Hey y'all! Back again with another chapter!
First and foremost, I wanted to apologize again for being a few days late on the update. My schedule at work got switched from nights to days and I'm still trying to get used to juggling everything around that I need to get done. Hopefully this schedule will stick so that I can actually plan on doing things instead of just when I've got the time.
Also! I would like to note that Ch 9 may be a few days late as well! Ill be going on a trip for a wedding for a couple of days and I want to focus on having fun with friends and family. Don't worry it will still be coming and I'll still be writing while Im away! Things have just started to get busy for me this Summer (which isn't a surprise) and my update schedule might be play by ear for a while until some things get done.
Besides that I hope you enjoy reading!
(I do not own Pokemon. That goes to GameFreak and Nintendo.)
The first thing that I noticed was the blinding lights that hung overhead in the main stadium of the Pewter Gym. I instinctively covered my eyes with my forearm as they fought to adjust from the dim-lit corridor that I was in previously. As they slowly adjusted I could hear the overwhelming noise of chatter as I realized that the stands were packed! While not the largest stadium in the Indigo League, it could still hold around 1,500 people and it seemed that there were that many chanting and cheering for a great fight. I could feel my heart in my throat as I slowly walked forward with thousands of eyes tracking my every moment moving forward.
The stadium itself was standard size with rocks that were arrayed around the field in random places. Thankfully there weren't any large outcroppings like there were on the last field so I wouldn't need to worry about having to flush out my opponent if they wanted to hide like in the last battle. I palmed Kong's Pokeball nervously as I made my way toward the podium that I would be using. Polli was out for the count with her clean sweep of the gauntlet portion of my challenge. Between just plain exhaustion from having three fights in a row and the poison from the Toxic, Polli had proved her might. Kong would be all that I had for whatever Brock was wanting to throw my way.
I stepped up onto the podium and suddenly the sound system crackled with static and burst to life. "LADIIIIEES AND GENTLEMEN! For our next fight during our afternoon challenges, we have a very promising challenger! While she may be a rookie, she managed to crack the stone of the gauntlet challenge with a single Pokemon! Give it up, for Cindy Pracket of Saffron!!!!" The crowd erupted with cheers and applause as I stood gobsmacked by all of the attention. This was for me? A small smile slowly grew across my face and I tentatively waved back toward the section that had begun chanting my name. After a few more seconds the noise level had quieted back down to where the announcer could begin his job again.
The lights at the far end were darkened as a shadow began moving towards the opposite box from the hallway opposite me. There was a rumble that reverberated throughout the stadium as everyone in the stands began to stomp their feet in preparation.
"AND NOW! THE PEWTER CITY GYM LEADER HIMSELF! A BOY NO LONGER! BROOOOOOOCK!!"
The stadium exploded into noise as the cheers became deafening when the rest of the lights snapped on and Brock himself stood in all his glory. He looked to be pretty young, around 19 or 20 maybe? He wore an olive green pair of cargo pants that ended atop a pair of brown hiking shoes. A loose-fitting orange long-sleeve shirt (that suited him nicely I might add) covered his torso as he stood upon the opposite podium of the stadium. The cheers slowly faded back down to a more manageable volume and Brock quickly called over towards me.
"Welcome to the Pewter Gym challenger Cindy! I must say that I'm very impressed with your skillset with my gauntlet trainers. To make it through with only one Pokemon is an impressive feat indeed. However…" Brock grabbed a Pokeball off of his belt and brought his hands across his chest. "I will be your last opponent for this challenge. Show me your skill and dedication in this final battle!"
The referee appeared in the box that overlooked that stadium. They appeared to be a younger boy around 13 or so and suspiciously looked very similar to Brock. Is that Forest maybe? I remember Brock having a younger brother in the anime but I couldn't for the life of me remember what he looked like besides being similar to Brock. The referee began announcing the ruleset, breaking me from my thoughts.
"This will be a two on two battle! The challenger has one free substitution until all substitutions are considered a forfeit of that Pokemon. The Gym Leader has no substitutions for this match! Trainer Cindy! Are you ready?" I looked at the ref and gave a confident nod. I had trained Kong and Polli to be prepared for this fight. And even though Polli might be out, Kong would be fighting fresh.
"Both trainers are ready! The Gym Leader will release their Pokemon first! And without further adieu! Begin!"
Brock uncrossed his arms and sent out his first member for our battle.
"Aron! Test the waters!" A small four-legged creature appeared that shone with a lustrous metal coat. Its large blue eyes were looking around the court with glee as it noticed all of the people cheering and sitting in the stands. After a few seconds of soaking in the attention, it stopped and turned its gaze toward me, awaiting the arrival of its opponent. I pulled Kong's Pokeball from my bag and held it briefly. "You're all that's left, buddy. Polli has done a lot to get us here so let's make the most of it!" I pulled back my arm and threw his Pokeball forward.
"Kong! Achieve our victory!" Kong emerged from the Pokeball and jumped a few times to warm up his body for the fight to come. He soon settled into a stance and waited for the start of the battle to be indicated. There was a small lul of silence as even the crowd waited in anticipation. I could feel my mind focusing on the field as I anxiously awaited the beginning of the battle.
"BEGIN!"
"Aron! Mud-Slap into Harden!" Aron took the first move as it slammed its foot into the ground and shot a glob of mud toward Kong. As soon as the attack was made it hunkered down and a light glow overtook its coat.
"Dodge it! Then hit it with an Encore!" Kong jumped nimbly off to the side, the Mud-Slap missing by a foot, and began to jump and clap its hands above its head. A small aura built around him and I could visibly see the glaze appear in Aron's eyes as the effect of our trap took hold. It slowly regained its footing and stamped at the ground with a confused look on its face. It seemed that this particular Aron had never been on the other end of an Encore before. That was good. It would buy us the needed time to set up some buffs of our own.
"Aron! Shake it off! I know you can do it!" Brock yelled as Aron continued to shake its head from side to side in an attempt to help rid itself of the effect.
"Kong! Focus Energy and get closer! Once you get closer hit it with a Swagger!" King nodded back at me and the aura that was around him grew larger as he took in a deep breath to focus his strength. His eyes which were once closed in focus snapped back open with a sudden focus and he began running towards the Aron that was stuck between using Harden and shaking its head from side to side. Aron managed to finish its second Harden when Kong let out a series of loud yells and made many gestures with its arms towards Aron. There was a flash in its eyes as the confusion took hold and fueled its anger at the situation it found itself in. The frustration of not being able to use your moves easily fuels the tunnel vision that Swagger tries to create with its confusion effect. Brock grits his teeth as he shouted orders, trying to reach Aron through the mental haze that must have taken place at this point. It was to no avail however as Aron tried to use some sort of move on Kong but it failed to take effect as it fell face-first into the dirt only making it angrier.
"Kong! Seismic Toss! All your strength!" Kong reached forward and grabbed Aron with both of its arms. I could see Kong's muscles bulge at the sudden weight of Aron but Kong proved that his bulk was stronger with a mighty leap followed by a heavy slam as Kong flung it high into the sky and gravity did its job of bringing Aron back into the Earth compounded by the force of the throw. The dust cleared revealing Aron rising back to its feet with the glazed look on its eyes gone from view. It looked rattled but the defense boosts from both of the Hardens showed as it came out unscathed aside from some small scratches where King had gripped and a small dent in its hide where it landed back to the ground. I grit my teeth knowing this battle was going to be long and drawn out. The Aron still seemed young and new to battling but it still had the toughness that only a truly talented trainer would be able to bring out in it. Brock truly was a remarkable trainer when it came to Rock types.
"Glad to see you back, Aron! Close in with Metal Claw! Once you find an opening trap the Mankey in!" Aron growled loudly as its legs shined bright from the steel-type energy that began to flow through them. Aron charged forward to Kong and took a few swipes testing his response to its advance. Kong easily showed that Aron was lacking in the speed department as he weaved around the attempts to attack it. Kong may not be the fastest Pokemon in the world but against the natural speed of Aron, I wasn't worried about his abilities to keep away from the swipes. What I was worried about was when Aron started launching medium-sized boulders in an attempt to trap King with them. I recognized the use of Rock Tomo from watching Brock battle and it was one of his favorite tactics. He liked to trap Pokemon with the rocks and then slam into them with a hard-hitting move. For the most part, it worked and was a decent tactic that rookie trainers should be ready for. Kong was doing well with dashing out of the way whenever he was close to getting boxed in but there were plenty of rocks and he could only dodge for so long before he slipped up. It was when Aron made another attempt to box Kong in that I saw our chance.
"Kong! Protect on the final rock and then get close with a Low Kick!" Kong dodged two of the rocks with a quick jump to the side before creating a barrier that intercepted the last rock that flew toward where he had landed. In a burst of dust and rubble, the attack crumbled against the shield and Kong stood strong behind it. Aron looked wide-eyed at the Mankey almost in disbelief at the sudden switch up of tactics. Kong wasted no time in dashing forward and twisting before a strong kick landed straight into Aron's side. A loud crunch was heard as its hide crumpled under the force of the kick and Aron collapsed onto the ground. Kong quickly jumped back and waited with tense muscles ready for any indication that the fight was still raging. It was only a moment before he loosened up his muscles once Brock recalled Aron. Even with the boosted defenses, fighting moves still hit Aron four times more effectively. Maybe if it had managed to get off another Harden it could have gone through another hit but Swagger was instrumental in keeping Aron distracted from boosting any more than it had at the beginning of the battle.
Brock stood for a moment and appraised Mankey before speaking a few words to Aron's Pokeball. Like the gym trainers before him, he placed the ball on a spot in the podium on his side and it vanished off to what I assume was the gym's nursing station. He grabbed another Pokeball from the two that he had left and lightly tossed it in the air a few times. "You did well against Aron. While he may be a new addition due to the InterRegion Gym Roster, he's not a slouch either. You had wonderful strategies and great usage of your moves during that battle. However…what will your answer be to my next friend?"
With that, Brock caught the Pokeball one final time and tossed it high onto the field. I was feeling confident until the energy released towered high above both my and Kong's heads. It finally stopped as we came face to face with an Onix which was the largest Pokemon that I had ever seen in person. Standing almost thirty feet tall, Onix completely towered over the field as it took in the sight of Kong staring up at it in wonder. Brock chuckled as we took in the massiveness of his Pokemon.
"Onix here is one of my main battlers for rookie challenges. Prepare yourself, Cindy, we will not hold back! Onix matched Brock's words with a guttural roar and coiled closer to itself making a loud scraping sound of rocks crashing against the other. Kong smacked his arms down onto the stadium and yelled his challenge back. He looked ready as ever for this fight considering that he was able to dodge all of Aron's blows but I could see the sweat starting to soak his fur in places. Kong would need to hit hard, in the beginning, to keep up.
The referee, making sure we were both ready, waited a few seconds before starting the bout. He raised his arm into the air and held it for what felt like an eternity before in one sweeping motion, he called the start of the battle.
"BEGIN!!"
"Kong! Focus Energy and be ready to dodge!" King swiftly took a breath as once more a familiar shroud overcame him from the power boost.
"Onix! Show them your might! Hit it with a Screech!" Onix reared itself back and prepared to let lose a massive roar. I grinned as I felt all of my worries about this match slowly begin to fade away.
"Kong, take it! After that, hit it with a Leer!" Kong nodded as Onix roared. The sound of what I can only compare to a rock slide erupted from its maw and the sheer wind from it blew small pebbles across the field. Kong squeezed his eyes shut as the sound reached him.
And then they snapped open and Kong gave Onix one of the fiercest glares I've ever seen from him. He quickly ran forwards undaunted due to the buff from his Defiant ability. Onix quickly reacted with a Rock Throw but Kong blew it apart with a well-timed Low Kick and kept running forward. There was a look of surprise on Brock's face before it morphed into a calculating expression.
"Onix! It's going to hit hard so you know what to do!" Onix nodded and coiled upon itself before using what I recognized as a Harden to balance out the Leer that Kong had pulled off. Kong was still rapidly approaching Onix however and let loose a ferocious Low Kick at one of Onix's segments. A loud "CRACK" was heard as the segment and the two next to it spiderwebbed from the pure force of the attack. Onix collapsed back onto the ground and lay still. Kong darted back and looked exhausted from all of the runnings and dodging he's had to do in the match. I almost congratulated Kong on a splendid clean sweep when I noticed something.
Brock had yet to recall Onic as it lay in the dirt.
Alarm bells started ringing in my head as I ran through anything that I could remember about Onix from my previous life. What ability did Onix have? I remembered using one in a nuzlocke that had the Rock Head ability but…oh.
Oh Shit!!!
"KONG! It's got Sturdy! Get ready for any retaliation!" At my yell, Onix's eyes snapped open as it moved quicker than it had at the beginning of the match. It must have used Rock Polish at some point because even I knew that an Onix shouldn't be able to move with that speed. It snaked its way through the various rocks on Kong's left, sending flying debris everywhere in the stadium. Kong was able to dodge most of them but I did see a few had knocked his side and ripped a fist-sized chunk of fur from his body. Onix reared up less than ten feet away from Kong as I heard Brock matter the words that would spell our downfall.
"Bide."
I could feel the blood drain from my place as Onix glew with contained power. It had taken the blow from Kong intentionally to get in a winning blow at the last moment! I shouted frantically at Kong to run but I knew that there wasn't any hope of dodging this. With the sudden revelation of Onix's speed combined with being caught on the back foot, I knew Kong wouldn't be able to clear the area and not get hit.
My jaw dropped to the floor as I watched King pivot to face the looming threat above him and give a mighty shriek in response. He held up both arms as I saw a Protect flash into existence directly in front of the Onix's face as it descended. The Onix slammed into the sudden barrier and reeled backward from the shock of impact. The Protect shattered in an explosion that blew both of them away from the epicenter, the explosion of energy of the Bide forcing itself outwards in a shockwave that reverberated off of the psychic barriers that protected the onlookers in the stands. There was a large cloud of dust that emerged from the explosion which clouded the field from view. Everyone waited with bated breath as slowly the dust settle and we began to see more and more of the battlefield being revealed.
And there, barely conscious but still standing, was Kong. He had seen better days. He had patches of fur that were missing and scrapes that covered his skin that were laid bare. There was a particularly nasty gash that spread across his chest which was my immediate concern whenever I saw it. Across from Kong lay the unconscious and very banged-up Onix. Its horn had cracked and several cracks appeared along its upper segments from the initial collision. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes and I wasn't sure if it was from my concern or pride that I could feel welling up for my starter as I looked at him. He stood there staring directly into my face, gasping deep for breaths of air that didn't quite feel like enough oxygen.
It was after the buzzer sounded and the referee announced my name that Kong finally collapsed utterly exhausted from the trying battle. I grit my teeth as I recalled him. I had pushed my teammates to the very limits for this fight. It was a win…but it was by the skin of my teeth. I vowed that we would be better prepared for the next gauntlet as I placed Kong's Pokeball away and looked back up.
Brock was making his way over to me with a wide grin on his face. He quickly crossed the field with long strides and extended his hand to me for a handshake. I opted for my usual fist out for a fistbump and he laughed before returning the gesture.
"That was a magnificent battle, Cindy! For only having two Pokemon at your disposal I'm glad to see that you have raised them well enough to tackle this level of challenge by themselves!" He said before reaching into his pocket to pull out a small item. It was a Boulder Badge in all of its glory. He handed it over to me and I held it gingerly in my palms. The tears from before pricked my eyes again as I looked down at the symbol of my accomplishment. Looking up I could see the crowd cheering and waving down to me. I nervously waved back at them as Brock waved to the crowd as well. "First time in front of a crowd? He asked as he waved longer to a particular section. I noticed in one of the rows there was a line of Brock look-alikes and assumed that must be his siblings.
"Yeah. It makes the atmosphere of the battle a bit more intense." I replied as I turned to fully look at him. Even though he had lost, he didn't show any dissatisfaction with it.
"It takes some getting used to for sure! If you need a bit more exposure to help with that I highly recommend going to some smaller tournaments. You may not win but the battle experiences and learning how to battle normally with a crowd watching is invaluable. Especially if you make it to the big leagues." Brock finished waving and motioned for me to follow him into the back area that he had emerged from. I followed him and my eyes widened once I saw three TMs laying on the table. I had completely forgotten about the reward for one for completing the gauntlet challenge. We walked closer and I could feel the excitement building at what I would be able to pick up from Brock.
"I've got three moves that I have for trainers that complete my gauntlet. Your choices for today are Bide, Rock Tomb, and Sandstorm. I've also wired 7,000 dollars to your account for your win. It should appear in your account by the end of the day." Brock stepped off to the side as I looked down at the TMs in front of me.
I immediately disregarded Sandstorm as I would get any of the advantages that came from using it. None of my team would be able to use it correctly and it would end up collecting dust unless I sold it to another trainer or a PokeMart. I looked over at Bide and thought about it for a few seconds before making my choice.
"I think I'll go with Rock Tomb. Bide and Sandstorm don't match up well with my current team and I can get used out of Rock Tomb right away if I wanted to." Brock gave me a knowing grin as he picked up the disc and placed it into my hands.
"You've done well for yourself Cindy. It shows a lot that you think so much about your team and what they can and can't use. If you ever find yourself in Pewter, swing by for a rematch. I'd enjoy seeing how you grow throughout your journey." Brock's watch beeped and he looked down at it before letting loose a small sigh.
"And there's another challenger. I'm sorry but I must take my leave. The receptionist from earlier is waiting outside the door to show you the way back. Good luck and safe travels Cindy. I hope to see you at the plateau!" With that Brock gave me a nod and walked off to face another hopeful trainer. I stowed the disc into my case and walked outside to find the cheerful man from before waiting for me.
"Miss Cindy! A wonderful display from you during your battle! I would like to inform you that you have received 181 points from your gauntlet challenge today! They will be added to your profile by the end of the day! If you follow me back to the lobby room, you'll be on your way!" I nodded and followed him through the corridors of the gym that led back to the main waiting room. The receptionist thanked me for challenging him and then sat behind his desk once more to continue his job.
As I left the gym all of the exhaustion from both the flight this morning to the tension of challenging the gym made itself known as I could feel my body yearning to rest. I made the short trip over to the Pokemon Center and made sure that both Polli and Kong would get the care that they needed before dragging myself up to my room and crashing onto the bed.
The only thought that ran through my head was the pride that I felt for my team and their accomplishments. And then unconsciousness claimed me as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
It was the sun that eventually led to my awakening the following morning. I groaned as my sore muscles screamed in protest from the sudden movement. I would have to stretch later after checking on my team. Stretching my arms above my head to cast off the last few bits of drowsiness in me, I glanced over towards the nightstand and saw the Boulder Badge that rested atop it. It was still hard to believe that the battle with Brock turned out in my favor. It was by the pure grit and will of Kong that we managed to scrape by with the win. It took all he had to stay standing after the explosion and the awe that I had felt staring at the face of Kong's sheer desire to win. That badge would always remind me of that moment.
We needed to get stronger. A lot stronger. We barely made it through the gauntlet challenge for Brock's gym and we had multiple types of advantages over him. We would be losing part of that edge when we made it to Viridian and we had to be ready. Suddenly the thought of wandering around the Viridian Forest wasn't as much of a task as I thought it would be. This would make for a great opportunity to buckle down and train. We needed to find a Heracross. With the added cap on my active roster, I now had two spots to fill and not a lot of options to fill it in my current state.
And if I wanted to even think about challenging the gauntlet for the Earth Badge, we would need another member on the team.
My thoughts drifted towards my bag where I knew the TMs case with Rock Tomb laid to rest. I would have to teach it to Kong at some point and get started on developing his new type of energy while traveling through the forest. That would come in time though, my first objective for the day is making sure that Kong and Polli are alright before I do anything. They deserve the rest from how much work they've been putting in. Honestly, I may just take a day to explore Pewter a bit. I had read about there being a science museum somewhere. Maybe that would be something neat to check out? Plus I would need to stock up on supplies if I decided to spend a few nights in the forest during my search.
Yeah. A rest day sounds pretty perfect right about now
And that's a wrap! Cindy obtained the Boulder Badge and got a taste of what a gauntlet challenge is!
As always feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think! There are a few plans in the mix coming up for Cindy so I hope you're as excited as I am to find out what all happens!
And remember! Hydrate don't diedrate!