Theme Song
It is time for the home stretch (The Indigo League stadiums are shown)
For it is the final catch (Magna appears, smiles, and fades, which is repeated by Fidens, Leviculus, Decorus, Durus, and Fortis)
Your goal's right there, it is your fate (Owen and Red stare down at the championship battle of the Indigo League)
Go ahead and become great! (Comis practices with Durus and gets crushed)
No way! (2x) We won't back down! (Durus lunges at the camera and slashes it)
We will! (2x) Win that crown (Montage of Gray defeating Trentavious, Savannah, and Marcus before she looks across a battlefield and sees Owen)
This is it, the final quest (Gray looks off into the sunset with Chase, Tara, and their Pokemon)
You must do your very best... Pokemon!
What's up, readers? Last chapter, Gray defeated Trentavious in the quarterfinals (thanks to Fortis defeating Trent's Mega Abomasnow) and will now be squaring off with Marcus in the semifinals. I wasn't expecting the battle to be this long (in terms of words), but I'm happy to see it turned out this way, and it's going to be really intense. Now let's get going!
Blaze Falcon: I think this one's better, to be honest. There might not be as much strategy going in to the battle, given Trent's ability to turn the battlefield against Gray, but the battles, in my opinion, are better. And I think you summed up the battle pretty well, haha, but it's good to see you really liked it! Hopefully you'll think this one is just as good, if not better than the last
Defender31415: She was originally going to lose to him in the top 16, but I figured I'd go against what I wanted to do considering Gray will only get one, maybe two stories. And thanks! This battle's even longer, and I feel like it's just a tad bit better given the back and forth action of it
Gray's team
Durus, (f), level 53, Power Gem, Feint Attack, Bite, Metal Claw, Pay Day*, Slash* - (Persian)
Leviculus, (m), level 46, Hydro Pump, Dig, Rain Dance, Body Slam, Mega Kick*, Ice Punch* - (Politoed)
Fidens, (m), level 45, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Ancient Power, Dragon Breath, Crunch*, Acrobatics* - (Archeops)
Magna, (f), level 45, Confusion, Yawn, Astonish, Uproar, Last Resort*, Protect* - (Chingling)
Decorus, (f), level 48, Vine Whip, Moonblast, Psychic, Magical Leaf, Grassy Terrain*, Petal Blizzard* - (Florges)
Fortis, (m), level 58, Dragon Claw, Flamethrower, Dragon Breath, Earthquake, Hyper Beam*, Boomburst* - (Flygon)
Comis, (m), level 10, Poison Sting, Sand Attack, Harden, X-Scissor - (Gligar)
Gray took a deep breath as she looked at all six of her Pokemon competing in the battle. Comis sat on her head with a frown, as he knew there was no chance of him battling, but that never stopped him from supporting his teammates.
"I know you're all really excited to be in this battle, but we need to keep our eyes on the prize," Gray started while her Pokemon listened intently. "Marcus is a one seed, and ranked even higher than Trentavious, so we're going to have to be at our best if we want to win. Durus, you're starting this battle, okay?"
"No problemo," the Persian answered before licking her fur. "As long as I'm battling, I don't care when you use me."
"Right. Everyone, let's do this!" Gray shouted, making her Pokemon cheer.
With that, the teenage girl withdrew her Pokemon and looked back at the trainer room her friends and family were sitting in. They all smiled and waved at Gray, who did the same before disappearing down a hallway that led her to the battlefield. Upon stepping on the stage, everyone exploded with cheers as both trainers stepped into their boxes.
"This will be a full battle between Gray Plain of Saffron City, and Marcus Wight of Celestic Town, where both trainers may substitute their Pokemon freely! Furthermore, once all Pokemon on one side are unable to continue, the battle will be over! The winner of this battle will be moving on to the championship round, where they will face the winner of Savannah and Langston! With Marcus being the higher seed, Gray will send her Pokemon out first!"
"I'm counting on you, Durus!" Gray shouted while pointing straight ahead.
Durus quickly ran forwards and lowered her head to the ground angrily while her picture appeared on Gray's half of the scoreboard.
The referee then turned her attention to Marcus and waited for him to select his first Pokemon.
"Arcanine, let's take the momentum!"
Durus narrowed her eyes at the four legged Pokemon standing across the battlefield, and Arcanine's picture flashed on the scoreboard. Both Pokemon nodded at each other out of respect before the referee spoke up.
"This battle will be between Durus and Arcanine! Begin!"
"Durus, use Power Gem to start!" Gray commanded loudly.
Obeying her trainer's command, Durus locked her sights on Arcanine. The red jewel on her head began to glow white before blasts of energy were fired at Arcanine. Marcus quickly dissected the situation and scratched his head before grinning and punching his fist forward like a bullet, grabbing Gray's and Durus' attention, while Comis looked around at the humongous stadium.
"Dodge it with Extremespeed, Arcanine!"
In the blink of an eye, Arcanine disappeared before popping up in front of Durus, who gasped in shock before being checked backwards. As she skidded along the ground, Durus let out a low grunt of pain before rising back to her feet. The feline turned to her trainer and nodded confidently before Arcanine vanished once again, prompting Gray to act.
"Keep him away with Slash!"
Durus smirked as her claws began to extend and glow white with energy. As soon as Arcanine reappeared in front of her, Durus whipped her front two arms forwards and grinned in anticipation of landed a powerful blow to her equally powerful opponent. Much to her dismay, Marcus' quick thinking coupled with Arcanine's agility caused the attack to miss.
"Jump and then use Thunder Fang!"
Doing as he was told, Arcanine hopped backwards, just barely dodging Durus' claws. He lunged at her right after while his mouth was engulfed with yellow electricity, and Arcanine bit down on Durus' back, making her cry out in pain while Arcanine continued to bite harder and harder.
"Send Arcanine flying with Pay Day, Durus!"
Durus placed both of her paws on Arcanine's head and began digging her claws into her opponent, who roared in pain while letting go of his tight grip. The feline then opened her mouth and shot a blast of golden energy at Arcanine, which exploded on contact and sent him skidding back to Marcus' half of the battlefield. Comis cheered for Durus while Gray's starter held her neck in pain.
"Arcanine, answer back with Flamethrower!"
Durus continued holding her neck before looking up and seeing a wave of fire headed right at her. Before she could react, Durus was engulfed in flames, making her hiss in agony before falling onto her side, which made Gray bring her hands up to her face as she gasped. Despite the burning sensation running rampant across her body, Durus rose to her feet and roared.
"Way to go, Durus! Charge and use Feint Attack!"
Without hesitation, Durus bolted across the battlefield and smirked as she disappeared. While most trainers would be shocked by the attack, Marcus kept his composure and shouted to his Arcanine.
"Turn around and use Flamethrower, now!"
Arcanine quickly turned and began shooting a wave of scorching fire, and Durus suddenly appeared in front of the blistering attack. Gray nearly ripped her hair out in frustration as Durus let out a weak cry before her legs gave out. The feline suddenly fell on her face and laid limply, prompting the referee to raise her arms in the air and the crowd started cheering.
"Durus is unable to battle! Gray, choose your next Pokemon!" the referee shouted as she looked directly at Gray, who seemed overwhelmed by Marcus' and Arcanine's dominance.
"That's not a good way to start," Chase said while shifting in his seat uneasily. "Marcus is way stronger than the last time Gray battled him."
"Totally. I guess his earning a one seed wasn't a fluke," Tara added after looking at the bracket and seeing Marcus was one of the top four trainers in the tournament. "Gray needs to get this straightened out, and quick."
"You were great, Durus. Thank you," the brunette said before withdrawing her downed starter. "Leviculus, come on out!" she shouted after ripping a Pokeball off her belt and hurling it.
The Pokeball opened and Leviculus materialized from the white light that escaped the spherical device. When he looked around at the crowd, Leviculus noticed his picture appear on the scoreboard underneath Durus', which was black. Shocked by the status of his teammate, Leviculus eyed Arcanine cautiously as the fire type started to howl in an attempt to ignite cheers from the crowd.
"This battle will be between Leviculus and Arcanine! Begin!"
"Leviculus, let's decrease Arcanine's power with Rain Dance!" Gray shouted.
Clapping his hands together, Leviculus looked up at the sky and shot a ball of water straight up. The light blue sphere suddenly exploded, and rain began to pour down, making Arcanine frown and shake himself in order to dry his coat. Marcus scratched his head at the decision Gray had just made, and the confident look on her face threw him off even more.
"Oh well. It's not like we planned on using Flamethrower anyway. Use Outrage, Arcanine!"
Comis' jaw dropped after hearing the command while Gray and Leviculus maintained stoic expressions. Arcanine began to whip his head around while roaring, and he was suddenly covered in dark orange energy before bolting across the battlefield. Smirking, Gray and Leviculus glanced at each other and nodded before the girl issued a command.
"Hide with Dig, Leviculus!"
Leviculus swiped at the ground furiously before dipping into a hole just as Arcanine reached the middle of the battlefield. Unlike his battle with Durus, Arcanine seemed much more worried about not knowing Leviculus' whereabouts, which began to toy with Marcus' confidence. Gray, on the other hand, looked to be feeding off the sudden shift in momentum. Leviculus suddenly shot out of the ground when Arcanine was least expecting it, and he delivered a ferocious uppercut that knocked the hound onto his back.
"Hop back up and bite him with Thunder Fang!"
Arcanine's incredible strength allowed him to do what his trainer instructed, and his teeth began to extend while electricity surged around them. With a quick lunge, the fire type managed to bite Leviculus' left hand, making him grunt in pain before turning back to Gray and loading his right arm back.
"Leviculus, use Ice Punch on Arcanine's nose!"
Grinning at the command, Leviculus' right fist was shrouded in light blue energy and he drilled Arcanine in the nose, making him howl in fear. Marcus looked at his Pokemon in confusion as Arcanine started to tremble, and Gray was quick to capitalize.
"Now grab his ears and use Hydro Pump!"
Leviculus acted just as quickly as Gray did, and he grabbed a hold of Arcanine's ears, immobilizing the terrified Pokemon. Leviculus then locked eyes with his opponent before smirking, and he reared his head back. Suddenly, a high-pressured blast of dark blue water escaped the Politoed's mouth and clobbered Arcanine, sending him flying across the battlefield and into the wall behind Marcus. Turning to face his Pokemon, Marcus' jaw dropped when he saw Arcanine was out cold.
"Arcanine is unable to battle! Marcus, choose your next Pokemon!"
"Leviculus, come back for a little bit," Gray said as she zapped the water type back into his Pokeball, trying to preserve his energy.
"Aw man! Why would Gray have Leviculus sit out when he just destroyed Arcanine?" Billy inquired while looking around at everyone in the room.
"She's thinking a few moves ahead right now. You'll find when you're a trainer, you're going to have to face similar decisions. Right now Gray's just trying to keep Leviculus' energy levels up," the boy's mother explained knowledgeably.
"Now, Fidens, it's your turn to battle!" Gray yelled as she revealed her third Pokemon.
"Pidgeot, let's settle the score!" Marcus shouted at the same time as his opponent, unleashing his only winged Pokemon.
Fidens and Pidgeot appeared at the same time and instantly locked eyes, bowing to each other just like Durus and Arcanine had done at the start of the battle. Both Pokemon then turned to see their pictures appear on the scoreboard, where they occupied differing spots. Fidens was the third Pokemon Gray had used and was pictured beneath Leviculus', whose photo was blue. Pidgeot, meanwhile, was Marcus' second Pokemon and beneath Arcanine's photo, which was black.
"This battle will be between Fidens and Pidgeot! Begin!"
"Use a combination of Quick Attack and Steel Wing, Pidgeot!" Marcus shouted while punching his left fist forwards.
Pidgeot chirped in response before opening its wings and zipping across the battlefield gracefully as a line of white light trailed its body. Suddenly, the bird's wings turned silver and looked like they had become steel. Fidens kept his eyes locked on Pidgeot the entire time it flew at him, and he waited for Gray to issue a counterattack.
"Fidens, intercept with your own Quick Attack and Wing Attack combination!"
In a nanosecond, Fidens exploded forwards as a trail of white light appeared behind him and his wings started to glow white. The two Pokemon swung at each other, landing their attacks before Pidgeot was hit into the air while Fidens was smacked towards the ground.
"Now slam Fidens into the ground with Hurricane!" Marcus shouted to his second Pokemon, who chirped in response.
Suddenly, Pidgeot's wings started to glow purple as he flapped them. Gale force winds pinned Fidens against the ground and began slashing his body up, making the prehistoric bird squawk angrily while Gray cursed under her breath. Comis analyzed the situation and couldn't think of a way to help his teammate out, making him hang his head. He lit up, however, when his trainer's voice cut through the air.
"Get out of there and use Ancient Power, Fidens!"
Somehow, Fidens willed himself up to his feet, and he ran away from the powerful attack while panting. Pidgeot appeared to be exhausted from the physically draining attack, making Gray and her Pokemon smile before Fidens lifted his wings above his head. When he did, five boulders appeared from the ground and were hurled at Pidgeot, who was crushed by each of them.
"Stay strong, Pidgeot! Sky Attack!"
Pidgeot slowly rubbed his aching head, which was hit by all of the boulders, before taking to the air and spreading his wings. As he began to fly towards Fidens, he was engulfed in flames and began to squawk at an ear-piercing pitch before closing in on Fidens.
"Dodge it and use Acrobatics!"
Fidens quickly jumped to his right and managed to evade the powerful flying type attack from Pidgeot, who crashed into the ground face first. After getting up, the flying type let out a weak cry of pain, and Fidens sprinted over to him. After unleashing a barrage of kicks and slaps, Fidens attempted to bite Pidgeot. Marcus, however, wasn't going to let that happen to his Pokemon.
"Bat Fidens away with Steel Wing!"
With lightning quick reactions, Pidgeot rolled away from Fidens while his wings started to glow silver. The normal and flying type then attempted to slap Fidens repeatedly, but Gray was able to counter the Pokemon's attack with little effort.
"Block it with Wing Attack!"
Fidens acrobatically jumped away from the super effective attack and his wings started to glow white. The two birds then started slapping at each other, but their wings collided each time. After several attempted slaps, Fidens eventually landed a vicious blow over Pidgeot's head, knocking the bird unconscious while he hit the ground like a bag of bricks.
"Pidgeot is unable to battle! Marcus, choose your next Pokemon!"
Gray grinned as the scoreboard showed Pidgeot's picture going black. Marcus, meanwhile, sighed as he withdrew Pidgeot, and Gray bowed to Fidens thankfully.
"Great battle, buddy. You fought hard," Marcus said to his Pidgeot before grabbing his third Pokeball with a confident smirk. "Leafeon, take this battle over!"
"What? Why would Marcus choose a grass type to battle against Fidens?" Billy inquired as the four legged Pokemon appeared in front of Marcus with the same confident look as her trainer.
"Beats me," Sammy answered while shaking her head. "At this point, it seems like everyone picks really strangely in these types of battles."
"This battle will be between Fidens and Leafeon! Begin!"
"Fidens, use Quick Attack to get in close and follow it up with Acrobatics!"
Obeying his trainer's commands, Fidens sprinted as quickly as he could while a white streak of light trailed his body. As he closed in on Leafeon, Fidens prepared to throw his left leg at the grass type. Much to his dismay, Fidens heard Marcus speak up, which snapped his focus and he stopped his attack instantly, confusing Gray and Comis.
"Leafeon, counter with Energy Ball!" Marcus ordered confidently.
A green ball of energy formed in front of Leafeon's mouth and she threw her neck forwards. The sphere was shot at Fidens, and the rock type was sent flying back due to the attack exploding on contact. After he got off the ground, Fidens turned to Gray and nodded, easing the girl's nerves.
"Way to hang in there, Fidens! Dragon Breath!"
Fidens' mouth shot open and a wave of green flames escaped his mouth before flying across the battlefield. As the attack closed in on Leafeon, she lowered herself to the ground and waited for Marcus' words, which came shortly afterwards.
"Jump and crush Fidens with Leaf Blade!"
Leafeon did as she was told and shot into the air, shocking Gray and Fidens. Comis, on the other hand, turned away from the sight, knowing he could jump just as high. Suddenly, Leafeon's tail began to glow green and she started to growl lowly before spinning like a wheel. Before Gray could react, Fidens was smashed into the ground after taking a devastating blow to the head while Leafeon grinned proudly.
"Hurry and use Acrobatics to retaliate!"
Fidens shot off the ground and sprinted over to Leafeon angrily, catching the grass type off guard. In the blink of an eye, Fidens unleashed a wicked barrage of slaps and kicks before finishing his onslaught off with a swift kick to Leafeon's chin, launching her into the air. After hitting the ground, Leafeon got back onto her feet and began to stretch.
"Leafeon, are you alright?" Marcus inquired nervously, which was met with a reassuring nod from his Pokemon. "Good! Leaf Blade again!"
Bounding across the battlefield, Leafeon leaped into the air before spinning like a whole as he tail started glowing green. Fidens looked up and attempted to evade his opponent's attack, but was too slow to do so, resulting in him being slammed into the ground so hard it cracked underneath him. The referee quickly ran over to Fidens' side and raised her arms to indicate the end of the battle.
"Fidens is unable to battle! Gray, choose your next Pokemon!"
"Thank you for your effort, Fidens. You were awesome!" Gray exclaimed as she watched her fainted Pokemon's picture turn black.
The young girl quickly turned her attention to Marcus and his Leafeon, who were standing across the battlefield with excited smiles, and grinned as she grabbed her third Pokeball before tossing it in the air.
"Decorus, I need your help!"
In a flash of light, Gray's shiny Florges appeared from her Pokeball and landed on the ground gracefully. Marcus raised his eyebrows at the sight of the fairy type, having not battled against her before, and his smile reached from ear to ear.
"This battle will be between Decorus and Leafeon! Begin!"
"Start this off with Leaf Blade, Leafeon!" Marcus shouted, refusing to back down from his opponent.
Leafeon bolted towards Decorus while her tail started to glow light green, and she suddenly sprung into the air with ease. Decorus, meanwhile, appeared unfazed by the astonishing height of her opponent's jump, and she waited patiently for Gray to issue a counterattack.
"Decorus, use Psychic to throw Leafeon into the ground!"
Nodding, Decorus raised her right arm upwards and pointed at Leafeon. Suddenly, Decorus' eyes flashed blue, and a blue line of energy appeared around Leafeon's body, stopping her descent instantly. Everyone in the stadium gasped in shock while Gray and her Pokemon grinned confidently while Comis clapped. Decorus then hurled her arm towards the ground as hard as she could, and Leafeon was slammed against the hard surface, making her cry out in pain.
"Leafeon, hang in there a little longer and use Solar Beam!"
After she rose to her feet, Leafeon shakily obeyed Marcus by staring up at the sky and opening her mouth. While doing that, particles of solar energy started to form into a ball shape in front of Leafeon's mouth. As Leafeon continued to charge her attack, Gray was quick to give Decorus an order in an attempt to keep her from being hit by the Solar Beam.
"Counter it with Moonblast, Decorus!"
Decorus slowly placed her hands together by her side, and an orb of pink energy began to swirl. After throwing her hands forwards, Decorus shot a zigzagging beam of light pink energy at Leafeon, who shot a ray of yellow energy. The attacks collided and exploded instantly, making Marcus curse under his breath before regaining his focus.
"Get in close and use Leaf Blade again!" Marcus shouted, not knowing how to attack Decorus and her astounding defenses.
Leafeon charged forwards blindly and her tail started to glow light blue. After jumping in the air and spinning like a wheel, Leafeon attempted to his Decorus over her head, but the fairy type was nimble enough to spin away from the powerful grass type attack. Due to her hitting her tail on the ground so hard, Leafeon began to whimper in pain, providing an opening for Gray and Decorus.
"Grab her with Vine Whip and throw Leafeon away!"
Two green vines shot out of Decorus' neck and wrapped around Leafeon. Decorus then started spinning around before hurling Leafeon into the wall behind Marcus, who turned around and stared in shock.
"Leafeon!" he screamed while dropping to his knees and looked at his Pokemon, who had bruises covering her body as she struggled to get back on her feet.
"Wrap this up with Moonblast!" Gray screamed, making Marcus' neck snap back.
Decorus quickly fired another zigzagging beam of pink energy at Leafeon, whose eyes went wide in response before she was blasted by the wicked attack. After the blast of energy exploded and the smoke settled, the referee raised her arms in the air, making Leafeon's picture turn black.
"Leafeon is unable to battle! Marcus, choose your next Pokemon!"
"You were really tough, Leafeon. Thank you so much," Marcus said to his fainted Pokemon while her picture turned black. "Now it's time to get serious. Lucario, let's win this!"
As soon as Marcus' Lucario appeared, Gray frowned and glanced over at Comis, who shared a similar reaction. Decorus, on the other hand, didn't show any signs of fear, which made Lucario grin.
"This battle will be between Decorus and Lucario! Begin!"
"Decorus, use Moonblast!" Gray commanded while throwing her left arm to her side.
After putting both of her hands together, Decorus threw her arms forward and shot a zigzagging beam of pink energy at the fighting and steel type standing on the opposite end of the battlefield. Despite the speed and power of the attack, Lucario wasn't fazed and prepared to counter.
"Dodge it and strike with Blaze Kick!" Marcus ordered, making Lucario grin.
With incredible speed, Lucario sprinted around the powerful blast of energy and hopped in the air while his foot caught on fire. After a few spins, Lucario kicked Decorus in the side, sending her flying into the side wall of the battlefield. After getting up, Decorus glared at her opponent and glanced at Gray, who understood what her Pokemon wanted to do.
"Hurry and use Petal Blizzard!"
Decorus started to spin like a top while she stuck her arms out to her sides, and pink petals started to spin around her body. Much to Marcus' dismay, Decorus slammed into Lucario like a drill, and the bipedal dog was pinned against the wall nearest Marcus. As he continued to watch his Pokemon struggle, Marcus noticed Lucario began to push Decorus back with his hands, making the teen grin.
"Fight through the pain and use Extremespeed, Lucario!"
Gray gasped in shock as Decorus was suddenly blasted into the wall behind her and Comis, and Lucario reappeared next to Marcus with a tired look on his face. Clearly, Decorus had dealt a hefty amount of damage, but it wasn't quite enough to knock Lucario out of the battle. Knowing Decorus had little energy left based on her stature, Gray turned back to Lucario and pointed at the powerful Pokemon.
"Use Magical Leaf, Decorus!"
"Jump and counter it with Aura Sphere!" Marcus shouted as soon as Gray finished her command.
While Decorus threw her arms out to her sides, Lucario leaped into the air and placed his hands together while firing several blue orbs of energy. Decorus quickly threw her arms straight ahead and sent a wave of rainbow colored leaves at the fighting type attacks. Much to her dismay, Gray watched as Lucario's Aura Sphere attacks overpowered Decorus' Magical Leaf before striking the shiny Pokemon and sending her rolling across the battlefield.
"Decorus is unable to battle! Gray, choose your next Pokemon!" the referee shouted as soon as she saw Decorus' eyes were closed.
"Amazing job as usual, Decorus," Gray whispered before looking over at the scoreboard to see that she and Marcus both had three Pokemon remaining.
"Return, Lucario," Marcus said as he motioned for the fighting type to return to his side, which Lucario did. "Now, Politoed, I choose you!"
After the Pokeball opened, it revealed Marcus' Politoed, who locked eyes with Gray as she held a Pokeball in her hand confidently. Before she knew it, Gray hurled the spherical device as far as she could, and it cracked open.
"Magna, come on out!" the brunette yelled just before her Chingling materialized from the light emitted from the Pokeball.
While stretching her arms out, Magna locked eyes with Marcus' Politoed and began to growl, making Gray and Comis laugh while the referee stepped forwards with a serious look on her face.
"This battle will be between Magna and Politoed! Begin!"
"Magna, start off by using Yawn!"
After opening her mouth and releasing a cloud of orange bubbles, Magna watched as Politoed was hit by the sleep inducing move, making him yawn obnoxiously while Marcus bit his lower lip in frustration. Gray, on the other hand, grinned at the sight before exhaling calmly.
"Damnit! Politoed, use Bounce!" Marcus shouted while pointing towards the sky.
Politoed suddenly did a handstand before springing into the air effortlessly. He then descended towards Magna, but the tiny psychic type and her trainer remained calm despite the deafening cheers from the crowd ringing in their ears.
"Take him out of the air with Uproar!" Gray yelled.
Magna's mouth suddenly shot open and she began screaming at the top of her lungs, causing waves of sound to fly towards Politoed, who gasped in shock along with his trainer. Despite this, Marcus quickly regained his composure and grinned while throwing his right fist forwards.
"Counter it with Hyper Voice!"
Politoed opened his mouth just like Magna had, and he began screaming just as loudly. The orange rings of energy flying from Politoed's mouth collided with the waves of sound escaping Magna's mouth. Several explosions occurred as the attacks continued to collide, but Gray smirked when she realized Marcus' Politoed was completely defenseless while falling from the sky.
"Now hit 'em with Astonish!"
"Hit Magna with Ice Punch, Politoed!" Marcus ordered immediately after Gray, making the brunette and her Pokemon smile.
Magna's body was suddenly enveloped in black energy as she continued sprinting towards Politoed, and the water type's fist was shrouded in light blue energy, which was freezing cold. Politoed then attempted to throw his fist forwards at his charging opponent, but Gray' was quick to react and adapt to the situation before her.
"Plant your feet and use Confusion, Magna!"
Magna's feet suddenly stopped moving and her eyes turned red. Marcus gasped in shock as his Politoed was sent flying across the battlefield after being hit by a red beam of energy, and he was down for the count once he stopped rolling.
"Politoed is unable to battle! Marcus, choose your next Pokemon!"
"Great work out there, Politoed. Return."
Marcus took a deep breath as he clipped the fainted Pokemon's Pokeball onto his belt, and he glanced over at Lucario, who had maintained a stoic expression.
"Lucario, I need you out there again," Marcus said to his starter, who nodded in response before stepping foot on the battlefield.
As his picture returned to its normal colors, Lucario noticed there was only one other Pokemon Marcus had that was capable of battling, while Gray still had three. He knew he had to do something about the disparity, and he was going to give Gray and her Pokemon everything he had.
"This battle will be between Magna and Lucario! Begin!"
"Lucario, let's finish this up fast! Dragon Pulse!"
Rearing his head back, Lucario opened his mouth and his head shot forwards. A multicolored blast of energy escaped Lucario's mouth and turned into the shape of a dragon as it closed in on Magna, who was caught off guard by the ferocity of the attack. Gray shared a similar reaction to her Pokemon, but she didn't want to show how she truly felt.
"Use Protect, Magna!"
Magna opened her mouth and stomped on the ground before a green bubble of energy appeared around her, blocking the dragon type attack that was fired at her. A cloud of smoke appeared around Magna, allowing Marcus and Lucario to attack from any angle.
"Charge and use Blaze Kick!"
Lucario did as he was told and sprinted across the battlefield. Once he jumped in the air, Lucario began to spin around as his foot caught on fire, and he dove into the smoke. With a mighty swing of his leg, Lucario sent Magna bouncing across the ground. Once she stopped bouncing, Magna remained lying face down, and Gray looked on nervously.
"Magna, are you alright?" Gray asked as her Pokemon slowly got on her feet.
The psychic type nodded in response before charging at Lucario angrily, making Gray sweat drop before issuing another command.
"Finish this off with Last Resort!"
Magna nodded in response once again before rearing her head back and opening her mouth. Before she could unleash her finishing attack, Marcus spoke up and shouted to Lucario hurriedly.
"Lucario, crush Magna with Extremespeed!"
Without a moment to waste, Lucario slammed into Magna as hard as he could at the speed of light, sending the psychic type flying into the wall behind Gray before she could use Last Resort. After sliding down the wall and landing on the ground, Gray ran a hand through her hair when she saw Magna was unconscious. Comis also reacted negatively, as he crossed his arms and began cursing wildly.
"Magna is unable to battle! Gray, choose your next Pokemon!" the referee shouted as Magna's picture turned black, leaving Gray with two remaining Pokemon, one of whom had already battled.
"You were spectacular, Magna. Take a long rest," Gray whispered before she put her Pokemon's Pokeball back on her belt. "Leviculus, I choose you!" she shouted after chucking a different capsule in the air.
In a flash of light, Leviculus appeared in front of his trainer and began to dance while Lucario maintained his stoic expression. The two Pokemon then locked eyes and Leviculus stopped acting like an idiot, taking on a serious expression just like Lucario. The two then nodded at the referee, who walked forwards and pointed at both sides.
"This battle will be between Leviculus and Lucario! Begin!"
"Let's start this off with Dragon Pulse, Lucario!" Marcus shouted aggressively in an attempt to set the tone of the battle.
Lucario reared his head back for what seemed to be the hundredth time, and opened his mouth. An explosive blast of energy escaped his mouth and took the shape of a dragon, which sped across the battlefield and closed in on Leviculus, who continued to have a serious look on his face, which was fairly uncommon.
"Dodge it and use Rain Dance, Leviculus!" Gray countered with a grin.
Leviculus suddenly started to dance, and he did the salsa in order to dodge the incoming Dragon Pulse attack. After the attack exploded on the ground, Leviculus opened his mouth and shot a ball of water into the air. Once it exploded, rain began to fall down on the stadium and its occupants. Leviculus quickly started to play in the rain, almost as if he had forgotten about the battle he was in, and Gray sweat dropped at the goofy Pokemon.
"Extremespeed!" Marcus screamed, grabbing Gray's and Leviculus' attention.
"Use Mega Kick right now!" Gray countered instantly, knowing just how to handle the insanely fast attack.
Leviculus' shot his glowing blue foot straight out and he smirked as Lucario was sent skidding back to Marcus' side, which made Gray grin and Comis started cheering like a lunatic. Leviculus, meanwhile, began to pant in fatigue, having used most of his energy in battle against Arcanine. Seeing this, Gray knew she had to be cautious the rest of the battle.
"Damn, that was smart. Lucario, shoot an Aura Sphere at Leviculus!" Marcus commanded while pointing straight forwards.
Lucario nodded and put his paws together while a blue light began to appear. An orb of blue energy then appeared and Lucario shot it at Leviculus, who continued panting and slouching in exhaustion.
"Hide with Dig!" Gray countered, knowing Leviculus didn't have the energy to match the power of Lucario's Aura Sphere attack.
Leviculus began to dig at the ground ferociously before disappearing from eyesight. The crowd began to cheer for the cunning move, but they gasped when Lucario's Aura Sphere went straight into the hole Leviculus had dug. An explosion occurred underground, and Leviculus was shot out from underneath the battlefield before he landed in front of Gray.
"Are you okay, Leviculus?"
The water type grinned in response before dancing, and Gray started to laugh while shaking her head. She stopped, however, and locked eyes with Marcus, who began to grin.
"Let's finish this off with Dragon Pulse, Lucario!"
"We'll do the same! Leviculus, use Hydro Pump!" Gray shouted after hearing Marcus' order.
Both Pokemon began to rear their heads back, and their mouthes shot open. A multicolored blast of energy in the shape of a dragon flew out of Lucario's mouth while a dark blue blast of high-pressured water escaped Leviculus' mouth. The two attacks collided in the middle of the battlefield and exploded instantly, sending both Pokemon flying into their trainers, who were knocked onto their backs as a result. Once they got up, Gray and Marcus saw that their Pokemon were down for the count, and the crowd exploded with applause.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle! Gray and Marcus, choose your final Pokemon!"
Leviculus' and Lucario's pictures turned black, and everyone stared at the two spots at the bottom of the scoreboard. Both trainers only had one Pokemon left, which just so happened to be their strongest, though they wouldn't openly admit such a thing.
"You were so amazing, Leviculus. Your efforts won't go in vein," Gray informed her Pokemon before zapping him into his Pokeball and looking down at Comis before petting him on the head.
"Lucario, that was such an incredible fight. Thanks for the great work," Marcus told his starter as he disappeared inside the spherical device. "Garchomp, you're all that's left!"
The Pokeball Marcus had thrown exploded and an imposing figure appeared on his half of the battlefield. Everyone cheered for Garchomp as he roared into the air powerfully, shaking the stadium, but he soon stopped and waved at Gray, who smiled and waved back. Slowly, the girl took her final Pokeball off her belt and held it in front of her face before looking up at Marcus and exhaling to calm her nerves.
"Fortis, it's all up to you!" Gray screamed while releasing her final Pokeball.
When his Pokeball opened, Fortis burst out and landed on the ground with a mighty roar, capturing everyone's attention. Once he stopped flapping his wings, which created a gale force wind, Fortis locked eyes with Garchomp and smiled. The other dragon type did the same, and they bowed to each other before speaking up.
"It's ironic that it comes down to us, isn't it?" Garchomp inquired before laughing. "I mean, our first battle was decided by us battling, and so will our last! Of course, I'll be the one walking away victoriously."
"Keep telling yourself that, Garchomp," Fortis shot back playfully. "I'm not going to hold anything back, and I expect you to do the same!" the Flygon exclaimed, which was met with a nod from his opponent.
Meanwhile, inside the trainer room, everyone sat in silence. Seeing both Gray and Marcus reveal their strongest Pokemon at the same time had taken away everyone's ability to speak.
In their luxury box, Red, Owen, Brooklyn, Molly, and their Pokemon stared down at the battlefield anxiously. This was the battle they had been waiting for since Marcus and Gray took the field, and they were finally getting their wish.
"This should be awesome," Owen said to himself before shaking his head.
"Definitely. If these two have shown us anything, it's that they're a cut above the rest of the Pokemon in this tournament," Red added while cracking a slight smile, which rarely happened.
"I can't even guess who'll win this battle. That's how strong Fortis and Garchomp are!" Brooklyn shouted energetically before rocking Molly back and forth in an attempt to clam her down.
Back on the battlefield, Gray and Marcus stared at their Pokemon, newfound confidence surging through their veins.
"This battle will be between Fortis and Garchomp! The winner will move on to the championship round of the Indigo League, which will take place two nights from now. Begin!"
"Fortis, start this off with Dragon Breath!" Gray commanded, not wanting to hold anything back.
Feeling the same way as his trainer, Fortis eagerly shot into the sky and opened his mouth in order to shoot a green wave of fire at Garchomp. While the attack closed in on his Pokemon, Marcus took a deep breath before throwing his right arm out to his side, and he shouted out to his final Pokemon.
"Garchomp, crash through it with Dragon Rush and don't back down!"
While stomping on the ground with his left foot, Garchomp roared powerfully. Blue aura surrounded his body, and he suddenly shot into the air, plowing through the blast of green flames. Gray nearly fell over in shock when Fortis was crushed by the super effective attack, and the winged Pokemon fell on the ground shortly afterwards.
"Stay strong, Fortis! Dragon Claw!" Gray ordered loudly.
Fortis began to flap his wings powerfully as he rose to his feet, and he took off flying. As he reached the center of the battlefield, Fortis' claws began to grow and glow neon green. After slashing Garchomp across the chest, Fortis ascended before swooping back down in an attempt to dish out another devastating blow to his incredibly powerful foe and rival.
"Get in close and then use Crunch, Garchomp!" Marcus shouted, thwarting Fortis' plans.
Garchomp nodded at his trainer's words before bolting towards Fortis and opening his jaw. When Fortis tried slashing him for the second time, Garchomp snapped his jaws on Fortis' hand, making him screech in pain. The crowd began shrieking for both sides as Garchomp continued biting Fortis, who continued screaming in pain. Thinking quickly, Gray lit up when she thought of the prefect way to free Fortis from his opponent's grasp.
"Hang in there, and blast Garchomp away with Hyper Beam!"
Snapping out of his pain, Fortis locked eyes with Garchomp and opened his mouth as if he were about to scream. Particles of orange energy began to form in the shape of a ball, and Fortis unleashed a destructive blast of orange energy. Garchomp was engulfed in the attack and sent flying across the battlefield while Fortis walked back to Gray while panting. Marcus, meanwhile, scowled at the sight of his Pokemon struggling to get on his feet, and he glanced across the field to see Fortis breathing heavily.
"That's it! It's time we show off our strongest move! Garchomp, use Draco Meteor!"
Garchomp spat once he got in his feet, and then he stared up at the sky. While he did so, his stomach started to glow orange, and he began to roar. Fortis turned around just in time to see a ball of orange energy shoot straight into the sky, and then it broke apart into several smaller pieces. Due to his not expecting to be hit by the bits of energy, Fortis was demolished by the insane attack, and he collapsed immediately.
"Fortis, are you okay?" Gray shouted to her strongest Pokemon, who rose to his feet and began flapping his wings to signal he was fine, which made Gray smile.
"Alright! Clobber 'em with Earthquake!"
Fortis nodded at the command and quickly slammed his tail against the ground, causing the stadium to shake violently. Much to her surprise, Gray saw Marcus and Garchomp having little problem maintaining their balance, and the boy called out to his final Pokemon.
"You do the same, Garchomp!"
Obeying his trainer's command, Garchomp stomped on the ground just as hard as Fortis, and the stadium began to shake so violently people were screaming in fear of it collapsing. Thankfully, it didn't, but the combating Pokemon weren't as lucky. Two columns of dirt shot out of the ground and struck both dragon types in the chin and knocked them onto their backs. While they struggled to get up, both Gray and Marcus began screaming words of encouragement, hoping that their Pokemon would use it as fuel to stand.
"Get up, Fortis! I know you can do it!"
"Garchomp, don't give up now! We can still win this!"
While both Pokemon slowly rose to their feet, the crowd reached a deafening pitch, and Gray could barely hear herself think. The audience soon quieted down, however, and the sixteen year old let out a sigh of relief before giving another command to Fortis.
"Take to the air and cover the battlefield with Flamethrower!" Gray shouted abruptly.
Fortis flapped his wings as hard as he could and lifted himself into the sky, where he remained for a few seconds before inhaling dramatically, to the point where his neck had loaded back. He then opened his mouth and grunted loudly as a wave of red fire hit the battlefield and burnt Garchomp, who started to roar angrily while Marcus bit his lower lip and cursed.
"Garchomp, stop Fortis from using Flamethrower by ramming into him with Dragon Rush!" the one seed demanded while throwing his right arm straight out to his side.
Using his incredibly strong legs, Garchomp took off like a rocket as blue aura began spinning around his body. Once he straightened his body out, Garchomp roared and the energy took on the shape of a dragon that was opening its mouth. Fortis attempted to blast him away with his Flamethrower attack, but Garchomp managed to move around it and he was hovering a few feet above Fortis, who had lost sight of his opponent.
"Fortis, look out! He's right above you!"
"Dragon Rush 'em!" Marcus screamed while punching his fist straight forwards.
Garchomp grinned before falling like a bowling ball, and he speared right into Fortis' back before the two smashed into the ground so hard the entire battlefield cracked. Everyone in the stadium gasped at the sheer power of Garchomp's attack, and the dragon and ground type rose to his feet before letting out a victorious roar while Fortis remained laying down on his face motionlessly.
"Fortis, please! You have to get up!" Gray pleaded while looking at the downed Pokemon, who was showing no signs of consciousness.
The referee noticed Fortis' lack of movement and slowly started to raise her arms in the air, but stopped when a slight grunt was released from Fortis' mouth. The dragon type slowly pushed himself back onto his feet with a mighty effort, and he turned around to face Garchomp, slouched over and panting rapidly. Clearly, Garchomp was in better shape and had more health, but what Fortis lacked he made up for with heart.
Meanwhile, in the trainer room, Gray's friends and family were watching intently.
"It's amazing that Fortis can even stand after getting hit like that," Chase whispered to himself while placing a hand on his chin. "That would've finished off any Pokemon."
"That's Fortis for ya," Tara said cheekily while winking at Chase. "Whenever you think something's impossible, he shows you that it is. Right, Scyther?"
"You'd be correct on that one, Tara," the bug type replied without looking away from the screen he was staring at along with everyone else in the room.
"Come on, Fortis! You can do it!" Sammy screamed, hurting everyone's ears.
Back on the battlefield, Fortis continued to pant, but he slowly regained his posture and seemed to gain a bit of energy from standing still, which made Marcus and Garchomp smile. Neither one of them wanted to beat their opponent when they were at anything less than their strongest, and Gray and Fortis felt the exact same way.
"Blast Garchomp with Dragon Breath, Fortis!" Gray ordered.
Fortis nodded before opening his mouth and shooting a blast of green flames at his opponent, who was engulfed in them and began to shriek in pain before jumping into the air gracefully, capturing everyone's attention.
"Use Dragon Rush, and don't hold anything back!"
Garchomp was suddenly engulfed in light blue energy and descended towards Fortis as the shape of a dragon appeared around the land-shark's body. As the jaws of the aura opened, Gray cleared her throat and took a deep breath before countering.
"Get ready for Garchomp to get in close, and then send him flying with Boomburst!"
Fortis folded his wings over his chest and peeked through a small hole before screaming as loud as he possibly could, creating a horizontal ring of yellow energy that was catapulted at Garchomp. Before he could strike Fortis, Garchomp was clobbered by the attack and bounced along the ground before skidding to a halt just in front of Marcus, who stared in shock at the power Fortis managed to display, despite the fact that he was exhausted.
Suddenly, Marcus gasped when he saw a hint of light flash in both Gray's and Fortis' eyes at the same time, and he shook his head before watching Garchomp push himself back onto his feet in fatigue. The pseudo legendary had bruises and cuts all over his body, and there were even spots of blood on his, as well as Fortis' body.
Comis simply stared at his teammate in shock, as Fortis continued to stand tall and fight to the bitter end in hopes of helping Gray advance to the championship round she had so desperately wanted to reach. A wave of power was radiating from the winged Pokemon, and Gray was exuding a similar power... or maybe it was confidence. Either way, it was impressive that the two were seemingly connected and shared the same state of mind, which made Comis look up at the sky for a brief second.
"I'm gonna be strong like that someday," he thought to himself before grinning slightly at the thought of seeing himself kick everyone's butt. "No matter what it takes, Fortis. I'll get strong just like you."
"Get in close and use Dragon Claw!" Gray shouted, snapping Comis out of his thought.
Fortis shot forwards at a resounding speed and caught both Marcus and Garchomp by surprise, which allowed Fortis to land a devastating blow that knocked Garchomp into the wall. Marcus turned around in dismay only to see Garchomp shoot into the air after Fortis, and the two grinned at each other as they reached the same altitude. Without orders from their trainers, both Pokemon charged up their attacks - Fortis' being Dragon Claw and Garchomp's being Dragon Rush - before flying towards one another with the intent to end the battle.
Fortis' neon green claws quickly collided with the aura surrounding Garchomp, and the two Pokemon started to battle back as bits of energy started to fly into the air before fizzing away, awing everyone that was watching. Both Gray and Marcus stared in silence as an explosion occurred and sent both Pokemon spiraling into the ground. Neither Fortis nor Garchomp were able to break their fall, and they hit the ground back first, sapping them of the wind in their lungs.
"Keep it up just a little bit longer, Fortis! It'll all be over soon!" Gray tried reassuring her Pokemon, even though she had no idea how many more hits Garchomp could take.
"Garchomp, I know you can keep going! Give it your all, buddy!" Marcus cheered, causing Garchomp's eyes to shoot open as he pushed himself off the ground and roared with all of his remaining energy before falling on his face in silence.
The crowd let out a collective gasp at the sight before seeing Fortis push himself up, and the winged creature was severely hunched over, as he was barely able to stand. The referee, meanwhile, looked over at Garchomp and nodded to herself before raising her arms in the air to signal the end of the battle.
"Wait!" Gray shouted, shocking the referee as she pointed at Garchomp. "Give him a few more seconds. I know he's going to get back up."
The ref nodded reluctantly before gasping at Gray's prediction becoming reality, as Garchomp managed to push himself back up, roaring once again before nodding at Gray respectfully.
"How do you feel about ending this, Fortis?" the brunette quizzed knowing full well both Fortis and Garchomp had no energy left.
"Let's... do... it!" Fortis answered back through deep breaths, prompting Gray to nod before punching her right fist straight forwards.
"Dragon Claw!"
"Dragon Rush!"
With a mighty flap of his wings, Fortis took to the air and zipped across the battlefield while Garchomp stomped on the ground and stared to roar as he was surrounded in blue aura. While that happened, Fortis' claws began to glow neon green and extend exponentially. Garchomp then took off to the air, and Fortis countered by swinging at him violently. The two attacks collided, and both Pokemon battled back and forth, refusing to give in to the other. As the sparks of energy continued to fly off their attacks, a vortex of green and blue energy suddenly engulfed the two and began to spin at hyper-speed. The energy emitted from the neon and blue tower was so powerful people in the stands were being pushed back into their seats, and the energy began to spin at a higher speed, which, in turn, made the vortex less stable. Suddenly, it exploded and Gray, Marcus, and Comis were sent flying backwards while everyone in the stands dropped to the ground in fear of being injured by the force.
An enormous cloud of thick black smoke covered the battlefield and left everyone waiting anxiously, while Gray, Comis, Chase, Fortis, and Garchomp struggled to breathe.
Inside the trainer room, Gray's supporters were left speechless until Tara finally spoke up.
"I can't believe how evenly matched they are!" the blonde shouted at the sight of the explosion. "I knew Marcus was strong, but Garchomp being able to match Fortis? That's crazy!"
"Well, he didn't stumble into a one seed," Chase shot back before shaking his head at the battle. "Still, there's no way I expected Marcus to ever be this strong. Actually... I never expected anyone to be this strong," Chase restated while pointing at the screen.
"You can say that again. I always thought the strength of the Elite 4 was just exaggerated, but now that I see how strong these two are..." Tracey paused before shaking her head. "It's crazy to think about."
Back on the battlefield, the smoke slowly started to settle. Little by little, the crowd regained vision of the battlefield, and everyone, including Gray, Marcus, and the referee, gasped in shock when they saw the middle of the battlefield.
Both Fortis and Garchomp continued to stand, albeit barely, and they had similar smirks plastered on their faces. The fact that either was still able to stand after such a massive explosion was improbable to say the least, and it almost seemed like the battle between the two rivals was never going to end. Meanwhile, the crowd and trainers waited in silence as the two Pokemon narrowed their eyes and continued to smile before their legs started shaking violently.
Comis quickly jumped up into Gray's arms and they hugged as tightly as they could as a means of coping with the tense situation, while Marcus was biting his nails furiously.
With one final smirk, Fortis nodded every so slightly at Garchomp, and his legs gave out.
"Fortis is unable to battle! Marcus and Garchomp are the winners and will be moving on to the championship round!" the referee screamed as Fortis' picture turned black, making Gray stare up at the scoreboard in shock.
After all of that, she had lost. Each and every single one of the Pokemon that battled for her had left their hearts out on the battlefield... and yet they lost. Crushed by the fact that she was only a win away from advancing to the championship, tears began to run down Gray's eyes and she hugged Comis once again, nearly crushing the winged scorpion. After a few seconds of sobbing, Gray wiped her eyes and looked around at the stadium, only to see everyone applauding her. Even Garchomp, who had collapsed on his face, was clapping with what little energy he had left.
000
"That was unlike anything I've ever seen before," Owen said to himself as he stood in the hallway Marcus had to walk through to leave the battlefield. "That girl..."
"She really is special."
Owen nearly screamed when he heard Brooklyn's voice, and he blushed a bright red as she laughed at him while cradling Molly. Charizard and Blaziken stood by her sides, and they were also laughing, but they soon stopped to look out at the battlefield, more specifically where Fortis and Garchomp were laying.
"That was probably the best battle I've ever seen, excluding when you fought Red's Charizard," Blaziken said to his brother, who grinned proudly while nodding.
"Definitely. I mean, Garchomp's drive was impressive, but that species is just bred to be the top fighter," Charizard opined as Owen leaned against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest, and continued to watch Marcus celebrate with his strongest Pokemon. "That Flygon, though... those aren't nearly the fighters every other dragon type is. I don't think I've seen a Pokemon as naturally strong as Fortis, at least not at the stage he's at."
Owen nodded and smiled at the sight of Marcus rejoicing his victory with Garchomp - who had been given a Full Restore - but he suddenly frowned and walked away from the battlefield in silence. Not knowing what he was thinking, Charizard, Blaziken, and Brooklyn followed after him.
000
As she continued to wipe away her tears, Gray slowly started to smile, and she bowed to the crowd and waved as she made her way over to Fortis' side. The dragon type was resting on his side, and it took all of Gray's strength to get him on his feet before the girl sprayed him with a Full Restore, immediately giving him back his energy.
"I'm... so sorry, Gray," Fortis said while coughing, making Gray smile as she stood by his side.
Slowly, Gray patted her strongest Pokemon on the head, and he looked at her in confusion, only to see a bright smile on her face.
"Don't be, Fortis. You did everything you could've, and there's no way I could ask for you to do anything else," the girl informed Fortis before hugging him tightly.
"Yeah, you were at a whole different level, Fortis! I've never seen something so awesome before!" Comis said as he flew towards Fortis and landed on his back with a bright smile. "I was just thinking about how I wanted to get that strong someday!"
"Thanks, Comis. You know, if you really want to get strong, I'd be more than happy to help you train."
"You mean it?"
"Of course. Come on, let's go and we can train after we get some dinner," Fortis said warmly as he began to walk off the battlefield with Comis clinging to his back.
The two stopped, however, when they heard Marcus' voice ring in the air, and they turned around immediately before walking back to Gray's side.
"I really don't know what to say right now," the teen informed Gray and her two Pokemon, who laughed at the comment. "Uhm... Garchomp, just say what you wanted to."
Garchomp laughed at his trainer's words before bowing to Fortis respectfully, and then he did the same to Gray, who giggled.
"I can't thank you enough for letting me get a chance to get back up, Gray. And Fortis... man, I don't even know where to start. I figured you'd be strong, but I didn't know you were going to pull out all the stops, haha."
"Haha, thanks, Garchomp" Fortis said with a nod. "Enjoy the win, because next time will be different," he assured Garchomp, before they shook hands.
"I'm looking forward to that."
"Marcus, you deserve this," Gray said with a smile as everyone in the stadium cheered for the energetic boy, who smiled in response and bowed.
"Thank you, Gray! You and your Pokemon were so impressive!" he exclaimed, making Gray giggle while Fortis nodded at his trainer's rival kindly. "I mean, all of your Pokemon were so incredible, and I really can't say enough about how you pushed us beyond our limits!"
Comis quickly leaped onto Gray's head and locked eyes with Marcus and Garchomp angrily before breaking into a goofy grin, which made the two laugh.
"This time next year, I'm gonna battle both of you and win, because I'm going to be as strong as I can!" Comis vowed while sticking his claw out to Garchomp, who glanced over at Fortis, who nodded.
Garchomp laughed at the ground type's passion, and he quickly shook Comis' claw, making the young Pokemon beam. With that, the two sides walked off the battlefield - one going to the championship, the other going home.
000
"Congratulations on making it to the championship, Savannah!" Gray exclaimed as she hugged her rival and friend. "You're really going to need to train, though. I mean, I know you battled Marcus a lot, but he's on a whole different level right now with the way he's been battling."
"Haha, thanks for the advice," Savannah replied before sighing and leaning against the exterior of the Pokemon Center, which was nearly empty due to everyone that had been eliminated already leaving. "So are you sticking around?"
Gray shook her head and let out a soft sigh as she looked up at the stars.
"No, I need to think about what I'm going to do next. Don't worry, though. I'll be watching you on TV!"
Savannah chuckled at Gray's enthusiasm, and the two sighed in unison before hearing the automatic doors of the Pokemon Center slide open. Tara and Chase walked out and glanced over at Gray, who nodded and cracked her back. Both she and Savannah got up before hugging for the final time, and Gray threw her backpack over her shoulder while walking towards her friends, Durus, and Comis.
"See ya later, Savannah! Good luck in the championship tomorrow!" Tara and Chase shouted along with Comis and Durus, prompting the petite redhead to wave back.
Within seconds, she was out of sight, and Gray looked back at her friends with a smile before petting Durus and Comis, the latter of whom was latched onto her head as usual. The group maintained conversation for the next several hours, as they decided to travel through the night in order to arrive in Saffron City before the championship. Each one recounted specific instances that stood out the most to them during their travels through the Kanto region, before ultimately, they arrived at Gray's and Chase's apartment building.
"So, are you gonna go to a new region, Gray?" Tara inquired curiously, which was met with a simple shrug.
"Not a clue, to be honest. I just want to relax for a week or two, and then I'll start thinking about that stuff. What about you? What are you two going to do now that all of our traveling's done?" Gray asked as the elevator reached Chase's floor. Wanting to continue the conversation, Gray hopped out with Chase and Tara, and they sat in a few chairs stationed just outside the elevator.
"Well, I'm going to medical school," Chase stated abruptly, catching Gray, Durus, and Comis off guard. "I know it's sudden and all, but if I spend another year traveling, I can kiss my dreams of being a doctor goodbye. There's no way I'd be able to keep up with all of the studying required, especially with school being in Unova, where there are books that can only be found there."
Gray nodded in shock, not knowing how to react to the sudden information, but she managed to turn her attention to Tara, who ran a hand through her hair before shrugging.
"I really don't know. I kind of want to see the world, so I guess Unova wouldn't be a bad place to start, if that's alright with you, Chase," Tara said, catching Chase off guard.
"Uh... sure, I guess. Having someone to go on a plane with before going to school by myself would be really nice!" he exclaimed, crushing Tara's morale while Gray didn't pay any attention to the conversation, as she was too focused on thinking about what she'd be doing.
"Well, I guess I'm gonna go. If either of you want, you can stop by my place and watch the championship."
Tara nodded while Chase gave a thumbs up, making Gray smile as she walked into the elevator. Slowly, she pushed the button to go to her floor, and watched as the doors closed on her friends, who she wouldn't see again. Once the doors opened, Comis zipped down the hall to Gray's apartment, while Durus and Gray slowly made their ways to the door.
Her new life was waiting beyond the door. What lied behind it, however, was unknown.
So, Gray fell to Marcus in the semifinals, with Fortis and Garchomp battling it out in the end, and Gray said her (incredibly quick) farewells to Chase and Tara. Next chapter will basically set up the bridge to PJA:ANG! and provide some closure to the Indigo League. Expect an update later tonight, or maybe a bit earlier, depending on how long it takes me to edit, and if I want to post the first chapter of Johto. Till next time, peace out.
1) Who do you think was the MVP of Gray's team during the tournament?
2) Predictions for Gray's Johto team? (Comis will be the only member to repeat a type from the Kanto team, and there'll be one Pokemon per region, none of which were caught by Owen, nor are they starters)
3) Any Violet City Arc predictions?
Next Chapter "An Enticing Offer": After the conclusion of the Indigo League, Gray finds herself in a conversation with Owen, who's departing for Kalos. Before he leaves, Owen talks to Gray about her future and gives her some advice, along with extending an offer. What is it? Will Gray agree to it?
Violet City Arc
Chapter 1: Starting from Scratch
Chapter 2: Three's Company
Chapter 3: Top Percentage: Comis vs Rattata
Chapter 4: Doubling the Stakes
Chapter 5: Acer Steals the Show
Chapter 6: Falkner the Sky Surfer
Chapter 7: Release the Houndoom!
Chapter 8: Flight Fight
Chapter 9: Gray vs Silver: When Opposites Clash!
Chapter 10: Cleansing the Johto Region