Chapter 11: Wing Attack

"So glad we didn't do that on camera." Naga told Masamune, as they all came back from the cave where they met Kenshin assuming that would be the best place for the party to train for the afternoon.

"What Camera?" Masamune replied as he then frantically spun around several times and looked about.

"Never mind." Nagamasa smiled as the dog clearly didn't understand. The party emerged more confidently, most especially Motonari whom all in the group believed would be the key to breaking this gym. Being that he was a flying type and the gym was a fighting type focused gym. They quickly hustled over to the pokemon center and then returned to the doors of the place that earlier gave them a scare with their best two for the gym getting worn down well in the first fight.

"Ready?" Mitsu asked Moto. The bird looked sharp and focused and even led the charge or at least tugged on his mount, Masamune to be the first through the doors of the fighting gym.

They walked around in the dark room to eventually find their next challenger, a brash man who threw out a strong looking machop. Moto signaled that he had dibs and much like Mitsu did back at Rustboro's gym the bird had a laser focus that made him believe that this was his moment to shine, his gym to solo. The machop charged with heart and landed a karate chop, one that Masamune and Nagamasa both cringed as they saw connect with the bird for they believed that such a strike would certainly end them. But Moto shrugged off the shot like it was a blunted tickle. He then smiled as he swirled his wings about and unleashed a clean wing attack. It was a direct shot that sent the Machop directly into the gym wall and embedded him there with his skull stuck in the plaster.

"That's my boy!" Masamune hollered as the result became apparent. All now understood why the bird felt much more confident than earlier. The new move showed it could be the deciding factor in the fights ahead. Mitsuhide came up and bumped knuckles with his winged friend.

"It's on you buddy." Mistu spoke. Moto then gave a thumb's up back to the leader showing his resolve and mental state as they continued on into the gym ready to take kneecaps and claim supremacy over this gym, and thus gain a second gym badge in the process.

The group moved onward as the Wingull showed its dominance further into the bowels of the gym. Another trainer came forward this time with 3 pokemon. Two meditate and one machop. Each fell without challenge to the bird who turned them into prey. The power of the wing attack was unmatched by these novice challengers trying to stall out the party. Katsuie laughed as the trainers cried and threw their money down to the mat in defeated shame as the group marched onward. "One step closer to that badge!" Katsuie remarked and then gave Naga a high five.

The group turned a corner and saw up ahead a person whom they were surprised as he seemed to be the gym leader. He was not the typical macho muscle head type that looked as though he gulped down creatine shakes before each meal and then ate nothing but broiled chicken all day, without seasoning.

"So you passed my guards and it seems you have a weird bond where you don't actually ball up your pokemon like a normal trainer." The man called out as he rose off the couch and began cracking some joints. Katsuie took his position to pose as the trainer for this gym fight. "Wait a minute are you the infamous Brenden, the boy who murdered professor Birch and then beat up Roxanne?"

"Guys I knew we maybe should have laid off that gym leader." Mitsu told the others as the comment about Roxanne's treatment struck near.

"Well okay, so maybe we just don't beat this guy up also." Masamune explained.

"How about we act honorable?" Kicho spoke up.

"NAH!" most of the group said in unison.

Brawly threw out his first pokemon, a Machop. "I will beat you down and then bring you to justice. Your callous and quiet nature doesn't fool me Brenden! I see you for what you are and I will beat you!" The machop immediately hit the bird with a karate chop, which glanced off the bird like it was nothing. Motonari then quickly hit the enemy with a salvo of wing attacks. Brawly then threw a super potion as Machop was close to falling down much to the frustration of the gang. Moto still looked ready to take this win. Brawly saw the severity of the situation and decided to make a desperate move. He called for Machop to use "Seismic Toss." The move beat the bird up more than expected but did not conquer his spirit fully. Motonari fired off one more wing attack felling the Machop. Brawly quickly recalled in the fighter in frustration and then summoned his Makuhita.

"Hey that looks like you Kenshin. Why are you fighting us?" Masamune exclaimed as he looked over the opposing pokemon.

"I don't know why am I fighting you guys?" Kenshin looked very puzzled. Kicho slapped them both as she was shocked by the level of stupidity the two were displaying. She knew that Kenshin wasn't a bright bulb but was very confused by the comment by Masamune as he was known by the group to be more hostile, head strong and reckless but not stupid. The two rubbed their heads from where their friend smacked them.

Back in the fight Motonari was able to dispatch the Makuhita with even less strain than the Machop before it. With a rapid succession of wing attacks the bird dropped the tubby fighter to the floor much to the rage of Brawly. He recalled the pokemon showing that battle was over.

"FINE YOU WIN BRENDEN YOU COLD HEARTED BASTARD!" He then threw a gym badge, some money, and a TM at Katsuie's feet. He then turned around in both embarrassment and anger toward his enemy. "Just get out of here, clearly I failed in my duty. And while I cannot apprehend you and stop you cleanly, I will do you one final honor and wait till the evening to call the police on you." The fighting leader then walked to the back of his gym and out the door to leave the area. The team all cheered together as they had gained another badge and were further to completing their goal of being a master trainer in Brenden's name.

"Our dream is still alive Brenden." Mitsuhide and the others in the party who knew Brenden were especially cheerful in this moment.

"Will we be able to scale through that cave now?" Nagamasa asked the others reminding them of their other task. They all shrugged as they hoped they would.

As they returned to the cave and further examined the paths while carefully moving about in the darkness they realized that the path needed to reach where Steven was working was not blocked by the mud walls that were present. They all glared at each other realizing the extra effort they put in was purely a wasted effort. They found the man at the end of a ladder path and then sent Katsuie to go and give the letter. The exchange was normal as honestly nothing of import as the Slakoth walked away feeling mostly unaccomplished from the event.

"Cheer up Katsu." Mitsu tried to comfort his friend. "We got one more person on our side." This notion did cheer up the pokemon cosplaying as Brenden.

They quickly exited the cave to help calm down those in the gang who were not fond of dark places. Of which Kicho was very appreciative of. The group then made base for the evening next to the coast away from the town as they decided to the think about the next move but more importantly rest for a moment as it had been all hustle and bustle since arriving on the island.

"Look honey!" The wife noticed the cluster of pokemon around a campfire as they were on an evening coastal fishing tour. "Its that same group of pokemon from Rustboro." The wife gave a wave with gusto knocking the boat around violently. Mitsu seeing the lady smiled as he recognized her and gave her a thumb's up. Somehow this repeated sighting though brief and without words gave them both comfort.

"SWEETIE STOP ROCKING THE BOAT!" The husband was not having any of it as he was focused on his fishing. She then stopped and grabbed her fishing line so they could continue the expedition.

"So Mitsu." Nagamasa spoke up as he lay on his back staring at the stars above. "What is the next goal?" Mitsu reminded the group about the big package they had that was going toward Slateport.

"Well maybe my foot friend Mr. Briney can help us out." Katsuie spoke up looking over his beloved shoes.

"Maybe, I mean he seems friendly enough now that we know he actually isn't some old pervert and really just a man passionate about fixing and helping all things walk better." Kicho replied.

"Yeah I still don't trust him, I say we be cautious getting too in debt with that guy." Moto added to the conversation as he curled up the evening slumber and then yawned.

"Well we at least need him to get over to Slateport if he'll take us that is." Masamune spoke as if the evening's slowing of events returned to him a measure of clarity. The others were exhausted and all went to sleep knowing that in the morning their journey would continue, and while their quest was far from over they knew that with each event and favor done, perhaps they were closer to Brenden's name being cleared. Even Nagamasa was completely surprised the disguise had continued to fool everyone.

With the embers of the evening dying down Kenshin, seeming to think that Nagamasa was the friendliest and informed of the gang about the past events rolled over to the zigzagoon and asked. "What was Brenden like?" The zigzagoon wasn't around the boy long as none of the early 5 as they were calling themselves to the others of the gang truly were, but the memory of their fallen master was a fond one nonetheless and while his untimely death seemed to remove the carefree and fun nature from some parts of each of the party he was happy to explain the story of Brenden to Kenshin. Though as Naga continued in his detail of their fallen master in a low volume to not disturb the others sleeping he soon looked over to find Kenshin also snoring with purpose, resting well. The zigzagoon smiled as he then also closed his eyes and shed a small tear both for Brenden and also for the fear of the safety of his friends.

…..

"Wallace, yeah its Brawly. Look, I failed to stop that stupid murdering kid and his posse earlier today, he completely steamrolled me like I was yesterday's news." The defeated leader was not interested in telling fibs in spite of his own pride taking a hit in the eyes of the other elite trainers of Hoenn. "Yeah, so, I guess just be on guard for if you ever come across him. I'll alert the other gym leaders as well." He hung up the phone quickly as the shame of the evening while not removing him from his duty to inform the others made his desire for long conversation whither.