Happy Halloween y'all! What's this?! Another chapter just a month after the last? What madness is this?! Joking aside, it feels great to be getting out another chapter to everyone this soon. After midterms, my free time seemed to increase a touch, allowing me to blaze through this chapter. Our new chapter picks up right before Chris' huge Gym Battle. Is it a coincidence that Chris' battle with the Ghost-type Gym Leader is released on Halloween? I dunno. I'll have to ask the guy in my mind, who's in charge, what's up. Now, let's check out what's about to happen! Notes- Please Review and Subscribe if you enjoyed it!
Chapter 25
The trainer awoke to a drenched pair of clothes. He soon realized he had not prepared himself for the morning dew. Opening an eye, Chris' vision was dominated by a grey fog. Checking his PokéGear, he discovered it was almost sunrise.
"Might as well take a walk since I'm awake," Chris mumbled, standing up.
The trainer slowly made his way West, surprised by the silence around him. It was so different from any other city he had been in, at least from what he could remember. After all, Chris had never been up this early when his family had lived in Ecruteak. Even Cherrygrove City, a small population center when compared to other cities, was moderately active at this time. Chris assumed that the city woke up with the sun. A shadow loomed to the trainer's right, rising far into the grey skies. His gaze refused to stray from the tower for long.
The echoing of footsteps snapped Chris out of his fixation. Two figures were racing towards the trainer, their shadows making Chris feel uneasy. A younger man in sweats finally came into view. He seemed engaged in a morning workout. What stood out to Chris though, was the unkempt blonde hair, pushed up slightly by a headband. The second figure came into view behind the man, prompting a cold chill to race down Chris' spine. The evil grin of Gengar froze Chris where he stood.
"Good morning," the Ghost-type Gym Leader spoke in between breaths. He and his signature Pokémon raced past Chris, vanishing back into the fog.
"Okay."
Chris did his best to slowly walk back to his team. Everything within him wanted to shake his Pokémon awake and tell them what had just happened. He barely managed to fight off the urge, and instead, the trainer decided to prepare a game plan for the Gym Battle.
"Nidoking is out," Chris knew the Poison/Ground-type had no moves to deal damage to Morty's Ghost-types. "Scyther may be a little more usable." That left three Pokémon to choose from. "Both of Magikarp's damage dealing attacks are Normal-type, which have no effect on ghosts. Quilava has a few attacks that can do decent damage." He knew Crobat's only strong move against the Ghosts would be Crunch. The trainer paused. "This team really isn't built for this battle." Chris could not believe he had missed this glaring problem. "So Quilava, Crobat, and Scyther. Two of them have one super effective attack, while the other has a couple, moderately effective moves." The trainer stopped again. "I'm going to be insanely predictable."
For Chris, there was some solace in knowing that Morty's Ghost and Poison-type's would not pose a huge threat. At least, not at first. "I cannot let the battles drag on." The trainer would become increasingly more predictable as time went on. "Not to mention the increasing likelihood of succumbing to status conditions."
The sun was beginning to peek through the fog as Chris' Pokémon stirred. At this point, the trainer had made up his mind on the order of his battle unit. "Let's grab some breakfast and then I'll hit ya with some big news." The trainer's voice remained confident, despite his earlier realization. The team seemed to swallow their food and vitamins within seconds. The trainer had only taken a couple of bites from his energy bar before his Pokémon were looking up at him.
"You guys are lucky I'm not very hungry," the statement was true enough. Chris never had much of an appetite in the morning, especially when his mind was on a huge, upcoming event. The trainer decided to finally spill the beans to his team about his encounter earlier. "I took a walk this morning, and you will not believe who I saw!"
"King!" the Drill Pokémon pointed to the Bell Tower's steeple.
"Ho-oh?" Chris gave the fully evolved Pokémon an incredulous look. "No, I'm just going to pretend you said Morty."
Chris' Pokémon flashed excitement among their laughter. Scyther especially, seemed intrigued about his first Gym Battle.
"And on that note," Chris took a deep breath, "I think I've decided which of you guys will be battling today."
Chris noticed Quilava race over to the trainer's bag.
"Quil," the Volcano Pokémon grabbed a Poké Ball from the pack.
"That's Magikarp's..." the trainer did not like the direction this was going.
"Scy," the Mantis Pokémon seemed to support Quilava's action.
"Guys..." Chris was at a loss of words.
"Nido!" the fully evolved Pokémon roared his approval.
"I know Magikarp has gotten a lot stronger," the trainer tried reason, "but his moves have no effect on Ghost-types. All of Magikarp's attacks are Normal-type, which will go right through Morty's Pokémon."
"Cro," the Poison/Flying-type tapped his head with a wing.
"He does have a hard skull," Chris sighed, "but do you guys really think he could win without using any legitimate attacks? Smashing them with straight body blows will not produce a lot of damage. Power wise, Magikarp will be at a huge disadvantage."
"Quil!" the Fire-type was as passionate as Chris had ever seen him. The Volcano Pokémon refused to have the team back away from the challenge. "Lava!"
"Alright," the trainer exhaled slowly. "Alright." Chris placed his hands on his hips. "You guys sure know how to push me to my limits." The trainer couldn't help but laugh. "We'll do this your way."
Chris' Pokémon roared in approval, each giving their trainer a warm smile. The young man may have just sacrificed his chance for victory, but the admiration and respect he had earned from his team with made the risk worth it. This brought up a new dilemma. "So who is going to sub out for Magikarp? My original lineup was Quilava, Scyther, and Crobat."
The three Pokémon looked at one another. Quilava took charge and stepped forward.
"So no objections?" Chris did not see any doubt in his team's faces. "Then our lineup is set." Chris smirked. "We'll hit 'em with our curve ball first."
The group headed to the Ecruteak Gym. The facility was on the opposite side of town, meaning it was late morning when the team arrived. Despite the hopeful light from the sunrise, a thick fog still resided over the city. It created a very foreboding atmosphere as Chris stepped into the Gym.
A chill filled the air inside the dimly lit building. Bumps appeared along Chris' arms as the team came to the center of the room. Despite living in Ecruteak City for eight years, Chris had never been inside the Ghost-type Gym. The trainer had always been told that it was a place for the strong.
"The strong," the trainer's eyes fell on the blonde Gym Leader, who sat with his legs crossed, on the far side of the room. The candles that lined the room seemed to throw shadow across his face. He looked up at Chris slowly. The trainer noticed a different look in his eyes than he had seen earlier that morning. The trainer felt as though he had interrupted a spiritual session of sorts. Morty was in as focused a mindset as Chris had ever seen in a person. However, the focus in his eyes was not on Chris.
"Why have you come, trainer?" Morty's voice was calm.
Chris knew his answer would hold significant meaning. "My team is here to challenge you," Chris tried not to be verbose. "We are shooting to be a tight-knit family, the strongest team in the world."
"And how will that change the world?"
The question caught Chris by surprise. "Well, uh, I guess improvement and change has to start from within first. And then, maybe... it can spread to the rest of the globe?"
"But can it save the Fafetch'd?"
"Wha..." Chris was practically speechless.
"I'm just screwing with you, man," Morty cracked a smile, which drew a relieved sigh from Chris.
"Not going to lie," the trainer grinned, "you were beginning to freak me out. Especially with all the candles, shadows, and change the world business."
"Apologies," Morty chuckled, "I'm in better spirits this morning than I had been. I just returned from the Cianwood hospital. A trainer that traveled with me on my last exploration went missing and wound up pretty injured."
"Good to hear everything turned out alright," Chris was always a fan of good news. "I take it that's what has kept you away from Ecruteak?"
"Yes," the leader nodded. "Sorry if I kept you waiting."
"No need for that!" Chris looked back at his Pokémon. "You gave us more time to prepare."
"Fair enough," Morty shrugged. "Then how about we get down to business?"
The young trainer looked down and realized he was standing in the middle of the battlefield. He and his party quickly moved back to the open trainer box.
"You're the first challenger I've had today," the leader nodded. "I wish you luck."
Chris smiled at each of his team members, receiving the same look in return. The young trainer's team had trained all week for this moment. Now the training could be put into action.
"Let's break the mold," Chris withdrew a Poké Ball from his jacket and tossed it into the air. The Fish Pokémon exploded out of the device, but composed himself upon realizing his location.
"A... golden Magikarp," Morty's response was not unexpected. "How, creative?"
"This is my choice," Chris couldn't hold back a competitive sneer, "so let's see yours."
"As you wish," Morty peered through the light at Chris. "How many Gym Badges are in your possession?"
"Three," the trainer flashed the three symbols, each glowing brightly in the candle light.
"Then my first choice will be..." a shadow passed over the candles to Morty's left. Two eyes opened up, and a melodic voice fell on Chris' ears.
"Misdreavus," the pure Ghost Pokémon floated onto the battlefield.
"Will this be a three-on-three battle?"
""Yes," Morty quickly clarified. "You have the first move, trainer."
"Charge! Chris knew this battle could not drag on, even with Magikarp's improved stamina.
"A direct attack," Morty raised an eyebrow. "Psywave."
As Magikarp bounced towards the Screech Pokémon, Morty's choice fired a vibrant pulse of energy from her eyes. Magikarp did not slow his pace as the attack closed in. Chris had to believe that Morty could not predict the next sequence of events.
"Use Splash to get over the attack!"
The Fish Pokémon bounced hard off the ground, flailing into the air like he had been shot from a cannon. The move somersaulted Magikarp over the attack, and brought him over Misdreavus' head.
"Drop the hammer!"
Without missing a beat, Magikarp spun his body down, and blasted Morty's Pokémon with a whip of his tail. The blow sent Misdreavus spiraling to the ground. Magikarp landed softly back on the battlefield as complete silence encompassed the room.
Morty adjusted his headband before placing his hands on his hips. "You used Splash, the most useless move in existence, to successfully counter my attack?" The question was more of a statement, but it hung in the air regardless. Morty finally broke into a small fit of laughter. "Nice work." He suddenly regained his composure, as did his Pokémon. We will retaliate with Will-o-Wisp."
Magikarp had pursued too closely to avoid the blow, and was blasted by the dark flames. The Fish Pokémon shrugged off the initial blow, but Chris knew the effects would be problematic.
"Let's counter with another tail strike!" Chris attempted to speed up the pace once more.
"Take it, Misdreavus," Morty's call was unsurprising, given the weakened damage Magikarp's attacks would do, thanks to Will-o-Wisp's burn.
The Fish Pokémon still managed to deliver a solid blow with his tail, but Morty quickly responded with Dark Pulse. The blast of black energy knocked Magikarp away from the Gym Leader's Pokémon. As the Fish Pokémon regained his composure, Chris saw him flinch, a side effect from the burns he had received. Magikarp needed to close the distance once more.
"Charge, once more!" Chris could hear his other Pokémon cheering their teammate on as he flipped towards Misdreavus again.
"Dark Pulse," Morty called out, "and this time, angle it so that they can't get above the attack."
A vertical slash of darkness sliced through the dim area as Magikarp charged. The Water-type did not possess the lateral quickness, out of water, to avoid the attack and still carry out his own move. It was time for Chris to make use of Magikarp's second attack.
"Break through it with Tackle!" Chris quickly directed.
As the attack reached Magikarp, the Fish Pokémon bounced hard off the ground, slamming his body through the blast. The blow slowed Magikarp, but Chris knew the Fish Pokémon had battled through tougher attacks in training. The Water-type crashed into Misdreavus once more, this time sending both members hard to the ground.
"Now-"
"Hex!" Morty's command slashed through Chris'.
A dark purple glow encompassed Misdreavus' small body. Magikarp attempted to splash back, but the aura leaped from Morty's Pokémon onto the Water-type.
"That move has double the power since Magikarp is burned," Chris clenched his teeth as Magikarp writhed beneath the vicious attack. "C'mon Magikarp!"
The trainer's Pokémon stared in shock as the attack ended. Flames then exploded across the Fish Pokémon's back, the after effect of Will-o-Wisp.
"That'll-"
"Karp!"
The Fish Pokémon moved slowly, using his voice to ensure the others that he was still in the match.
"What resilience," Morty shook his head.
"The third time is the charm," Chris felt energized by Magikarp's display of toughness. "Push forward again!"
Though ravaged by damage and burns, the Fish Pokémon rumbled toward Misdreavus again.
"We know he can avoid our attacks from a distance," Morty remained calm. "Wait for my signal."
"Waiting for Magikarp to come into range," Chris mumbled to himself. These next moves would require perfect timing. One bounce, then another, and then a third. One more and Magikarp would be before Misdreavus. As the Water-type was preparing for his last bounce, Chris made his move.
"Slice through her with Flail!"
The Fish Pokémon landed just after the words had left Chris' mouth. The trainer quickly realized he had not given his Pokémon enough time to react to the order.
"Darni-"
Magikarp blasted forward with agility that shocked both trainers. The Water-type flailed his body, propelling himself at a much quicker rate than Morty expected.
"Dark Pulse!" the Gym Leader quickly directed. "Magikarp's attack won't affect you, so just prepare your move!"
"You're right," Chris grinned as Magikarp slipped harmlessly through Morty's Pokémon, "none of Magikarp's actual moves can hurt your team."
The Fish Pokémon's downward momentum brought him quickly to the ground. Without missing a beat, Magikarp splashed back towards Misdreavus, who had just begun to turn.
"But I know from experience-"
"Quil!"
"Nido!"
"Cro!"
"Scy!"
"-he has one hell of a thick skull!"
A crack echoed through the gloomy battleground. Magikarp had placed all of his body's momentum into the crown of his head; the same head that Chris met when he first encountered the Fish Pokémon. The Water-type drove his noggin straight into the surprised Misdreavus.
The blow dropped the Ghost-type immediately, leaving her completely motionless. Magikarp landed hard on the ground, but still displayed himself as battle capable.
"Misdreavus can't continue..." Morty starred on in shock, unsure of what to say.
"Great job, Magikarp!" Chris' Pokémon actually beat the trainer to the Water-type's side. The trainer parted his teammates and knelt beside Magikarp. "How... do you feel buddy?"
The Fish Pokémon gave a weak smile. "Karp!"
"Quil!" the Volcano Pokémon seemed more ecstatic about his teammate's victory, than he ever had about his own. Quilava had evolved in more ways than one.
"So let me get this straight," Morty had checked on and returned Misdreavus already. "First, you used a Pokémon that has no legitimate moves to damage my Ghost-types? Then, you used Splash effectively in battle to counter attack? And finally, as a giant blow to my face, you use my Pokémon's immunity to your Magikarp's moves to create a deceptive attack to seal the win?"
Chris thought for a moment. "Sounds about right."
"I think I'm royally pissed," Morty burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "Like, I'm really fucking angry!" he didn't stop laughing, leaving Chris feeling hesitant. "But damn, that was just... hilariously awesome."
"Thanks," Chris laughed nervously, still unable to decipher the Gym Leader's mood. He quickly sprayed ointment on Magikarp's wounds. 'I'm going to give Magikarp a break from the rest of the match, if that's alright?"
"Absolutely," Morty nodded at the Fish Pokémon, an action that only Magikarp caught, as the others were still celebrating his victory. "He earned it."
"Like Morty said," Chris bumped heads with the Water-type, "you deserve a good rest. I am so proud of you."
After the trainer returned the Fish Pokémon, he stepped back into the trainer's box. "My next Pokémon will be," Morty snapped his fingers and another shadow passed over the candlelight, this time to the right of Morty. Eyes, much more menacing than Misdreavus', opened slowly.
"Haunter," the Poison/Ghost-type uttered his own name eerily.
"Before we begin," Morty continued to mess with his headband. "What's your name? I usually never ask until the battle is through, but after that Magikarp fiasco, I have to know who this unorthodox trainer is."
"I may have given you a false first impression," Chris chuckled, "I'm not an off the wall strategist usually. I just had to get a little creative, considering my first pick."
"I see," the amused look on Morty's face did not change, "so how about that name?"
"Chris," the trainer replied quickly. The young man from Cherrygrove attempted to calm his nerves by casting a reassuring look to his team.
"Nice," Morty nodded. "Well Chris, shall we go a second round?"
"I'm game," the challenger nodded. "Scyther, step on up."
The Mantis Pokémon quickly took his place on the battlefield. Chris had wanted to save him for Morty's final Pokémon, but now that the trainer knew the Gym Leader's last member, Crobat's speed would be needed for that confrontation. The young man's focus needed to be on this battle.
"Begin!"
Chris' Pokémon had to close the distance. "Get after Haunter!"
"Charge also," Morty instructed, to the surprise of the challenger. Haunter's greatest asset was its long range Special attacks.
Both swift Pokémon were soon upon one another.
"X-Scissor!" Chris watched a smile appear on Morty's face.
Scyther swung forward with his claws and delivered a hard shot to the Ghost Pokémon, knocking it back a short distance. Chris realized quickly though that he had played into the Gym Leader's hands.
"Hypnosis!"
The Gas Pokémon revealed a mischievous grin, before trapping Scyther in its hypnotic gaze. A bright glow radiated between the two Pokémon, and then Scyther dropped to the ground.
"Wake up, Scyther!" Chris began to hurriedly shout. Scyther would not last long against any Pokémon in this state.
"Now, Dream Eater!"
A wicked looking stream of energy raced from Haunter's mouth and latched onto Scyther's skull. Particles of light began to rush from Scyther to Haunter, causing the Mantis Pokémon to recoil in pain.
"Nido!" the Drill Pokémon did his best to wake his comrade.
"Just like Magikarp," the Ghost-type trainer spoke as Haunter continued its assault, "Scyther was not a great choice. Haunter has a major resistance to Bug-type attacks."
Chris' body continued to tense up as Scyther attempted to shake off the pain. "Break away from the attack and use X-Scissor!" Chris had realized before the battle that Scyther didn't present a type advantage, but he was the only real usable Pokémon left beside Crobat. The trainer was working on a plan to utilize Scyther's one super effective attack against the ghosts.
The Mantis Pokémon managed to roll onto his stomach and slash the dream connection away. He pounced into the air a bit more quickly than the Gym Leader had predicted. Morty remained calm despite this. The Bug/Flying-type drew back one of his scythes.
"Now," Chris' voice surprised the Gym Leader, "switch to Wing Attack!"
Scyther channeled the energy from his claws into his expanded wings almost immediately. The Mantis Pokémon had insanely good reflexes in battle. He brought both wings forward.
"Night Shade!" Morty managed to find a countermeasure.
Haunter's eyes glowed once more, but Scyther still delivered his attack cleanly. After finishing the attack though, the Mantis Pokémon dropped to the ground in pain.
"Darn it!" Chris' knuckles were solid white. Morty had killed every chance for combos in both of the battles thus far. Scyther could not escape counter damage. These Ghost Pokémon were so skilled at quick, subtle damage. "Give them another Wing Attack!"
"Night Shade, again!"
Chris was fortunate in one way, as Scyther was quick enough to always get his attack off in this situation. "It just leaves him too open for Night Shade." Chris gritted his teeth as the two Pokémon exchanged blows once more. Chris knew Scyther's Wing Attacks were very powerful, but Haunter was dishing out too much damage. Chris thought of Night Shade's, and subsequently, Hypnosis' delivery. An idea popped into his mind.
"Charge again!"
"Don't let it get close," Morty commanded. "Hypnosis!"
"Spin around!"
Scyther did as he was instructed, swinging his back in the direction of Haunter, while still racing towards the Ghost-type. The trainer had neutralized Haunter's visual based attacks. Chris knew Morty's next decision would decide the battle.
"Sucker Punch!" the Ghost-type leader had held his own move in reserve.
Haunter disappeared, before reappearing beside Scyther. With his back turned, Scyther had no way of seeing his opponent. The Ghost/Poison-type threw a transparent fist into Scyther's side, before quickly beginning a retreat.
"Here's our chance!" Chris roared, seeing Scyther fight through the pain. "Chase it down with Pursuit!"
Perhaps out of instinct, Scyther fired after the Gas Pokémon like a missile. Being doubled in power by the retreating foe, Scyther delivered a powerful full body tackle to the unsuspecting Haunter. The super effective blow knocked Haunter out almost instantly.
"Haunter is unable to battle," Morty announced, intrigue coloring his voice. "Well done."
"Great work, Scyther!" the team rushed to stand beside the Mantis Pokémon. "How are you feeling after your first Gym Battle?"
"Scy," the Bug/Flying-type gave as enthusiastic of a response as he could between heavy breathes. The Mantis Pokémon was almost at his limit.
"Take a breather," Chris sprayed down Scyther's body, despite there not being any signs of physical damage. Haunter's attacks had mentally drained Chris' Pokémon, meaning Chris' medicine was all the more necessary. Scyther assured Chris that he was in good enough shape to cheer on the team in their final battle. Quilava gave the Mantis Pokémon an approving nod as Scyther took his place on the sideline with the team.
"You ready?" Morty's expression became all business.
Crobat swooped onto the battlefield, stopping in front of Chris. The trainer grinned. "Absolutely."
"Then it's your move."
"Alright Crobat," Chris knew his Pokémon's speed would be crucial, "let's take the battle to them."
With one flap of his wings, Crobat fired towards Morty's Pokémon like a bullet. The Gym Leader raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by the Poison/Flying-type's speed.
"Curse," Morty said plainly.
Gengar cackled maniacally, seeming to ignore Crobat's fast approach. The Shadow Pokémon raised both hands, forming a menacing looking dark spike. Gengar brought the spike towards Crobat, causing the Bat Pokémon to stop his advancement.
"Be on your guard," Chris remained hesitant, unsure of what angle of attack Morty had planned. Regardless, Crobat would be able to outmaneuver whatever was thrown at them.
"I must say," Morty smiled, "I wasn't expecting to face a Pokémon even faster than Gengar. This calls for a more desperate strategy." Morty nodded to his partner. "Do it."
"Gen!" the eerie creature pulled both arms into its torso.
The dark spike of energy swung back and, much to Chris' confusion, impaled the creepy Pokémon. The challenger and his team became wide-eyed, absolutely horrified by the action.
"W-why?!" Chris was stunned. "That's your own teammate. He trusts you to keep him out of harm's way!"
"Ghost Pokémon battle in a much different way as I'm sure you've noticed," Morty spoke calmly as the spike dissolved into Gengar's translucent body. "They keep a lot of tricks up their sleeves. One of them, is the strategy of collective pain."
Crobat suddenly began convulsing in pain, causing the Bat Pokémon to drop several feet before regaining his wits. Crobat shook off the sudden pain, but it was still a source of confusion for Chris.
"What is going on?" the challenger looked between the battling Pokémon.
"Dark Pulse!" Morty refused to delay any longer.
"Swing past it," Crobat dodged the energy attack as Chris instructed, "now counter with Crunch!"
The swift bat brought his powerful fangs down on Gengar. The Ghost/Poison-type shrieked in pain beneath the supper-effective move.
"Shake it off," Morty directed, prompting the Shadow Pokémon to free himself. "Shadow Ball!"
"Create separation!" Chris encouraged his Pokémon as Gengar quickly charged its attack.
"Gar!" Morty's Pokémon fired the black, menacing orb.
Chris quickly saw that his ally would be unable to get away in time. "Deflect it with your wing!"
As the powerful Ghost attack reached Crobat, the Bat Pokémon brought both wings up. The orb collided with Crobat's outstretched appendages, as the Poison/Flying-type desperately attempted to divert the attack to his left. Crobat let loose a screech and clung his left-wing out to repel the energy. Instead, the dark ball of matter exploded with a violent force. The detonation drove Crobat straight into the ground, blowing out the majority of the candles in the process.
"Are you alright Crobat?!" the trainer yelled towards the almost pitch black battlefield.
"Cro!" the Bat Pokémon reassuringly screeched back. This was quickly followed by a cry of pain from Chris' Pokémon.
"Curse's effects must linger," Chris tried to quickly analyze his current situation. The trainer could not make out the majority of the room, including the location of either competitor. The trainer knew he had been in the situation before. "It's going to be just like Sprout Tower, Crobat!"
"Interesting," Morty's voice hovered in the darkness. "Shadow Ball, again!"
Chris closed his eyes, just as he had weeks ago. Despite the opponent swap, he and Crobat would approach this battle just like their struggle with the Sprout Sage. The trainer reached out with his senses, noticing the sound of Crobat's moving wings. The trainer could also hear the drone of Gengar's attack getting louder.
"Fly to the right and deliver a Wing Attack!" the Flying-type move would not do as much damage, but it gave Crobat a better chance to actually land a move cleanly against the shifty opponent.
Chris felt Gengar's orb of energy rush past his head. The trainer heard Crobat's wings beating furiously as the Bat Pokémon charged the Ghost/Poison-type.
"Evade it," Morty directed.
"Keep attacking Crobat!" Chris quickly instructed, knowing Crobat could out speed Morty's Pokémon.
Several seconds past, with only the sound of flapping wings echoing through the room. Two hard cracks denoted a successful assault on the Shadow Pokémon, but they were immediately followed by another painful cry from Crobat.
"Curse is crippling us," Chris couldn't keep from gritting his teeth. The trainer thought back to how he had handled the dark battlefield in Sprout Tower. It hit him quickly, but Morty seemed to have identical plans.
In unison, they both shouted, "Confuse Ray!"
Two cyclones of light blinded Chris, forcing the trainer's eyes to adjust before he could check out the action. Both Pokémon were surrounded by pale, orbiting energy that illuminated the entire Gym. The opponents released each attack simultaneously, leaving their trainers no time to prepare a countermeasure. The opposing attacks found their mark, dropping the disoriented competitors to the ground. After the quick exchange, the room became dark again. A stiff silence fell over the battlefield.
"Keep your wits!" Chris encouraged. Crobat's confused state would thankfully not be amplified by the darkness, seeing how it was the creature's natural environment. They could still fight through. "Let's try another Crunch attack!"
"Keep it simple," Morty instructed calmly, "Dark Pulse."
"Cro?" the Bat Pokémon gave a bewildered cry, clearly incapable of carrying out the order.
The trainer could hear a swooshing sound, and knew Dark Pulse was on its way.
"Back into the air!" Chris pleaded, hearing the attack get closer. The trainer didn't hear the sound of flapping wings. Desperately, he shouted, "Brace yourself!"
"Cro!" the Bat Pokémon was driven into the ground once more by the attack. He screeched again, Curse' effect sapping him of strength.
His Pokémon's cries were beginning to tear Chris' heart apart. His friend needed him.
"I don't know how much more your Crobat can take," Morty spoke from the darkness. "He's tough, but I don't know if he can safely continue."
Chris knew the Gym Leader's words were sensible. Without being able to see or know the exact shape his teammate was in, it was risky to continue the fight. Especially after knowing how much damage Crobat had already taken.
"Cro!" the Bat Pokémon's voice still held some confusion, but beneath it, Chris could hear resiliency. The sound of Crobat's wings came soon after, demonstrating the Bat Pokémon's strength to make it into the air.
"I believe Crobat can continue," Chris answered, his voice not as confident as he had intended. "Isn't that right, buddy?!"
Silence followed, but Chris could still make out the sound of Crobat's wings.
"Alright," a sigh came through the darkness, "Shadow Ball!"
"Now's our chance," Chris called out to his teammate, "charge them with and dish out a Wing Attack!"
The trainer heard his Pokémon actually move towards their opponent. His commands were at least, partially getting through. There was a sudden silence that confused Chris. He knew that Crobat's attack had not landed, but apparently, neither had Gengar's.
"Calm yourself, Gengar," Morty could not disguise the slight urgency in his voice.
"It's about time Confuse Ray affected Gengar," relief flooded over Chris. He had begun to believe the status effect hadn't effected the Shadow Pokémon at all.
"Now's the time!" With this much of an opening, Chris wanted to go for the home run. "Hit 'em with Crunch!"
"Focus, and counter with Shadow Ball!" For the first time in their match, Morty seemed genuinely uncertain of the next sequence of events.
Both Pokémon shouted defiantly at the other as the tension built. Chris could sense Crobat closing in, but the trainer could also hear the eerie drone of a potential Shadow Ball attack.
"Gengar!" the Shadow Pokémon's roar was accompanied by a tremendous clap.
Chris could only assume the reverberating sound had followed a monumental collision. Whether it originated with Crobat's attack landing, Gengar's move hitting home, or a combination of both, Chris was unsure. After the sound of the impact faded, an uncomfortable silence followed.
"Crobat?" Chris spoke into the darkness. His statement was mimicked by his other Pokémon.
"Cro!" the Bat Pokémon released another horrific cry of pain, this one, causing Chris to finally charge the battlefield. "That's it! This battle is over!"
The trainer ran through the darkness, making a beeline in the direction of Crobat's previous cry. In his rush, he almost tripped over his teammate. Chris dropped to his knee to examine the Bat Pokémon. Somehow, the Poison/Flying-type was still standing, but just barely.
"Are you alright?" Chris' held his breath when the Pokémon did not immediately give a response.
"Cro," the Bat Pokémon finally shook his head and let out a disappointed sigh.
"Hey," Chris patted Crobat's head, "you have nothing to be ashamed of. We gave it all we had."
As Chris spoke these words, orange light engulfed the room. Through squinted eyes, Chris could see that Morty had relit the candles.
"You were wise in stopping the battle," Morty shook his head, but kept a grin on his face. "Though, you'd be hard pressed to convince me that you actually knew the outcome of the battle."
"What are you-" Chris stopped short after noticing something on the ground near Morty. A huge grin appeared on the challenger's face.
"That was a great battle, Chris." Morty took out a Poké Ball and pointed it towards his unconscious Gengar. The face down creature was absorbed back into the device. "In fact, they all were great battles."
"Thank you!" Chris tried to keep his cool despite discovering his victory. The trainer brought out a Super Potion and began spraying down Crobat as the rest of his team appeared at his side.
"Quil!" the Fire Starter nodded towards the Bat Pokémon, clearly impressed by his teammates resiliency.
"Nido!" the towering Drill Pokémon smiled down at his fellow Poison type and attempted to pat the victorious Pokémon on one of his wings.
"Woah!" Chris stepped between the two teammates. "He's still injured, remember?" Chris couldn't help but snicker. "If you gave him a friendly slap, you might actually knock him out at this point. Let's be gentle!"
"Scy!" the Mantis Pokémon did not get as close to Crobat as his teammates, but the Bug/Flying-type's voice was complimentary.
Chris grinned. At this point, I'll take it.
"It's always interesting to see how challengers handle their victory," Morty approached Chris slowly, giving the trainer a chance to finish caring for Crobat. "When we started this battle, I thought it was very unique that you kept your Pokémon on the sideline to cheer on their teammate."
"I figured that they can learn a lot from watching these battles," Chris cast a glance at his team, "and they can motivate each other, even from the sidelines."
"You seem to have the aura of a very competitive trainer," Morty extended a hand once Chris had finished tending to the Bat Pokémon. "It is refreshing to see someone be that passionate and open with their team."
"I've had to learn the importance of that," Chris begrudgingly admitted, thinking back to his struggles in Goldenrod City. "We've had a couple of trials, but through our faults, I'm hoping we will grow stronger as a team."
"As a Gym Leader," Morty fiddled with his headband, clearly a habit for him at this point, "I'm obligated to give trainers advice upon challenging me." Morty rolled his eyes somewhat. "It can be a bit lame and condescending sometimes, if you ask me."
Chris' eyebrows rose and a smirk appeared. "I mean, I guess you don't have to say anything life changing."
"It's not that," Morty ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the words. "I mean," he took a breath, before quickly exhaling. "Giving advice to you trainers is important. It really is. I just don't know if us spouting some quick, fortune cookie-esque saying really resonates with trainers, ya know?"
"Uh," Chris scratched his head, honestly unsure of how to answer the Gym Leader's question. "You could always offer them lunch?"
"That is true," Morty looked up at the ceiling. "But then I really have to make sure I don't lose very often, or else I'll be broke."
Morty seemed legitimately torn over the issue. This left Chris in the awkward position of waiting to receive the Gym's badge. The moment was quickly dispelled by another visitor.
"Gar!"
A ghostly hand appeared on Chris' shoulder, resulting in a terrified scream from the young man, and causing the trainer to lose his balance. Chris fell to the ground with an unceremonious thud and backed away quickly from the apparition's sudden appearance.
"Who?!" Chris locked eyes with the same black, beady pupils he had seen earlier that morning. The red glow of Gengar's eyes was even more unnerving up close.
A jubilant laugh followed, as Morty's Gengar pounded the ground, loving the reaction he had received.
"It wasn't that funny," Chris mumbled, clearly embarrassed in front of the Gym Leader.
"There you are, buddy." his Pokémon's sudden appearance seemed to have snapped Morty out of his moral dilemma. "I was wondering where you had snuck off to."
Chris noticed confusion on his team's face at the sight of another, larger Gengar. "This is his powerhouse, guys." Chris looked over the smiling Shadow Pokémon. "This Gengar is the one I saw this morning."
"Oh, did you see us on our run?"
"Yeah," the trainer slowly stood back up. "I'm not surprised you didn't notice me. You seemed in the zone."
"Quil!" the Volcano Pokémon growled at Morty's powerful ghost.
"Easy, buddy," Chris stepped between the two Pokémon. "The match is over."
"Lava," the Starter Pokémon pointed at himself. Pride was not lacking in Quilava.
"Gengar," the Ghost/Poison-type relished the response he was receiving. The Shadow Pokémon twisted through the air, cackling wildly at Quilava's challenge.
"Relax," Chris dropped to a knee beside the Fire-type. "It's not worth the trouble. They are waiting to see how we respond."
The Volcano Pokémon was very reluctant to back down. He remained on his toes, flames bursting from his back, as Gengar continued to taunt them. Finally, Quilava begrudgingly turned away. Both trainer and Pokémon could sense the strength hiding behind Gengar's playful behavior.
"You're having a little too much fun," Morty chastised his Pokémon and shook his head. "My apologies. He hasn't seen combat in almost a month."
"It's all good," Chris laughed it of. "Our team has a competitive nature, so that probably doesn't help Gengar's patience."
"How about I take you up on that lunch suggestion?" Morty placed a hand on Chris' shoulder and revealed the Fog Badge in his free hand. "You've certainly earned it."
What a huge win for Chris and his team. The challenges don't get much tougher than Morty, especially when battling with a Magikarp! But what a show Chris' shiny Magikarp put on! With the Gym battle over and a month and a half left till the Olivine Cruise, what will Chris do to pass the time? What trainers, both new and old, await him during the next phase of his journey? Will Chris finally grow a pair and visit the Bell Tower? These questions and others will be answered in the next chapter of Heart and Soul! Have a great Holiday and I will be seeing you soon! Thanks!
