Dawn lightened the sky. Bugsy, the short lavender-haired Gym leader of Azalea town, was snoring in a tree. He had once again dropped the ladder after climbing to the branch and there was no-one around to help him down, so eventually he had just fallen into a deep sleep. And so it was that he did not wake to the sound of trundling wheels coming from outside the doors of his Gym, nor to the sound of the door opening.
"Need some help?"
Bugsy blearily opened his eyes and looked down at a black hat, which tilted back to reveal a pair of black goggles and a slightly tanned, weatherbeaten face. Alcazzar removed his goggles and looked up at Bugsy with his sharp, purple-grey eyes. Bugsy was chilled by the cold in those eyes, before they warmed into an amused, friendly expression. "Good morning."
"Ehrm, morning." Bugsy murmured, yawning. "I am looking for the Gym Leader."
"That's me," Bugsy said, "The name's Bugsy. Are you a challenger?"
"Yes. My name is Alcazzar, and I am here to challenge the Azalea Gym."
"Alright!" Bugsy shouted, leaping to his feet and falling off the branch.
"Abra, Teleport."
Bugsy blinked as Abra materialised right next to him and then felt a sickening wrench as he was teleported to the ground. Of course, teleportation does not change the person's position, so he materialised on his back. He opened his eyes to see Alcazzar leaning towards him and offering a hand. He took it gratefully and allowed himself to be helped to his feet. Looking at this intimidating figure in a long coat, Bugsy felt underdressed in his boy scout-style outfit with shorts and a yellow tie.
"Thanks for that." Bugsy said. "I go up there to hang with my Bug buddies and lose the ladder while i'm up there."
"So, you specialise in Bug-types then?" Alcazzar pondered. "You could have them lower you with String Shot." Bugsy tilted his head, pondering the idea.
"That just might work! I can't believe I never thought of it! Anyway, i'll go fetch the referee for our match." Bugsy turned to go.
"One moment." Alcazzar interrupted. "I have a condition to ask of you."
"Yes?" Bugsy asked, intrigued.
"If i battle against you, whether I win or lose, would you take me on as your apprentice for one week?" Bugsy did a double-take.
"What?"
"I don't care about badges or Leagues. For me, the most important thing in a pokemon battle is learning new strategies and improving the skills of my pokemon. That is why I am searching out the best trainers I can find - the Gym leaders - and learn all i can from them." Bugsy blinked a few times, considering Alcazzar's words.
"You are most certainly an interesting individual, Alcazzar. I have never met anyone like you." He smiled. "Ok. i agree with your proposal."
"Thank you." Alcazzar smiled. "Do you know anywhere I can park my cart?"
"Huh?" Bugsy was confused once again. Then he saw the large wooden cart just outside the Gym doors. "Oh, just put it between a couple of trees somewhere in here." Bugsy headed out to find the referee while Alcazzar pulled his cart and placed it in the shade of a large tree, before taking three Pokeballs from it.
"You go relax Abra." Alcazzar said, and his Abra vanished with a ZZAP of air filling a space no longer taken up by a small psychic-type.
It was half an hour later, and everything was in place.
"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle." the referee announced. "Only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokemon. The match will be over when all three of one trainer's Pokemon are unable to battle."
"Hope you are ready for the match of your life." Bugsy began. "Go, Spinarak!"
"Muddib, battle calls!" Alcazzar said at the same time. Both trainers threw their pokeballs high, and as they opened, their Pokemon appeared in a red glow. Bugsy's Spinarak - green, with six yellow legs that each have a black stripe on them. The spots on its abdomen resemble a face. It has a white horn on its head and pink mandibles. Alcazzar's Muddib was a sandy-coloured mouse-like Pokemon with long backwards-jointed legs and no arms. Its eyes were large and black, and its tail long and wormlike.
"What kind of Pokemon is that?" Bugsy asked in amazement.
"My Muddib is a Ground-Dark type." Alcazzar explained, and his Pokemon began to hop on the spot. "It is also a rather lively one." he smiled.
"I've never seen that Pokemon before. Have you?" Bugsy asked, turning to the referee, who shook his head with a bemused expression. "wherever did you catch it?" Bugsy turned back to Alcazzar, who smirked.
"I'll tell you later. Let's get on with this battle first."
"Okay." Bugsy said, slightly disappointed.
"Begin!" The referee declared.
"The first move is yours." Alcazzar invited.
"Okay," Bugsy said, still slightly taken aback. "Spinarak, use String Shot to tie up Muddib's legs!" Spinarak shot a length of white silk towards the bouncing Muddib.
"Muddib, use Dig." Alcazzar commanded. Muddib leapt high and over the String Shot, then landed with a furious scratching and vanished underground, leaving a pile of earth and a hole.
"No way to know where it'll come up..." Bugsy muttered. "Spinarak, use String Shot to climb up to a branch where it can't get you!" Spinarak shot a thread up to a high branch and zipped up, just as the earth moved underneath it and Muddib's head broke through.
"Muddib, use Bounce." At his word, Muddib crouched and then leapt high. Spinarak was still rising as Muddib came down, and one long leg caught Spinarak a terrible blow on its forehead. The thread snapped and Spinarak fell to the arena floor, driven down by Muddib's attack, and struck the floor with great force. Muddib's leg folded as it landed, and it jumped again and landed in front of Alcazzar. "Use Dig again." Muddib went back underground, using the same hole.
"Are you okay Spinarak?" Bugsy asked, concern in his voice. Spinarak rose weakly to its feet. Bits of silk drifted down from the branch of the tree. "Wait, that's it!" Bugsy exclaimed. "Spinarak, use String Shot on the entire field!" Spinarak climbed a tree, turned around, and started spraying silk all over the arena floor. Soon the entire field was covered in silk. This time when Muddib came up it got tangled in the silk, and while struggling to get free it just got more entangled.
"Calm down, Muddib." Alcazzar whispered. Muddib immediately stopped struggling and became motionless.
"Spinarak, use Poison Sting while it is immobilised!" Spinarak's horn glowed purplish-blue, and slivers of light of the same colour shot towards Muddib.
"Muddib, get as much of the silk between you and that Poison Sting as you can." Alcazzar called. Muddib shuffled round, and the Poison Sting struck it hard enough to tear it out of the String Shot. "Now jump!" Alcazzar commanded. Muddib landed one foot where it had lain, the only area of the arena not covered in silk. Muddib crouched, and then leapt high, landing on one of the overhanging branches, safely clear of the String Shot.
"Quick Spinarak, use Poison Sting!" Bugsy commanded, sensing victory. Spinarak fired its Poison Sting at Muddib.
"Muddib, use Sandstorm." Alcazzar called. A tornado of sand whipped up around Muddib. It gathered the leaves from the tree into it, and streamers of silk flew up into it. "Now use the Poison Sting." Alcazzar commanded.
"What?" Bugsy gasped, taken aback. Muddim shifted the Sandstorm sideways, so the Poison Sting glanced the side of the tornado and spun into it.
"You see," Alcazzar explained, "Because the Poison Sting struck the side of the Sandstorm going in the same direction it was, the force of the wind turned it, and so it joined the Sandstorm. And now Muddib, if you would, release it towards Spinarak." The Sandstorm drove towards Spinarak, gathering more materials into it as it went. "
Spinarak dodge it!" Bugsy yelled desperately. Spinarak attempted to skitter away, but got caught by flying silk which impeded its progress and left it right in the Sandstorm's path. It struck with devastating force, and Spinarak was caught in the pillar of flying sand, leaves, twigs and silk. Then Alcazzar snapped his fingers, and the sandstorm died instantly. Spinarak fell, landing on its back.
"Spinarak is unable to battle," the Referee announced, "Mubbid is the winner!"
"That's Muddib..." Alcazzar muttered, as Bugsy returned Spinarak to its Pokeball. "Muddib, great job. Return!" Alcazzar called, and brought Muddib back to its ball as well.
"Alright, here's my second Pokemon. Go, Metapod!" Bugsy released his Metapod - roughly arc-shaped, covered in a hard green shell with two horn stubs like tiny wings.
"A Metapod. Interesting." Alcazzar said. "Kakuna, battle calls!" He brought out his ochre cocoon Pokemon, a pointed body with a dome-like head and black triangular eyes. "Now use Harden." Kakuna glowed with a golden sheen, becoming hard as steel.
"Metapod, jump and use Tackle!" Bugsy called. His Metapod flicked itself into the air, and dove towards Kakuna.
"Kakuna, Iron Defence." Kakuna closed its eyes and tensed, and its body became even stronger. Metapod bounced off Kakuna and dropped back to the floor, having only hurt itself in its attack.
"That was impressive," Bugsy said, "Making me think that Kakuna could only defend itself with Harden and then using a move like Iron Defence. But it won't be enough - Metapod, jump into the tree and use Harden, then attack from behind!" Metapod leapt up into the branches above it, and its body glowed as Kakuna's had.
"Kakuna, Poison Jab."
"Huh?" Bugsy blinked. Metapod hopped to a tree behind Kakuna and launched itself at its adversary, who turned until its tip was aiming at the oncoming Metapod. The tip glowed a deep purple, and then Kakuna shot forward and struck Metapod full-on. Metapod flew end-over-end and struck the trunk of the tree it had attacked from. "B-but Kakuna can't use Poison Jab!" Bugsy exclaimed.
"My Kakuna is unique. Truth be told, it is more than ready to evolve into a Beedrill, but it refused. It wants to prove itself to be as strong as a Beedrill without evolving into one - after years of determined training, it managed the impossible - it learned moves that would normally require it to evolve into a Beedrill. Please show him, Kakuna - use Rock Smash!" Kakuna's tip glowed white and it flew at Metapod like a missile.
"Metapod, Harden!" Bugsy yelled. Metapod glowed again, and moments later Kakuna slammed into it. The tree split in two at the impact, as Kakuna drove Metapod through the tree and out the other side. It landed heavily, while Kakuna slowed to a halt and balanced next to it.
"Metapod is unable to Battle, Kakuna is the winner!" the Referee called. Bugsy returned his Metapod to its ball, and was surprised to see Alcazzar do the same with Kakuna.
"you're full of tricks, Alcazzar." Bugsy said, grinning. "After I win you can show me some more!"
"I like your confidence." Alcazzar replied. "I will not make the mistake of assuming this match is won."
"You'd better not," Bugsy responded, pulling out his final Pokeball. "Go, Scyther!" Bugsy threw the Pokeball, and from the red glow came a green, man-sized Pokemon with large, blade-like forearms and a pair of cream coloured wings. Its head appeared slightly reptilian, with three small points like horns, and each foot had three claws.
"Typhlosion, battle calls!" Alcazzar's Pokemon materialised - it had a somewhat bearlike physique, with bulky thighs and a collar of fire around its neck. Its face, underside, arms, and legs were a shade of cream, and its back was a blue so dark it is almost black. On Typhlosion s rear was a spiky, coarse fringe of fur. It had a scar running over one of its eyes.
"So, a Fire-type then?" Bugsy said. "You are finally using a Pokemon with a type advantage. But don't think that means you will win!"
"I'll be sure not to underestimate your creature." Alcazzar said, but there was a worrying look in his eyes when he looked at Scyther. It implied that he had experience fighting them, and that it had not been friendly. "Typhlosion use Fire Spin!" he called, seeming more animated than he had in the previous rounds. Typhlosion's collar flared as it inhaled and then breathed a long, swirling stream of fire towards Bugsy's Scyther. Leftover lines of silk combusted as the fire passed.
"Scyther, Swords Dance!" Bugsy responded. His Scyther crossed its blades across its chest and span rapidly. The Fire Spin struck Scyther and split, passing around it without touching it.
"Well, that is certainly impressive." Alcazzar said in surprise. "Typhlosion, keep using Fire Spin and jump up into the trees!" Typhlosion kept the stream of fire going as it leapt high, landing on a thick branch above Scyther. "Now, time your Fire Spin with Scyther's movements!"
"Scyther, angle your blades to meet above your head and keep using Swords Dance!" Bugsy called quickly. The Fire Spin slid off the whirling blades harmlessly. "My last challenger defeated me that way using his Cyndaquil. I have learnt from that battle, and won't lose that way again!" Bugsy said with a smile.
"I can see that." Alcazzar replied. "Typhlosion, Flame Wheel!" Alcazzar's Typhlosion leapt into the air and span, the fire from its collar spreading all over its body until it became a whirling wheel of flame. It shot down towards Scyther, who was still spinning.
"Scyther, Double Team!" Bugsy countered. Scyther stopped spinning and spread its arms. Then one Scyther became two, two became four and so on until there was a ring of identical (if slightly blurred) clones. Typhlosion landed in the centre, spinning in place.
"Typhlosion, spin on your side!" Alcazzar commanded. Typhlosion turned onto its side and whirled even faster, the flames becoming more and more intense, until they exploded outwards and engulfed all the Scyther images.
"Scyther no!" Bugsy yelled. The clones vanished one by one, revealing the real Scyther burning.
"Now hit it!" Alcazzar shouted, and Typhlosion whirled out of the inferno and slammed into Scyther, driving it back into the broken tree which also burst into flames. Typhlosion slowed to a halt and leapt back, returning to Alcazzar's side.
"Scyther, stand up! Please stand up!" Bugsy shouted. His scorched, exhausted Scyther struggled to its feet, then dropped to one knee, with one eye closed in pain. It gritted its teeth and forced itself to stand. "Scyther, use Slash!" Scyther leapt forward with blinding speed and caught Typhlosion a stinging blow on the side of its head. "Now, back to back Fury Cutter!" Scyther scored hit after hit, each one more powerful than the last.
"Typhlosion, dodge it!" Alcazzar called, but Scyther was so fast that it had no chance to avoid a single blow. The speed of the blows, supercharged by Swords Dance, drove Typhlosion back. "Typhlosion, Fire Spin!"
"Scyther, Swords Dance!" Once again the fire split around Scyther, causing no harm, while Scyther's attack power increased. "Now, Fury Cutter!" This next blow sent Typhlosion flying.
"Typhlosion, use Dig!" Alcazzar commanded. Typhlosion recovered in midair and tunnelled its way underground as it landed.
"Scyther, Double Team!" Scyther once again cloned itself in a blurring circle. "There is no way you will be able to hit Scyther now. Scyther, wait until Typhlosion surfaces and then use one final Fury Cutter!" Just then, a red glow began to eminate from the holes in the arena. "W-what is happening?" Bugsy stammered. Alcazzar smiled.
"It's your fault you know. Typhlosion's special ability only activates when it has taken a lot of damage. It massively powers up its Fire-type attacks. This is Blaze!" On his last word, the red glow intensified, and the ground grew hot. "Now Typhlosion, Blast Burn!" And the ground exploded. Fire burst through the cracks, creating a massive inferno that burned its way up to the ceiling, bits of which began to melt and drip. The heat was so intense that Bugsy and the Referee leapt back, covering their eyes with one arm to stave it off. Alcazzar replaced his goggles and stood still against the fire. "Typhlosion, stop!" Alcazzar shouted. As abruptly as it had started, the fire stopped. The arena had become a black wasteland, with ash drifting down from the scorched remains of the trees that had been hanging over the arena. There were no trees burning - anything hit by the flames had been completely incinerated. And there, among the ashes, was Bugsy's Scyther, fallen full-length. Typhlosion leapt through the crack in the ground and landed before Alcazzar, breathing heavily. The soot-blackened referee clambered to his feet in a rush.
"Scyther is unable to battle," he announced, raising one flag. The cloth from it had burned and now dropped off, leaving a short metal pole. "Typhlosion wins! The winner of this battle is Alcazzar of-of- is Alcazzar!"
"Scyther, are you alright?" Bugsy shouted, scampering on hands and feet towards his Pokemon. Alcazzar reached it first, and raised it into his arms.
"It should be okay if we get it to a Pokemon Centre." Alcazzar said.
"Thank you," Bugsy said, returning his Scyther. "I'll get it to Nurse Joy immediately."
"I'll take care of my Pokemon here." Alcazzar said. "I have lots of experience in these matters. When you return, i'll be ready for your tutoring."
"Very well." Bugsy smiled, before heading out of the doors towards the Pokemon Centre.