Chapter 28; a legendary achievement
Sonic and raichu were battling using all of their power. Their opponent, a mysterious figure covered in the shadows wasn't going down.
"Raichu thunder punch!"
Raichu charged its opponent but was flung away into the darkness.
"Raichu!"
The mysterious figure then lifted their hand and Sonic was lifted from the ground. He felt his body being forced to bend in reverse. Putting all of his willpower in staying in one piece he heard a malicious voice.
"Choke the life out of him!"
Sonic was pulled into the mysterious figure's hand. He felt his airway close and his legs started shaking uncontrollably as he gasped for air. He tried to punch the mysterious figure only to have his hand hurt as if it had struck a piece of iron.
His vision slowly became blurred. Managing to take small breath he used to it to call raichu.
"Iron tail!"
Raichu came charging back through the darkness but was caught mid-air by the mysterious figure who used the same kind of power that held Sonic in place to hold raichu in place. In a small flick of their fingers, raichu's neck was snapped and it dropped to the ground not moving.
"Nooooo!" Sonic tried to scream but all that came out of its mouth were inhumane sounds as he had no air to expel to create a phrase.
The same malicious voice spoke.
"Did you really think you could win?! Finish him!"
The shock of dying at the figure's hands was so strong that Sonic burst awake inside his tent, gasping for air as if he really was being choked. In his sudden burst he had accidentally shoved raichu aside. It looked at him grumpy.
"Oh man. Sorry partner. I just had this nightmare… phew. Thank god it was just a nightmare. Felt so real too".
Raichu went outside the tent as Sonic soon followed. The sun was slowly beginning its rise in the sky in that beautiful orange color. Sonic stretched and called out his team to have their morning routine training before going looking for Blaine again.
After half an hour of training and a good breakfast consisting of sandwiches handmade by Reina when he was still in Celadon, Sonic thought he owed her an apology after the way he had treated her when he was lost in darkness. He wasn't rude back then but distant and cold.
"Next chance I get I'll apologize properly" he thought chewing a bite from the sandwich.
After the breakfast Sonic recalled the rest of his pokemon apart from Raichu and they began making their way towards the volcano. Sally had told Sonic the previous day that Blaine liked to go up to the mouth of the volcano.
Noticing the fumes coming out of the volcano he realized it was active.
"Is he crazy or something? Who would go to the mouth of an active volcano? One wrong move and…"
He didn't complete his thought. Thinking of ways to die was the last thing he wanted to do after the dream he had last night.
"What if he isn't there either today?" he thought realizing there was a chance Blaine wasn't at the volcano.
"Hmmm" he hummed as raichu ran ahead to explore the path to the volcano.
"Maybe if I went to the same place every day I would eventually find him" he considered the option. Under the current circumstances it really was the best chance.
"If he isn't up there" he said reaching the foot of the volcano as he found the path leading to the mouth "I'll just return to town and come back tomorrow. As for what we will do all day… I'll think about it when the time comes".
Beginning their journey to the top of the volcano the duo quickly started getting sweaty as the air slowly got hotter and hotter.
"He really is an eccentric person. No sane individual would come to this place often" Sonic commented as they continued on.
Going up the path in that heat was no easy feat. Raichu eventually got tired and Sonic recalled it to spare it the hard path and the burning heat.
After a rigorous walk and drinking 2 bottles of water to stay hydrated, Sonic finally reached the mouth of the volcano. Taking a moment to catch his breath and finding a spot where the wind actually blew cold, he admired the view. He could see the mainland of Kanto in the distance. His gaze shifted towards the mountain. He knew somewhere around that area the league tournament would be held.
Reaching out he recalled a song he heard back in his hometown. The name of the song was I'm here. And one the lyrics fitted his current state perfectly.
"I'm here. Reaching far across these new frontiers" Sonic muttered smiling.
Turning around he saw a man and a pokemon sitting and observing the endless ocean on the other side.
"Hello there" Sonic called out to be heard above the cry of the wind.
The man turned around.
"Hello".
"Are you Blaine the gym leader?!" Sonic yelled again as the wind wasn't making it easy.
"What?!"
"Are you Blaine the gym leader?!"
"Whaaat?!"
Sonic felt like an idiot for yelling so he just started walking around the mouth to approach the man. The man did the same thing and his pokemon, a magmar followed him. Sonic noticed the magmar and wondered if it really was Blaine.
"Magmar is a rare fire type. Who would have one if not the gym leader of a fire gym?"
When the two met face to face Sonic was able to ask the question without screaming.
"Are you Blaine the gym leader?"
"Why yes I am. And you" he said smiling "must be Sonic, the hero of Kanto".
Sonic tried to maintain his composure.
"Please don't call me a hero. I only did what I thought was right".
Blaine looked impressed at Sonic's humility.
"Forgive me that was unexpected. A kid was here the other day, claiming he knew you. He said you were an arrogant idiot and I wanted to test you".
"Did they mention their name?" Sonic asked wondering if he was referring to Ash though he found it unlikely Ash would have gotten to the 7th badge before him.
"No. But he had brown hair, purple shirt. And was a bit full of himself".
"Gary" Sonic said remembering their last battle. Made sense Gary would talk trash like that after both their encounters were not the friendliest.
"Anyway" Blaine said continuing "let us make our way to my gym. I have been waiting for the day to meet you on the battlefield" Blaine said with a hint of excitement.
The two began making their way towards the path down the volcano. However before they got to it, something flew up from the unseen part of the volcano and unleashed a huge flame, forcing Blaine and Sonic to cover their eyes. The thing whatever it was let out a very familiar cry to Sonic.
"No way!" he commented opening his eyes in shock as he looked up.
Sonic and Blaine looked at the source of the cry at the same time. In front of them, the legendary Moltres was flapping its wings, majestic as always, its gaze fixed on Sonic.
"Oh my" Blaine said taking a step back "the legendary bird of flames, Moltres. In our presence".
At that moment the wing on Sonic's backpack began emitting an orange light. Sonic picked it up as Blaine noticed it.
"Is that a feather from Moltres?!"
"Yeah" Sonic said not understanding why the feather was glowing "Moltres left it for me after our last battle".
"It left you the wing?!"
"Yeah. Brock, the rock gym leader said it was a sign of acknowledgement".
"The legend he spoke of is different from tradition" Blaine said.
"Tradition?" Sonic asked confused.
At that moment the feather caught fire forcing Sonic to let it go. The feather burned until there was nothing left of it.
"Oh my. It really is the case" Blaine said covering his mouth with his hand.
"What case?" Sonic said while looking at Moltres dead in the eyes.
"The original legend of Moltres was changed through the generations. People took Moltres leaving behind a feather as sign of acknowledgement. But it's not that at all. The original legend passed down through trainers who master the art of using fire pokemon, states that Moltres leaving a trainer its wing is a promise".
"A promise?"
"A promise of a rematch!"
"Rematch?!" Sonic momentarily taking his eyes off Moltres.
"The legendary pokemon only initiates the rematch by burning the feather when it knows you're ready. But to know you were ready at this moment…"
"You mean it was observing my journey?" Sonic said in disbelief looking back at Moltres which was still flapping its wings not taking its eyes off Sonic "ever since mount moon?"
"Apparently so" Blaine said "I guess before we can have our battle you will need to accept the challenge".
"Here? Now?" Sonic said in hesitation as his eyes went to inside the mouth of the volcano. He could see lava in the bottom of the pit thought it was very far down. Pillars were coming out of the lava and were reaching on the same height as the mouth of the volcano.
"Yes. This is one of the best possible locations to fight a fire type. On its own terms, inside its own turf. This is the place where I met and caught my magmar" Blaine explained.
Sonic looked around. He knew it was dangerous but at that moment Moltres cried out again in an impatient way. Sonic met its eyes again and his decision was cemented.
"Go nidoking!" he said calling it out "leer!"
Nidoking sparkling as it appeared, used its move weakening Moltres' defense. Moltres unleashed another cry and followed up with a flamethrower.
"Protect!" Sonic ordered nidoking.
As the flames engulfed the nidoking but not harming it because of the shield, while at the same time flying past Sonic whose quills billowed with the burning wind around them Blaine wondered if Sonic was not just challenged but chosen.
"Earthquake won't work on a flying type. Nidoking use sludge bomb!"
Nidoking unleashed the balls of sludge but Moltres dodged them with ease. Sonic knowing that they had to find a way to land the attacks decided to first try to lure Moltres below their ground level.
"Nidoking use sludge bomb slightly above Moltres!"
Nidoking aimed slightly higher than Moltres actually was. Moltres instinctively dodged by flying slightly below the mouth of the volcano.
"Got you! Nidoking use sludge bomb and make it rain!"
Nidoking having practiced that move with Sonic in secret as Sonic intended to only use it in the tournament as a secret weapon fired the sludge bombs vertically up and they started coming down on Moltres. Moltres was agile and dodge a lot of them but several found their mark damaging it without poisoning it. Before they could react however Motres used wing attack on nidoking with such speed and power that it fainted. It flew through the air fainted and Sonic, fearful that it would fall into the volcano immediately recalled it.
"Phew that was close" he thought sweating and not just from the heat "alright. Alakazam you're next!"
Alakazam hummed and observed Moltres' movements. Moltres unleashed a fire blast attack.
"Use light screen!"
Light screen was initiated but the power of the legendary pokemon was too great to perfectly shield against it. Alakazam was pushed back trying to maintain the shield.
"Quickly use psychic!"
Alakazam used its move damaging Moltres but not being able to stop it in its tracks. Moltres responded by going in for another wing attack.
"Reflect!"
Alakazam used its second barrier again being pushed back. It looked exhausted from the amount of effort it took to keep the barriers in place against such an opponent.
"Psychic again!"
Moltres however was already on the offensive releasing fire blast. Alakazam broke its focus to hold the barrier up. Moltres not giving it any chance to resist followed up with flamethrower.
"Shadow ball!"
The shadow ball collided with flamethrower as the attacks unleashed waves of power.
Back in town Sally was doing her shift wondering whether Sonic would be around today when she saw several people on looking at the direction of the volcano. Turning her head she saw a huge jet of flames and what appeared to be a flying type pokemon close to the mouth of the volcano.
Quickly and kind of rudely borrowing a customer's binoculars, she turned them towards the volcano and adjusted them to see what was going on. She witnessed the jet of flames and a shadow ball creating power waves. Adjusting the vision a little bit she witnessed Sonic and his Alakazam trying to maintain the attack while their opponent, the legendary pokemon Moltres was attacking with flamethrower.
"A hero and chosen by the legendary pokemon?" she wondered as she kept observing through the binoculars despite the customer's demand to return them.
Back on the volcano Alakazam had reached its limit. The shadow ball slowly faded as the attack engulfed it causing it to topple and faint.
"Return Alakazam" Sonic said "you were very brave. Rest well we're not losing this time" he said deciding to pull a risky move.
"Come on out pinsir!"
"Pinsir?" Blaine said in surprise. He knew Pinsir didn't learn any powerful moves to hit a moltres at least not naturally.
Sonic on the other hand knew his pinsir had a move to strike Moltres. However the play was risky. All of Moltres' attacks could knock pinsir out and their entire move was based on Moltres approaching them.
"Pinsir dodge the moves as best you can!"
Pinsir cried out as it clicked its pincers, challenging Moltres to make a move. Moltres responded by using flamethrower again.
"Dodge!"
Pinsir jumped off the cliff and nailed its pincers on the hard surface just enough to dodge the flamethrower. Using its strength it propelled itself back on the mouth of the volcano continuing to tease Moltres.
Moltres cried out in what felt like frustration and proceeded to use ancient power.
"Use your pincers to block or smash the rocks!"
Pinsir did just that. A lot of the rocks ended up smashed and its strong pincers kept some others from making perfect contact with it and knocking it out. The barrage took its toll on pinsir however as it knelt on one knee in pain.
"Just a little more pinsir" Sonic encouraged it.
Moltres to their luck used the one move they were waiting for next; wing attack.
"Now! Rock slide!"
Pinsir unleashed a barrage of rocks on Moltres which took insane damage however to make sure the rocks hit the spot, they had allowed their opponent to get too close. The wing attack connected and Pinsir was knocked back and crashed into Sonic, who fell back.
"You ok?" Blaine asked concerned.
Sonic with a lot of effort from under Pinsir, recalled it and got back up.
"I've been through worse" he said determined taking out blastoise's pokeball.
Blaine was in awe of Sonic's courage. Even though the move Pinsir pulled was daring and suicidal, Moltres was now flying unevenly due to its injuries.
"Blastoise come on out!" Sonic said calling it to battle.
Blastoise emerged and its water typing allowed it remain focused despite the great heat. Sonic however knew that heat from the volcano and heat from Moltres would soon be too much for Blastoise to resist. They had to pull a good move there and then.
"Blastoise hydro pump!"
Blastoise aimed and fired at Moltres. Moltres dodged for the most part but its injuries caused it to be scraped by the water attack damaging it further. It then unleashed flamethrower.
"Rapid spin!"
Blastoise span fast deflecting the attack. However the resistance was lowered due to the combined heat causing Sonic to curse in his mind at using that and not protect.
"Ice beam!"
Blastoise used the move which Moltres easily countered with fire blast. Blastoise was caught off guard by it resulting in a critical hit. It toppled but to Sonic's surprise was not out of the battle yet.
"Blastoise don't push yourself" Sonic said concerned for it.
Blastoise however wanting to make its trainer proud mustered all of its remaining energy and unleashed the strongest hydro pump it could. Moltres countered with a jet of flamethrower. The attacks proved to be even as the heat of the volcano enhanced flamethrower and weakened hydro pump. Eventually both the attacks evaporated as Blastoise fainted from exhaustion. Sonic recalled it amazed and proud of it.
"You did amazing buddy. Get a good rest".
One pokemon left. And Moltres looked too exhausted to continue. Sonic wondered why it was still continuing. He considered tossing a pokeball to try and catch it but decided he needed an opening first.
"Raichu" he said to its pokeball "it's all up to you!" he exclaimed sending it out.
Raichu and Moltres locked eyes, remembering their last encounter. This time however raichu was perfectly healthy and Moltres wasn't.
"Raichu what you're about to do is dangerous so I want you to be extremely careful. Blaine you might want to step on the path and clear the mouth of the volcano".
Blaine looked at Sonic confused but obeyed and allowed the mouth of volcano to be an empty circle.
"Raichu! Run around the mouth of the volcano! Quick attack!"
Raichu started running around the mouth of the volcano as fast it could. Moltres' eyes followed it but after a while it got tired and unleashed flamethrower. The attack missed as Raichu was going too fast.
Moltres then tried using ancient power and fire blast but both of those attacks also missed as raichu kept using quick attack. Sonic knew it would soon be frustrated.
And soon was the next moment. Moltres dived using wing attack on a collision course with the running raichu.
"Now! Use iron tail to propel yourself and jump on Moltres!"
Raichu made its tail hard and used it as a pole to launch off the ground using its built momentum. Dodging the attack it landed on Moltres' back. Moltres was caught off guard and tried to shake off raichu which held on as best as it could.
"Raichu! End this battle now! Thunder punch!"
Raichu charged its punch and struck at Moltres' neck. Moltres was damaged hard and started plummeting towards the mouth of the volcano.
"Oh no!" Sonic thought as he remembered where he was "raichu jump!"
Raichu jumped and was safely recalled then sent out again by Sonic. Moltres crashed on one of the pillars protruding from the hot lava. The pillar cracked a bit.
"No!" Sonic said in shock as he realized the amount of danger he had just put Moltres in.
Abandoning all sense of logic he jumped onto the closest pillar.
"Sonic no come back!" Blaine warned him.
Sonic however didn't listen. He wasn't responsible for Jolty's death. Certainly he wouldn't allow himself to become responsible for the death of a legendary pokemon.
"Don't worry Moltres. I'm coming!" he said as he jumped from pillar to pillar as best he could trying not to look down.
Moltres lifted its head in exhaustion and looked at Sonic slowly approaching. Its eyes, even though Sonic couldn't see it were glowing. If anyone knew, they would probably say it was surprise, disbelief and gratitude.
Sonic was now 2 pillars away from Moltres. He witnessed the pillar Moltres was on slowly cracking and breaking.
"No. no. no!" Sonic yelled jumping fast ignoring his safety and landing next to Moltres. Their combined weight caused the crack to expand and the pillar to tilt.
"Rai! Raichu!" Raichu cried out in fear for its trainer's life.
Sonic knew he was in too big of a jam this time. Kneeling next to Moltres he begged it to get up.
"Come on Moltres. Don't give up now!" he begged as he tried to lift it to help it fly away.
Moltres then did the unthinkable. It used wing attack on Sonic sending him flying back at the edge of the mouth of the volcano. Sonic crashed on the hard ground in pain but sprang back up. He witnessed the pillar give in.
Moltres plummeted inside the volcano unable to escape!
"NOOOOOOOO!" he screamed reaching out in despair.
At the next moment his world was turned upside down. Blaine had burst out laughing.
"My, oh my" he said after pulling himself together "you are something else. To best a legendary pokemon in combat? I have never seen that happen in my entire life!"
"What are you happy about?!" Sonic screamed in anger "I just killed Moltres!"
"Killed?" Blaine said in joyful confusion "don't you know fire types love lava?"
"Wait what?" Sonic said.
At the next moment a pillar of lava was erected from the inside of the volcano. Moltres emerged from it covered in lava and screeching like a phoenix.
"What?!" Sonic said taking a step back in fear. He wasn't prepared for something like this.
Moltres however shook the lava off, completely healed.
"Lava heals them?" Sonic asked over his shoulder.
"Of course. I'm surprised you didn't know it" Blaine commented.
Moltres then flew down and landed in front of Sonic. Their eyes met and Moltres lowered its head and closed its eyes.
"Is it… bowing to me?" Sonic muttered in disbelief.
"What does it look like it's doing?" Blaine asked laughing.
"Seriously though" he continued "you have got to be one of the most amazing trainers I have ever seen. Taking on the legendary bird of fire, on the top of a volcano AND beating it? You really are worthy of the title you bare".
Sonic turned to object but saw Blaine holding his hand out. Inside his palm laid…
"The volcano badge is yours".
"What?" Sonic said in surprise "I… I can't take that. I didn't beat you".
"You don't have to. What you achieved here today is a greater challenge than I could ever offer. If I could give you more badges I honestly would" Blaine said seriously, motioning for Sonic to take it.
Sonic was speechless but took the badge.
"Thanks. And thank you Moltres. Thank you for all the challenges and battles. It helped us grow stronger. I'll never forget it" Sonic said to the legendary pokemon that was simply staring back at him.
Turning to go to the path to get down from the volcano, he heard Moltres' footsteps behind him. Turning back to face it, he found its beak exactly in front of him. Moltres pushed him slightly with the beak. Sonic realizing what it was saying, despite his surprise, scratched it on the throat. Moltres closed its eyes to his touch and let out a grateful cry.
"That was so cool. Thank you again" Sonic said and turned to leave again.
Just like before he heard Moltres following him on foot. Confused he turned to face it again.
"What is it?" he asked confused.
"I knew it" Blaine exclaimed "it wasn't just a challenge. It chose you!"
"What?" Sonic turned to face him.
"It wants to join you".
"Join me? Moltres wants to join me?"
"Why the surprise? I told you the legend was more than common people know. Moltres doesn't just leave its wing for a rematch. It only leaves its wing to someone it feels it can trust. And I bet it now knows it can trust you".
Sonic didn't know what to say. Catch a legendary pokemon? That was a dream come true. Turning back to Moltres, he met its black eyes.
"You want to come with me?"
Moltres let out a cry. Sonic knew it couldn't speak his language but the cry sounded to him like "took you long enough to figure".
He smiled and took out a pokeball from his backpack.
"Wait" Blaine stopped him "use this instead" he tossed him an ultra ball "powerful pokemon deserve a powerful pokeball".
Sonic nodded smiling. He winded his hand and threw that ball at Moltres. The ball came into contact with the legendary bird and absorbed it as red energy. It fell on the ground and wiggled once. Twice. Thrice.
"No way it's gonna break out" Sonic thought.
But it didn't.
The sound confirming the catch reached his ears.
"I CAUGHT MOLTRES!" Sonic screamed in joy and started jumping ecstatically. Raichu followed suit and soon all his other pokemon came out. Sonic picked up Moltres' pokeball and called it out. The other pokemon all approached it one by one and had a one on one moment with it as Sonic observed happy.
He now had 6 pokemon. And they were all amazing.
"My team is stacked" he thought proudly.
"Well I guess it's time to go. Guys back in your balls" Sonic said as Blastoise, pinsir, alakazam and nidoking were recalled. Before he could recall Moltres however Blaine stopped him again.
"Are you planning to leave on foot?"
"Yeah why?"
"Nothing it's just… I assumed you would fly off".
Fly off? Sonic hadn't considered that. Never having a flying type before he didn't realize how easy it would make travelling from town to town. He turned to Moltres.
"Is it ok if we travel with your help?"
Moltres cried out and turned to face the mainland of Kanto. Moving its right wing out of the way so Sonic could ride it, it patiently waited for him.
"I'll take it as a yes. Thanks for the badge" he said shaking hands with the gym leader.
"Let's go" he said riding Moltres, his heart pumping with excitement at the prospect of flying.
Moltres cried out and took off fast, with Sonic and raichu holding on tight on its back.
Meanwhile on the ground Sally gave back the binoculars after Sonic and Moltres flew off. She got back to her shift processing the last hour. Sonic was indeed greater than the title of hero described. To be chosen by a legendary pokemon. Sally knew at that moment that she had barely known Sonic. She smiled as she saw Moltres fly off into the distance, wondering whether she and Sonic would meet again.