AND THAT'S IT DRAGONITE IS FINALLY DOWN, IT PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT BUT WAS NO MATCH FOR BOTH TOGEKISS AND FLYGON. WITH THAT THIS BATTLE IN THE CHAMPION EXHIBITION MEET IS OVER WITH RYAN THE VICTOR OVER LANCE!
The foyer of the Vermillion Pokecentre is filled to the brim with spectators watching the match on the large screen. The screen flashes with different shots of Lance helping Dragonite up and Ryan congratulating Flygon, it then changes to a screen with a huge 2-0 on it, it shows Lance and Ryan with their Pokemon line ups, Dragonite, Kingdra and Gyarados are all greyed out while Ampharos and Flygon are lit up with only Togekiss being greyed out. The screen then cuts to a commercial break and the spectators begin to filter out of the centre.
"Man I really wanted Lance to win"
"Yeah, he did well though not many stand up to Ryan these days"
"Its crazy to think he started off in the Kanto region too"
"He has so many different Pokemon its almost impossible to guess what he is going to use"
"I heard a rumour he's mentoring some trainers, man that be so cool"
I smile to myself as I look at screen in front of me checking over Vulpix's stats
"Dustin!"
I turn to see the Nurse Joy at the counter holding a tray with two Pokeballs on it. I grab my backpack and run up
"Thank you Nurse"
"You're welcome young man, I spoken to the gym battle arranger, Surge is booked until 5pm tonight is that okay?"
"That is perfect! Gives me 7 hours to go ahead with my plan!"
"Excellent! I'll confirm it for you" She says with a warm smile
I take the balls and bow my head slightly before rushing out the centre
"Okay so Diglett cave then the route to the left" I say to myself before rushing off
"Ivysaur, Sleep Powder"
Ivysaur burst out a blast of white and silver spores and envelopes the small Diglett, it slowly descends into sleep, I throw out a Great Ball before it slopes down the hole. It shakes three times and confirms the capture
"Yes Ivy, there's the first member!" I shout jumping up and down
"VUL!"
I turn to see Vulpix blowing embers down another hole, a few meters away a slightly singed Sandshrew bursts out of the ground, it lands and blows violently towards the singe marks on its tail
"Great Ball Go!"
In the same motion as me turning I throw out another ball and it clicks in the back of the Sandshrews head, it only take one roll this time before the capture is confirmed
"Yes! Great work Vulpix!" I say running up and patting Vulpix on the head who coos out in happiness
"Okay both, one more to go" I say sprinting off out of the cave while Ivysaur and Vulpix look to each and sigh before chasing off after me
"Bra!"
I crack the Abra in the back of the head with one of the Ultra Balls I had managed to pick up on the underground path, it shakes once and confirms the capture, I gleefully run up to it and snatch it up quickly as Ivysaur and Vulpix pant in the background only just catching up to me
"We did it guys!" I shout running up and hugging both of them tightly
They both call back in happiness before I send out the three captured Pokemon, they all appear slightly dazed.
"Hello all, I'm Dustin welcome to the team!" I say holding my arms out wide
Ivysaur and Vulpix also call out in unison too to welcome them but the reception is frosty. Diglett immediately begins to dig it way back towards Diglett Cave, Sandshrew immediately curls itself up into a ball while Abra begins to sporadically teleport around.
"Hey wait, Abra stop that please! I need you guys to help me beat Surge!"
Sandshrew stays motionless while Diglett is now completely unseen while Abra has managed to pop itself up between two nearby battling trainers. I hit the recall button on all three of their balls and slumps down to my backside and sigh
"I really think this plan will work!" I cry out
Vulpix and Ivysaur wander up to me, Vulpix puts its front paw on my thigh while Ivysaur pats my back with its vine
"Ivy Ivy!"
"You think it will work too?
She nods back to me
"Vul!" Vulpix calls out nodding in agreement with Ivysaur
"Okay! Its only really Raichu we need to worry about, take out Voltorb and Magnemite and it 1" I jump up with newly regained confidence
I spend the next few hours trying to work one on one with my additions, Sandshrew seems to be the most on board and at least listens to my attacks, Abra manages to win a battle single handley against one of the local trainers using confusion so my confiendence is sky high when heading towards the gym. i set out some bowls and let every eat quickly while I bound up and down on the spot eager to head off, once they have finished I pack up and sprint off I zoom up to the gym entrance way before a small camera drops down, I push my phone into the air letting it scan.
"Welcome Challenger Dustin, please enter your three Pokemon you are using"
I hold up Sandshrew, Diglett and Abra's balls to the camera and it confirms my team. I look to the other two on my team
"You cheer us on from the sidelines okay?" I say sending out Ivysaur and Vulpix
They both call back in agreement as the doors clicks, it opens up to a large battle arena, at the other end stands the imposing figure of Lt Surge.
"Hello young cadet, welcome to the Vermillion City gym! This will be your first real challenge on your journey!"
I gulp and walk up to the trainer box while Vulpix and Ivysaur jump over to the sidelines to watch. I look up into the stands there only about 5 people in the crowd and barley any are watching as I spot a familiar face
"Hey Dustin!"
I spot Ryan in the stands who is signing stuff and taking pictures for the other spectators.
I wave back feeling a huge wave of nerves rush over me, I look out onto the ground in front and take a deep breath before looking steely eyed at Surge.
The Rotom referee drops down from the ceiling and brings up the battle screen with Surge and myself up on it
"Magnemite you are up!"
"Sandshrew come out"
Sandshrew appears on the field and looks around hesitantly, as Magnemite bops up and down eyeing up his target
"Magnemite, Magnet Bomb"
Magnemite summons glowing bright light around it and fire it off towards Sandshrew
"Sandshrew spin to deflect it!"
Sandshrew curls into a ball but before it can spin its hit fully with the attack
"Follow up with Gyro Ball"
Magnemite spins in a ball at pace and slams into Sandshrew sending it flying to just in front of me
"Sandshrew cannot continue!" the Rotom ref chirps out
I return Sandshrew to its ball
"Its okay thank you for your help" I say to the ball returning it to my belt
"Diglett your next!
I throw out Diglett who appears, it darts its eyes around the arena searching, I assume for a quick way back to the cave
"Magnemite return!" Surge pulls Magnemite back out
"Voltorb I choose you!"
The Pokeball looking monster appears and spins quickly on the ground sort of charging up
"Voltorb use Sonicboom"
"Dodge go under ground Diglett!"
Diglett narrowly doges the attack by zipping underground as the attack flies toward the edge slamming into the battlefield shield
"Use Dig!"
"Magnet Rise"
Voltorb rises up above the battlefield deftly dodging the ground attack
"With Diglett cave so close you must have known I'd have ways around that!" Surge shouts tauntingly
I grimace, with Voltorb in the air Diglett almost has no way to hit the electric type
"Use Swift"
Voltorb spins in the air and hits Diglett with a flurry of Stars, after the dust settles Diglett is popped up out of the ground unable to continue
"Diglett cannot continue!"
I return Diglett hastily
"Thank you for trying" I say my throat catching slightly
"Abra I choose you!"
Abra appears on the field, sleeping contently it hovers mid air in the middle of the field
"Voltorb Gyro Ball!"
Voltorb flies in towards Abra, before I can even give a command it teleports away up into the stand
"No Abra you have to stay on the battlefield!" I shout to it
It then teleports to beside Surge
"Kid do you even have control of this thing!"
It then teleports back to my side, then to by Ivysaur and Vulpix who both look on worriedly. As I zoom my head around chasing Abras whereabouts I catch a glimpse of Ryan looking on concernedly as well as some of the kids in the stands watching chuckling away at my demise
"The challengers Abra is unwilling to participate so his contribution is void, the match goes to Gym Leader Surge!" The Rotom referee whirls away as the screen displays a massive 3-0 to Surge on the big screen, I snap the ball at Abra returning it before stuffing it ball onto my belt. I look down and wipe my face with my forearm to try and stave of any tears
"Don't sweat it kid, you're not the first one to lose their first gym challenge here and you won't be the last, get some more training in and I'll see you in a few days okay?" Surge says to me putting his hand on my shoulder.
"MM" I mumble at him before sprinting out the door of the gym, I can hear the footsteps of Vulpix and Ivysaur chasing after me as I do. Not looking where I'm going I sprint straight into someone and fall to my back. I look up to apologise as Ivysaur and Vulpix make it to my side to see Ryan
"Come on kid lets take a walk" He says holding his hand out to me
I take it and he pulls me up, I pat myself down before he hands me a can of water
"Take sips, will calm you down" He says with a smile
We walk in silence before Ryan suggests we go and sit in Vermillion park, its later in the evening so there isn't too many people around to mob him, a few people come up to him and ask for pictures which he obliges, I think to myself it must be tough to be so recognisable but Ryan seems to give each person the same amount of attention. We finally park ourselves on the steps of a pavilion in the park as the sun slowly begins to set. The air is turning colder as time passes while the breeze comes almost to a standstill. Ryan sends out his Jolteon to play with Vulpix and his Donphan to talk with Ivysaur. He sits out smiling watching them play while I sip at the can looking down at the ground
"She's a lively one" He says with a laugh pointing towards Vulpix who is chasing after Jolteon
"I found her in the Underground Path, there was this older guy chasing her, oh I meant to ask, have you heard of something called Ballbuy?" I question
"Yes, its popped up in the last few years. It generally upper class families buying ready made stronger Pokemon for their children ready for their battling or contest careers. Its an unfavourable business, we are trying to crack down on it but the host of the site changes all the time, every time we get close poof they move. I don't blame the people catching and using it, everyone has to make money somehow and with how lucrative some of the contracts are"
"But can't you then track the original trainer, so like if you know someone is selling there you can block their ID." I ask
"Its not that simple unfortunately, the trainer who sells the Pokemon to the site trades the Pokemon to the host who returns for instance a Magikarp or low level Pokemon, the Pokemon ball and OT is then scrubbed and put through burner trainer accounts"
"Burner accounts?"
"The same person who set the site up is a master hacker, they steal a lot of information of junior trainers especially ones that have given up on their challenge. These OT's are then used to trade the Pokemon to the buyer, they can then plead ignorance and just say they got lucky at trade meet when they got a really rare and strong Pokemon in return for a Caterpie. Its discouraging but we will get to the bottom of it eventually"
"Anyway, shall we talk about that battle?"
I clam up and take another sip
"Its okay you know, you're not going to win every battle" He says with a smile looking at me
"I know but that was a whitewash"
"It happens, I looked though, you hadn't battle at all with any of those three Pokemon before today"
"I know but I had a plan!" I say slightly exasperated feeling myself welling up again
"What was the plan?"
"It doesn't matter now" I say crunching the empty can in my hand
"Of course it does!" He says firmly
I look up at him and I see a steely resolve in his eye looking down at me, his normally very friendly face is replaced with a fierceness, he is almost unrecognisable
"Well, my plan was to use Sandshrew rolling ability to counter Magnemite levitating, by rolling and jumping it could get in the air above it, Diglett can go underground to dodge away from Voltorb spinning attack and hit with Dig then Abra could disorientate Raichu by zipping around the field and hitting it from a distance" I say before looking to him again
He smiles at me nodding away
"You're thinking like a trainer I like it!"
"Now how can we apply that to these two!" He says waving his hand towards Ivysaur and Vulpix who are now chasing around as Donphan rolls after them
"What do you mean?"
"You've clearly formed a good bond with Vulpix and Ivysaur is by far your strongest Pokemon, there no need to change them out for Pokemon that have type advantages"
"I suppose but neither of them could execute the plan"
"No but that's where you have to be flexible, the most important thing a trainer needs to know is they must adapt to their Pokemon not the other way around"
"Okay, well Ivysaur stopped Brock's Geodude Rollout attack with its vines so it could stop Voltorb's spinning attacks"
"Good idea"
"And Vulpix will resist Magnemite's steel attacks and hit it super effectively with Ember and Fire Spin!" I say gaining a little more confidence back
"Bingo!"
"But then what about Raichu, I still need a third Pokemon to help against it"
"Well young man, that is for you to figure out, whether that's one of the three Pokemon you used or a completely new one"
"I don't think using one of those will be a good idea again" I say thumbing over Diglett, Sandshrew and Abra's ball
"Your choice, but don't let one loss get you down okay? Happens to the best of us" He says with a smile ruffling my hair
"Shut up, I bet you haven't lost in years!" I say with a laugh
"Are you kidding! I lost last week in a limiter exhibition match"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I had a one v one match against the Battle Brain Spencer and lost, it easier with limiters and when you can make up the rules" He says chuckling away
"But you're world champion I thought you'd be unbeatable" I say
"No one's unbeatable, people used to say that about Mustard until Leon beat him, people used to say that about Leon until Ash beat him and now look at Ash, he is off gallivanting around the whole world trying to befriend every Pokemon! "
"What about your Grandad?" I question
Its a question I had wanted to ask for a long time, growing up we had always had battle on in the house. I remember watching Leon win his second World Championship, one of my lasting memories is of one of the townsfolk saying "He's good but he would have never beaten Maurice!". Maurice Brookes had been the first recognised "World Champion", he had held the rank of regional champion of Kanto, Johto, Galar and Unova the first four regions to make up the association that would in modern time become the PBL. He never competed in the Pokemon World Championships as he was in his late seventies when it was born. Many trainers like Mustard, Leon and Ryan have all won multiple championships but Maurice had always been regarded as the greatest trainer of modern times, he also just happened to by Ryan's grandfather.
He laughs looking up to the sky
"Now there's someone who was almost unbeatable" He says with gleeful tone
"I'm surprised you've heard of him, you're a bit young to seen his battles"
"My dad used to watch them when I was younger" I say with a wry smile
"Oh well I would have liked to introduce them, if he was still around I'm sure he'd have loved it, he always loved meeting fans"
"Oh my dad isn't here any more either"
"Oh, I'm sorry buddy didn't realise"
"Its okay, it happened a while back, that kind of why I'd like to be a strong trainer, I want to think he would have loved to watch me battle on the big stage" I say with a sorrowful laugh
Ryan pulls me in for a side hug
"I feel the same about Grandad, he never got too see me lift the big one, but I'm sure they're both still around willing us forward yeah?" He says down to me
"Yeah" I say with a nod
"Hello there" comes a soft feminine voice
We both look up to see a lady, she has her dark black hair pulled up into a bun on her head, she wears dark brown spectacles that cover her very dark brown eyes. She has a grey turtle-neck sweater on with dark black trousers and chelsea boots on. She looks towards Ryan with darting eyes while he seems to fumble with his pockets for his phone, she is accompanied by a Lucario closely behind her. I look in awe at the Aura Pokemon, I had seen clips of one battling as a kid and had always been a fan of the sheer coolness it exudes
"Sorry lost track of time again Dais" He says with a laugh scratching the back of his head
She rolls her eyes before crouching down to my eye level
"Hello there, you must be Dustin, pleased to meet you" She says with a warm smile holding her hand out
I take it and shake it
"Pleased to meet you too" I stammer out
"Nervous around pretty girls, don't worry I know the feeling" Ryan whispers towards me
"Flattery will get you nowhere" She spits at him causing him to flinch as Lucario chuckles in the background
"Uh Miss, its my fault, I messed up in my gym battle and Mr Stanton was just trying to cheer me up"
She sighs before smiling to me
"He's annoyingly good at that" She says with a smirk
"I should introduce, Dustin this is my partner Daisy. She is a lead researcher for the Pokemon Research Collective (PRC). She helps organise missions and research tasks over the globe in the aide of helping us better understand Pokemon"
"Its not as boring as it sounds" She adds
"No it sounds cool, does that mean you get to see and meet lots of rare Pokemon"
"Well you could say that" she says slightly flustered
"She's underselling herself, she managed to catch a Galarian Zapdos and Articuno. She's on the trail of Moltres at the moment, she trying to look into research that they are more like a convergent species rather than regional variants" He blurts out before she digs him in the side
"Which is also meant to be a secret!" She says in a sharp hushed tone
"AH! Oh yeah sorry" He says slightly winded while Lucario continues to chuckle in the background
"Thats so cool! I promise I won't say anything"
"Its fine don't worry" She says with a smile as Ryan pulls him self upright
The big clock upon the pavilion strikes 7pm, I look to Ivysaur and Vulpix who are now asleep in a bundle with Jolteon and Donphan
"Well we need to get moving now Ryan" She says looking to him
"Yeah, they'll be waiting up. Right Dustin, my mentor advice look for a third Pokemon who can enact your plan for Raichu, there's a bonus week starting tomorrow for catching Pokemon for the research centre so catch lots of different kinds and I'm sure you will fall upon one you like!"
"Take this too" Daisy says handing me a small disc
"Its the TM for Dig, your Vulpix should be able to learn it no trouble and it will come in handy maybe"
I nod as I return Ivysaur and Vulpix
"Thank you both, I won't let you down!" I say bowing my head before sprinting off to the Pokecentre to try and get myself a room
"He's cute" Daisy says
"He reminds me a lot of myself, a little unsure but full of ideas"
"Right, come on then we can't keep Looker and Anabel waiting any longer please"
"Did they mention what it was about?"
"More distortions are appearing"
Location: Vermillion City Pokecentre
Current Party:
Bulbasaur (Lv26) Female
Attacks
Sludge Bomb
Razor Leaf
Vine Whip
Poison Powder
Vulpix (Lv24) Female
Attacks
Fire Spin
Dig
Quick Attack
Ember