Chapter 7 – Kill it with Dragon Fire!
"So… what do you think?" Hiccup asked as he walked, glancing at his co-conspirator with a serious expression.
Fishlegs' eyes remained on the sheet of paper he held in front of this face, nodding thoughtfully. "A strategy that not only utilizes Toothless' new capabilities in combat, but his non-combat skills as well. It seems solid enough, but it's not as if you have much other choice in this case…"
"Hey, eyes on the sidewalk!" Hiccup burst out, dragging his blind friend out of the way of another passersby. Fishlegs yelped and frantically stuffed the paper into his pocket, dodging several other people he almost failed to notice before falling back into step beside him.
The streets of Santalune were more crowded this early in the morning, filled with people on their commutes to work or searching for places to get breakfast. Hiccup and Fishlegs, incidentally, had already had their breakfasts at the Pokemon Center and were now en route to the Santalune Gym – the only other place they had to be before they officially left this city behind.
Catching a glimpse of the distinctive green roof and glass dome of the Gym rising up above the next row of buildings, Hiccup set his jaw and steeled himself. Even after yesterday's training boosted his confidence, he felt tenser than last time. Perhaps that was the nature of a rematch – walking through those doors a second time would say that he was no longer there just to win a badge, but to win back his pride. He had something to prove to the Leader beyond just being strong: he had to prove he was stronger.
"Bago!" Toothless chirped from his shoulder, sticking his head into Hiccup's view. Blinking, his vision readjusted to examine the snout in his face – Toothless was all healed and rested from their tedious workout yesterday, a wild light dancing in his eyes and a self-assured grin on his reptilian muzzle.
Finally, Hiccup grinned back. The last time they visited the Gym, he'd only been trying to convince himself that he could win, privately doubtful that their meager preparations were enough. This time, the sentiment that crossed his mind wasn't a hope, but a vow. We're better than ever before, and now's our chance to show it. We're going to get that badge, bud.
Viola was there to greet them at the door when they reached the Gym, and the young woman was glad, as well as a little surprised, to see them.
"Back already?" she asked, perhaps a bit more bluntly than she'd intended if the subsequent cough was any clue. "You're the one that challenged me yesterday… Hiccup, wasn't it? You already feel ready for another battle?"
Without hesitating, he nodded – he was ready, and didn't feel the need to second-guess it. "Toothless and I have been training, and we've made a lot of improvements. The two of us can defeat you on our own, we know it."
Eyes sparkling now, Viola grinned widely at him. "Total faith in yourself and in your partner Pokemon! Fantastic!" she enthused. "That's the kind of spirit I like in a challenger! I won't keep you waiting any longer – follow me to the back, we can get started right away!"
Hiccup and Fishlegs trailed after her, past the now-familiar sights of the gallery and the Gym corridor. As before, they entered the greenhouse and made their way to the battlefield, Fishlegs taking a seat behind the arena border and the two combatants standing on opposite sides.
The referee took her position as well, but before she could speak, Viola called out to Hiccup. "We'll battle using the same rules as yesterday, alright? Your one against my two, no substitutions!"
"I remember," Hiccup replied, before addressing Toothless and jerking his head at the field. "Go on, bud. Show them how much better you are."
"Bagooooon!" Toothless cried, leaping onto the battlefield and assuming a ready stance. Claws spread, head lowered slightly, he growled a challenge as he awaited his first opponent.
He didn't have long to wait, as Viola drew her Poke Ball and tossed it upwards. "You're up again, Surskit!"
The Pond Skater Pokemon appeared from the capsule and immediately gave a defiant trill, recognizing Toothless and expressing a desire to come out on top this time. Not likely, Hiccup thought as he observed the interaction, smiling grimly. Toothless isn't just stronger, but we've got plans for your terrain manipulations, too.
"Are both sides ready?" the referee called. When Hiccup and Viola each confirmed, she raised her flags. "Bagon versus Surskit! Let the battle begin!"
"Dragon Dance, bud!" Hiccup shouted immediately. He didn't want to rush things this time, to burn all Toothless' energy on finishing Surskit as fast as possible. He had to play it smart if he wanted to win this marathon battle, starting with a boost that would give Toothless an edge right off the bat.
Viola, too, seemed to have changed tactics. "Use Ice Beam!" she yelled, going on the offensive so that Toothless would have less opportunity to power up.
Indeed, Toothless had to abandon his series of twirls and rolls – the purple aura that had been faintly building around him fading entirely – in order to scramble out of the way of the frigid blast that speared his way. He skidded to his feet, panting from the close call and glaring at the Bug-and-Water-type that had nearly struck him while he was distracted.
"Quick Attack!" Viola ordered next, the moment the battle stalled.
Not giving me any time to rest, Hiccup noticed, clenching a fist. His thoughts raced – Surskit wouldn't be as fast on dry land, so counterattacking might be the best way to go. "Meet it, bud! Headbutt!"
Surskit surged forward in a brilliant streak of light, and though it was certainly fast, it was slowed enough by the friction with the ground that Hiccup could actually track its movements. He didn't blink as Toothless charged as well, his armored head flaring white. The two Pokemon slammed into each other, their momentum stalled to a temporary stalemate…
…and with a snarl, Toothless gave a humongous push and shoved Surskit back to its side of the battlefield. Hiccup pumped a fist, grinning giddily at the small victory. Toothless has the upper hand this time. If we keep that up, we can beat Surskit without too much effort and have a better chance against Vivillon.
"Now, bud! Dragon Dance!" he said, taking advantage of Surskit's current state – momentarily dazed from being smashed by Headbutt. By the time Viola had shaken her Pokemon out of its funk, Toothless was already finishing his dance, the telltale violet glow rising to surround his tiny form.
However, Viola looked nonplussed. "We're too late to interrupt Toothless, but now we have time to set the stage! Surskit, Water Sport!"
"Skiiiiit!" the insect shrilled, spinning around the battlefield as water spouted from its antenna. As the ground grew wetter, it moved all the faster, covering more and more of the area in its favorite terrain.
Hiccup drew a shaky breath. Time to see if this works, he said to himself, before swinging his arm out and yelling, "Toothless, use Dragon Breath! Cover the field!"
"Bay-GAAAWWW!" Toothless roared, inhaling deeply before spewing out a crackling pink stream of dragonfire that he swept across the damp floor from left to right. Surskit, so busy sprinkling, almost slid right into the fire's path, but changed direction at the last minute, squeaking in fear.
The pink flames scorched the battlefield, releasing hissing clouds of steam as their heat was absorbed by the moist conditions. Though the dragonfire didn't remain for long, burning out into nothingness in seconds, neither did the water. When Toothless at last closed his mouth, the field was dry again, as if it had never been watered in the first place.
"It is strong enough to neutralize Water Sport!" Hiccup gasped, a feeling of catharsis overtaking him at the sight of his idea bearing fruit.
He wasn't the only one who was impressed – Viola looked on in awe, a flabbergasted grin decorating her face. "Fantastic!" she remarked, half to herself. "You really have gotten stronger! So quickly, too – I guess I underestimated your bond, even when it was the first thing I noticed about you.
"But even if you can counter our Water Sport," she added, smirking, "you can't stop us every time! Bubble Beam, wide spread!"
Realizing instantly that Toothless wouldn't be able to defend from everywhere at once, Hiccup instead opted for a more sensible course of action. "Evasive maneuvers, Toothless!"
Aiming its antenna in much the same motion as Toothless had just used, Surskit spewed a zigzagging stream of bubbles that covered an ever-widening cone in front of it. The wall of bubbles came straight for Toothless, who attempted to duck, twist, and roll through the spaces between them. But although Dragon Dance had made him more agile, there were far too many bubbles for him to avoid, and he ended up being pelted by one after the other. They did little visible damage, but the constant bursts of water splashing over his scales and into his eyes slowed him down significantly.
And that was just what Viola was counting on. "Switch to Water Sport!"
Water fountained out from Surskit's head to patter down upon the field once more, a sight which filled Hiccup with irritation: back at Square One just like that. Toothless could remove the effects of Water Sport so easily now, true, but Surskit only needed a moment to restore them again. It was a fact that left him feeling frustratingly helpless.
"Quick Attack!" Viola ordered without missing a beat.
The streak that bolted for Toothless was much more consistent with his memories of yesterday's battle – a barely-visible blur that flickered around the Bagon, confusing him, before barreling into him at a speed he could barely react to. Struck in the back, he toppled off balance with a cry of pain and landed in the wet soil with a squelch.
"You good, bud?" Hiccup asked, a tremble of worry embedded in his voice.
"B-Bago…!" Toothless growled, fuming at the unexpected blow as he got back up. He narrowed his eyes; he wouldn't let himself be caught off guard like that again.
"Quick Attack again!" Viola crowed, sounding very much like she was enjoying this.
Instinctively, Hiccup followed Surskit's path as it skidded around the wet battlefield, and when it stopped, his breath caught in his throat. There it was – a brief pause before it went in for the attack! The second he spotted it, he commanded, "Headbutt behind you!"
"BAY!" Toothless cried, whirling around without hesitation and crashing his glowing cranium into Surskit's body a second time.
Across the arena, Viola nodded, thoughtful. "You've gotten used to Surskit's tricks, alright," she admitted with a touch of approval. "We won't snap that winning shot like this… so here's a trick you haven't seen yet! Vertical Ice Beam, Surskit!"
Instinctively, Hiccup started at the mention of Ice Beam, opening his mouth to tell Toothless to move. But the would-be shout died before ever leaving his tongue at what happened next: the lightning-like ice blast didn't lance at Toothless, but straight up. At a great enough height, it fractured into multiple branches that rained down like actual lightning bolts, hammering the battlefield. When it was finished, Hiccup was left agape in horrified disbelief.
It wasn't perfect – Toothless was left standing on a single patch of unaltered dirt – but the Ice Beam had covered the majority of the arena, leaving it buried under a layer of polished ice.
"Use Bubble Beam!" Viola ordered, her tone tinged with a note of triumph.
Stumbling over his words, Hiccup hastened to respond, "Block it with Headbutt!"
With dawning horror, he watched as Toothless ran forward two steps and promptly slipped, crashing onto the ice on his back as the focused light of Headbutt vanished. A moment later, the dragonling was pushed across the newly-formed skating rink by a torrent of concentrated bubbles, courtesy of the empowered Bug-and-Water-type.
Now we're really in trouble, Hiccup observed, his heart sinking. Water Sport had been disadvantageous, but at least Toothless could still keep his footing in wet conditions. Now? He couldn't even stand, while Surskit was as agile as ever.
Toothless managed to crawl back to his tiny refuge of bare earth, standing up shakily. All the while, Surskit skated on the ice in ever-quickening circles, not even needing to make a sound to taunt him. Grimacing, the Dragon-type glanced back and forth warily, all too aware that an attack could come from any angle.
And it did soon enough. "Make it a photo finish with Ice Beam!" Viola cried.
Hiccup saw Surskit pause just a half-second too long. "Dragon Breath on the right!"
Crackling dragonfire smashed into sparkling ice energy and ended up exploding, the two energies proving an even match. Unconcerned, Viola called for another Ice Beam; Hiccup, after checking Surskit's position, ordered a second Dragon Breath in turn. They kept it up, Gym Leader attacking and Trainer counterattacking, ice and dragonfire clashing again and again with no obvious result. But Hiccup bit his lip uncertainly nonetheless, knowing that he couldn't keep this up for long. The more time they spent battling Surskit, the greater their disadvantage against Vivillon.
They didn't have the luxury to play defensive, and Viola knew that. They needed to smash through Surskit's onslaught before Toothless' stamina ran out.
"Keep an eye on Surskit!" Hiccup called, thinking fast. "Aim for it and use Dragon Breath!"
The Bagon didn't have time to respond, another Ice Beam already spearing his way. This one he leaned out of the way of instead of countering, and only when he was sure of Surskit's location did he at last fire back. This Dragon Breath took the form of a sizzling pink fireball even wider than the Pond Skater Pokemon's legspan. Even if it dodged, it wouldn't be able to avoid damage entirely… at least, that was the plan.
"Jump, Surskit!" Viola ordered. "Use Ice Beam from the air!"
"Surrrrr…" Surskit followed suit spectacularly, flexing its spindly legs to execute a soaring leap that carried it over the circumference of the dragonfire-ball. It twisted itself in midair, pointed its antenna at Toothless, and fired with a shrill "Skiiiiiiit!"
An odd feeling struck Hiccup at that very moment: one part fear for his partner, for whom ice energy was deadly, but also one part inspiration, an epiphany dawning upon him at the sight of the airborne Surskit. Unsure if it would work, he abandoned all caution and gave voice to it anyway, Toothless' safety hanging in the balance.
"Toothless, you jump as well!" he shouted loud enough to make himself hoarse.
He was heard just in time – Toothless flexed his legs and leapt straight up, his feet leaving the floor right before the Ice Beam would've landed. Instead, it merely froze the ground upon which he'd been standing, spreading harmlessly over soil instead of his vulnerable toes.
Using Toothless' other talents to enhance our battle skills – just like we discussed with Fishlegs, Hiccup reflected, smiling confidently. All our flying practice is about to pay off!
Aloud, he took great pleasure in commanding, "Use Dragon Breath once more, bud! Aim down at the battlefield!"
"BAGAWWWWW!"
In the seconds he had before gravity reasserted itself, the hovering Dragon-type twisted himself upside-down and let loose with a raging blast of dragonfire. It struck the ground below and spread explosively to every corner of the frozen arena, causing a massive cloud of steam to billow up and saturate the air. Toothless and Surskit were hidden from view for but a moment, and the fog dissipated right as they landed.
Toothless managed to rotate himself back around and land on his feet, making no noise except for a light thud on the dried ground. Surskit, on the other hand, touched down and encountered friction when it had been expecting to glide on ice. It tripped and crashed when its feet met resistance, and although it got up quickly, that window was all Hiccup needed.
"Charge, Toothless!" he yelled, pointing ahead.
At his behest, Toothless ran toward Surskit without an attack prepared, and Viola called urgently for a last-minute Quick Attack. Her Pokemon hastened to obey, but in its panic, it stumbled, and Hiccup was swift to capitalize on the opportunity: "Use Leer! Then right into Headbutt!"
Yellow light flaring to life in his gaze, Toothless' intimidating glare made Surskit flinch, dropping its guard. It still sped forward in a blaze of white light, but the slow start in combination with the effect of Leer made the attack sloppy, poorly executed. Toothless sped up his charge, light bursting from his helmet, and flung himself directly into Surskit. The collision created a bright flash and an explosion, a more dramatic version of their first physical clash.
But this time, only one Pokemon was blown back. Surskit shot out of the dust cloud, tumbling end over end with a disoriented trill before slamming into the barrier at the edge of the battlefield. It didn't move.
"Surskit is unable to battle – Bagon wins!" the referee confirmed, raising the corresponding flag.
Calling Surskit back to its Poke Ball, Viola sent Hiccup an admiring smile across the battlefield. "I was so sure our aerial Ice Beam would be the winning shot, but you surprised me with that fantastic jump! I never suspected your Bagon had such incredible abilities!"
Hiccup ducked his head sheepishly, but his own smile was proud. "It's one of his talents," he said by way of explanation.
"Appropriate for something that'll become a proper Flying-type one day. You should make good use of it," Viola praised, and then palmed her second Poke Ball, her expression changing back from impressed to daring. "You'll need more than that to defeat Vivillon, though!"
The butterfly Pokemon appeared from the thrown ball to spread its wings before Hiccup and Toothless once again. Taking a deep breath, Hiccup tore his eyes away from its sinisterly serene expression and gave his partner a once-over – aside from light bruising and shallow panting, he'd emerged from his battle with Surskit practically unscathed. It was a far cry from the visibly battered, worn out state he'd been in last time.
This is good. We're in much better shape this time, Hiccup thought. Aloud, he called to Toothless reassuringly, ""Nice work, bud, you're looking good out there! Just one more to go and we can win!"
"Bagoooon!" Toothless agreed. Though his reply was joyful, he didn't turn around to wave or so much as regard his Trainer – rather, he kept his muscles tensed in anticipation and eyes narrowed at the foe in front of him. He didn't want to tear his attention from Vivillon for a second, a foe from whom he'd suffered a swift and humiliating defeat.
The referee, as wise to Hiccup's situation as the Gym Leader, didn't bother asking if he was able to continue. "Bagon versus Vivillon," she instead announced. "The battle will continue!"
Viola took the first attack. "Infestation!"
As Vivillon gathered a black energy sphere at the tip of its abdomen, Hiccup used this chance to go on the offense as well, understanding that Vivillon would be unable to move while preparing a projectile. "Toothless, jump for it with Headbutt!"
Showing no signs of fatigue, Toothless response was swift and decisive, running toward the Bug-and-Flying-type with power gathering around his helmet and a defiant cry barking from his jaws. "Bago bayyyyy!"
Indeed, Vivillon made no motion to dodge the charging Bagon as it finished readying its own attack and launched it, the completed orb possessing the color and texture of ink. It flew straight for Toothless, who chose that moment to leap for Vivillon. His powerful legs and primed Headbutt took him straight through the projectile and out the other side as if it were nothing, leaving nothing but a splattering of black liquid in his wake as he crashed headfirst into Vivillon's gut.
"Great, Toothless!" Hiccup whooped, watching Vivillon go flying backwards with the solid-sounding impact. "Way to show them your…"
However, the satisfaction was short-lived. Toothless landed and almost immediately began to squirm, hunching over and shuddering as his little arms tore to no avail at the fluid clinging to his scales. When Hiccup looked closer, he recoiled, aghast, as he realized that the substance's identity was far worse than inert liquid: a writhing mass of tiny, nondescript things that actively attacked their host en masse, nipping and stinging with unseen mouthparts.
Infestation… was that what she called it? he wondered, face scrunching with disgust. His confusion must have shown through the revulsion, as Viola chose that moment to pipe up with an explanation.
"Infestation is one of our favorite moves!" she informed him with a coy wink. "It causes more damage the longer it's applied, and prevents the Pokemon from escaping to its Poke Ball. Though I guess that last bit doesn't matter in this case."
Hiccup's mouth tightened to a thin line with the knowledge. They were on a time limit now, Toothless' better condition after fighting Surskit now made irrelevant. That must've been the reason Viola started with that move instead of getting clear – she'd allowed Toothless to strike Vivillon in exchange for landing that crucial hit.
"Headbutt again!" he shouted, an undercurrent of frustration turning his voice fiercer. They needed to keep attacking, to win this before Infestation finished its work.
Not that Viola was willing to cooperate. "Counter with Gust!"
Vivillon's wings glowed blue, and the following event was one which Hiccup recognized all too well. The gale swept across the field, blowing curtains of dust off the ground and shaking the plants that grew outside the arena, trapping Toothless in its epicenter. Guarding his face against the wind, Hiccup could barely see Toothless through his squint, thanks to the harsh glow that still poured from his helmet. His heart leapt – his partner was doing just what they'd trained to do, maneuvering his Headbutt to act as a shield that resisted the ruthless current, one slow step at a time.
"Toothless, keep it up!" Hiccup strained to be heard over the howling Gust. "Use Headbutt to push straight through, just like we practiced!"
Somehow, Toothless heard, and turned his Trainer's speech into a surge of strength. He ran through the unrelenting wind, slowly at first, but soon picking up enough speed to turn his shield into a battering ram that hurtled toward Vivillon with incredible force.
Viola's mouth moved, giving an order Hiccup couldn't hear. Surprisingly, Vivillon ceased its Gust, the light from its wings dulling at the same time Toothless chose to make his attack leap. Uninhibited, he sprang at Vivillon with his helmet primed to smash it…
…but it only took a twitch of the butterfly's newly freed wings to dart away, and Toothless swung his head only to miss by mere inches.
"Your partner might be a good jumper, but that won't be enough to get within reach of Vivillon!" Viola bragged, a glint in her eye. "Now, Vivillon, Stun Spore!"
"Viveeeee!" it cried, churning up a cloud of gently descending toxic spores.
Fortunately, Toothless managed to regain his balance after whiffing his Headbutt and landed with only a light stumble. The Stun Spore was fast descending, though, and would soon envelop him like a deadly blanket. Fearing that Toothless might not be able to dodge in time, Hiccup took a gamble – "Get away with Dragon Dance!"
Instantly, Toothless curled into a ball and kicked off his dance with a roll. To Hiccup's great relief, it was enough to slip past the Stun Spore, which settled harmlessly on the ground and disappeared. Using the momentum from his roll to return to his feet, Toothless continued the steps without pause, the purple light around him intensifying and beginning to rage like an aura of flames.
"Get in there with another Stun Spore!" Viola ordered. She looked serious now; she was unwilling to see what two Dragon Dance boosts would do to Toothless' strength.
"Dodge, then Dragon Breath!" Hiccup retorted.
Vivillon swooped low over Toothless with a frightening cry, scattering its paralyzing scales. Finishing his dance, Toothless darted to the side with speed comparable to Surskit's, flanking Vivillon and producing a blast of dragonfire. That missed as well, Vivillon demonstrating its aerial advantage once again by jinking sideways.
We can't hit it as long as we're restricted to the ground, even with Dragon Dance, Hiccup thought. Okay, that's fine. Time to put the second part of my plan to use…
Even as Viola commanded a Gust, Hiccup spoke over her to tell Toothless, "Head for the edge of the arena, bud!"
"Bago!" he affirmed, ducking under the blast of wind that came his way and dashing away.
"Follow him, Vivillon!" Viola instructed. "Trap him and use Solar Beam!"
With Toothless' newfound speed, he soon found himself staring at the barrier that separated the battlefield from the rest of the greenhouse. Behind him, Vivillon flared its wings to block his escape, their pink hue becoming warm yellow-green as it absorbed sunlight. "B-Bagon!" he cried out to his Trainer, asking him to please hurry and give him another instruction.
Hiccup wasn't just idling, though – he was waiting for Vivillon's Solar Beam to be ready. Its glow peaked, a blinding orb formed before it like a miniature sun, and only then did he give a command. "Jump over the barrier, Toothless! Head for the tree!"
The Solar Beam fired, and Hiccup caught a glimpse of the understanding gleam in Toothless' eyes just before the outpouring of brilliant light struck the ground and exploded. Blinking rapidly to dismiss the sunspots in his vision, Hiccup took another look and – yes! The scorched earth beneath Vivillon was empty, because Toothless had leapt at the last second and landed on top of the wall. The Bug-and-Flying-type whirled to face him, mouth agape in surprise, but he didn't stop, his next jump carrying him over the barrier and onto one of the many trees growing around the greenhouse. Clasping its trunk firmly in his claws, Toothless scurried up its length toward a branch that projected out above his hovering opponent.
"Climbing, too?!" Viola gasped, wearing a flabbergasted smile. "Fantastic!"
Poised to strike from above, Toothless was about to do just that when he abruptly froze, shivering with teeth bared in a pained grimace. The Infestation was still there, taking a greater toll the longer it lasted, and Hiccup winced at the reminder. Have to do this now… reach Vivillon and do as much damage as we can.
"Jump on top of Vivillon!" he yelled. "Grab hold and use Headbutt!"
"Bagoooooon!" Toothless snarled, hurling himself out of the tree with as much force as he could muster. He struck Vivillon like a stone – the butterfly dipping severely toward the ground before frantically regaining altitude – and latched onto its body with an iron grip. His head flared white, and he beat it against Vivillon's back, hammering relentlessly. With each strike, Vivillon squealed in pain and dropped lower in the air, unable to keep them both airborne under such stress.
"Vivillon, roll!" Viola shouted.
"Hold on, bud!" Hiccup warned.
The Bug-and-Flying-type started to spin horizontally, wings whipping around like curtains in a breeze as it tumbled. The glow of Toothless' Headbutt faded and he ceased to attack, focusing all of his effort on keeping himself from being hurled away. At first, it looked uncertain what would happen first – Vivillon getting tired, or Toothless slipping – but the answer rapidly became clear when Stun Spores started to fly from the violent motion of Vivillon's wings. Both Pokemon became surrounded by yellow, and Hiccup could only look on in horror at Toothless' inevitable reunion with the ground. He struck hard, trembling and whimpering as the paralytic dust seized his muscles. Even the act of sitting up was a Herculean task.
"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out, even as he wracked his brain for a solution. There was no escaping it now – the numbing properties of Stun Spore would make all movement exceedingly difficult, putting the flightless Dragon-type at an even greater disadvantage. They had to get back to Vivillon before the combination of Infestation and paralysis became too much of a hindrance. "Back to the tree! You need to get above Vivillon again!"
He could hear Toothless' rasping breaths as he ran laboriously toward the barrier, every step a chore. Though the fires of Dragon Dance still burned around him, the paralysis was like a ball and chain weighing him down, canceling out his formerly enhanced agility. The only reprieve was that Vivillon had yet to make another move, as it was still recovering from the dizzying onslaught Toothless had dealt to it.
"Vivillon, get after him and use Gust!" the Gym Leader said, snapping her Pokemon out of its daze. It forced its battered body to move, its wingbeats sluggish yet still enough to catch up to Toothless.
A chill ran down Hiccup's spine when he saw Vivillon approach. Toothless had reached the tree, but was only halfway up the trunk, his entire body shuddering with tremendous strain. Vivillon fought against its aching wounds to give a shriek and beat its wings into a frenzy, its Gust pounding against the tree so hard that its branches thrashed and its leaves scattered to the wind.
And all the while, Toothless held on for dear life, muzzle scrunched into a painful grimace as the Gust wracked his already crippled form.
How was Hiccup going to get his partner out of such a hopeless situation? He felt stricken, powerless to help, only able to sit and watch as Toothless clung stubbornly to his perch. The black coat eating away at him; the paralysis limiting his movement; the wind buffeting him violently; he could definitely fight any one of those alone, but against all of them at once, he could only grab his tree and endure it.
Hang on, I'll think of something…Hiccup promised, but the vow sounded hollow even in his head. If Toothless can resist long enough to fire a Dragon Breath, that might stop the wind…
"Viveeeee!" Vivillon abruptly doubled its wingbeats, turning its Gust into a squall that filled the greenhouse with a deafening howl. It was going to tear its foe from his lifeline or exhaust itself trying.
But when Hiccup looked fearfully toward Toothless, he saw something which cast a ray of hope upon his sinking heart. Not only was the Dragon-type holding fast, his claws digging deeply into the bark, but the Infestation was being stripped away from his scales by the shredding wind.
Drawing strength from the realization that Vivillon was inadvertently helping Toothless as much as hurting him, Hiccup yelled as loud as he could over the gale, "Toothless, hang on! Just a little bit longer! You've almost got this!"
He saw his partner's eyes peel open a crack, indicating that he'd heard. He pressed himself closer to the trunk and, incredibly, reached out with a claw to pull himself ever so slowly higher. As the Infestation was blown away to reveal more of his scales' natural blue, he resumed his climb up the tree, ignoring the lashing winds that otherwise threatened to rip him away.
Toothless…! Hiccup smiled widely, touched by his partner's tenacity and drive. He, Hiccup Haddock, was giving Toothless the strength to fight on.
"N-No, Vivillon!" Viola cried, her voice ringing loud and clear through the air no longer subject to raging winds. The butterfly Pokemon was stopping, its wings weak and flapping only hard enough to keep itself airborne, the Gust dying down to nothing.
"B-Bay… bago…!" Toothless hissed through gritted teeth. At last, he pulled himself onto the branch (now devoid of leaves) above his target, legs trembling and breaths rasping but still standing strong, the effects of Infestation gone.
Worriedly, Viola cast an imploring glance at her Pokemon. "Can you still fight?!" she asked, to which it winced and forced itself to nod. "Get clear of the tree! Use Solar Beam!"
"Grab hold of it, Toothless!" Hiccup ordered, steel in his voice. They couldn't drag this out any longer. They were ending this now.
Vivillon flexed its wings sharply, darting away from Toothless' reach, but it suddenly stopped, cringing in pain. Its attempt at blowing the Bagon out of the tree had left its wing muscles sore, unable to do anything more strenuous than a gentle hover. It only paused for a moment, but that was enough for Toothless to drop upon it attach himself once again.
"Vi-vee!" it protested fiercely, the light of Solar Beam starting to crawl across its wingspan.
"Hit it with Dragon Breath!" Hiccup shouted.
"Bayyyy…" Toothless inhaled, jaws filling with a hot pink glow, his violet aura spiking dramatically around him. "GAAAAWWWWW!"
Dragonfire exploded around Vivillon, cascading off its spread wings with a crackling roar that drowned out its scream. It plummeted like a rock with Toothless on top of it, both crashing to the floor in a massive plume of dust, flame, and smoke that billowed out over the battlefield. Seconds ticked by, and the crackling of the fires faded as they gradually burnt themselves out. There was so much smoke in the air that Toothless and Vivillon couldn't be seen, so their conditions were unclear…
Something in Hiccup's gut, though, told him that one thing was certain. The battle had ended.
He wasn't even aware that he was holding his breath until the smoke dissipated, and the sight of two bodies splayed out on the ground prompted him to exhale. Toothless was on his belly, eyes open and limbs quivering as the paralysis still affected him. As for Vivillon… Vivillon was unmoving, apart from its wing giving the occasional twitch.
Hiccup couldn't believe it. Did we… we didn't. We actually…
The referee raised one flag, and her carrying confirmation made it final. "Vivillon is unable to battle – Bagon wins! The Gym Leader is out of usable Pokemon, and therefore the victory goes to the challenger!"
The declaration rang out into the silence, leaving no more doubt as to how the match had concluded. A wave of relief swept over Hiccup at the realization, his knees buckling before he sank onto his rear in the dirt. He felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his shock wearing off and being replaced by… he didn't know what. It was joy and pride and accomplishment all wrapped up in one, this feeling that came with the knowledge that he'd finally defeated a powerful foe – a Gym Leader.
The sound of Viola's Poke Ball retrieving its occupant just barely registered in Hiccup's ears as he crawled out onto the pitch to see Toothless. The Bagon hadn't moved, as if adrenalin and force of will had been all that had kept him going through the Stun Spore. He raised his head in response to the movement and smiled wearily up at his Trainer, an expression that Hiccup unconsciously mirrored as he and his partner finished their silent exchange.
"Bay-go, bay," Toothless said, laying his head back down with tired satisfaction.
"We did it, bud," Hiccup replied, reaching out to scoop the little Dragon-type up. "All that work paid off. You've definitely earned a rest."
Nodding, Toothless simply closed his eyes and relaxed.
Taking care not to jostle him, Hiccup got back to his feet and noticed Viola striding across the battlefield to meet him, her grin sunny and encouraging. Funny, she looked happier about her loss than Hiccup felt about his win. He was proud and pleased with himself, of course – now that it was done with, though, he felt more relieved than anything.
Of course, somebody else had enough enthusiasm to spare for the both of them. Something huge slammed into Hiccup from the side, and he barely had time to yelp before he was crushed by a pair of arms and swung around boisterously.
"Oh, Hiccup, that was amazing!" Fishlegs squealed in his ear while he spun him in dizzying circles. "To think that Gym battles could get so intense! And to see you and Toothless succeed after all the training you – oh, I could barely stand it! You won, Hiccup, you won!"
His surroundings a disorienting blur of blue, green, and brown, Hiccup tried his best to keep his breakfast down. "A-Alright, Fishlegs, I'm excited too…! If you… could just… p-put me down…!"
Fishlegs did so, rubbing his head with a guilty blush. After taking a moment to examine Toothless – fortunately, the physical demonstration of overenthusiasm hadn't disturbed him too much – he turned to Viola, who was holding onto her camera awkwardly.
"Uh, no, no pictures of my friend sweeping me up in his celebration, thank you," Hiccup answered the unspoken indecision in the Gym Leader's expression.
"Another time, then," she joked, letting the camera dangle. She nodded to Toothless' sleeping form, adding, "That's one fantastic partner you've got! I've fought a couple of Dragon-types, but I never expected a flightless dragonling to have such talents! You've raised him with a lot of dedication and love, I can tell."
Hiccup resisted the urge to hold his head high, keeping his pride at the compliment to himself. Hearing that his dear friend had impressed her so was more than a little validating. "Thanks. Toothless is… someone really special."
"Well, be sure to go forward and show the rest of Kalos just how special," Viola approved, and took her hand out of her pocket to reveal a small, ladybug-shaped pin with peridot spots in her palm. "Here's what you've won after beating me in battle. The Santalune City Gym's own Bug Badge."
Hiccup took a quiet breath as he reached out, tentatively, to pluck the badge from her hand. Pinched between his two fingers, it glistened in the light when he held it up to his face, staring at it in awe… no, borderline reverence. He was silent, unwilling to spoil the moment with words. After all, this was it: a piece of physical proof of his progress as a Trainer, one out of only eight. He was officially an eighth of the way toward becoming the Dragon Tamer he'd always wanted to be. The sense of accomplishment was an overwhelming emotion, one that made the corners of his eyes sting with tears.
Accomplishment… that's what it is. That's what it feels like to beat a Gym Leader, he thought, remembering the odd feeling when his victory had first sunk in. He closed his fingers securely over the badge, the metal cool against his skin. One step closer. Toothless and I are on our way to realizing our goals.
He looked up at Viola and grinned widely, excitement dancing in his eyes. "Thank you. And we will."
With great care, Hiccup pressed the Bug Badge into the designated slot in his badge case, where it fit snugly into the soft padding. He held it up so that he and Toothless could see the result clearly – copper against black – and the Bagon gave an admiring bark that echoed his own awe.
"Great, isn't it?" he smiled at his partner, who was once again devoid of wounds after spending the rest of the morning at the Pokemon Center. "That just shows how much stronger we've gotten since leaving home. And there are seven more to get, which means we're only going to get – whoa!"
Meatlug suddenly lurched underneath him, forcing him to lean sideways and almost lose his grip on the badge case. He pulled himself hastily into a stable sitting position and stowed the badge case in his jacket pocket before it got lost.
"You holding on back there?" Fishlegs twisted to look over his shoulder. "Sorry, Meatlug has a little trouble with stairs. It'll only be bumpy for a minute."
"Got it," Hiccup replied, gripping the Rhyhorn tighter.
As Meatlug ambled down the path-wide staircase, the unique beauty of Route 4 sprawled out before Hiccup's eyes for as far as he could see… which, frankly, could've been farther if he wasn't seated behind Fishlegs. He was used to thinking of as wild places where nature could thrive with minimal interference, but Route 4 couldn't have been farther from that. Wide dirt paths stretched on to the horizon, passing by vast hedges and kaleidoscopic flower gardens that grew upon immaculate lawns. Everything was so tidy that Hiccup could infer that this place was extremely well-maintained – a notion that was quickly confirmed when he spotted a gardener emerge from behind a hedge to continue trimming it with a pair of large clippers. He could see many other people using the paths, too; not just Trainers but ordinary townsfolk, enjoying leisurely walks in the clear weather.
He could scarcely believe that this was a route and not some kind of public park. It was as if this entire stretch of land was meant to be an enormous, extravagant boulevard, designed to lead travellers straight toward the region's equally extravagant capital, the crown jewel of Kalos – Lumiose City.
Looking out at the horizon, Hiccup could already see the tops of skyscrapers rising up in the distance, his first glimpse of the grand city that awaited them. He'd seen plenty of big cities before, but excitement still stirred inside of him. On top of being able to meet up with his mother again, there were no doubt thousands of other things Lumiose City had to offer for visiting Trainers.
"Hey, Fishlegs," Hiccup craned his neck to stare out from behind the Ingerman boy's broad back, who squeaked and hastily clapped his notebook shut, placing it carefully on his lap. "I checked the map before we left the Pokemon Center, and I figure if we keep this pace, we can make it to Lumiose in only a few hours."
"U-Understood," Fishlegs replied, a quaver in his voice betraying his own excitement. "I can't wait to see what it's like, and there's going to be so much to do! W-We can browse shops for better supplies… o-oh, and we should check out Prism Tower, too! Not only is it supposed to be magnificent, but it's also where the Lumiose Gym is built! So you'll want to go, right?"
The Lumiose Gym… The mention of visiting another Gym so soon on his journey gave Hiccup pause. He shot Toothless a tentative glance. They'd struggled so much at the Santalune Gym, even after a whole day dedicated to training. And they'd be coming upon another one as early as this evening. Was it worth giving a shot, with zero progress made since the last?
"I'd, ah… rather pass on this one, honestly," Hiccup said at last. "If I learned anything from the last Gym, it's that Toothless and I should be spending a lot more time preparing properly before we think about challenging them. I think it'd be best if we left the Lumiose Gym for later, so we have more chances to learn better moves, and maybe even catch more Pokemon, for the next one."
"Okay then, if that's the plan…" Fishlegs stared ahead and nodded to himself, thinking. "Then… the next closest Gym is to the west, if I'm remembering my geography correctly. The path will take us past a couple of other towns and into the coastal mountains."
The mountains! A thrill prickled up Hiccup's spine, and he looked excitedly to Toothless. "Hear that, bud? That's the perfect place to look for other Dragon-types! You might make a friend or two."
While Toothless cooed with intrigue, Hiccup turned his grin on Fishlegs. "I'll bet Meatlug will enjoy it up there, too, huh Fishlegs?"
For some reason, he got no answer; Fishlegs remained facing forward, head and shoulders hunched with an unusual amount of tension. His arms were moving as well, as though he were poring over something.
"Uh… right, Fishlegs?" he tried again, to no avail. Is he already lost in his notes again? What for?
When Hiccup tapped him on the shoulder, the larger boy flinched so badly he almost leapt off Meatlug, a yelp escaping his mouth. Hiccup stared at his back in complete bafflement as he moved his hands frantically with a papery shuffling sound, as though he'd almost dropped something and was rushing to gather it.
"Um, r-right you are, Hiccup!" he finally responded, reaching down to pat Meatlug on the flank. "Sh-She's going to love the mountains! And meeting all the Pokemon living there! I-I mean, what Pokemon wouldn't want to meet the sweetest, most adorable Rhyhorn in the whole region? R-Right, Meatlug? Who's a good girl?"
Frowning at the distracted way he pampered his Pokemon, Hiccup again stretched himself to look over Fishlegs' shoulder. He only saw him shove his notebook back inside his jacket, and his hand came back out empty, fingers wiggling as if they were suddenly [feeling] clammy. His behavior had suddenly become very odd, Hiccup thought, inspiring a sudden feeling of curiosity that drew him to lean closer to his friend.
"What, uh… what were you working on, there?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.
"O-Oh, um…" Fishlegs fidgeted. "It was j-just a little… uh…"
"Your Pokemon notes?" Hiccup guessed.
"N-No – I-I mean, yes, s-sort of…" Fishlegs backpedaled. He was nervously tapping his fingers together again. "It's, um, kinda… personal stuff."
A sense of déjà vu passed over Hiccup. Hadn't Fishlegs gotten like this once before? He couldn't remember what about, but either way, it was concerning how Fishlegs was suddenly behaving as he had when they first met. What else was he not yet comfortable with revealing?
"That's… okay. No problem," Hiccup said, smiling gently. Internally, he put his own curiosity aside – it wasn't worth prying into something Fishlegs felt so strongly about hiding. He'd forgotten that they'd met only three days ago; they'd become such good friends in that short amount of time. Fishlegs had warmed up to him enough to expose his Pokemon fascination, and then his research hobby, so Hiccup was confident he'd be more than happy to share this secret with him, too, when he was ready.
That was why he could speak with such confidence when he uttered his next words: "I don't know what you have to hide or why you feel you need to hide it, but I'm not going to pressure you into talking about something if you aren't comfortable. Sorry for asking in the first place."
Fishlegs appeared to deflate, so deep was his sigh. "N-No, you're good. It's, um, natural to be so curious… but anyway, th-thanks for understanding."
Hiccup sat back down, glad that he'd managed to navigate that awkward exchange. Content, he lifted his head toward one of the flower gardens ahead, where a breeze had blown a group of Pokemon into the air. "Hey, look," he pointed to them as they sailed over their heads. "What are those things, Fishlegs? Some kind of Grass-type?"
Instantly, Fishlegs perked up at the mention of Pokemon and cast his eager gaze skyward. "Those are Flabebe!" he reported, already groping for his notes. "And they actually aren't Grass-types at all, but Fairy-types! It's a common misconception, see, because the flowers they attach themselves to aren't part of their bodies at all, but symbiotic organisms that benefit them through a complex process in which…"
With his friend on an enthusiastic tirade that showed no signs of abating soon, all was right in the world again. Only half-listening to the increasingly technical lecture, Hiccup faced forward and settled his eyes on the buildings rising in the distance once again. That same little thrill coursed through him at the sight, knowing that the biggest city in Kalos was less than an afternoon's walk away.
He'd already been away from home for a couple of days, but everything he'd done in that time felt irrelevant compared to what he knew was to come. When he set foot in Lumiose, the region would at last be opened to him.
When he set foot in Lumiose, his adventure would truly begin.
AN:
Because we've already seen Viola just two chapters ago, I made sure to focus more on Vivillon than Surskit. However, to make Surskit feel less like a repeat, I gave it a new trick to keep things interesting and to show how Toothless has improved on his previous weaknesses.
Viola was a pretty simple challenge for Hiccup to overcome, and I wanted the point of his loss to be getting into a proper Trainer mindset – taking the time to seriously prepare and work on his Pokemon for battle, which he isn't used to yet. Fortunately, the next Gym is a long way off, so Hiccup has plenty of time to settle into his new journeying lifestyle before his skills are tested again.
Finally, Route 4 doesn't have much going on, so I included it in a quick transitory scene. We'll get to see Valka again shortly, as well as Professor Sycamore… but what could Fishlegs' "personal reason" for wanting to meet him be?
Thank you for reading, please send reviews and/or feedback, and I'll be back again soon!
Next time: A City with Extravagant Flare!