Koa journeys onward in his quest to defeat Gardenia...
Hazard (Male Joltik)
Echo (Male Golbat)
Zubat, the Bat pokemon. Even though it has no eyes, it can sense obstacles using ultrasonic waves it emits from its mouth. This Zubat is male and knows the moves Supersonic, Bite, Absorb, and Wing Attack.
He'd stopped to rest for the evening near a place known as the Wayfarer's Cabin, and took the time to properly see Echo's moveset. Once the Pokedex finished relaying the moves, he had Echo demonstrate each one. He was fairly impressed - Echo had a solid handle on all his moves.
Now he was eager to begin training and make good on his promise. After everything Echo had done for him, he intended to return the gesture. No matter what it took, or how long, he'd help Echo become the best Zubat ever. The plentiful bug pokemon that lived in the forest would be perfect training for him too. For now, however, he decided to settle for working on teaching Echo Confuse Ray. It worked on the same principle as Supersonic but was much more potent and accurate.
To his surprise, developing the Confuse Ray technique proved easy. After a solid couple hours of practice, Echo managed to change his Supersonic into the concentrated golden orbs of a Confuse Ray. Another half-hour of practice and Echo had mastered the attack fairly well, able to hit targets from a good distance away.
"That was sick!" he cried happily to Echo, as he launched his tenth flawless Confuse Ray at the rock they'd chosen as a training dummy.
Echo screeched happily and flew around his head, delighted at the praise. Koa chuckled, playfully dodging and swatting at him. Taking the time to actually work with Echo made him realize that whatever he may have lacked in 'natural strength', he was more than determined to make up for with spirit and pluck.
xxx
Wayfarer's Cabin, a large cabin built at the edge of Eterna Forest, was a place where trainers and pokemon could rest briefly. A tall wooden fence surrounded the cabin, and an Arcanine sat at the gate, watching his surroundings intently. It acknowledged him with a bark as he approached, then moved from in front of the gate. Koa stroked him gently, scratching behind his ears before going into the cabin. He briefly wondered about its trainer. It looked happy and well-cared for.
The cabin looked empty, though a sign near the door instructed weary visitors to help themselves to food in the cabin, or to take a quick nap in the beds. Koa took a breath and sighed happily. It had been a few days since he slept in a proper bed. Once Echo and Hazard made themselves comfortable, Koa took a shower then made himself cozy in one of the beds. His gaze drifted to his pokemon - Echo, perched a short distance away on a lamp, and Hazard, curled up on his backpack. Echo kept shifting on his perch as if he couldn't quite get comfortable.
"Echo," he whispered.
The Zubat's ears twitched and his head swiveled towards Koa.
Koa patted his chest. "Come on," he whispered. With a happy chirp, Echo launched off the lamp and plopped on Koa's chest, nestling into his neck. Smiling softly, he stroked his soft fur, then tucked his own hands behind his bed. Plan or no plan, he was happy to have the Zubat by his side.
xXx
The next morning, Koa stood in front of Eterna Forest, gazing into its murky depths. He'd read a lot about the forest. Long ago, woodcutters had carved a path leading to Eterna City. They had also attempted to create paths through the rest of the woods but were stopped by hordes of wild pokemon and eventually gave up. The path became frequently used by travelers, but he also knew that every book about this place warned against straying too deep off the path. Dangerous pokemon lurked there, pokemon who would not hesitate to attack a human or another pokemon. After the incident with the Golbat, he had no desire to test that. Besides, he was more interested in caves than forests.
With a glance at his two companions, he started into the forest. The outside sounds faded, replaced by the distant humming of bugs and gentle chirping of bird pokemon. Thick shade enveloped him, cloaking the forest in a cool, eerie stillness. He moseyed through the forest, taking in the sights as he walked. He spotted a few other people, some young bug catchers and a few junior pokemon scouts.
The first day or so of his trip through the forest remained uneventful. Echo and Hazard both got in some excellent training against the weaker bug pokemon. Echo had a bit of difficulty with a Misdreavus, but soon triumphed thanks to his powerful Bite attack.
The third day, however, proved more interesting. Not too long after he set out in the morning, a girl burst out of the brush. "Hey! You're the kid who lost to my brother, and punched him in the face, right?"
Koa stared at her, puzzled. "What?" She wore a set of distinct purple clothes and had familiar dark gray hair.
"My brother, Kody. We come to Route 205 and Eterna Forest to train. Has a Meditite, about yea high?" she continued, gesturing.
Koa scowled and nodded, recalling his defeat at the hands of Meditite. The memory of the loss still left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Yeah, but for the record, he insulted my pokemon, then I punched him."
"Fair enough," she said with a shrug. "He gets punched in the face a lot honestly." She paused and smirked. "But that's not what I'm here for. My brother and I have a little contest. Who can get the most wins in a row. So that means it's up to me to beat you too! Come on out Psy!" She tossed a pokeball, and a Psyduck emerged. She grinned at him. "Name's Rachel by the way."
Koa frowned. He was in no particular mood to face anyone related to Kody. Still, at least she wasn't as rude as him. Something she'd said made him pause, however. "You and your brother nicknamed your pokemon the same name?"
At that, Rachel frowned. "NO. Psyduck's name is Psy. P-S-Y. My ridiculous little brother spelled it S-A-I or something. I had the name first."
Koa chuckled, then reached back, patting Echo, who found a new perch on his shoulder. "Want to give it a shot, Echo?"
Echo shrieked and fluttered onto the battlefield.
Rachel eyed the Zubat skeptically. "How about we make things even more interesting. I'll wager 500 Poke I can win. Winner takes all."
Koa grinned. "Sounds like an extra 500 Poke in my pocket. I accept."
"Psy, Water gun!" The Psy blasted a shot of water, knocking Echo out of the air. He shook his head, catching himself midair and recovering quickly.
"Now tackle it!"
"Quick, Bite!" Koa called out. The Psyduck seemed well trained, but Koa had a feeling it wasn't as tough as his Zubat.
As Psyduck approached, Echo narrowly dodged, then sank his jaws into it. Psyduck squealed in terror. A blue glow wrapped around Echo and yanked him away, smashing him into the ground. After a moment, Echo got up, battered but still strong. Their training had paid off.
Koa grinned. There was still time to land a good hit. "Absorb." Red tendrils of energy trickled across the battlefield to Echo, leeching Psyduck's strength and restoring Echo's.
"Psy, use Confusion one more time!"
Blue light enveloped Echo. Panic filled Koa. He did not want to lose again, and he didn't want Echo to lose either. As tough as Echo had become, he was still vulnerable to Psychic attacks. "Confuse Ray!" Koa called.
Three glowing golden orbs formed in front of the Zubat's jaws. He blasted them at Psyduck. They collided, making Psyduck stagger back. It dropped its hold on Echo. Its eyes flickered blue, then it hurled itself headfirst into a nearby tree.
"Psy, snap out of it!" Rachel cried.
Koa grinned, feeling pleased. It was time to end this. "Finish it with Wing Attack." Echo dove at the stunned Psyduck, his wings glowing brightly. He struck it with his wings, knocking it out cold.
Koa grinned in triumph. The speed at which Echo had knocked Psyduck out showed that Echo had gotten much stronger.
Rachel returned her Psyduck to its pokeball and walked over to him. "Huh. Pretty good. Your pokemon are certainly tough. Clearly you've been training since you fought my brother. Not that he's that good," she added with a chuckle. "Well, good luck. You're pretty close to Eterna City. Maybe I'll see you around." She waved a final goodbye, before jogging into the forest.
After she left, Koa let out a breath of relief. "Nice work, Echo!"
Echo shreed happily and did his trademark loop before settling onto Koa's head. Koa chuckled and stroked Echo's head. "Alright, get some rest." Echo nodded in agreement. He took out Echo's pokeball, returning him.
For the next few hours, Koa traveled in pleasant silence. He was contemplating taking a break for lunch when loud, derisive laughter broke the silence.
"Hey, still got that loser Zubat?"
Koa whirled towards the voice, his fists clenched, to see Kody. Kody, who'd been standing just a few feet away, flinched back when he saw Koa's clenched fists.
Koa relaxed his stance and smirked. "How about a rematch?"
"Why, you want to lose again?" Kody asked, his voice positively dripping with arrogance.
Koa shrugged but said nothing. This time, he was confident he could win. Echo had been working hard, and he was much stronger than the last time they'd fought.
"In that case, I am more than happy to oblige," Kody said. "Go Sai!" A pokeball hovered onto the battlefield, releasing a familiar Meditite.
Grinning, Koa took out Echo's pokeball. "Go Echo!" As he tossed out the pokeball, it rattled violently midair, then burst open, spilling out blue light. The light coalesced into the silhouette of Zubat for a second. Suddenly, the light began to glow even brighter. Bright bluish light began to swirl around the form of Zubat.
Koa gasped, barely able to believe his eyes. Echo was evolving! As he continued to watch, the blinding light doubled in size. The silhouette shifted from the small, wiry form of a Zubat to the tall, powerful form of a Golbat. With a final surge of energy, particles of light surged outward, leaving behind an angry-looking Golbat.
Echo let out a deafening screech, making both Koa and Kody cover their ears. He stood, glaring down the Meditite. Meditite shrank back, shaking with fear. Koa couldn't take his eyes off the new form of his friend. His Zubat had actually evolved! He knew Echo was close, given his relative strength and power, but he had no idea how close.
Kody stood in open-mouthed awe before shaking himself, trying to regain his composure. "Doesn't matter. That thing is still weak, just like its trainer!"
Echo's glare grew even angrier if that was possible. He was not fond of people mocking his trainer.
"Meditite, use Feint!" Meditite closed its eyes, focusing. A second later, it appeared behind Echo, its hand glowing white and raised to strike.
"Behind!" Koa shouted. He figured there wasn't time to finish the entire command, but he trusted Echo to understand.
Echo whirled around, his wings glowing with energy. Wing Attack met Feint, and for a second, the two moves stalemated. Echo screeched and pressed harder. Meditite was thrown back and crashed into a tree. It slowly began to stand, its limbs shaking with exhaustion.
Satisfaction flowed through Koa. Time to end this fight. "Now, Bite." Echo's jaws glowed with energy, his fangs nearly doubling in length. Koa immediately recognized the technique as Bite's more powerful successor, Crunch. He dived towards Meditite
"Meditite, Confusion," Kody called.
Meditite struggled to its feet, its eyes glowing blue. A blue glow surrounded Golbat, halting him in his tracks just inches from Meditite. Echo pressed against the weak psychic attack, his eyes glistening with determination. Meditite began to tremble from exertion.
"Don't give up, Echo! Show him how hard you've been training!"
Echo roared and pressed forward, breaking through the Confusion attack. He sank his fangs into Meditite, nearly swallowing it whole. Meditite cried out in pain, struggling to escape. Echo clamped his jaws tighter, and Meditite fell still.
"Yeah!" Koa shouted. Echo spat out the unconscious Meditite and screeched triumphantly.
Kody stared at Meditite, his gaze distant. Slowly, he pulled out a pokeball and returned it. He stared at the pokeball for a moment, then looked up. "Well, I guess I was wrong. Your Zubat - sorry, Golbat, is impressive. You've trained it well." Kody strode forwards and offered his hand.
Koa examined it for a moment in surprise, then shook it. "Thanks."
As Kody left, Koa couldn't stop grinning as he stared at Golbat. Gardenia didn't stand a chance.
xXx
Koa heaved a sigh of relief as he finally entered Eterna City. Two Noctowl perched above the gates and he waved to them as he passed through the gate, reveling in the feeling of sunlight on his skin. As he emerged into the city, he paused to take in the sights. Quaint, weathered brick buildings lined uniform streets. The architecture gave the city an old fashioned feel, and combined with the cobblestone streets, reminded Koa that Eterna City had been Sinnoh's first city. He quickly set aside his observations of the city in favor of something he was far more interested in seeing.
Turning north, he took off, excitement renewing his strength. There was something here he wanted to see, something he'd only ever seen in tour guides. He'd just rounded a corner and started east when he spotted it. Two towering metal statues, carved in an elaborate representation of Palkia and Dialga. He stopped in front of the statues, breathless, staring up at them in awe. They loomed over his head, gleaming in the late afternoon sun. Each statue stood at least 20 feet tall, although he privately wondered if the real pokemon were even larger. With some effort, he dragged his eyes away from the statue to read the inscriptions below them.
The one beneath Dialga read,
"The creation of DIALGA,
The giver of time...
In laughter, there is tears...
And, likewise it is with time.
The same time flows on.
For it is the blessing of DIALGA."
While Palkia's read:
"The birth of PALKIA.
The creator of parallel dimensions...
Alive, yet not alive...
Everything drifts in space...
To arrive in the same universe.
It is the blessing of PALKIA."
"Cool..." he whispered, stroking the text.
"So you came here to see the statues too?"
A voice behind Koa startled him, causing him to jump. He turned around to see the caped boy from the trainer's license exam. Koa grasped for his name, but he couldn't recall it. A fact that frustrated him, since he'd known his legends and history well.
"To think that pokemon themselves hold mastery over the fabric of the universe. Time and Space..." his voice trailed for a moment. "Antimatter."
Koa perked up. "You mean Giratina?" Just the thought of the shadowy dragon sent shivers down his spine. The great dragon, balancer of time and space. Ruler of the Distortion realm. To some, it was only a myth, a story to scare small children or warn them to be careful of the unknown. But he knew better. Giratina was all too real. Without Giratina, Sinnoh would have fallen to Galactic's influence and-
The boy tilted his head, his dark hair falling to the side slightly. He quirked an eyebrow at Koa before nodding. "Indeed. Although I am surprised to hear you know of Giratina. Not many do know it seems, and even more, are ignorant of the legends."
Although he didn't look much older than Koa, he sounded odd. His voice had some kind of dialect or accent, although not one he could place. And the way he spoke sounded unusual as well. Not to mention he had a really weird outfit. "I know everything about them pretty much. Giratina's realm protects ours. And he's not really as bad as some stories say, if you ask me. Once I'm strong enough I'm going to find the Spear Pillar."
At the mention of the name, the boy broke into a chuckle, shaking his head. "Certainly you jest? Do you not fear the curse upon the peak? If you know your legends then you know those are forbidden lands now." His voice was disbelieving but not scornful. And at least he believed in its existence, unlike some few he'd met.
"Doesn't mean I'm going to give up. Someone has to break through one day, right?" Make things right after Galactic.
A sort of curious twinkle entered the boy's eyes and he gave a respectful nod. "Indeed..."
"Who are you anyway? I remember you from the license exam, but what are you doing here?"
"I'm here for the same reason as you, I suspect. To visit these statues, and challenge Gardenia, among other things." He frowned and looked down at his watch. "Alas, I am afraid I have tarried too long. I have business to tend to, as well as preparation for my gym battle."
"Good luck then, " Koa said as an afterthought.
The boy paused and glanced back at him, a faint smile playing across his lips. "I have no need for luck. All I require is the strength of my partners and our skills." He strode swiftly away from the platform. Koa watched him go, his eyes narrowed with curiosity. A moment later, he smacked himself in the head. I forgot to ask his name!
The boy seemed unusually mysterious, but he also seemed like he knew a lot about legendaries. Koa wanted to talk to him more. Maybe he would run into him later. He jogged back through the city to the pokemon center, where he stopped to get his pokemon a checkup. By the time he was done, he found it was far too late to challenge the gym. Burying his frustration, he settled for a small room in a nearby inn. Going to sleep was too difficult this early in the night, so he stayed up, planning for tomorrow.
Gardenia should be fairly easy, but just in case, he had picked up a trainer's guide from the pokemon center to read up. Supposedly, Gardenia had a Cherubi, Turtwig, and Roserade. The Cherubi he wasn't particularly worried about, and the Turtwig likely wouldn't be too much trouble, but the Roserade did worry him. It was stronger than the other two. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his Zubat being poisoned. That was one edge up. And Joltik couldn't be paralyzed either.
Koa rolled over in bed and addressed his pokemon. "Alright, let's make a plan guys..."
For the rest of the evening, he formulated different strategies with his pokemon.
As usual, he awoke early the next morning and took a short jog before returning to a cafe for breakfast. He set out for the gym immediately. Since Eterna was a larger city, there would no doubt be a fair few challengers, and he wanted to get there before them. As he walked to the gym, he passed by the south gate. A large sign posted beside the exit read "Cycling Path Ahead-Bikes Only!"
He watched enviously as a young woman sped by on her bike, zooming through the exit. Aside from his cousin's bike, he never had his own, since they were so expensive. The Cycle Shop in Eterna was the only bike distributor in all of Sinnoh, and the process wasn't cheap. He set aside the thoughts as he approached the gym. After Roark, he didn't intend to lose.
Outside, the gym looked fairly average. Unlike the rest of Eterna, the gym's architecture had a distinctly newer feel, and it was painted in shades of green. Taking a quick breath, he stepped inside. A rush of warm, slightly muggy air greeted inside of the gym resembled a giant greenhouse, with rows of trees and various plants growing all about. Although they were not in any specific order, they still seemed very precisely planted. A forested scent hung thickly about, and he took a deeper breath and closed his eyes, the scents reminding him of the woods around Canalave, minus the ocean scent.
"Hiya! I see you're enjoying my gym."
Koa opened his eyes to see a young woman with short orange hair and a green tunic. Gardenia. She smiled brightly, and her eyes seemed to give off a sparkle. "I'm here to challenge you to a battle."
Gardenia smiled at him, although her pleasant gaze seemed to size him up as well. "Hm. You have a winning aura about you!" She nodded towards another woman tending to a flower patch. "Lavender, meet me by the arena please." The woman nodded and hurried away, and Koa followed Gardenia.
They wove through the rows of plants, until they emerged to a wide space bordered by thick, sturdy trees in uniform lines. Bright sunlight filtered from the open ceiling above. They took their places on either end of the battlefield. Lavender emerged from a path between the trees, a Nuzleaf trailing behind her. Gardenia waved in acknowledgment before turning back to Koa.
"So, challenger. What's your name?"
"Koamaru," he replied.
"Pleased to me you, Koamaru. As is custom, I will use the traditional three pokemon. You are free to use as many as you like."
"All I need is two," Koa said confidently.
Gardenia nodded and continued. "Would you like to wager on this match?"
Koa paused for a moment. He'd forgotten about the wager rule. Any challenger could choose to wager money on an official challenge if they wished. Some gyms would allow anything from a minor 1 poke, to thousands more. There were restrictions on the amount of course, and only trainers were allowed to make wagers. His thoughts drifted to the Cycle Shop. Maybe... It was a long shot, but if he won, it would pay off.
"How about 10,000 Poke." It was basically all he had, so if he lost, he would be broke. But if he won, it would pay off handsomely.
Lavender gasped softly, and Gardenia's eyes widened. "Well, I like your spunk. Are you sure?"
Koa nodded determinedly. "Absolutely."
"10,000 it is then. Lavender, could you go over the official terms please?"
"Certainly, Miss Gardenia. This will be a single battle match. The challenger, Koamaru, will be using two pokemon. The defender, gym leader Gardenia, will use three. The battle will continue until one side is out of usable pokemon. The challenger may substitute, but the defender cannot. The terms of the wager is 10,000 poke, winner takes all. Trainers, send out your starting pokemon."
Koa unhooked Echo's pokeball and tossed it out. Almost simultaneously, Gardenia sent out Cherubi. Perfect.
Lavender raised her arm. "First move belongs to the challenger. Battlers, begin!" A loud chime echoed through the gym.
Echo let out his trademark screech and glared at his opponent. Koa sized up the Cherubi. It was a gym leader's pokemon, which meant it wasn't a pushover. But with the type advantage, Koa felt fairly sure he could end this battle quickly.
"I'll let you go first," Gardenia said.
"Wing Attack!"
Echo wings glowed and he dived straight for Cherubi.
Unfazed, Gardenia gave her order. "Dodge Cherubi!"
Cherubi sprang easily out of the way. Echo whirled, attempting to pursue with Wing Attack. Once again, Cherubi nimbly leaped out of the way. Three more times, Echo dived at it with Wing Attack, only for it to dodge. Koa scowled. He hadn't expected Cherubi to be this fast.
"Alright Echo, back off!"
Echo fluttered backwards, eyeing the Cherubi angrily. Koa knew he needed a new strategy, and fast. Echo was quick, but as a Golbat, he could never compete with Cherubi's speed. "Echo, return," he said, finally. Holding out Echo's pokeball, he returned him.
"Alright, go Hazard!" Grinning, he tossed out Hazard's pokeball.
The Joltik emerged in a flash of light. He faced down his opponent, his eyes gleaming dangerously.
Koa took a moment to gather his thoughts. If he could slow Cherubi down, he could win. But the real challenge would be tripping up Cherubi without Gardenia realizing what he was up to. "Start with Electroweb, Hazard."
Hazard nodded and fired off a blast of electric webbing. It sailed through the air, straight for Cherubi.
"Dodge it again and use Magical Leaf," Gardenia said. Cherubi leaped to its right, and the web landed harmlessly on the ground, still crackling with electricity. The leaves on its head glowed bright green and it hurled a flurry of sharp leaves at Hazard.
Koa's eyes widened. "Fend it off with Bug Bite!"
Hazard's pincers glowed and he began desperately snapping at the leaves as they flew at him. He managed to deflect most of it, but many still struck, battering him slightly.
Now Koa had a plan, however. He spoke calmly, "Electroweb to the right." Joltik's eyes gleamed in understanding. He fired an Electroweb, aiming just to the right of Cherubi.
As Koa expected, Cherubi leaped left to dodge. "Quick, String Shot!"
As Cherubi leaped left, Joltik fired at the spot, covering the ground in a mess of sticky webbing. Just as Koa expected, Cherubi crashed directly into it. It cried out in shock and distress as it found itself firmly stuck in place.
Gardenia's eyes widened in shock as she realized what had happened.
"Now, Bug Bite!" Hazard lunged at the trapped Cherubi, sinking his jaws into it. "Keep going, Hazard!"
"Get out with Magical Leaf," Gardenia called.
Cherubi frantically began launching its leaves at the webbing. Hazard continued to cling to it. A few strands were cut, allowing Cherubi to get free.
"Get that thing off of you with Growth!" Gardenia shouted.
Cherubi closed its eyes, its leaves glowing green. After a moment, its body suddenly grew, dislodging Hazard and tossing him a few feet away, unharmed. Cherubi was left panting, clearly exhausted from the super-effective attack.
Koa grinned. "Don't let up. Electroweb!" Hazard fired off the attack.
"Block with Magical Leaf!" Gardenia cried.
The two attacks collided, but Hazard quickly fired a second Electroweb. The two webs combined, doubling in strength. They overwhelmed the leaves, crashing through them and trapping Cherubi. Electricity flowed through the Cherubi, shocking it mercilessly and knocking it out.
Hazard gave a cry of triumph, and Koa cheered.
The referee raised her hand. "Cherubi is unable to battle. Joltik is the victor."
Gardenia smiled as she returned Cherubi. "I have to admit, that was pretty impressive. A lot of trainers struggle with my Cherubi's speed. You adapted well." She took out a second pokeball. "But you have a long way to go. Go Twiggy!" She tossed out the pokeball. With a flash of light, a tough looking Turtwig emerged.
Koa eyed it uncertainly. After Cherubi, he wasn't sure what to expect from this Turtwig. Hazard looked worn out from the multiple electric attacks however. "Alright, Hazard. Return. Go Echo!"
His Golbat emerged from his pokeball with a screech. He and Turtwig locked gazes. "Alright Echo, up in the air," Koa said. Echo launched himself into the air, hovering several feet above the battlefield.
"Twiggy, Razor Leaf." Turtwig's leaves glowed and it swung its head, launching a volley of leaves up at Echo.
"Block with Wing Attack."
Echo began to strike back, knocking a few of the leaves away. Turtwig hurled a second volley. Several struck Golbat, hitting him back several feet. Koa grimaced. The attack had hurt, even with Golbat's resistance to grass type.
Gardenia smiled. "Twiggy, use Tackle!" Turtwig sprinted forwards and leaped up with unexpected grace. Before Koa could react, Turtwig crashed into Golbat hard, knocking him back. Turtwig landed and cried out a challenge.
Koa scowled. Turtwig's physical moves were clearly stronger. He needed Echo for Roserade, which meant he needed to end this quickly. "Echo, Wing Attack! Don't stop." Echo dove at Turtwig, wings glowing. He began to swing at it relentlessly. Turtwig gracefully dodged each one.
"Now Twiggy, retaliate with Bite." Turtwig opened its jaws wide and leaped for Echo.
"Confuse Ray!"
Gardenia's eyes widened in a panic, while Koa grinned. Turtwig, already midway through his attack, had no way to dodge. Just as it sank its jaws into Golbat, Golbat blasted it with Confuse Ray. Turtwig let go, falling to the ground rather ungracefully. It slowly got up and began to stagger about.
"Finish it with Wing Attack, Echo."
Echo shrieked gleefully and began to pummel Turtwig over and over with his wings. In a few seconds, the battle was over.
"Turtwig is unable to battle. Golbat is the winner!"
Gardenia frowned and returned Turtwig. "You've got spunk, Koa, I'll give you that. But it's not the end yet. Go Roserade!"
A Roserade emerged onto the battlefield in a flash of light. It spun in a circle, dramatically flourishing its flowers.
Koa contemplated carefully. Roserade was the pokemon he was most concerned about. It was her trump card, and stronger than the rest. Echo hadn't suffered too much damage, but he was hardly fresh either. Maybe Hazard could finish the job.
"Alright Echo, take a rest. Hazard, finish her!"
Hazard burst forth, sparks dancing across his fur.
"String Shot."
Hazard blasted a huge chunk of swirling webbing towards Roserade.
"Weatherball," Gardenia said confidently. Roserade charged a swirling ball of fire between its hands. It hurled it at the web, burning through it easily. It continued on and smashed into Hazard.
His Joltik cried out in pain as he was knocked back. Slowly, he got to his feet, his sides heaving. Koa gritted his teeth. How had she managed to pull off a fire attack? A second later, his scowl deepened as he looked up, noting the bright morning sun shining through the glass roof of the stadium. He'd initially only thought it was just to add to the atmosphere, but now he understood. Of course. Gym leaders could work the gym to their advantage. He looked down again at Hazard.
Joltik couldn't last much longer after taking a hit like that. But perhaps there was a way to get a hit in before he fainted. A way he could help ensure Echo's victory.
"Do you trust me, Hazard?"
Hazard looked back at him. Their eyes met and he nodded, his blue eyes sparkling with determination. His desire to help his team burned in his gaze.
"Electroweb."
Hazard summoned everything he had. The charge took a second longer than usual, and Koa guessed he was running out of charge. No matter, this battle would be over soon. Joltik launched the web across the battlefield, straight towards Roserade.
"Really? That's all you got?" Gardenia called. "Destroy it again with Weatherball."
Roserade grinned and fired another Weatherball. Koa smiled. Just as he hoped, Gardenia had used the same counter. The two attacks collided in midair, creating a small explosion of smoke and light. "Quick Hazard, launch yourself with String Shot."
Hazard nodded in understanding. He launched a precise string of webbing at a tree behind Roserade, using it to yank himself forward.
"Now Bug Bite!"
Hazard sailed forwards, pincers glowing. He emerged from the smoke created by the blast from Weatherball and Electroweb, straight for Roserade.
Roserade's eyes widened in surprise. A split second later, Joltik collided with it, sinking his pincers into Roserade's body. It cried out in pain.
"Get rid of it with Magical Leaf," Gardenia called.
Still cringing from the bite, Roserade raised its hand, aiming it awkwardly at Joltik, who still clung to its body. Koa knew there was no point in trying to dodge now. Joltik could never get away in time, his best bet was inflicting maximum damage. Roserade's hands glowed, and a volley of leaves shot out, knocking Hazard off. He landed a few feet away, unconscious.
Koa quickly jogged onto the field and knelt next to the Joltik. His eyes opened and he churred happily. "Nice work, Hazard." He glanced up. Across the field, Roserade was panting heavily and looked fairly worn out. Hazard had done his job. Now Echo could finish it.
Gently picking Hazard up, Koa set him on his shoulder and returned to his side of the field. He tossed out Echo's pokeball confidently.
Echo emerged, standing on the battlefield and glaring down his opponent. Roserade met his gaze evenly.
From Koa's shoulder, Hazard gave a cry of encouragement to his teammate. Echo glanced back, locking eyes with him before nodding.
Koa eyed Gardenia from across the battlefield. Despite her situation, she still seemed calm.
"So you think you have me cornered?" she called.
"Sure seems like it," Koa replied.
Gardenia chuckled. "Let's find out! Roserade, Magical Leaf." Roserade blasted a flurry of leaves straight at Echo.
"Charge and dodge, Echo." Echo flew forwards, spinning to the side to dodge the flurry of leaves. "Now, Wing Attack!" Golbat wings glowed and he struck Roserade hard, sending it flying. It crashed to the ground, sliding several feet.
"Nice!" Koa pumped his fist. Roserade slowly pushed itself to its feet, its body trembling with the effort. It stood up straighter and cried out a challenge. Echo shrieked in reply.
"Wing Attack, again," Koa called. One more hit could end this fight.
Echo dived at Roserade.
"Flash!" A bright light exploded from Roserade's hands, lighting up the entire stadium. Koa shaded his eyes with his hands. It faded after a moment, but the damage was done. Echo fluttered erratically about the stadium, his eyes screwed shut. His movements grew more erratic and he began to spin about in confusion. Koa muttered a curse. This wasn't good. Echo was panicking.
"Weatherball," Gardenia called. Roserade charged up a fiery ball and hurled it at Echo.
"Dodge!" Koa cried out in a panic. Echo spiraled awkwardly in the air but failed to escape the attack. It crashed into him, knocking him into the ground. Golbat shakily stood up and glanced frantically about.
Gardenia grinned triumphantly. Panic began to grow inside Koa. Echo was panicking, and if he couldn't see, he couldn't dodge. He was a sitting Ducklett. As Koa stared at his friend, his heart hammered wildly. He'd come so far with him, he couldn't lose now. Then it struck him. A thought so obvious he burst out laughing. Gardenia stared at him in confusion. Koa ignored it, focusing on Golbat.
He spoke quietly, his tone soothing. In addition to calming Echo, he didn't want Gardenia to hear him. "Hey Echo. I know you can't see right now and it's scary. But remember being a Zubat? You didn't need to see back then. Just relax and listen."
Echo stopped glancing about, his tiny ears twitching. His body stilled, and when Koa finished speaking, he gave a low shree of acknowledgment.
"Alright Echo, Confuse Ray," Koa said softly. He doubted the move would make contact, but it would serve as a good distraction.
His eyes still closed, Echo charged a series of golden orbs and launched them at Roserade.
"Magical Leaf, Roserade. Destroy it." Roserade shot a volley of leaves at orbs, shattering them.
"Crunch!"
Echo shot forwards, straight at Roserade.
"Poison Sting," Gardenia called. Roserade quickly shot a volley of tiny purple needles from its hands.
"Dodge up, then right," Koa said.
Echo pumped his wings, lifting him several feet into the sky. Roserade tried to follow the movement with Poison Sting, but Echo whirled right, dodging a second time. And then he was upon her. His jaws opened wide, fangs glowing with a black aura. Roserade gave a single shriek before being swallowed.
"Spit it up in the air and use Wing Attack!"
Echo spat out the battered Roserade, sending it soaring into the air. It flailed wildly as it started to fall back to earth. Echo lunged after it and struck it hard with Wing Attack. It crashed to the ground, finally unconscious. Echo landed and blinked a few times, the effects of Flash finally clearing. Seeing the defeated Roserade, he gave a cry of triumph.
Koa leaped into the air, pumping his fist. "Yeah! You did it Echo."
Echo shrieked again and flew over to him, landing on his shoulders. Koa almost buckled under the weight but stroked his friend appreciatively.
"Roserade is unable to battle! Challenger Koamaru and Golbat are the victors!" Lavender called.
"How delightful!" Gardenia cried, clapping. "I blinded your pokemon yet you managed to adapt on the fly." As she spoke, she returned Roserade and crossed the battlefield to Koa and offered her hand.
Koa shook it. "Thanks! Golbat's hearing is sick. I realized after you used Flash that he could use his ears just as well as his eyes," he said.
Gardenia chuckled, then smiled cheerfully. "Good work. A good trainer plays to his pokemon's strengths." She withdrew a gleaming green object from her pocket and handed it to him. The Forest badge. "Clearly you seem to care for your pokemon. You earned this."
"Thanks," Koa said, a bit uncomfortably. If only she knew... "Echo and Hazard did all the work though." Grinning widely, he accepted the badge. One more to go...
"I believe this is yours too." She paused and turned, picking up a briefcase from Lavender, who had just arrived. She handed it to him, and Koa took it carefully. "That's your 10,000poke."
Koa gave a loud whoop.
"Be careful." Gardenia chided, her voice serious. "There have been robberies lately. I don't recommend traveling with that very far."
Koa nodded, then practically ran out of the gym, barely able to contain his elation.
Half an hour later, he sat in a grassy area at the eastern edge of Eterna City, enjoying lunch with his pokemon, and relishing the new bike he bought. He couldn't wait to take it to Cycling Road and really test it out. Although he still had one thing to do before leaving. Find a fighting type.
He knew this area might have some, and a fighting type would really help against Roark. A grass type could work as well, or even water, but he wanted a fighting type badly. Or rather, he really wanted a Tyrogue. They were diverse and powerful, and any of its three evolutions would make an excellent addition to his team. Of course, they were fairly rare as well, but he was sure he could find one.
Once he finished lunch, he packed up and headed east from Eterna. Route 211 featured canyons and valleys that stretched all the way to Celestic Town. However, he was only interested in the very first stretch, where his Pokedex said Tyrogue could be found. Once he arrived, he released Echo. Echo immediately did a little loop, then perched on Koa's back, making him stagger.
"Alright, Echo. I'm hoping to find a Tyrogue before I face Roark again. Think you can help?" Echo shrieked in agreement and took off. Koa watched him go, then set to exploring himself.
The hours dragged by. The sun dropped lower and lower into the sky until finally, night fell. Koa returned to Eterna, his shoulders sagging. Not a single Tyrogue. He'd seen a few Machop, which Echo defeated with ease, but no Tyrogue. He guessed he'd underestimated their rarity.
As he sat in the room he rented for the night, he realized he had a choice to make. He could keep hunting for one, which could take days. Or he could head back to Oreburgh, earn his second badge, and get his Tyrunt. He took out his backpack and carefully withdrew the fossil from its special compartment. Stroking its rough surface, he dreamed of the magnificent addition to his team. New resolve filled him as he made his choice.
"I'm coming for you Roark," he growled. And for you, Tyrunt.
Hazard (Male Joltik)
Echo (Male Golbat)
There you have it. After much work and training, Koa has earned his first badge. The real question is, can he beat Roark?