Note- I'm a man of my word! Just a week after Luke's monumental flashback wrap up, we have the continuation of Chris' journey! As the Cherrygrove native approaches the Johto Peninsula, what adventures await the trainer duo? Between gym battles, exploring the Safari Zone, and meeting new friends, I can't wait to experience the next step of this journey with you! Hope everyone enjoys!
Chapter 32
A beam of light found its way beneath Chris' shut eyes, prompting the trainer to reluctantly awake. Chris glanced at his Pokégear, prompting the young man to leap out of bed and get changed. The trainer had slept till almost eleven, giving him only an hour before the boat would arrive in Cianwood. Chris noticed Luke had already woken up, and found him standing outside of the room, leaning against the deck's railing with Charizard. The trainer released Quilava to accompany him as he came to stand by his traveling companion.
Luke didn't turn to look at Chris. "Fun night?"
"It was alright." Chris noticed Quilava had jumped onto the railing. The Volcano Pokémon was always trying to reach eye level with friend and foe. His trainer patted his head softly. "There were actually a lot of people our age out and about." Chris chuckled. "And the bars were giving out two free drinks to tournament competitors."
"That's some Tauros shit," Luke spat over the edge of the ship. "Didn't have anything like that when I went out. Had to pay for mine and the lady's." He looked at Chris with a hint of optimism. "Did you at least put your two drinks to good use?"
Luke's head lowered when Chris shook his head. "I'm not a drinker. Besides, I can't have a muddled head when sponsors are throwing themselves at me."
The trainer from Tohjo Falls snorted, looking Chris over. He noticed the Johto native was smirking. "Are you serious?"
Chris shrugged. "I've had a couple offers."
"Shit."
"I'm not focused on any of that though," Chris pointed towards the approaching coastline. "I still need four more badges before I can qualify for the Silver Conference." An idea popped into the trainer's brain. "You've already battled Chuck, haven't you?"
Luke nodded. "One of the two badges I've managed to snag since we split."
"How was the battle?"
The trainer thought for a moment. "He hits hard and he hits fast. The battles are over in the blink of an eye." Chris looked to press for more details, but Luke shook his head. "I don't want to ruin any surprises he may have for you. I'm just gonna' say that you'd better stay on your toes at all times."
The two men were silent for a while longer as they watched the ship approach a nearby dock. Quilava seemed to be staring holes into Charizard, whose own eyes were placed firmly on his own trainer. Concern always seemed to reflect in the fiery lizard's gaze. Chris felt compelled to speak to Luke's starter alone at some point.
"Speaking of gym leaders," Luke tilted his head to the side, "anything you wanna' tell me about Goldenrod City's gym? Does Whitney have anything I should be worried about?"
"She's very unpredictable and crafty," Chris placed a hand to his chin. "She's the only Gym Leader I've lost to."
Luke seemed surprised. "For real? How?"
Chris brought out his Plain Badge. "Before you give me too much flak, I did win the rematch." The trainer thought for a moment. "I'll answer like you and not give much away. I'll say this: don't underestimate her trump card. She's hiding a powerhouse partner beneath her innocent smile."
The warning seemed to throw Luke into deep thought. This prompted Chris to mentally work back to the challenge of Cianwood's Gym that would soon await him. The trainer had decided on his team by the time the ship had docked. The young men finished collecting their belongings from the room and took their place in the departure line. The ship was turned so that the duo could see the locales that awaited them.
Cianwood City was one of the smaller cities in Johto. The city rested beneath high cliffs that stretched out along the coastline for as far as the eye could see. The bluffs pressed out to surround the city, barring a small patch of land to the north. The plateau of land that the city rested upon stretched out towards the sea, leaving little room for sandy beaches. The city was the most isolated metropolitan area in the region and its inhabitant's nature reflected that. The people of Cianwood were not known for their many traditions. In fact, the most well-known feature of the city was actually its medical center. From the boat, the high tech facility dominated Chris' view of the cityscape.
Once the trainers were back on land, they wasted no time in finding the nearest Pokémon Center. Moving at a quick pace, they managed to beat most of the other arriving trainers.
"I can't believe I've actually made it to the Johto Peninsula," Chris said aloud as they found a pair of seats.
"As fast as we made it here, I'm just happy my leg isn't acting up," Luke paused. "It is a little weird to be back here so soon."
"We'll hope this visit doesn't involve a hospital trip."
The two young men decided to turn their conversation to their next course of action.
"When are you thinking about challenging Chuck?" Luke asked.
The question seemed to get Chris' blood flowing. After taking weeks to train for his last two gym battles, the trainer from Cherrygrove felt more than ready to grab his fifth gym badge. "I'm thinking I'll head that way as soon as my team is healed up."
"Alright then," Luke nodded. "Care if I'm in the audience?"
"Go for it," Chris grinned. "Just make sure you bring some paper to take notes."
"You get a couple sponsorship offers and suddenly you're a master trainer." Luke groaned. "Don't make me regret traveling with you."
Upon the return of their fully healed teams, Luke led Chris west along the city's main street. They arrived at the gym early in the afternoon.
Chris studied the outside of the facility. "It looks like it's been renovated pretty recently." He noticed the towering cliffs stood right behind it. "I'm amazed the roof doesn't constantly cave in from falling rocks. Seems needlessly dangerous to build the gym so close to the bluffs."
"Once you meet Chuck," Luke shook his head, "it'll all make sense."
Once inside, Chris noticed Luke began to take off his shoes. The trainer found a sign by the door prompting all who enter to participate in the time honored tradition. Upon seeing Chris' bewildered expression, Luke gave the Cherrygrove trainer his best "I told you so" look. Luke led Chris to the earthen battlefield that resided amongst the traditional architecture. The inside of the gym heavily resembled that of an old school dojo, clashing somewhat with the more modern, sleek exterior. Sunlight poured into this roofless room and fell upon a man hunched over a large rock beside the battlefield. Chris noticed the middle aged man was wearing a brown gi to match the traditional theme of the gym.
"Hello sir," Chris spoke hesitantly.
The bulky man jumped at the sound of a voice. He turned towards the speaker, quickly wiping sweat from his greying facial hair. "H-hello there!" He fought to hide his heavy breathing. "Sorry about not welcoming you boys when you first arrived. I usually do my physical training around lunch when I have the fewest visitors." He and Chris exchanged a hand shake. Chuck took a closer look at Luke who stood behind his fellow trainer. "Ah, wasn't expecting to see a former gladiator so soon after our last battle. Here for round two?"
"Afraid not." Luke nodded at Chris. "I'm here to watch this guy flail his way through a battle."
"I was looking forward to consecutive battles," a look of disappointment came over the Gym Leader's face. "My back gets pretty stiff if I go a while between battles. Damn old age to hell."
"How long have you been a Gym Leader?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow when the older man's back popped like a symphony.
"This gym was founded by me twenty-five years ago," Chuck smiled at the thought. "Cianwood's gym is the most recently founded in the region."
"Makes sense," Luke spoke. "A secluded bay surrounded by high cliffs that is a good distance away from the heart of the region."
"The location wasn't even half of the issue," Chuck unleashed a belly laugh. "You probably haven't been here long enough to notice how cold the natives are toward visitors. The city council fought me tooth and nail to prevent this gym's formation. Without the Pokémon League's help, the eighth gym might have wound up in Cherrygrove City!"
"That would have been nice for a Cherrygrove resident like me," Chris replied.
"If a gym stirred up that much resentment," Luke adjusted his satchel, "I can only imagine the uproar when Baoba brought in the Safari Zone."
"The day that news broke was the happiest day of my life!" Chuck ran a hand through his greying brown hair. "It took all the hate off of my gym! The amount of challengers I receive is nowhere close to the amount of visitors the Safari Zone brings in."
"We're planning on hitting up the Safari Zone after I take care of business here," Chris brandished a Poké Ball. "You're not too exhausted to battle, are you?"
Chris' playful goading seemed to serve his purpose. Chuck pounded his chest vigorously. "You must never have heard of my incredible stamina!" The Gym Leader quickly slipped into his official role. "How many badges do you have, trainer?"
"I've got four," the challenger replied. He quickly realized he hadn't introduced himself. "By the way sir, my name is Chris."
"Names are meaningless in my gym." Chuck opened up a nearby closet and retrieved three Poké Balls. "The only title that matters here is that of 'gladiator'. Those who defeat me are given the honor of that title to go with their badge."
Chris felt his grip tighten around his Poké Ball. Despite his physical battle with age, Chuck still managed an intimidating persona. The challenger sensed that the Fighting-type expert took great pride in the battles conducted in his gym.
"This will be a three-on-three battle judged by yours truly," Chuck revealed a Poké Ball of his own. "As always, the challenger is allowed the first move and in-battle substitutions." The Gym Leader planted both feet into his trainer box as Chris found his way to the other. Once Luke had found a seat near the battlefield, Chuck's eyes seemed to glow. "Are you ready, trainer?"
Chris nodded, sparking a look of disdain from the Gym Leader.
"I didn't ask you if you're having a good day!" the older man roared. "I asked you if you're ready to step into battle and emerge a gladiator!"
"YES SIR." Chris replied with as loud a yell as he could manage. The trainer was beginning to revel in the presence of Chuck's energy. His opponent's enthusiasm made Chris feel like he was staring into a mirror.
"Let's begin then!"
Quilava exploded out of Chris' tossed device and was momentarily surprised by his surroundings.
"After being stuck on the water for so long, "Chris explained, "I thought I might reward you with a gym battle."
Quilava nodded excitingly before turning back to face the Fighting-type, Primeape.
"The first move is yours!" Chuck growled impatiently.
Chris would take the battle to them. "Let's charge!"
Chuck allowed Quilava to close the distance before calling out a command. "Bullet Punch!"
Chris immediately countered. "Quick Attack!"
Both Pokémon clashed multiple times. Primeape drove his quick jabs into Quilava's side as the Volcano Pokémon delivered several full body tackles. After several exchanges, the creatures bounced away from one another.
Chris knew he could not delay. "Flamethrower!"
"Stand strong!" Chuck's command surprised Chris.
Fire leapt from Quilava's mouth and washed over the Pig Monkey Pokémon. Amazingly, the Fighting-type did not concede ground against the attack. As the stream of fire ended, it was clear that Primeape was still able to battle.
"Let's knock 'em loopy with Rock Slide!"
A stunned Chris, and his Pokémon, were not prepared for such a quick retaliation. The Pig Monkey drove his boxing gloved fists into the ground, launching chunks of the earthen battlefield into Quilava's face. The super effective blow knocked Quilava onto his back, giving Chuck a chance to follow it up.
"Thrash!"
The speedy Fighting-type was quick to pursue, giving Chris little time to stop it.
"Flame Wheel!"
Chris wasn't sure how he did it, but the Volcano Pokémon spun on his back in a circle. Fire leapt from his back and head as Primeape brought his frenzied appendages down. A wheel of fire met the Fighting-type's attack at the last moment. The collision of the two moves knocked Primeape a decent distance away, but planted Quilava into the battlefield. The fire starter was still able to battle, but was struggling to get back to his feet.
"Finish them off with Focus Punch!" Chuck commanded with an air of finality.
Chris had severely underestimated the Pig Monkey's speed throughout the battle. As Chuck's Pokémon charged, the challenger realized he would have to find some way to halt his opponent's momentum. Quilava had barely made it to his feet by the time Primeape's attack was upon him.
"Smokescreen!" was the only command Chris could think of.
A large, black plume of smoke burst from Quilava's mouth and obscured the middle of the battlefield. The last image Chris had of both Pokémon was that of a white glowing fist swinging towards his starter. Both trainers were forced to wait as the smoke slowly dissolved.
"What the hell?" Chuck roared in confusion.
Chris was shocked to find the resourceful Quilava had avoided the attack by latching on to Primeape's arm. Chuck's face seemed to reveal the horrifying position his Pokémon now found himself in.
"Flamethrower, max power!" Chris yelled triumphantly.
An incredibly powerful stream of fire burst from the Volcano Pokémon's mouth and into the shocked face of his opponent. The attack threw Primeape into the air, forcing Quilava to release his hold. Gravity brought the Pig Monkey Pokémon back to the battlefield; the Fighting-type landed on his back and remained motionless.
"That does it for Primeape," Chuck acknowledged through gritted teeth.
"Not bad," Luke complimented from the sideline
"Great job, buddy!" Chris called out to his partner.
Quilava gave him a weary smile, but tried to mask his heavy breathing. After taking a moment to assess the situation, Chris had made his decision.
"Come on back for now, Quilava."
The Fire-type looked as though he might plead his case to stay, but ultimately decided against it. Quilava begrudgingly took his place by Chris in the trainer box as the challenger brought out his second Poké Ball.
Chuck also had his next device in hand. "Are you ready for round two, trainer?!" Chris simply nodded, bringing a heavy sigh from the gym leader. "You're about as passionate as my wife!" Upon receiving an awkward silence from Chris' end, the middle aged man decided to move the challenge along. "Let's begin."
"C'mon out, Crobat!"
The Bat Pokémon materialized out of his device and stayed hovering in the air. Upon examining Chuck's Pokémon, he found Crobat's opponent to be a Hitmontop.
"Using a Flying-type against my Hitmontop, eh?" Chuck smirked. "A decision like that reminds me of that boy over there. Are you also infatuated with type advantages?"
Chris shot a confused glance towards Luke. "I… don't suppose I am."
"Either way," Chuck roared ferociously, "a type advantage won't save you! Fire away!"
"Fly in close!" Chris knew the only way Crobat could deal damage would be up close, making for a dangerously thin margin of error.
"Fight back with Close Combat!"
Despite its power, Chris did not fear Hitmontop's attack. Crobat greatly resisted fighting-type moves and possessed natural bulk. The Bat Pokémon battled through Hitmontop's multiple strikes, giving Chris a perfect opportunity to deliver some real damage. "Wing Attack!"
Crobat swung his four wings forward in tandem, bashing the off balanced Fighting-type multiple times. The super effective move seemed to stun Hitmontop, allowing for Crobat to follow up with the newest move he had worked on learning.
"Pursue with Cross Poison!" Chris was curious to see Crobat's execution.
The Poison/Flying-type shot toward his staggered opponent like a cannon. The Bat Pokémon crossed his four glowing wings into the shape of an 'x' as he approached. The purple hued wings smashed into Hitmontop, knocking the Handstand Pokémon out of his normal upside down posture, and onto his feet. The blow did not put Chuck's Pokémon on his back like Chris had hoped. This left Crobat in a vulnerable position.
"Bust out your Thunder Punch!"
Chris watched in horror as Hitmontop's electrified fist smashed into Crobat's torso. The punch knocked Chris' Pokémon to the ground, but the Poison/Flying-type managed to stay upright.
"Bullet Punch!"
Chris was frustrated to find another one of Chuck's Pokémon possessed the blindingly quick move. Hitmontop bounced back on to his head, delivering a multi strike barrage with his spinning arms. Crobat managed to persevere through the attack, but Chris could sense another attack would quickly follow.
Chuck seemed fired up by his previous combo. "Mega Kick!"
Hitmontop spun forward again. This time the Handstand Pokémon swung his glowing foot forward. Crobat would have little time to counter.
"Stop him with Crunch!" Chris swiftly directed.
A black energy swelled around the Bat Pokémon as he brought his fangs down on Hitmontop's outstretched foot. The Fighting-type may have resisted Crobat's attack, but its purpose of stopping the kick had been realized. As Crobat held his opponent's foot in his fangs, Chris knew the time to deal the finishing blow was now.
"Wing Attack!"
Hitmontop was too off balance to counter the strikes from two of Crobat's wings. The super effective move knocked Chuck's second Pokémon limp.
"That's another battle to you," Chuck groaned, returning his partner to his device.
"Dang," Chris wiped sweat from his forehead. The trainer could feel the moisture building around his shoulders and under his armpits as well. "These two battles have gone by so quickly. It feels like we just started this match a couple minutes ago."
"I tried to warn you," Luke called from the sideline. "The Cianwood Gym is home to heavy, fast hitters. Told you you'd have to stay on your toes."
"The boy is right!" Chuck grinned, flexing his biceps. "I'm either gonna' knock you out or get myself knocked out! Either way," he let loose another belly laugh, "we'll swing till we can't swing anymore!"
Chris looked over Crobat carefully. He was happy to see the Bat Pokémon had managed to get airborne once more. "I'll leave you in if that's alright, Crobat." The Bat Pokémon gave his trainer an appreciative look. Chris figured that his confidence might inspire Crobat to tough out Chuck's final partner.
"You've pushed me to bring out my trump card," Chuck wore a smirk. "Let me introduce you to Poliwrath!"
The Tadpole Pokémon materialized from his capture device and immediately imitated Chuck's flexing pose. "Poli!"
The challenger admired the stout Water/Fighting-type. The Pokémon looked powerful, even for his own species. Chris took a deep breath. "I'm ready when you are!"
"That's the spirit!" Poliwrath's appearance seemed to have amped up the gym leader even further; this despite him being down two Pokémon. "Let the third battle commence!"
"Cross Poison!" Chris was quick to command.
The Bat Pokémon swooped in low, delivering the Poison-type swipe to Chuck's stationary partner. The move did not even budge Poliwrath.
"Show them what power is with a Waterfall!"
The damage dealt to Crobat had greatly reduced his speed, allowing the Tadpole Pokémon to deliver a wicked aquatic uppercut to the bat. The blow was strong enough to knock Crobat back to the ground. The trainer's fears were somewhat relieved when Crobat managed to rise back up.
"Focus Punch!"
Chuck wasted no time in attempting to end the battle. As Poliwrath charged the attack into a glowing white fist, Chris attempted to find a countermeasure. In a shorter amount of time than Primeape, Poliwrath had his attack prepared, and was quickly approaching Crobat.
"Use Crunch to catch the attack!" Chris could only think of the counter he had used on Hitmontop. Crobat's condition limited what the trainer could do at the moment.
As Poliwrath brought his illuminated fist forward, Crobat chomped down with his darkened fangs. Chris was impressed to see Crobat deliver the bite with perfect timing once more. The moment was ruined for him when Poliwrath continued to drive the attack ahead, smashing through Crobat's energy fangs and driving his fist into the back of the Bat Pokémon's throat. Despite doubly resisting the move, the force of the attack was too great. The battle-worn Crobat crumpled to the floor and remained still.
"Uh oh," Chuck grinned, "looks like I may have caught some momentum!"
Chris and Quilava ran to their fallen teammate. The trainer brought out a potion and sprayed down the bat. As he came to, Crobat gave his friends an apologetic look.
"Quil!" the Volcano Pokémon waved off his apology.
"Quilava's right," Chris patted the Poison/Flying-type gently. "You gave it all you had and even snagged us a win. Getting some damage on Poliwrath was just icing on the cake!" The trainer was happy to see his words resonate with Crobat. The Bat Pokémon nodded to his teammates. As he returned the bat to his Poké Ball he added, "Let your teammates handle the rest."
The trainer stood back up. He had another decision to make. Would he send out his third and final Pokémon to try and immediately finish the job? The trainer looked down at the fiery eyes of his starter. Or would he give in to Quilava and let the Volcano Pokémon go down fighting?
The trainer decided to ask the Fire-type. "Do you want to get in there against a Water-type in your weakened state? Or do you want me to try and end this with our final teammate?"
Chris should have known the answer to the question before he asked it.
"Lava!" Flames erupted from the starter Pokémon's back and head. It may have been a front to hide his fatigue, but it was one hell of a disguise.
Chris smiled. As he walked back to the trainer box he replied, "Then it's settled."
"If that's the case," Chuck seemed intrigued by Chris' decision, "we'll begin the fourth battle!"
"Start things off with a Flamethrower!" Chris knew that Quilava would have to keep his distance.
"Smash through it with Waterfall!" Chuck roared.
Poliwrath charged towards the approaching stream of fire and drew back his aquatic fists. The Tadpole Pokémon threw punch after punch into the flames, gaining ground with each assault. Blasts of steam hissed out each time Poliwrath's fists made contact with the fire. Before long, Chris had lost sight of their approaching opponent.
"Be careful, Quil-"
Chris' warning was cut off by the emergence of two white-gloved fists from the steam. Quilava had no time to retreat, falling victim to two straight aquatic uppercuts. The strikes sent the Volcano Pokémon reeling backwards. Chris wasn't sure how much more his partner could take.
"Smash 'em with Body Slam!" Chuck was looking to keep the Fire-type down.
The trainer wasn't sure Quilava had enough strength left to deal any significant damage to their sturdy opponent. Perhaps it would just be best to withdraw his starter and let his third Pokémon attempt to finish their match. Chris was leaning more towards this idea whenever a vibrant red light suddenly caught his attention.
"How?"
The trainer was stunned to see a flaming aura come over Quilava. A shimmering heat surrounded the Volcano Pokémon and expanded outward, drenching Chris' clothes in a thicker layer of his own sweat. Quilava's eyes shimmered like coals beneath a roaring fire. The explanation eventually hit the two trainers.
"The Blaze ability." The challenger and Luke said in tandem.
"Now this is a twist!" Chuck seemed thrilled by Quilava's sudden spike in strength. "Continue your attack, Poliwrath!"
The Tadpole Pokémon had already closed the distance, and upon his trainer's command, leapt into the air above Quilava.
Chris couldn't help himself. He had to see just how strong Quilava's ability had made his Fire-type attacks. "Meet them with Flame Wheel!"
Quilava seemed to have caught his second wind. The Volcano Pokémon launched himself at the descending Water/Fighting-type. As he did so, a whirlwind of fire completely encased his body. Both Pokémon's bodies collided with a thunderous clap. The collision knocked the opponents away from each other, but Chuck was quick to give Quilava no time to recover.
"Focus Punch!"
The command came so fast that Chris almost missed it. Poliwrath had already charged the attack by the time the two Pokémon had reached the ground. The Volcano Pokémon landed hard on his legs, but refused to go down. As Poliwrath marched forward to deliver the finishing blow, Chris realized that his Pokémon would not willingly go down without expelling what energy he still possessed.
Chris felt his fists clench tightly. "Meet him with a Flamethrower!"
Flames leapt from Quilava's head, surrounding him in a golden mane seeped in orange. Quilava reared back his head as Poliwrath pulled back his glowing white fist. The Fire-type snapped his head forward, unleashing his largest, most powerful Flamethrower yet. The golden red flames exploded from Quilava's mouth and were met instantaneously by Poliwrath's fist.
The collision of the two attacks created an explosion that covered the battlefield in a thick shroud of smoke and created fissures in the earthen battlefield. Small pieces of the ground were launched into the air, forcing Chris to shield his face. When the chaos had ended, Chris spotted Poliwrath still standing by his trainer's side.
"Quilava!"
The trainer also found his Pokémon next to him. The Volcano Pokémon was miraculously still standing on his four paws. The closer Chris examined his starter though, he noticed Quilava was shaking violently. The starter's legs were wobbling beneath his weight; the fiery competitor was using what energy he had to remain stationary. This was enough for Chris to make the call.
"You did an awesome job," Chris scooped his partner up, easily fighting off Quilava's weak squirms to get free.
"Lava!" the Fire-type tried to front his condition.
"You've got nothing left to prove," Chris sprayed down his squirming starter with a potion. "You defeated one of his Pokémon and did a good number of damage to another. Just like I told Crobat, that's more than I could have asked for. Nothing is worth seriously injuring yourself over. Do you understand?"
Quilava stopped his squirming and seemed to think on these words. After a moment he closed his eyes. "Quil."
Chris smiled. "Thank you," he said before returning Quilava to his Poké Ball.
"That little fella has a warrior's spirit," Chuck nodded approvingly. "That will serve him well in big matches down the road."
"Right now it's mostly good for getting him in trouble," Chris laughed, scratching the back of his head. "But thank you sir."
"So," Chuck adjusted his gi before continuing, "are you ready for the fifth and final battle?!"
"Of course!" Chris couldn't hold back a grin.
"That's the enthusiasm I've been waiting for!" Chuck exclaimed as he beat his chest.
"We have you right where we want you!"
Chuck gave the trainer a perplexed look. "You're saying that after seeing Poliwrath knock out two of your teammates. You certainly are an optimist, aren't ya?"
"You have no idea." Luke replied, playfully rolling his eyes at Chris. "This guy oozes so much positivity it's disgusting."
Chris shook his head. "You may want to save your smart aleck remarks till after you see my last Pokémon."
"Fair enough," Chuck conceded. "Then let the final battle begin!"
"You're up!" Chris launched the Poké Ball high into the air.
There was a flash of light and Chris' newest capture emerged from the device.
"Ah, a Flaaffy!" Chuck's eyebrows rose. "I can see now why you might feel confident." The gym leader planted both feet into the ground. "Don't think for a second though that a type advantage grants you an automatic victory. Your Crobat should be proof of that! Poliwrath will beat down any opponent, regardless of type!"
"Then let's get things underway!" Chris nodded at Flaaffy and quickly whispered to the Wool Pokémon, "Don't worry about messing up or impressing me. This battle is about you getting some experience and becoming comfortable in battle. Show him what ya got."
Flaaffy seemed to accept the kind words. This being her first gym battle, Chris knew his newest teammate would be nervous and looking to make a strong first impression. His words seemed to calm her somewhat.
"Now," Chris slipped into battle mode, "let's start things off with Power Gem!"
Shards of energy formed around the Wool Pokémon as Poliwrath began to charge. The jagged rocks then raced toward the approaching opponent. Right as the attack was about to arrive, Chris was thrown competently off guard.
"Double Team!"
Five Poliwrath's had instantly taken the place of one. The rock barrage passed harmlessly through a hollow clone. This sudden change in numbers had thrown the inexperienced Flaaffy completely off balance. The stumbling Electric-type regained her composure in time to get blasted by a combo Waterfall uppercut. The blows pushed Flaaffy back, but the Wool Pokémon did not flinch. This must have come as a surprise to Chuck; the Gym Leader did not seem ready for a quick counter attack.
"Fire back with Thunderbolt!"
The orb on Flaaffy's tail glowed brightly as the pink POKEMON launched a focused stream of electricity into her opponent. Poliwrath cringed as the attack surged through his body, but Chuck refused to give up on his Pokémon.
"Fight through it and smash 'em with Body Slam!"
Poliwrath battled through the pain and managed to get airborne. Though he couldn't get as high, the shorter jump allowed Flaaffy less time to stop the move. The Tadpole Pokémon came crashing down on Chris' partner, eliciting a cry of pain.
"Roll out of there!" Chris desperately commanded.
The Wool Pokémon managed to maneuver her way out from under her larger opponent. She rolled to the left, narrowly dodging a Focus Punch from Poliwrath.
"Approach again with Double Team!"
Chris was somewhat relieved to only see three Poliwrath's this time. He knew Flaaffy would still not have a good chance of hitting them though. That's when an idea struck him.
Chris waited until Poliwrath had closed the short distance. "Unleash your Cotton Spore!"
Flaaffy shook her body intensely, launching wads of cotton all across the battlefield. The move also covered Chuck's real Pokémon with patches of white fur. The speed reducing technique did not prevent Poliwrath from delivering a Waterfall uppercut. The blow seemed to cause Flaaffy to flinch, giving Chuck a chance to follow up.
"Focus Punch!"
The Tadpole Pokémon moved toward Chris' partner with his fist glowing white. The challenger feared the powerful move, but noticed something crucial as Poliwrath approached.
"Dodge the strike and counter with Power Gem!"
Despite her momentarily vulnerability, Flaaffy's previous move had ensured her ability to dodge Poliwrath's swing. The clumps of wool seemed to have really slowed the already down-tempo Pokémon. Flaaffy ducked beneath the knockout punch and blasted Poliwrath's back with a dozen shards of energy.
"You're not done yet!" Chuck roared. "Waterfall!"
Even though he had just taken a shot to his vulnerable back, Poliwrath managed to spin around and land two surprising punches to Flaaffy's gut. Upon making contact, sparks leapt into the Water/Fighting-type from the Wool Pokémon. The Tadpole Pokémon dropped to a knee.
"That's the Spark ability." Luke commented.
Chris looked over his downed opponent. "Your Poliwrath is crazy strong, but this battle is over. He's taken too much damage and now he's paralyzed."
There was a moment of silence. Chuck smiled. He slowly reached over to the boulder beside him. With a ferocious grunt, the Gym Leader lifted the massive rock and smashed it into pieces using his forehead.
"Good Arceus almighty!" Luke shouted in awe.
"What the-"
"Me and Poliwrath battle to the end!" Chuck yelled triumphantly. "We are seasoned gladiators. We know it only takes one move to turn the tide of battle!" The Gym Leader's words seemed to inspire his Pokémon. Poliwrath managed to make it back to his feet and was charging his remaining energy into his right fist. "There we go! Give 'em everything you have in this next Focus Punch!"
As the Tadpole Pokémon limped towards Flaaffy, the Wool Pokémon turned back to look at her trainer. Chris nodded solemnly.
Turning back to her opponent, Flaaffy summoned another electrical current. With a roar that surprised her trainer, she let loose one more lightning bolt at her charging opponent. It took only a second for the charged electricity to surge through Poliwrath's body and into the ground. The Water/Fighting-type lurched forward and fell against Flaaffy's shoulder. The Electric-type gently brought the unconscious Pokémon to the ground.
"Damn it all," Chuck muttered to himself.
"Nice work, Flaaffy!" Chris sprinted over to his teammate and quickly sprayed her down with a potion. "Picking up the decisive win in your gym debut; not a bad way to kick things off, eh?"
A look of shock came over the Wool Pokémon's face. "Flaaff?!"
"That was Chuck's final Pokémon," Chris couldn't suppress his grin any longer. "You took out his toughest partner."
"Flaff!" Despite her animated response, Chris couldn't help but notice the Electric-type's heavy breathing. Now that the adrenaline of battle had worn off it was clear that Flaaffy's conditioning was still a step behind the rest of Chris' team. Combined with her slower speed, this meant the Wool Pokémon still had some ground to cover before she would be ready to handle a fully healthy threat. Now was not the time to worry about that though.
Chuck approached the challenger and his partner, returning Poliwrath to his device as he did so. Chuck reached into his gi and brought out a small bag. He withdrew a brown, circular badge from within. He slowly handed it to Chris before slamming his other hand down on the young man's shoulder. It took all of Chris' strength not to curse at the sudden, painful sign of endearment.
"Seems you've earned the Storm Badge!" Chuck let loose a belly laugh. "But even more importantly, you've officially become a gladiator!" The Gym Leader extended a hand to Flaaffy. After seeing her trainer nod to her, she shook the man's hand. Chuck laughed again. "This little lady must be a new capture. Not the most trusting type! That's not a bad thing though."
"She gave up a lot to join me," Chris gave his Pokémon a grateful look. "Flaaffy was a protective mother of two."
"That explains it," Chuck smiled at the Wool Pokémon. "I'm surprised she didn't electrocute me when I slapped your shoulder!" He dropped to a knee in front of Flaaffy. "You make sure to take good care of your trainer."
Flaaffy looked back into his eyes and nodded slowly.
Chuck stood back up and found Luke still watching the post-match banter from the sidelines. "Ya know, I taught that gladiator back there one of my trademark Fighting-type moves." Chuck paused. Somewhat falling out of character, the middle-aged man seemed to go deep into his own thoughts. "Now that I'm older, I feel like I should use what time I have left as a Gym Leader to bestow my knowledge to the next generation. Would you like me to teach you or your Pokémon the move Brick Break?"
The offer caught Chris off guard. The trainer took a moment to consider it. Quilava, Gyarados, Flaaffy, and Crobat would not have any real use for the move. Chris did not find the move good enough to replace a technique from Nidoking's moveset. As for Scyther, the move would provide decent coverage to Steel and Rock-types. However, due to their high defenses, and the fact that Scyther did not gain any sort of same type attack boost, the move would not hit those types any harder than Scyther's current moves.
"I really appreciate the offer," awkwardness showed on the young man's face, "but I may have to decline."
Chuck raised his eyebrows. "Huh. Don't have that happen too often."
"The move just doesn't mesh with my team right now," Chris quickly clarified. He trusted Chuck to understand his logic, but at the same time, the trainer was still a shrimp compared to the middle-aged man. Gladiator or not, Chris would still be broken in two by the Gym Leader in hand-to-hand combat.
"Chris is an ungrateful bastard." Luke had come to stand beside Chris. "Don't let him fool ya."
Flaaffy's fur bristled at Luke's comment. She started to walk towards the trainer when Chris grabbed her shoulder. He tried to calm her with a chuckle. "He's kidding, Flaaff."
The dojo entrance nearest the battlefield opened and a young woman stepped inside. The dark-haired individual surveyed the scene, somewhat surprised to see other potential challengers with Chuck.
"I'm here to challenge for the Storm Badge," the confidence in the woman's voice led Chris to believe she was an experienced trainer.
"Of course!" Chuck gave the two former challengers a knowing glance. "Don't forget your shoes, fellas."
The boys wasted little time in gathering their belongings and vacating the premises. As they left, Chris made sure to return the tired Flaaffy to her capture device.
"Not a bad showing," Luke spoke as they made their way to the nearest Pokémon Center. "When he slapped you, I had a bit of PTSD. Slapped the shit out of my back." Luke seemed to sense Chris' interest in the former's battle with Chuck. "My battle with him was a two-on-two showing." Seeing Chris about to ask a follow up question, Luke added, "He didn't use Primeape."
"That was my first guess," Chris laughed. The trainer pushed for a little bit more knowledge now that his battle with Chuck was through. "Now that I've paid my dues, care to lend some insight into how the battle shook down?"
"The Poliwrath and Hitmontop he used were obviously not the same ones you battled," Luke thought for a moment. "I would assume that had to do with me only having two badges at the time I faced him."
"A safe bet."
"The Poliwrath I battled had Hypnosis," Luke continued. "One of my new Pokémon countered that perfectly. Pidgeotto was able to handle his Hitmontop."
Chris threw his hands in the air. "Playing the type matchups for dayssss."
Luke seemed somewhat despondent after hearing the comment. "Yeah."
The two reached the Pokémon Center in a short amount of time. Being somewhat later in the afternoon, a significant line of trainers had formed. Luke found a seat in the center of the room while Chris waited in line.
As he waited, the trainer thought back to his battle. Quilava had done an excellent job keeping his composure. Primeape's strength and speed had really surprised Chris, but the Volcano Pokémon had kept his cool and managed to open up an opportunity to deliver the finishing blow. In addition, Chris had discovered that his partner possessed the Blaze Ability. Even without the last second increase in strength, the young man could see just how far his starter had come. It wouldn't be long before Quilava reached the final stage of his evolution.
Crobat was as swift as ever. The Poison/Flying-type had once again proven that he was easily the fastest member on the team. That speed had now gotten Chris out of three different Gym battle jams. The Bat Pokémon had also shown real stamina after taking a Thunderpunch and still winning his battle. His trainer was happy to see that his physical style of training had maintained and even potentially improved his Pokémon's cardio. At this point, Crobat and Quilava led the team in gym battle experience.
This thought led Chris to his newest member. Naturally, nerves seemed to play a big part in Flaaffy's debut. The Electric-type seemed to have calmed after some encouragement from Chris. The holes in the Wool Pokémon's training were clear after she missed her first attack. Flaaffy had placed too much energy and focus into the long range Power Gem; when the move missed, Flaaffy's entire body had faltered in shock and momentary weariness. The trainer would have to work with her on controlling her attacks better and managing her balance at all times. These were two issues Chris knew could be worked out since he had seen them to a lesser extent in his other Pokémon. And more importantly, Chris had seen the determination and look of a teammate who wanted to win and improve. Overall, the young man was proud of the Electric-type's debut.
Time passed quicker with Chris deep in thought. He had soon handed off his three Pokémon to the nurse and taken his seat by Luke. The two trainers were silent for the short wait. Each boy seemed to be planning out their next step.
Once Chris had retrieved his fully healthy teammates, the trainer popped the question that had been on his mind since the battle with Chuck had ended. "What's our next move?"
"How long did you say we'll have till our cruise ship departs for good?"
Chris had to think for a moment. "Right around two and a half weeks."
"Shit," Luke's eyebrows rose. "That's a lot more time than I thought. We could catch half the damn Safari Zone in that amount of time."
"Don't say that," Chris shook his head. "I have a hard enough time training the six I have now."
"Regardless," Luke's gaze fell on the city outside, "it'd be good to go ahead and start the trip to the Safari Zone. Better to hit it up early and not feel rushed on time."
"You're still not going to tell me what you caught on your first trip through?"
Luke rubbed his forehead. "You'll see them in action in the next couple of days. Think you can make it till then?"
Chris put on a stressful façade. "I'll try to contain myself."
Soon after, the boys had departed the center and headed north. Chris was surprised as they traveled by how quickly darkness had fallen upon them. The days had become a bit shorter as summer had seeped in to August, but Chris found the towering cliffs to the west to be the biggest instigator of the sudden oncoming of night. The trainers made their way out of the suburbs and reached a plateau of short grass that paralleled the ocean.
Chris tried to squint through the dusk that had begun to set in. "You wanna' set up camp while we still can see?"
"We can," Luke dropped his satchel down on the ground. He pointed to one of the few nearby trees. "We can use some of those branches for a fire."
The trainers hurriedly set out their sleeping bags and arranged their belongings in the little light that remained. Chris sent Scyther to collect wood for the fire as Luke brought out Charizard to light it. It didn't take long for a sizeable fire to appear at the heart of their camp. As Luke spoke quietly with his starter at the edge of their belongings, Chris decided to head to the opposite end of the camp. The trainer released his team from their capture devices.
"Quil!" the fire starter was the first to speak, clearly anxious about the result of the Gym battle. The stress in his voice seemed to bring Chris' entire team to full alert.
The trainer smiled as he brought out the Storm Badge. Upon seeing the glow of the badge in the distant fire light, Quilava breathed a sigh of relief as the rest of the team roared in excitement. The commotion seemed to momentarily capture Luke's attention.
"We all owe some gratitude to Quilava and Crobat," Chris was happy to see Scyther and Nidoking approach the two battlers and congratulate them. Gyarados wrapped the two up in an endearing stranglehold. The trainer still had a hard time believing that the former Fish Pokémon had morphed into such a behemoth. Flaaffy fidgeted nervously, realizing what was about to happen. "And lastly, we owe a big thanks to our third teammate who sealed the deal in this battle."
Quilava and Crobat looked at Scyther, Nidoking, and Gyarados who all shook their heads. All of the eyes fell on the Wool Pokémon.
"Flaaffy was able to take down Chuck's toughest Pokémon and win us the Storm Badge," Chris patted the clearly uncomfortable Electric-type on the head. "I think that might warrant a pretty big thank you."
All five members of Chris' team swarmed their newest teammate. Flaaffy began to backpedal until she noticed the excited expressions on her allies' faces. Never the one for subtlety, Nidoking scooped up his stunned teammate and squeezed her tightly, clearly making the Wool Pokémon even more uncomfortable. At Scyther's urging, the Drill Pokémon lowered Flaaffy back to the ground. The Bug/Flying-type wisely did not move his scythes toward his newest teammate, instead opting for a comforting smile. Quilava slowly approached Flaaffy and extended a paw towards the Electric-type. This show of respect, from who Flaaffy now recognized as the team leader, seemed to finally break the ice. Chris' newest acquisition extended her own paw out and the two shook.
The trainer could not be happier with how far his team's chemistry had come. The transformation could be seen most clearly in the formerly distant Crobat, his previously distrusting Scyther, and the intimidating persona of Quilava morphing into a loyal teammate. Their chemistry wasn't perfect, but Chris knew better than to expect perfection this early in his journey. He had already been bitten by expecting too much from his team in Goldenrod. Success wouldn't come from forceful progression.
"Quil!" a distressing cry came from Chris' starter.
"Hey!" Chris shouted after seeing Gyarados move towards his teammates excitingly. "You're too big to jump on them anymore!"
Chris' fifth gym badge proved to be more of a sprint than a marathon! Chuck never ceases to run life "by the book". With a fifth gym badge under his belt, Chris seems ready to take on the Safari Zone. In the next chapter, we'll see their journey there, meet a new face, and maybe even get a peek of the Pokémon infested resort itself! I hope to see soon in the next installment of Heart and Soul! Please Review and Subscribe!