Notes- This Calculus 2 class has straight up abused me this Summer. It could never keep me from writing my dream journey though! This chapter checks in at a bit over 6.5k words. Definitely not as long as the beast that was Chapter 7, but I'm pleased with how this chapter turned out. I'm very excited about this chapter and the series of events that are to follow. You'll see Chris get his first taste of a gym battle and watch as he really takes a step forward as a battler and trainer. I hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 8
When Chris awoke the next morning, it took him several seconds to understand where he was. For the past three days, the trainer had slept out in the wilderness. A comfy bed seemed out of the norm, but Chris would not complain. He scrambled out of bed and found that Nurse Joy had brought his Pokémon back and set them on a nearby counter in their Pokéballs. This had been the first time he had slept alone since his journey began. Not waking up to his Pokémon beside him left a slight feeling of loneliness in the trainer.
"Come on out Cyndaquil," Chris released his starter and waited till it had adjusted to its surroundings, "didn't want you to miss your morning exercises! How about some pushups?"
"Cynda," the Fire Mouse Pokémon seemed surprised at its trainer enthusiasm, but didn't resist. "Quil!"
Once finished, Chris left his starter alone to finish its routine. The trainer checked his PokéGear and saw that his mom had sent him a message asking how far he had progressed. He sent her a lengthy rundown of the past day, explaining his experiences in the city. He finished the message with a promise to win his Gym battle.
"Today's the day."
Chris dropped to a knee beside Cyndaquil who had just finished its warm-up. Both trainer and Pokémon studied the other, with memories of Sprout Tower still fresh on their minds. The trainer was ecstatic to see a fierce look in his Pokémon's eyes. A look it would need to overcome the challenge that awaited them.
"This will be the biggest battle we've been in," Chris explained, making sure his eyes never left Cyndaquil's, "and Faulkner is no push over. We're going to be the underdogs from the start. Let's use that to our advantage and knock Faulkner down a peg!"
"Quil!" Cyndaquil hopped onto its trainer's shoulder as the pair left the room.
Once out on the street, Chris felt his stomach growl, drawing a questioning look from his starter.
"How about a bite to eat before our battle?"
Chris found a small, local pasta restaurant nearby. It was practically empty, allowing Chris to bring out the rest of his Pokémon. He gave them each a similar pep talk, even picking up his newest capture to emphasize the battle's importance. The rest of his team gave Chris a skeptical look.
"Magikarp is a part of the team now!" Chris defended the Pokémon he was currently holding. "This guy has some spunk, I promise!"
Chris felt the Fish Pokémon flip out of his hands. Chris looked down, only to take a smack in the forehead from Magikarp's tail.
"We might need to work on our chemistry a little bit," Chris could feel a bruise forming, as he tried to shake off the laughter from the rest of his team. "There is a bit of déjà vu for you. Let's get you guys something to eat before the match as well."
Chris searched through his bag and fixed each of them a bowl of food. After they had finished, Chris made sure they took their vitamins.
"You pack a pretty strong punch Magikarp," Chris chuckled, rubbing his forehead, "but a little more strength never hurt anyone." The trainer fed his floundering Pokémon a Protein Vitamin. "Now let's take care of some business!"
Noon had rolled around by the time Chris stepped back out onto the street. The sidewalks were alive, as they always seemed to be, with the lunch time traffic. The trainer had grown more comfortable with the bustling eastern edge of town. He sliced his way through the crowds, traversing the same path he had traveled the day before. Before long, he found himself standing before the skyscraper-like Violet City Gym. Seeing no sign on the door, Chris took a deep breath and stepped through the doors.
The trainer was surprised to find himself surrounded by what appeared to be the front office of a business. There were several cubicles in the room, each containing a suit wearing employee. He noticed a woman sitting behind a desk nearby and approached her.
"Is this the Violet City gym ma'am?" Chris asked hesitantly, afraid he may have asked a foolish question.
"You aren't the first trainer to ask me that!" The woman replied with a smile. She pointed to a banner on the wall beside her, "the front of this building is owned by the Silph Corporation. Several years ago, we renovated the gym's failing infrastructure and built the support you see on the outside. As a thank you, the city allowed us to establish a small outpost in the Johto Region."
"That explains all this…" Chris looked over the crowded room once more. The trainer could feel his focus on the upcoming battle slipping. "So where is the actual gym?"
"All you need to do is walk through those double doors in the back of the room," she nodded towards them, "and take one of the elevators on the right."
"Thank you!" Chris shook his head in amusement at the surprises the day had already begun to throw at him. As he made his way through the doors and pressed the key for the closest elevator, he cleared his mind once more of any distractions. "It's going to take everything I've got to complete the gym challenge." The door opened and Chris stepped inside, "I just have to take it one step at a time."
Once inside, the trainer did not have to press a button as the elevator shot upwards. Chris felt a knot slowing forming in his stomach as the elevator brought him closer to his first gym battle. "C'mon out Cyndaquil!"
The trainer felt his nerves subside as his starter leapt onto his shoulder. Chris could see the familiar look of determination in Cyndaquil's eyes, and did his best to return the ferocity.
"Ready to get our first badge?"
"Quil!"
Their ride came to a slow halt and the door slid open. Chris felt his jaw drop as he stepped out of the elevator. He was currently at the bottom of what appeared to be a hundred foot high, open arena. The walls which enclosed the room were cylindrical, making the trainer feel as though he had just stepped into a geometrical figure. As he continued to examine the unique infrastructure of the building, he was approached by two boys carrying bird cages.
"Are you here to battle Faulkner?" One of them asked, giving Chris a quizzical look.
The trainer noticed that inside both bird cages resided a small Pidgey. They seemed to be very young, prompting to Chris to reexamine the age of the boys in front of him.
"I am."
Both boys nodded and motioned for Chris to follow them. The trainer was led down a flight of stairs which brought the party to the base floor of the towering room. In front of Chris sat a spread out office space, with several desks and chairs covering the floor around him. What caught Chris' eye though, was a man who looked to be in his early twenties. He dashed back and forth between desks, signing papers as he went.
"Cynda!" The fire type Pokémon let out an exasperated sigh after the man failed to notice he had company.
At the sound of Cyndaquil's voice, the man's eyes shot up in recognition. He stopped in the middle of whatever document he was signing and slowly approached the group.
"Would you be here for a Pokémon battle by chance?" A spark seemed to have lit up in the young adult's eyes.
"Not by chance," Chris grinned, recognizing the man who stood before him. "And would you be Falkner…by chance?"
"Have been since the day I was born!" The Gym Leader replied with a pump of his fist. "You're actually the first trainer that's come through here for several days. What might your name be?"
"Chris." The trainer announced as he bowed slightly. "Looks like you would have been too busy to battle if more had shown up!" Chris felt very comfortable in this young Gym Leader's presence. Chris might as well be talking to another ambitious, beginning trainer such as himself. But as the elder at Sprout Tower had warned him, these leaders were the best of the best.
"Ever since I took over this job from my dad nine years ago," Falkner brushed aside a strand of his blue, shaggy hair, "my responsibilities have doubled. As you grow older, you'll see that more and more decisions will fall to you. It'll be up to you to rise to the occasion." A pile of papers on a desk next to Chris toppled over, drawing a forced laugh from the Gym Leader. "I like to look at it as a new challenge to overcome!"
"Speaking of challenges…" Chris withdrew a Pokéball from his belt, "I think I have one for you."
"Will this be your first gym battle?" Falkner asked as he studied the trainer.
"It is!" Chris acknowledged, feeling like a battle was only moments away. "I just started my journey a few days ago. I'm from Cherrygrove City actually."
"Interesting," the gym leader took a good look at Cyndaquil before turning his back to Chris. He turned his attention to the two boys with Chris, "Take him to the arena while I grab some Pokémon to battle with. You did heal my level one difficulty Pokémon this week right?"
"Yes sir!" They said in unison as they led Chris back up the same stairs as before.
"Where will we be battling?" Chris did not see a battling area anywhere on the floor they were currently on.
"Up there!" One of the boys responded, pointing to what appeared to be a massive platform hanging in the sky.
"Woah!" Chris was not expecting such formidable battling conditions this early on in his journey. The Gym Leader Challenge was definitely not for pushovers. "How do I get up there?"
His guides pointed to a large wooden square on the floor. Chris slowly approached it, trying to understand how this space on the floor could get him up to the platform high above.
He finally stepped onto the center of the square and heard someone yell for him to get ready. Without warning, the wooden platform beneath him suddenly lifted into the air, almost throwing the trainer off balance. Once Chris had recovered, he went to scold the boys for not warning him of the device, but found himself already fifty feet into the air.
"It's a good thing this platform moves quickly," Chris stated through clinched teeth, as he kept his hands locked around his starter tightly, much to its dismay, "because I do not like heights!"
Chris was relieved once the transport brought him even with the battling arena. He leapt onto the battleground and almost felt his knees give way. It would take a few seconds for his body to relax from the terror he had just experienced. Chris took a moment while he was recovering to examine his surroundings. There was a ring of seats built into the circular walls which overlooked the battlefield.
"Who would be brave enough to sit up here?"
"Someone who knows they are protected from any danger!"
A white blur flashed by Chris, who eventually recognized the figure as a Pidgeot. The bird slashed to the ceiling overhead before diving back towards the arena. It landed silently on the padded arena floor, allowing its trainer to leap off its back. As soon as he had landed, the gym leader's Pokémon shot into the sky once more.
"I can tell you aren't a big fan of heights!" Falkner couldn't hold back a laugh from the disappointed nod he received. "Every gym battle is going to have its own set of challenges. Whether it's inside the battle or outside. There are very few trainers who can win a battle against a Gym Leader, let alone collect the eight badges necessary. It's a grueling journey that requires Pokémon and trainer to work together and believe in one another."
Chris thought back to the lessons he had learned about battling yesterday. He would need to blend all three together in battle to find any success against a powerful trainer like Falkner.
"The rules for this battle are very simple," Falkner began, "it will be a three on three battle. The challenger is allowed to substitute his Pokémon at anytime during the match, while I am not."
"Sounds good!" Chris could feel his body tingling with a slew of emotions.
"Are you ready trainer?" The Gym Leader's voice had become more on edge, signifying his readiness to begin the battle.
Chris took several deep breaths as he let his natural instinct for battling take over.
"Yes."
The trainer hadn't noticed that a judge resided on the edge of the battlefield, until he heard a booming voice announce, "Let the Violet City gym battle begin!"
Those words echoed through Chris' mind, bringing back dreams he had as a child. To take on the Johto League had seemed like such a distant goal back then. Yet here he was a Pokémon trainer in his first gym battle. Chris was so caught up in the moment that he did not see the Gym Leader release his first Pokémon. It was not until Chris heard the sound of a Hoothoot cry, that he realized it was his turn to reveal his Pokémon of choice.
"Let's go Cyndaquil!" Chris smiled as his starter leapt off the trainer's shoulder, prepared for battle. They both knew their first gym battle would start this way.
"You have the first move trainer!" Falkner nodded.
"We'll start our first gym battle off with an Ember attack!" Chris exuberantly answered.
The Fire Mouse Pokémon reared back onto its hind legs as flames exploded out of its back. The starter snapped its head forward, releasing several bolts of fire from its mouth.
"Take to the sky Hoothoot!" Falkner calmly commanded.
The Owl Pokémon took off into the air as the Cyndaquil's attack passed underneath it.
"Dive towards Cyndaquil and use Peck!" Falkner was quick to follow up his previous command.
"Block its vision with Smokescreen!" Chris countered, seeing an opportunity to take advantage of Falkner's aggression.
The echidna like Pokémon let loose a plume of dark black smoke which surrounded Hoothoot. Despite the poor visibility, Chris could hear the Owl Pokémon's wings flapping and knew it was still attempting the attack.
"Stay where you are Cyndaquil," the trainer informed his Pokémon, "and wait for my command!"
Hoothoot soon burst through the smoke and appeared right in front of the fire starter.
"Sidestep it!"
The flaming echidna quickly spun to the right, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. To Chris' delight, the Owl Pokémon's momentum sent it crashing into the ground. Chris didn't give the gym leader anytime to recover.
"Tackle Attack!"
Cyndaquil turned to face its stunned opponent and sprinted towards it. Chris was shocked to see his Pokémon's speed suddenly double. The Fire Mouse had slammed its body into Hoothoot before the trainer could catch his breath. The Owl Pokémon hit the ground once more but managed to stand back up, albeit slowly.
"It appears your Pokémon has learned Quick Attack," Falkner announced, apparently impressed with Cyndaquil's speed. "You'll find it to be a stronger, more useful move than Tackle.
"That's awesome!" Chris examined his starter and suddenly realized how much work his Pokémon had put into its training since their journey had begun.
"We're not done yet!" Falkner snapped, snapping Chris' attention away from his starter Pokémon. "Hoothoot can still battle! Strike back with Confusion!"
The Owl Pokémon's red eyes lit up as they caught Cyndaquil's gaze. A pulse of energy leapt from Hoothoot's body and raced towards the Fire Mouse. Chris' Pokémon was immobilized by the bird Pokémon's gaze and took the attack head on. The trainer was surprised to see Cyndaquil slow to get up.
"Tackle Attack!" Falkner followed up.
As Chris searched for a counter, he locked eyes with his Pokémon. The trainer saw something in his starter's gaze that Chris had grown so accustom to seeing.
Determination.
"Let's get fired up!" Chris couldn't hold back a laugh at the corny nature of his comment.
Cyndaquil seemed to also understand the implications of this statement, rising to its feet once more as Hoothoot approached.
"Steady," Chris and his Pokémon seemed to have found a rhythm, with both waiting on baited breath for the precise moment to strike. Right as Hoothoot lowered its head to brace for impact, the duo countered, "Fire!"
Flames rippled out once more from Cyndaquil's back as it released a burst of inferno from its mouth. The attack caught Hoothoot at almost point blank range, knocking both Pokémon back several feet. Cyndaquil managed to regain control of itself in the air and landed hard back on its feet. The Owl Pokémon however, collapsed to the ground limp.
"Hoothoot is unable to battle!" The judge made his presence known once more with the announcement. He lifted up a blue flag in Chris' direction, "The first battle goes to the challenger!"
"It seems I've underestimated you," Falkner examined the trainer's Cyndaquil as he returned his fainted Pokémon. As he withdrew another Pokéball he confirmed, "That will not happen again. Let's go Murkrow!"
The Darkness Pokémon burst from its Pokéball and landed softly on the ground.
"Return Cyndaquil," Chris commanded, much to the Pokémon's surprise.
"Quil?" The Fire Mouse seemed frustrated with its trainer's decision.
"I decided before the battle started that I would switch you out if we won the first battle," Chris quickly explained, realizing he was holding the match up. "I'll keep you outside your Pokéball so you can watch."
"Cynda," The fire starter gave in and took its place by its trainer's side.
"Come on out!" Chris grabbed a Pokéball he had kept close by and tossed it into the air. It snapped open and Chris' next Pokémon materialized into battle.
"A Magikarp?" A perplexed stare came across the Gym Leader's visage.
"Quil..."
Chris could feel the weight of Faulkner and Cyndaquil's disapproval bearing down on him. The Fish Pokémon showed no emotion to being insulted, and continued to simply flip around. Chris felt the need to plead his case.
"How else is it going to stronger if I don't battle with it?" Chris tried to keep his cool, but even he was beginning to question his own strategy.
"It would be different if this wasn't a gym battle," Falkner replied, shaking his head in disapproval.
Chris noticed Cyndaquil mirroring the gesture and decided to just precede with the battle.
"Let's get this next battle underway so I can prove both of you wrong!"
"Fair enough…"
The judge waited for several seconds to begin the battle. Chris knew he had to be waiting to see if the challenger would change his mind.
"We're gonna give it our all!" Chris roared, trying to motivate his floundering Magicarp.
"Let the second battle begin!"
"We will end this quickly!" Falkner wasted no time in making the first move. "Pursuit!"
The dark hued bird took to the sky before racing towards Magikarp. Chris immediately noticed that this Pokémon was much quicker than Hoothoot.
"Strike back with your Tackle Attack!"
Magikarp flipped to the ground once more before springing up at Mukrow. Chris was relieved to see his Pokémon actually follow through with the command. The Fish Pokémon swung its tail forward to strike, but was overpowered by Murkrow's attack.
"Now follow it up with Wing Attack!" Falkner seemed to already be looking for a knockout.
Murkrow slammed the already airborne Magikarp with its wings, sending the Fish Pokémon spiraling to the ground.
"Magikarp!" Chris was beginning to wonder if he should go ahead and end the battle. He did not want to see his weak Pokémon get seriously hurt.
"Karp!"
To Chris' amazement, the Fish Pokémon continued to flop around as if completely unharmed.
"Your Pokémon does have impressive endurance," Falkner complimented, "but it should not be battling. Finish things up with Pursuit!"
"Flail!" Chris directed, brushing off the Gym Leader's comments.
Once again, Murkrow overpowered Chris' Pokémon's attack and landed a solid strike with its beak. However, before the Darkness Pokémon could fly away, Magikarp swung once more with its tail and caught the bird Pokémon square on the jaw. To Chris' amazement, the strike momentarily stunned Falkner's Pokémon. Before Chris could follow it up however, the Gym Leader regained control.
"Assurance!" Falkner could not hide his annoyance over the surprise turn to the battle.
His Pokémon also seemed to have become enraged by Magikarp's success and swung both its wings forward to intercept the Fish Pokémon. The Fish Pokémon took a direct hit from both of Murkrow's wings, creating a loud popping noise.
"Magikarp!"
Chris rushed onto the battlefield and gently scooped up his immobile Pokémon. One look at his Pokémon told Chris it had been knocked out cold.
"I'm proud of you Magikarp," Chris remembered the trial of courage from the day before and knew he had made the right decision by battling with the Fish Pokémon. Magikarp had surprised everyone with its stamina and tenacity. He noticed Cyndaquil staring at the Fish Pokémon with a quizzical expression. "We're all a team, buddy. We have to trust in ourselves just as much as each other. That's why Magikarp joined our group."
"Magikarp is no longer able to battle," the judge raised a red flag towards Falkner, "therefore the Gym Leader has won the second battle!"
"I thought you were insulting me with that choice," Falkner chuckled, "but I see now that you really had faith in your Pokémon. That reminds me of a lesson I learned long ago." He studied the trainer before asking, "You took my advice and visited the Sprout Tower didn't you?"
"I did!" Chris replied confidently, realizing once more how crucial passing the trials had been. "It prepared me for whatever battle I may face. Including this one!
"I bet Li had a fun time with you…" Falkner shook his head and pointed a finger towards Chris, "Choose your next Pokémon trainer!"
"Come on out!"
Chris withdrew another Pokéball and launched it into the sky. The always anxious Poison Pin Pokémon burst from its container ready for battle.
"Another interesting choice," the Gym Leader motioned for Murkrow to take to the sky, "although this little guy looks like a battler."
"He's got more energy than most Pokémon for sure," Chris replied. He could feel that this next battle could ultimately determine the outcome of the match. Staying in sync with Nidoran was Chris' ultimate concern. He couldn't let his Pokémon jump the gun and become vulnerable.
"If both trainers are ready," the judge raised both of his flags into the air, "then let the third battle begin!"
"Charge towards Murkrow!" Chris commanded, uncertain of what his first attack should be.
Nidoran took off with its natural agility and slashed towards the airborne Murkrow.
"Fly towards Nidoran!" Falkner countered.
Both Pokémon raced forward with neither showing signs of hesitation. As they got within striking distance, Chris was surprised to hear himself command an attack.
"Horn Attack!"
Nidoran leapt into the air and extended its sharp horn towards the approaching Bird Pokémon.
"Catch it with your Wing Attack!" Falkner directed, obviously familiar with this strategy.
Murkrow's wings lit up brightly as the Darkness Pokémon swung them forward and caught Nidoran by the horn. The bird Pokémon whipped its body downward, launching the Poison Pin Pokémon towards the ground.
"You have to recover!" Chris encouraged, seeing Murkrow let its guard down. "Push off the ground and strike with Fury Attack!"
Chris was beginning to understand how effective this multiple strike move could be as a counter. Nidoran controlled its descent and shot off the ground immediately after landing. The Poison Pin Pokémon delivered several shots with its horn, scoring blows on Murkrow's torso and wings. The attack sent Murkrow to the ground, momentarily stunned.
"Faint Attack!" Falkner commanded, unfazed by the turn of events.
Before Chris could warn Nidoran of the deceptive nature of the attack, Murkrow made its move. The Darkness Pokémon pushed itself off the ground with its wings and brought several of its sharp talons across the Poison Pin Pokémon's face.
"Nido!" The poison type collapsed to the ground clutching its scratched face.
"Don't you think that was a bit of a dangerous shot?" Chris roared, watching Nidoran writhe in pain.
"The slashes aren't deep," Falkner replied calmly, "and you should have expected a mean spirited attack from a Pokémon like Murkrow. I like to use it to toughen up beginning trainers. None of the Gym Leaders in this region or any other will go lightly on a challenger. You've entered our domain."
"Fair enough…" Chris knew there was no point in dwelling on an argument he could not win. Noticing Murkrow take to the sky, Chris formulated a plan. "Focus Energy!"
Beams of light encompassed the Poison Pin Pokémon as it shook off the pain and began to build up its energy. Falkner realized that he had made a mistake in having Murkrow retreat.
"Don't give it a chance to finish its attack!" The Gym Leader directed. "Pursuit!"
The Darkness Pokémon sped towards Nidoran as the latter attempted to increase its strength. Chris saw that there would be no time to counter Murkrow's attack even if Nidoran finished its move.
"Don't focus on anything other than boosting your strength!" Chris directed, not wanting his Pokémon to waste valuable time.
The light around Nidoran disappeared, signaling an end to the Pokémon's move. Murkrow was already upon the poison type though and delivered a strong blow with its beak.
"Follow it up with Assurance!" Falkner's voice was filled with confidence.
Chris saw only one way to combat Murkrow's powerful follow up move and score a potential K.O.
"Double Kick!" The trainer commanded, looking to make use of Nidoran's newly learned move.
Nidoran spun its body around and lashed out with one of its clawed feet as Murkrow brought both of its wings forward. Chris winced as his Pokémon took the worst from the exchange of attacks. He knew however, what was coming next.
"Strike again!"
Chris' Pokémon leapt off its previously used foot and spun towards the off balanced Murkrow. The Poison Pin Pokémon snapped its second foot forward, scoring a direct hit to Murkrow's torso. The attack dropped Murkrow like a brick, leaving the bird Pokémon motionless on the ground.
"Murkrow is unable to battle!" The judge announced, lifting a blue flag in Chris' direction for the second time. "The challenger wins the third battle!"
"Not bad," Falkner complimented emotionlessly. "We'll see how you handle my last Pokémon. Come forth Pidgeotto!"
The Bird Pokémon launched into the sky from out of its Pokéball. It circled over the battlefield, examining Nidoran very closely. Pidgeotto circled back around and hovered in front of its trainer.
"I'll let Nidoran keep showing you what it's made of!" Chris announced, catching the judge's eye as he awaited the challenger's decision.
"Then let the fourth battle begin!"
"Let's keep on rolling with Peck!" Chris believed that Nidoran still had some boosted strength left from Focus Energy.
"Use Peck as well!" Falkner voiced animatedly.
Nidoran leapt into the air as Pidgeotto dove towards its opponent. Both attacks collided with equal power, knocking back each Pokémon.
"Strike with Quick Attack!" The Gym Leader pushed to keep the pace equal with the challenger.
"Horn Attack!" Chris quickly commanded.
As Nidoran went to strike, Falkner's Pokémon suddenly disappeared. Chris thought he could hear the sound of wings fluttering, but he still could not see Pidgeotto.
"Now!" Falkner roared, pumping his fists.
The Bird Pokémon instantly reappeared behind Nidoran, giving Chris no chance to warn his Pokémon. Pidgeotto smashed into Nidoran's back with tremendous force, leaving the Pokémon stunned.
"Finish it with Aerial Ace!"
Chris remembered reading that Aerial Ace was an incredibly precise attack and knew that there would be no avoiding it.
"Double Kick!" Chris immediately regretted the words as they left his mouth. His Pokémon wouldn't have time to counter any other way from its current position.
Nidoran mustered up enough strength to kick its legs viciously at the approaching Pidgeotto. The Bird Pokémon proved to be to strong though and broke through Nidoran's attack.
Chris realized his Pokémon was finished before it even hit the ground. The trainer raced out to the poison type and was relieved to find it in stable condition.
"This little guy likes to exert himself," Chris explained, catching Falkner give the trainer an intrigued look. "I don't think we've ever been in a battle where he hasn't pushed himself past his limit!"
"You'll find that it's like that with all young Pokémon," the Gym Leader replied. "Even this Pidgeotto gave me a handful of problems as a Pidgey. A Pokémon's growth often mirrors its trainer's. Don't forget that!"
"Nidoran is unable to battle! The Gym leader wins the fourth battle!"
"Right," Chris nodded towards his starter Pokémon, "you're up buddy!"
The fire starter sprinted onto the battlefield once more, seemingly unscathed from its last battle.
"We can do this!" Chris could feel his legs shaking from the excitement rushing through his body. "We're one Pokémon away from our first badge!"
"Gym Leader's truly shine when their backs are up against the wall!" The Gym Leader seemed to have caught the same fire that had consumed Chris. "You are the challenger, and that puts all the pressure onto you!"
"I'm ready." Chris' voice softened as his mind slipped back into its natural battling configuration. This last battle was everything.
"If both trainers are ready," the judge raised the flags for the last time and waited for an objection, "then let the final battle begin!"
"Let Pidgeotto make the first move!" Chris shouted, hoping the order wouldn't baffle his Pokémon. The last battle may have shown him Falkner's go to strategy with Pidgeotto.
"If they wont make a move," Falkner looked to take command of the battle, "then we will! Aerial Ace!"
"Now charge forward!" Chris knew that his next series of moves would require exceptional timing.
Cyndaquil started out at a good sprint and kept its pace till Pidgeotto was bearing down on it. As Cyndaquil prepared to leap into the air towards its opponent, Chris made his move.
"Quick Attack!"
Cyndaquil pounced off the ground with a sudden increased force as the attack kicked in. This increased momentum sent Cyndaquil slamming into Pidgeotto, who had not expected to engage the fire type for several more seconds. Chris was thrilled to see the Bird Pokémon drop to the ground and land hard on its talons, looking to recover from the sudden strike.
"Smokescreen!" Chris knew that letting his guard down would give Falkner time to counter. The trainer was looking to end it here.
The flaming echidna launched a pillar of smoke over the dazed Bird Pokémon. The black column completely cut off any visual Pidgeotto could have on Cyndaquil and it reminded Chris of a previous strategy that had been used on him.
"Light that bird up with Ember!" Chris understood that he had to catch Pidgeotto with the attack before it could escape the smoke.
The Fire Mouse Pokémon's back erupted with fire as bolts of fire blasted out of its mouth.
"Fly up Pidgeotto!" Falkner, like his Pokémon, had been momentarily stunned by Chris' one-two strike.
The Gym Leader was just a second too late however. The attack found its target as Pidgeotto let out a cry from underneath the dark smoke.
"Yeah!" Chris felt confident that he had finally succeeded with the chain of attacks. "Excellent job Cyndaquil!"
"Don't count us out so easily!" Falkner roared from somewhere behind the pillar of smoke on the battlefield. "I know Pidgeotto isn't finished yet. Let's get back into this match! Gust attack!"
There was silence for several seconds as Chris waited to see if Falkner's words were true.
"Pidgeo!"
A strong wind rippled out from inside the smoke, almost knocking Chris off his feet. The attack swept away the smoke and forced Cyndaquil to hold onto the ground for support. The trainer thought he heard the Gym Leader give another command to his Pokémon, but the wind was masking his words.
Chris had no chance to warn his Pokémon as Pidgeotto slashed forward with what could only be Quick Attack. The Fire Mouse Pokémon took a direct hit from the strike, knocking the air out of the starter's lungs. Cyndaquil dropped to the ground as the fire on its back extinguished. The fire starter seemed to be trying to push its way back onto its feet. However, all of the attacks it had dished out and received seemed to have drained its strength.
"Pidgeo!" The Bird Pokémon collapsed onto the ground, fire springing up from the feathers on its wings.
"Looks like a pretty bad burn," Falkner stated, examining his Pokémon, "but we can still battle!"
"What about your Pokémon, trainer?" The judge asked, looking over Cyndaquil.
"We…" Chris felt like his heart was trying to pound its way out of his chest. Should he try and continue the match if it meant risking his starter's safety? The trial of courage could not guide him when his Pokémon's health was on the line. Should he follow the lesson from the trial of self and end the battle before Cyndaquil was seriously injured.
A sudden rush of heat raced through Chris' body. It felt as though a raging fire was consuming his insides, with the flames threatening to burst out of him. The trainer did not seem to have control of his body, but he reached out to Cyndaquil anyway. Chris felt a similar connection with his starter as he had felt with Golbat in Sprout Tower. Instead of seeing the battle through his Pokémon's eyes, it appeared that he was feeling exactly what Cyndaquil was feeling. But what could cause his Pokémon to be holding such an explosive energy?
"We can continue the battle!" Chris snapped back into reality, with only one true idea forming inside his mind.
"Fair enough." Falkner gestured for Pidgeotto to climb into the air. "Your physical attacks will be weakened with that burn, so let's finish this battle at a distance. Gust!"
The Bird Pokémon reared back its wings before clapping them forward. Another mighty current of wind raced toward Cyndaquil who was still struggling to get up. Chris thought he could see sparks rising from the fire starter's back, in an almost identical fashion as in its battle with Charmander. This only solidified the thought that was circling Chris' brain.
"Ember!" This was the challenger's last chance.
"Cynda!" The Fire Mouse Pokémon made it back to its feet and saw that Pidgeotto's attack was almost upon it.
Chris felt a heat identical to the one that had burned through the inside of his body. This time though, the fire was resonating outside of the trainer.
"Quil!" Flames exploded out of the fire starter's back and engulfed the tiny echidna.
An incredible wave of inferno leapt from Cyndaquil's mouth and collided with Pidgeotto's attack. For a brief moment, Chris thought he saw the fire actually consuming the wind. Without warning, Cyndaquil's attack seemed to explode, sending flaming bolts in every direction.
The trainer could only duck his head as the firestorm rained down over the battlefield. When he finally looked up, he saw Falkner's Pokémon lying motionless on the ground. He turned to check on Cyndaquil, but found his side of the battlefield to be completely empty.
"Cyndaquil!" Chris scanned the ground in front of him once more but did not see his starter.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle," the judge raised the blue flag for a third time, "therefore the winner of this match is the challenger, Chris from Cherrygrove City!"
"What are you talking about?" Chris retorted loudly. "Where's my starter!"
"Cynda."
The trainer turned to the noise behind him and found his eyes locked with those of his starter's. A powerful flame was still burning within its stare despite its back being devoid of fire. Chris felt a strong urge to embrace his starter, but he knew that Cyndaquil was looking for strength to match its own within the trainer's eyes. They still had a long way to go before they could truly celebrate a victory.
"Great job Cyndaquil."
"I must say," The sound of the Gym Leader's voice immediately caught Chris' attention, "I did not expect Blaze to kick in at the last moment. I must congratulate you on your incredible luck."
"Luck!" Chris laughed, pointing back at his starter. "We just wanted to get your hopes up before crushing them back down!"
Falkner shook his head in amusement. "Whatever the case… thank you for an outstanding battle! You showed a fire and determination I rarely see in beginning trainers."
The Gym Leader withdrew a bag from his robe. Opening it up, he extracted a small object and presented it to Chris.
"Take this official Pokémon League Badge."
Chris took the badge from the leader's hand and examined it. The silver token was a light silver color and easily fit into Chris' palm. The trainer noticed that it was shaped like a pair of wings.
"Take good care of that Zephyr Badge!" Falkner exclaimed seeing Chris shove it into his backpack. "Very few trainers can show evidence of their hard fought victories!"
"Very few indeed!" Chris jubilantly replied as Cyndaquil leapt onto his shoulder.
"I guess you're going to have to add another name to your exclusive club then!"
Chris instantly recognized the voice behind him. He turned to look into the stands which surrounded the battlefield and found Luke standing before him.
Closing- Looks like Chris isn't the only trainer with his eyes set on claiming the Zephyr Badge! How much has the trainer improved since Chris last battled him? Will Luke and his starter, Charmander, be able to take down Falkner as well? All these questions and more will be answered in the next chapter! See ya there!
