Episode 18: A model Gym Leader
"Roggenrola, use rock blast!" Niko shouted. The Mantle Pokémon conjured a series of rocks and hurled them directly forward at his imaginary opponent. "Nice job, but let's keep it up!" He said. Roggenrola continued working on this for another half hour before sitting down, slightly exhausted. "Good work, I think we're on the right path here." He said, sitting down next to Roggenrola. "You're getting better." He said kindly, tapping Roggenrola on the back of his head. He knew that the little rock type would be incredibly important in the upcoming gym battle in Nimbasa City, which specialized in electric types. Even though Roggenrola didn't have a direct advantage, he was the closest thing Niko had besides Servine. And he knew from experience that having as many advantages as possible was necessary, in the event that he gets caught off guard.
"Niko's been more active in training for this gym battle than any of the ones before this…" Warren said observantly. "Did something happen to him on that Battle Subway?"
"Sort of." Charlotte said with a smirk. "I think he's a better person because of it."
After their short training session, Niko took his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center to rest up while he had a quick meal with Charlotte and Warren. Him and Warren exchanged casual conversation while Charlotte was reading her book, presumably to look for anything on the Nimbasa Gym. Finding nothing, she put her book away and listened to the conversation between her two companions. Warren was explaining the highlights of the Beartics game the previous evening. Niko, who knew close to nothing about basketball, listened and tried to understand what Warren was saying.
"Alright, I think my Pokémon are ready." Niko finally said, not wanting to interrupt Warren. He got up, walked over to Nurse Joy's desk, and picked up his three pokéballs. "Thanks."
"No problem. Come again!" She said politely. Niko nodded and pocketed the pokéballs before heading back to his friends.
"You all ready to head out?"
"Yeah. Where's the gym?" Warren asked, standing up. Niko shrugged. "Okay…Charlotte?"
"It's at the northern end of the city. It's also not a…conventional gym." She said. "At least, according to the book I have." Confused, Niko and Warren exchanged looks.
Charlotte was right. The outside of the Nimbasa Gym didn't look like a traditional gym. Instead, it looked more like a Contest Hall. Walking inside, Niko and his friends noticed that they weren't alone—there was a crowd of people! What the…? Niko thought to himself as he observed the people socializing with one another.
"What is this place?" He asked Charlotte, who didn't seem to have any idea. "Looks like a Pokémon Contest." Niko then approached the front desk. "Excuse me, is this the Nimbasa Gym?"
"Yes, would you like to request a match with Gym Leader Elesa?" The lady asked kindly.
"Yes, please." Niko said. "Is there some wait line or something?"
"No, actually Elesa is available for battling soon. All of these people are here for an event in a few hours. She usually reserves her gym battles for her 'warm-up' acts before her runway shows." The lady explained.
"Oh, she's a model?" Niko asked curiously. The lady nodded.
"Indeed. She's a Gym Leader part time, and a model full time. Her crowds generally show up for her fashion shows, but occasionally they'll come for a potential gym battle." She then pressed some keys on her desk computer, asking for Niko's information. "Alright, you're registered for a battle with Elesa. Be prepared for a battle in the next half hour. When we're ready for you, a security guard will come to fetch you and lead you to the stage."
"Thank you." Niko said cordially before turning to Warren and Charlotte. "Guess I'm getting another audience."
"That'll be fun! Just like in Aspertia City!" Warren said.
"Yeah, only difference is these people are here for entertainment, not for learning." Niko said. "Oh well, I'm not too worried about it."
"And you shouldn't be." Charlotte said. "C'mon Warren, let's go get our seats." She said, proceeding towards the stands on the other side of the lobby. Warren wished him good luck and then disappeared behind a set of double doors with Charlotte, leaving Niko alone in a lobby full of strangers. And so he took a seat on a cushioned couch and awaited his summoning.
As promised, half an hour later a security guard showed up to tell him they were ready for him. Niko got up and followed the guard through a different set of double doors than his friends did, and found himself walking down a hallway akin to a Pokémon League stadium entrance. On the other end of the hallway was a large indoor stadium, filled to the brim with crowds of people. The battlefield was sitting in the middle of the stadium, bisected by a runway.
At the opposite end of the runway was a tall black-haired woman in a tight-fitting pale-yellow and sky-blue swimsuit-like outfit. Her hair was braided in a zig-zagging pattern that descended past both of her shoulders. Her eyes were bright blue, like Niko's, and rested just below her black bangs. She wore a pair of headphones with two antennas, one on each end and each a different color. Lastly, she wore an enormous puffy pale-yellow sweater around her arms, as if she was in the process of taking it off.
"So you're my challenger. Niko, right?" She asked in a friendly tone. "I'm Elesa, the Gym Leader of Nimbasa City. Pleasure to meet you." She said, extending her hand. Niko shook it with a smile. "My gym battles are typically three-vs-three. Does that work for you?"
"Yes, it does." Niko said.
"Very well." Elesa said, walking to her end of the battlefield. Once she got to the end of the battlefield, standing on a circular space, she spun around and threw off the fluffy sweater, eliciting a loud applause from the crowd. "Let's begin. Emolga, I choose you!"
Out of Elesa's first pokéball came a small, flying squirrel Pokémon. It was primarily white with yellow wings and cheeks and black ears and tail. Pulling out his pokédex, Niko briefly examine the unfamiliar Pokémon.
"Emolga, the Sky Squirrel Pokémon. Electric and flying type. It glides on its outstretched membrane while shocking foes with the electricity stores in the pouches on its cheeks."
"Flying type…alright then, Rufflet, let's go!" Niko shouted, summoning his Eaglet Pokémon. He figured that, to lessen the work for Roggenrola, he would start with Rufflet. Plus, this was likely the best chance he had at giving the bird a fighting chance in this gym battle. "Use fury attack!"
"Emolga, electro ball!" Elesa commanded. Emolga conjured a crackling ball of electricity in between its small paws and launched it at Rufflet, who just barely missed the attack and glided upwards towards the flying squirrel, thrashing at it with his sharp talons. "Now, pursuit!"
Emolga charged down at Rufflet just as he was swooping away after finishing his fury attack. Emolga slammed into Rufflet just as he was close to the ground, and the two crashed into the floor of the battlefield. Elesa then commanded Emolga to use an electro ball at close range. This time, Rufflet couldn't escape, as the Sky Squirrel Pokémon was directly on top of him.
"Fury attack again!" Niko shouted, but it didn't seem to work. The attack landed, with Rufflet only barely scratching Emolga with fury attack. Emolga flew out of the resulting explosion from the electro ball, leaving Rufflet lying on his back, unable to move.
"Rufflet is unable to battle, Emolga is the winner!" The referee announced. "Challenger Niko will now use his second Pokémon!"
The crowd cheered for Elesa as Niko returned Rufflet. Alright, guess that didn't work. Sorry, Rufflet. He thought. "Roggenrola, let's go!" He shouted, throwing out his second pokéball. "Use rock blast!"
"Emolga, volt switch!" Elesa commanded. Emolga began to glow a bright yellow, surging with electricity as it dove down towards Roggenrola, who shifted to the side to dodge the squirrel. He then conjured rock after rock, shooting them at Emolga one after another, and knocking it to the ground. "Electro ball!"
Emolga once more conjured a ball of electric energy and launched it at Roggenrola, who blocked it with a rock blast of his own, creating an explosion in the middle of the battlefield. Emolga then attempted volt smith once more. This time, Roggenrola ran forward into the attack to use headbutt, and then up close launched a rock blast, directly at Emolga's face just as the volt switch attack was taking effect.
However, the effect of volt switch—swapping out Pokémon in a trainer's roster—didn't work, as the final rock blast defeated Emolga, leaving the flying squirrel laying on its back, unable to get back up.
"Emolga is unable to battle, Roggenrola is the winner! Leader Elesa will now send out her second Pokémon!" The referee declared.
"Yes!" Warren shouted, angering a few people in the crowd with him. Realizing this, he calmed down a little, and didn't speak much for the rest of the battle.
"Emolga, return. You got lucky there, Niko. But I believe I still have the advantage. Flaaffy, I choose you!" She shouted, throwing out a second pokéball containing a very familiar Pokémon to Niko, as Fay had one as well. "Use thunder wave!"
"Roggenrola, return." Niko said. If he was being honest with himself, it was a somewhat cheap move to return a Pokémon mid-attack. And his concerns were realized when he heard boos in the crowd. I have to focus on winning, not on the crowd. That's what matter here, right? "Servine, I choose you!"
"Flaaffy, use electro ball!" Elesa commanded. Servine blocked the oncoming electric sphere with a defensive leaf tornado before dashing forward towards he opponent.
"Vine whip!" Niko called out. The Grass Snake Pokémon leapt through the air, wrapping Flaaffy with one of the vines and slapping it with the other. "Now, leaf tornado!"
Servine let go and then back flipped, unleashing a torrent of leaves from her tail at Flaaffy, who was blown backwards. Elesa commanded her Pokémon to use thunder wave, which certainly slowed Servine down, as the Grass Snake Pokémon was unable to evade the move this time.
"Electro ball!" She commanded. Flaaffy then charged forward, emboldened by the now paralyzed Servine, and slapped its electrified tail across Servine's body, launching the Grass Snake Pokémon across the battlefield and onto the runway bisecting the battlefield.
"Servine, can you continue?" Niko asked calmly, but decisively. Servine nodded, slowly getting up and using leaf tornado to quickly block a second oncoming electro ball. "Good. Now let's go out and win this! Servine, use offensive leaf tornado, and follow up with vine whip!"
Servine charged forward, flipping through the air at a high speed and quickly releasing a leaf tornado at flaaffy, who was whipped up in a frenzy by the attack. While the Wool Pokémon was distracted by the attack, Servine grabbed Flaaffy with both vines from her neck and launched her opponent high into the air.
"Finish Flaaffy off with leaf tornado!" Niko shouted, pointing toward the ceiling. Servine spun around, pointing her tail towards the now descending Flaaffy, and unleashed a final whirlwind of leaves. Flaaffy crashed into the ground in defeat.
"Flaaffy is unable to battle, Servine is the winner!" The referee declared. "Leader Elesa will now send out her final Pokémon!"
"Zebstrika, I choose you!" Elesa shouted amongst the cheers. Out of her third and final Pokémon came a massive zebra-like Pokémon with white, jagged mane lining its back. Curious, Niko pulled out his pokédex to examine the Pokémon:
"Zebstrika, the Thunderbolt Pokémon. Electric type. When this ill-tempered Pokémon runs wild, it shoots lightning from its mane in all directions."
"Good luck, Niko. Zebstrika, use flame charge!"
It knows fire moves, too? Niko thought in a panic. "Servine, dodge the move!" Servine, for all of its speed, was barely able to move out of the way, instead rolling to the side as Zebstrika—coated in flames—dashed past her. "Now, use leaf tornado!"
"Flame charge again!" Elesa shouted. Zebstrika charged at Servine, the flames on its body glowing brighter and hotter. Servine stood still to use leaf tornado, but not only did the attack have no effect, the Grass Snake Pokémon was hit by the flame charge, launching her off of the battlefield and onto the surface below. Niko called out to her, but this time she didn't respond.
"Servine is unable to battle, Zebstrika is the winner!" The referee said amongst the crowd. "Challenger Niko will now send out his final Pokémon!"
"Roggenrola, I'm depending on you now. This is your time to shine. Let's go!" He shouted, once more summoning the Mantle Pokémon. "We're not against a flying type this time, buddy. Use sand attack!"
"Volt switch!" Elesa commanded. Zebstrika charged forward, its body glowing with electricity. Roggenrola stood sturdy, kicking dirt up from the floor of the battlefield, creating a small, low-hanging cloud of dust and dirt into the air, covering his movements. This allowed him to slowly shift out of Zebstrika's path, and launched a rock blast at the zebra's side, knocking it off of its feet and onto the ground. "Zebstrika, we need to get back up! Use flame charge!" Elesa shouted, but the command was in vain.
"Roggenrola, use mud slap!" Niko commanded. Roggenrola kicked more dirt into the air, aimed specifically at Zebstrika. "Now, rock blast!" The Mantle Pokémon then barraged Zebstrika with a series of rocks. "And let's finish this off with headbutt!"
Roggenrola charged at Zebstrika, striking the Thunderbolt Pokémon with the brown point of his head, just as Zebstrika used volt switch and electrified Roggenrola, forcing sparks to surge through the ear on his face and into his body. Smoke began to come out from Roggenrola and he stumbled backwards, nevertheless maintaining his balance.
"Roggenrola, don't lose your balance, alright?" Niko said, again calmly. Roggenrola nodded, standing low to the ground to maintain his balance. "Good. Now, let's finish Zebstrika with rock blast!" Roggenrola leaned back upwards a little and conjured a final series of rocks in front of his body, launching each one in succession at the fallen Zebstrika. After the final one, Zebstrika wasn't moving, indicating its inability to battle.
"Zebstrika is unable to battle, Roggenrola is the winner!" The referee declared, waving a white flag towards Niko. "And the victory goes to Niko from Pallet Town!"
"Way to go, Roggenrola!" Niko said, running onto the field and picking up—albeit with difficulty—the Mantle Pokémon. "I'm really proud of you, buddy. We won this because of you!"
Roggenrola nodded, clearly proud of himself. Niko nodded, looking up from his Pokémon and at Elesa, who was standing at his height and holding a small yellow badge in her palm.
"Niko, congrats on defeating me. Admittedly, I don't like to lose, but I can see that you're a skillful and resourceful trainer. I wish you the best of luck in your gym challenge in Unova. So…here, allow me to offer you the Bolt Badge, as proof that you defeated me." She said, holding out the small badge that was in the shape of a lightning bolt, with an orange crown sticking out of the tip of the badge.
"Thank you for the battle, Elesa." Niko said, returning Roggenrola to his pokéball and taking the badge from her palm. "Hopefully I didn't anger your fans too much." He said with a nervous laugh.
"Oh, don't mind them. They get too excited just by my presence." She shrugged. "I love my fans, but they can be a bit much sometimes."
"Must be hard to be a celebrity, I suppose." Niko commented, looking around at the crowd.
"It can be a lot sometimes, but I don't think it's necessarily hard. There are difficult things in this world. Dealing with fans is not really one of them, in my opinion." She smirked. "Anyway, let's get you on your way. I have some show I need to do soon."
Niko nodded, and was personally led out of the stadium by Elesa, leaving him in the lobby. Moments later, Charlotte and Warren showed up to congratulate him.
"Elesa's fans though…dear lord." Warren said, shaking his head. "Niko, they were mad people! Mad!"
"They really did act unkind to Warren." Charlotte added. "Once they figured out who we were supporting, they didn't treat us nicely."
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that…" Niko said, looking genuinely concerned. He didn't want his friends to have to constantly go through that.
"It's no problem, dude." Warren said. "I'd do it again if it meant watching you win, you know?"
"Well, I appreciate that. Now come on, let's go grab something to eat." Niko said, leading his friends out of the Nimbasa Gym and towards their next destination. Four badges down, four to go.