When our heroes arrived in Tachikaze City, they went for the gym. After solving a little mystery, they met Kensei, the gym leader, and his student, Shuhei. Now, Ichigo is ready to face Kensei in a gym battle so that he can earn his seventh badge and be one step closer to the Unova League.

Pokémon!
It's a battle, win or lose
It's the friends you make, it's the road you choose
You've got the right stuff
So make your mind up
Find the courage inside of you
If you're strong you'll survive
And you'll keep your dream alive
Let the battle begin
Pokémon!
Be the best you can be
And find your destiny
It's the master plan
The power's in your hand
Pokémon!

(Ichigo's voice) Scars of the Sky

Ichigo and the others headed straight for the gym for his battle. Once they made it to the front door, Shuhei was there and he was waiting for them.

"Welcome back. Ichigo, I hope you're ready. This won't be an easy battle." Shuhei said.

"That just makes me all the more excited." Ichigo said.

"Kensei is waiting at the top where the battlefield is." Shuhei said. All of them climbed up to the top where they were out in the open and Kensei was waiting for them.

"So you made it. Glad to see you didn't chicken out." Kensei said.

"I'm ready to go if you are." Ichigo said. Shuhei stood back and watched with the others.

"I can't wait to see what kind of battle this is going to be." Orihime said.

"Don't expect your friend to walk out of this easy. Kensei doesn't know the meaning of mercy." Shuhei said. "He'll push Ichigo to his limit."

"The gym battle between Ichigo, the challenger, and Kensei, the gym leader will now begin." The referee said. "Each side will use three pokemon. The battle is over when all three of either side can no longer battle. Only the challenger can substitute pokemon. You may begin!"

"Here's my first choice. Honchkrow, take action!" Kensei said.

"Krow!"

"A Honchkrow!" Rukia said. "Interesting start. I heard a Honchkrow is supposed to bring bad luck."

"Honchkrow is a dark-type as well as a flying-type." Ichigo said. "Absol, do you want to get in there?"

"Absol." Absol agreed and went to join in the battle.

"Let's get this started." Ichigo said. "Absol, start out by using Night Slash."

"Counter with your Night Slash." Kensei said. Absol's horn glowed just like Honchkrow's wing. The two of them charged at each other and slashed against the other. "Now use Feather Dance."

"Honchkrow." Honchkrow unleashed some feathers and they all swayed around Absol with Absol glowing blue.

"What's Feather Dance?" Orihime asked.

"Feather Dance is a move that greatly weakens attack power." Rukia said.

"That's right." Shuhei said. "Absol's dark-type attacks could hardly do any damage, but now they'll probably do next to nothing on Honchkrow."

"If you got nothing else, this battle is as good as over. Honchkrow use Sky Attack." Kensei said. Honchkrow glowed a golden aura and flew right at Absol.

"Absol use Swords Dance." Ichigo said. Absol generated the swords and they deflected Honchkrow with Absol getting some attack power back. "Now use Razor Wind." Absol reared his head back and unleashed the attack with Honchkrow getting hit.

"Not bad, but not good either." Kensei said. "Honchkrow use Night Slash again." Honchkrow flew right at Absol and slammed its wing against Absol. "Come back around for another Night Slash."

"No you don't. Absol use Razor Wind again." Ichigo said. Absol charged up the attack again as Honchkrow turned around. Absol released the attack and blasted Honchkrow. Honchkrow took the hit hard and it slid against the ground.

"Honchkrow is unable to battle. Absol is the winner."

"Nice shot." Ichigo said.

"What are you celebrating for? You haven't won yet." Kensei said. "Fearow, take action!"

"Fearow!"

"So Fearow is next. No problem. Absol use Dark Pulse." Ichigo said.

"No you don't. Fearow use Pluck." Kensei said. Absol unleashed Dark Pulse, but Fearow was able to avoid it. Fearow's beak glowed and it pecked against Absol. "Now use Focus Energy."

"Fearow!" Fearow glowed a white aura and gained some power.

"Now use Drill Run." Kensei said. Fearow spun around like a drill and the Focus Energy gave it even more power. Fearow ran right into Absol and Absol was sent flying with him being taken down.

"Absol is unable to battle. Fearow is the winner."

"No way." Chad said as they couldn't believe Absol was beaten.

"He must have had Fearow learn Drill Run for electric-types." Rukia said.

"Right." Shuhei said. "He used Focus Energy to gain some extra power and used Drill Run for the finishing blow. I wonder how Ichigo will deal with this." Ichigo carried Absol back to his side and Absol seemed upset it lost.

"It's okay old buddy. I'll take it from here." Ichigo said. "Golbat, you're up next!"

"Kwia!"

"Golbat! So you're looking for some aerial conflict. Bring it on." Kensei said.

"Golbat use Air Cutter." Ichigo said. Golbat flapped its wings and unleashed the attack. Fearow tried to avoid it, but it ended up getting nicked a little. "Now use Wing Attack." Golbat flew right at Fearow.

"Fearow use Pluck." Kensei said. Fearow was able to strike faster than Golbat and pecked its' beak against it.

"Golbat use Poison Fang." Ichigo said. Golbat's fangs glowed and bit down on Fearow's beak and it was doing some damage.

"Shake it off and use Pluck again." Kensei said. Fearow shook around and got Golbat to let go with it pecking against Golbat again.

"Golbat, get back and use Air Cutter again." Ichigo said. Golbat flew back from Fearow and was getting ready to attack.

"I don't think so. Fearow use Giga Impact." Kensei said. Fearow flew right at Golbat with energy spiraling around it. Fearow flew right at Golbat and Golbat got hit hard. Golbat couldn't withstood the attack and was knocked down.

"Golbat is unable to battle. Fearow is the winner."

"Golbat too?!" Orihime said.

"All of Kensei's pokemon's attacks are highly powerful." Rukia said.

"That's right." Shuhei said. "That's how he rolls. He has his pokemon learn powerful attacks like that Giga Impact and Sky Attack to overwhelm his opponents. I told you that he likes to push his opponents to their limits. His attacks are so fierce that he could even wound the sky."

"Wound the sky?" Chad questioned.

"It's just another way of saying how powerful he is." Shuhei said.

"So who is your last pokemon?" Kensei asked.

"It's right here. Kirlia, let's go." Ichigo said.

"Kirlia!"

"A Kirlia? I thought a guy like you would have a fiercer looking pokemon." Kensei said.

"Believe me when I tell you my Kirlia is plenty fierce." Ichigo said. "Come and see for yourself." Even Kirlia dared Kensei to come at him.

"You're on. Now use Drill Run." Kensei said. Fearow started spinning around like a drill again.

"Kirlia, stop it with Psychic." Ichigo said. Kirlia held out his hand and used the power of his mind to stop Fearow right where it was. "Now use Vacuum Wave." Kirlia had the wind gather around and it shot a shockwave at Fearow and blasted it down.

"Fearow is unable to battle. Kirlia is the winner."

"Okay. Maybe that Kirlia has some fierce power, but it won't do any good against my last pokemon. Skarmory, take action!" Kensei said.

"Skarmory!"

"This could be a real problem." Rukia said. "Kirlia is part fairy-type. Steel-type attacks are going to be really strong against Kirlia. We caught glimpse as to how powerful that Skarmory is."

"Yep. I hate to tell you, but it looks like your friend is done for." Shuhei said.

"No way. Ichigo is going to find a way to win like he always does." Orihime said.

"Time to get that badge. Start out with Magical Leaf." Ichigo said. Kirlia formed the attack and launched it at Skarmory. Skarmory took the attack and it just bounced off.

"Was that suppose to do something?" Kensei said. "Skarmory use Aerial Ace." Skarmory flew down and slammed into Kirlia with Kirlia being knocked down. Kirlia was able to get back on his feet. "Now use Steel Wing." Skarmory flew down and flew diagonally with its wings scraping against the ground.

"Kirlia use Protect." Ichigo said. Kirlia formed a barrier around himself and was able to block the attack. "Now push it away with Psychic." Kirlia used his psychic power again and sent Skarmory flying back.

"Skarmory use Flash Cannon." Kensei said. Skarmory regained its balance and unleashed a white blast and Kirlia got hit and took some serious damage.

"Oh no!" Ichigo shouted.

"Now use Drill Peck." Kensei said.

"Skar!" Skarmory flew in a powerful spin and was heading towards Kirlia, but Kirlia wasn't beaten yet.

"Kirlia use Protect." Ichigo said. Kirlia formed the barrier and tried to block the attack, but the force ended up pushing the both of them back. "Now use Vacuum Wave."

"Kirlia!" Kirlia formed the attack and shot it with Skarmory getting hit.

"Don't just take that. Skarmory use Aerial Ace." Kensei said. Skarmory flew right at Kirlia and slammed into him again and sent Kirlia flying. "Now finish this with Steel Wing." Skarmory flew at Kirlia and slammed its wings against him. Kirlia crashed into the ground and looked like he took a lot of damage.

"Kirlia! Get up, Kirlia. I know you can do it." Ichigo said, but Kirlia didn't seem to be responding.

"You put up a good fight, but this is where it ends." Kensei said and all of them thought it was over.

"Kirl." All of them were surprised that Kirlia was able to get back on its feet and dared Skarmory to come at it again.

"How can it be standing after?" Kensei said.

"I know I can always count on my pokemon. You and yours might be fierce, but we can dish out anything you throw at us." Ichigo said.

"Let's find out. Now use Flash Cannon." Kensei said. Skarmory charged up the beam in its mouth and shot it towards Kirlia. 'He must be going to use Protect and when he does, we'll deal the final blow with Drill Peck.' He thought.

"Reflect it back with Psychic." Ichigo said and that wasn't what Kensei was expecting. Kirlia used his power and reflect the Flash Cannon around with Skarmory getting hit. "Now use Psychic one more time."

"Kirlia!" Kirlia grabbed a hold of Skarmory with its mind and had Skarmory plummet into the ground. When the dust cleared away, Skarmory was beaten.

"Skarmory is unable to battle. Kirlia is the winner. Victory goes to Ichigo, the challenger."

"We did it!" Ichigo said with all his friends happy for him and Ichigo and Absol running to Kirlia. "Kirlia, you were awesome."

"Kirlia."

"Congrats, Ichigo." Orihime said.

"You continue to amaze me with the way you battle." Rukia said.

"Unreal. I never thought Kensei would actually be defeated." Shuhei said.

"It was an impressive battle." Kensei said as he walked over with the badge. "Here. This is proof that you won at the Tachikaze Gym. This is the Razor Badge. The badge was a silver stream with a crescent at the top.

"Thanks so much. I finally got it." Ichigo said as he accepted his seventh badge and placed it in his case.

"That's your seventh badge, isn't it?" Kensei asked.

"Yeah. I'm just one more away from entering the Unova League." Ichigo said.

"Have you decided on your final challenge?" Kensei asked.

"No." Ichigo said.

"You are a powerful trainer. How about you try the Sakura Gym in Sakura City." Kensei said and Rukia seemed a little surprised. "Rumor has it that the gym leader there is probably the strongest in all of Unova."

"The strongest in all of Unova?! That sounds perfect. We'll beat the strongest gym leader." Ichigo said with full confidence.

Ichigo has finally obtained his seventh badge. That means he's only one badge away from entering the Unova League. We'll soon see what kind of this gym will be.

What no one seemed to have noticed was that Rukia seemed a little nervous about something.

To Be Continued….