesn't revolve around Team Valor. There are good trainers here that I am working with, and they deserve much more than what they are receiving. I won't stand idly by and let you or Team Mystic continue to walk all over us." "Yeah? Well let me tell you a thing or two-", Rose began to say, but V put her finger on the keyboard before her, and said, "This conversation is over. We're done here." "Wait! Don't you dare hang up on-", the last words Rose got out before the screen went blank. V turned and stepped out into the hall, surprised to see Marleon there. "Oh! You're here!", she said, smiling to him, "So...you sure stirred up a Beedrill nest this morning." Marleon shrugged, "I didn't exactly intend to have to battle my old friend, but it worked out alright."

"Well, you made us proud today. So much so that news has already made it to the big boss. He wants you to give him a call when you get a moment.", V said. Marleon blinked, "Huh...I'm not sure I've ever met him. Who is he?", he asked. V tilted her head, "You...don't remember him from the recruitment video? Spark?", she asked. Marleon thought back to the short video he watched at the Pokemon Center in Mariner City. There was...Blanche, from Team Mystic, and he remembered Candela really well only because of his call with her yesterday. "Oh right. He's the one that coined the whole 'trust your instincts' thing, right?", Marleon asked. He remembered Spark there, the guy with the spiky blonde hair. Funny...he reminded Marleon a lot of Mike Thunderbird.

V nodded, "You shouldn't keep him waiting. It was important from what I heard.", she said, and Marleon motioned to the room she had just left, "Can I use this room to call him, then?", he asked. V chuckled, "Actually...he asked me to make the call in the great room, so all the Instincts could listen in." The Gym Leader blinked, "Oh! Well, I suppose that'll work."

The two of them went back into the great room, where the crowd had already gathered around. The place was more lively than he remembered, a lot of friendly faces chatting with one another. Marleon hadn't ever seen the Team Instinct trainers so uplifted. It was a refreshing sight. "Alright everyone, settle down! We're putting in the call to Spark now!", V announced, and turned to Marleon, Stand over here so he can see you. Oh and...why don't we have your Gyarados present too?" The Gym Leader walked over and stood where she instructed, and then released Red. The Red Gyarados yawned and looked around in confusion. Marleon gave his belly a pat, "Don't worry, Red. They all wanted to congratulate you on the win today.", he assured the big water Pokemon. Red blinked, and settled, getting himself comfortable on the polished tile floor. When everyone was in place, V put in the call. There was a large monitor in the great hall, Marleon and Red stood front and center before it.

The screen flickered, and then connected, showing a room with a large, comfortable-looking chair. Sitting in the chair was a Pikachu. "Pika!", the mouse waved to all the Instincts. They giggled and waved back. "Hey, move over!", they heard someone say, and then the Pikachu hopped down and Spark sat in its place. "Hey! How're we all doing over there on Rain Dance Island?", the man asked with a big grin on his face. The Instincts trainers cheered, and the pride could definitely be seen on Spark's face. He then looked down where V, Marleon, and Red were standing, "And you must be the guy! I've been hearing all about your work there! But that battle! Whew! That was incredible!", Spark laughed. Marleon was a little embarrassed from all the attention, giving Red's belly a pat, "Th-thanks...I just...", he stammered, the situation flustered him a little, "I just trusted Magikarp, like I always have. And Red here didn't let me down." Spark grinned wider, "You didn't give up on Magikarp. I've never heard anything more fitting from a member of my team. That's what I've been striving for all along. A team that shows dedication and loyalty. That is what I mean when I say we can never lose when we trust our instincts!", he said, and the trainers all applauded again. He then continued, "Well hey, I've got a surprise for you. I hope you don't mind that I did a little research on your background as a trainer...", and Marleon shook his head, "Not at all." "Good, well, I have a special Pokemon that I'd like to pass on to you. He is fully evolved, and I think he will fit the criteria you're looking for. That is...if you're willing to accept him.", Spark asked. Marleon looked to V, who gave him a nod, and he then looked back up at the monitor, "I'll take him.", he replied.

Spark leaned back, and picked up an Ultra Ball, "Here he comes then! Take good care of him! And congratulations once again! Keep it up!", Spark said and put the ball in a slot next to the chair. He typed in some things on a keyboard, and the Ultra Ball began to glow and flicker before vanishing. There was a similar slot right below the monitor, and before Marleon's eyes, the Ultra Ball appeared. V picked it up and handed it to Marleon. He took the ball and pressed the button to release the Pokemon inside. The ball opened, and a flash of red light came out and materialized into a Flygon. The Dragon looked around, before seeing Marleon with the ball in his hands. Flygon at once ran to him and wrapped his arms around the trainer, embracing him in a hug. "Urkk!", Marleon wasn't expecting the Pokemon to be so affectionate. Spark laughed, "Sorry, I probably should have mentioned that he is a little clingy...", but Marleon smiled and wrapped an arm around Flygon, hugging him back, and then looked up at the monitor, "It's...it's just fine, heh." Spark nodded, "Well, he is a Dragon-type as well as a Ground-type. I saw you had an appreciation for dragons, and I was looking for just the right trainer to give him to."

Spark then looked back to the crowd, "Alright, Team Instinct! We've got some momentum going today! Let's keep it up and show the world who we are!", he gave a salute, and the trainers applauded and lifted their arms up victoriously, calling out, "No shelter from the storm!" The Pikachu hopped into Spark's lap and waved, "Pika pika!", and then the communication was disconnected. Everyone dispersed, going back to what they were working on. Flygon finally let go of Marleon and looked up to Red. The Gyarados looked to his trainer, a little concerned. "We've got an all-star team forming, Red! You and Flygon here, as well as Altaria and Glaceon and Seel! We just need one more to complete the team. But who...?", he asked them, thinking back to his old Pokemon team. He sighed, missing them all once again. "Listen, I have a little bit of business to do here, and then we'll head back over to the Rain Dance Gym and pick up the rest of the team. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see both of you." Red nodded slowly, Flygon tilted his head. Marleon smiled, "Don't worry, Flygon. You'll be great with us."

The two were returned and Marleon went back to the room where Quagsire was being held. He looked in, seeing his old Pokemon still hadn't moved. Still sitting in the place, covered in aggressive vines. The staff on hand looked over to see him come in. "How is he?", Marleon asked. They shook their heads, "Still in pain. At this point we're not sure what else we can do for him. We haven't been able to find any sort of cure for the Leech Seed.", they said. Marleon approached, and one of the staff said, "Be careful, it'll burn on contact.", but Marleon reached into his pocket and took a wrapped Poke-puff, unwrapping it. The staff watched as he put a hand on Quagsire's head, and another right on his throat, and lifting his head up, he pushed the puff into the Pokemon's mouth. The Leech Seed attacked his hands, and he tensed and cringed, pulling back, feeling his palms throb. He looked over, and gasped as Quagsire's eyes were open. The Pokemon was blankly staring, but it was the first time Marleon had seen him open his eyes. The staff gasped as well, "He's awake!", they said. Marleon reached over and gave Quagsire's head a rub, avoiding the vines. "He always loved the mango ones...", he said, before looking deep into Quagsire's eyes, "Quagsire...I'm sorry that you're suffering like this. Just...just hold on a little longer. We'll get you through this. We're going to beat it."

The Pokemon gulped, swallowing down the puff, and then, Marleon watched him close his eyes and drift back to sleep. He stood and went to the door. "Where are you going?", one of the staff members asked him. Marleon stopped, and looked back. "I'll do whatever it takes to rid Quagsire of this pain. I'm going to the library. There's got to be something we can do for him, something better than this."