Note- Summer-summer-summertime! Welcome to this summer party! We got Jazzy Jeff DJ'ing. We have Will Smith on the track. Another month brings us warmer temperatures and, more importantly in my case, another chapter! Welcome back Heart and Soul readers! We last visited Waz and played witness to a life-and-death encounter with a Legendary Beast. Today, the stakes may not be as high, but for one young trainer, he's about to take on one of the biggest roadblocks to his Pokémon journey. Thank you for joining me and your fellow readers for another action packed adventure in Heart and Soul! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Johto Adventures 2: David's Ghostly Boogaloo
"Is everybody alright?" Chris yelled into the darkness.
There was a long, worrisome silence.
"'Ty!" came his fire starter's roar.
"Cro!"
"Nido!"
Chris scrambled on hands and knees toward their voices. The damp cave air had superheated in a matter of seconds. He could feel sweat building on his neck and shoulders as he crawled. He came to a sudden stop. "That's only three. Flaaffy? Scyther? Eevee?" He breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing three different answers to his right. "Why didn't you guys answer the first time? Are you hurt?" He let another sigh pass when they replied with a negative. "Typhlosion and Flaaffy, we need those lights again."
A moment later, two beacons appeared, one on each side of the trainer. Four figures flocked to them, and soon, all of Chris' team was accounted for.
"Flaaff'?" came the Wool Pokémon's question.
"I'd like to know myself," Chris answered, motioning back to the opening in the rock on their right. A faint, red glow emanated from the chamber they had just occupied. He slowly approached the natural door. He heard his teammates follow a moment later. Peeking his head through the opening, a sudden warmth came over him. The heat and red glow intensified until he could stand it no more. Staggering back, he wiped the stinging from his eyes, and found Typhlosion and Scyther at his side. "It's like an oven in there." The Volcano Pokémon strode forward. "Be careful," Chris called after him. "It looked like there was… magma."
Typhlosion stood up on his hind legs and flashed a thumbs up. That helped to ease Chris' nerves slightly. The Fire-type leaned through the opening. Then he stepped through. Several heartbeats passed in silence. The trainer rocked back and forth on his heels, a hand pressed firmly to his mouth. All he could think about was the dangerous showdown between David and Magmar inside the Safari Zone's volcano. He had been sure that at least one of them wouldn't make it out of there alive. Chris' entire body relax upon seeing the golden glow of Typhlosion's flames on the opening. When the starter returned, he rose back on to his hind legs and stuck both feet out into the air in front of him.
"Ty," he growled, moving his appendages in a slow, wavy motion.
"So it is magma?"
The aptly named Volcano Pokémon shrugged.
"Hm. Guess you've never actually seen a volcano. Was the ground super hot and flowing like a river?"
Typhlosion nodded.
It was Chris' turn to growl. He'd never heard reports of any volcanic activity in Mt. Mortar. "That was the only path registered on my PokéGear. We'll have to find one farther east that connects back to it."
"Flaaff'?" the Wool Pokémon hesitantly asked.
"Afraid so," Chris replied, following her vision toward the other opening on the far end of the chamber. "That'll be our only option for now." Her groan brought a smile to the trainer's face. Even though he had no desire to explore this mountain maze, he couldn't help but feel content so long as his team was with him. "I tried to tell ya that we'd probably get lost at least a couple times. Still, if we work together, we'll find a way out of here. Even if that means Nidoking has to dig out the mountain side."
"Nido!" The Drill Pokémon threw back his horn and flexed his biceps.
That managed to draw a slight chuckle from Scyther. "Scy."
"We'll all have a part to play," Chris added. "Crobat can scout ahead. Flaaffy will follow behind with her beacon." He paused to consider the rest of the team's positions. "Give me Scyther behind her. That should be plenty of support for any wild Pokémon that Crobat and her stir up. I'll have Eevee and Nidoking on my right and left. That'll leave Typhlosion at the back to provide lighting in case someone or something tries to surprise us." The trainer regarded the faces of his team. Each carried a resolute look, almost stern in its intensity. Flaaffy had abandoned her reluctance and now waited for her trainer's signal. Even Eevee seemed to have mustered up the courage to overcome the darkness upon seeing his comrades focus in. They know our peril, Chris thought, and its only strengthened our resolve as a unit. "Then once again, let's find that eastern path."
Late afternoon had given way to evening. The falling sun had taken on a bloody red hue. Its light struck an ancient willow tree in Ecruteak's southwest corner. The city's Gym sat beneath the ominous shadow it cast. The dark blue roof and windowless exterior seemed to embody a structure absent of care for the goings on in the world around it. Upon entering the facility, David didn't find the interior to be much more cheerful.
Candles near the walls provided the only light in the central chamber. The room's ceiling was obscured by a dark purple haze. Stepping toward the nearest wall, he found paintings lining the walls. Around their frames, small symbols and artifacts glowed in the sickly light. Another step brought David within reach of a trio of paintings. Two of the three displayed smooth images clearly created through brushwork. The third piece possessed a much rougher texture. Squinting closer, he thought he could make out fingerprints in the piece displaying a tower of flame.
Movement out of the corner of his eye ripped David's attention away from the art display. His gaze fell on nothing. The thick, dark air hung silent and motionless. He blinked, silently praying that what he had seen would reappear after a millisecond of blindness. It did not.
Something glided across the center of the chamber. David whipped his head toward the hovering figure… and found no one.
Shit. The word raced through David's body, rocking his spine and causing his knees to nearly rattle together. He would never have admitted it to his recently established comrades, but ghosts absolutely petrified him. The trio's encounter with the gang of ghouls in the Safari Zone had nearly caused his bowels to release. As a boy on Cinnabar, his older brother had filled him with enough ghost stories to keep David up into the early hours of morning. After the move to Violet City, each passing Halloween brought its share of teases from David's classmates. They'd meant nothing serious by it, but the taunting had served as a constant reminder. Even at his position in the Safari Zone, he always switched shifts to avoid working anywhere close to well known Ghost-type hangouts. He'd hoped to overcome that fear today. I have to, he thought. The team is counting on me.
"My team."
David threw off his backpack and dug into the compartment that housed the capture devices. The last time he'd spoken with them had been the day before. It had come right after Chris and Luke's departure. The team had deliberated in a park square for nearly an hour over when to take on Ecruteak's Gym Leader. Despite his boisterous front around Luke and Chris, David had secretly hoped for extra time to mentally prepare. Not only would they be taking on one of the most talented Gym Leaders in the world, but they'd be facing a type that had scared David for as long as he could remember. Ultimately, his team had sided with him, despite Nidorina's strong objections.
"Welcome to Ecruteak Gym."
David jumped sideways, nearly hurling his backpack in the direction of the voice.
"Woah," the individual softened their tone, "you're not in danger."
David blinked back the fog from his vision and found a man standing a couple paces from him. He wore a black, long sleeve shirt and white slacks. A purple headband held back his messy blonde hair. How the hell did he sneak up on me? David wondered.
"I like that you didn't immediately seek me out," the man continued, turning to face the painting that rested in front of them. "Most visitors aren't focused on the decor when they visit."
"Uh," David hesitated, finally recognizing this man to be the Gym Leader, "I just was trying to work my way through the haze. Happened to wind up over here."
The man's even face twisted up into a small smile. "Is that so?"
David followed the man's gaze back to the painting depicting a pillar of fire. "Did you paint this?"
The man's smile faded. "I did not. This piece was made nearly two hundred years ago."
"Dang." David looked over the symbols and wooden figures scattered around the edges of the piece. "Those objects around it look super old too."
"Absolutely. Those are fragments and relics from the very first structures of Ecruteak. They're a constant reminder of the city's tradition, and of its humble beginnings."
The two of them stood there for several drawn out seconds.
"I'll be ready to battle whenever you are," the blonde man finally said.
"How'd you know I came here to battle?"
The man closed his eyes and seemed to fall into a trance. "I was blessed with the skills of a seer. Since discovering that, I've worked hard to build my inner vision." He opened one eye. "Oh, and I also heard you mumbling something about your team."
David gave a laugh. The act seemed to relax his nerves. "And I guess you don't get many tourists, either."
"Most who come in here are too intimidated to stay for long." The man regarded David with an apologetic look. "I hope my ghosts didn't scare you too bad."
David waved a hand. "Not at all. It's all in good fun"
The older trainer studied David for an extra couple of seconds, his eyes staring hard into the Violet City native's own. "My name is Morty."
David extended a hand. "I'm—"
Morty cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Sorry. I like to battle my opponent before knowing their name. Feel like I get a better sense of them that way. I know that probably sounds strange."
David shrugged. "You do you."
Morty grinned and shook the challenger's hand. He then led them toward the center of the large room. David could feel his jaw tighten at the sight of purple figures weaving through the fog above him. His eyes could never get a lock on the swaying creatures, but he could make out their dim vapor trails. He tried unsuccessfully to clear his throat. "This, uh, is a great habitat for Ghost-types. A large, dark space set to a cool temperature."
Morty turned his head fractionally toward the trainer. Something twinkled just beneath his headband. "You have much experience working with Pokémon habitats?"
"I worked at Johto's Safari Zone for a couple of months. Got to see a lot of different Pokémon in their natural ecosystems."
"Ah," a smile returned to the Gym Leader's face. He waited to speak again until after he'd adjusted his purple scarf. "Did you get to work with many Ghost-types?"
"A few," David lied.
Morty nodded slowly. He turned a sheepish grin toward the challenger. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I actually used to be afraid of Ghost-types."
David felt his heart skip a beat, but only his eyebrows moved on the outside. "Really?"
"Yep. When I was little, I would freeze and cover my eyes at just the sight of them. And I would see them all the time. Growing up in a tradition-filled city like Ecruteak made it hard to escape encountering them. During festivals like this one, when Ghost-types are more likely to interact with people, I'd lock myself in my room and hide beneath my blanket. Even then, I felt as though I couldn't escape seeing them."
"How'd you make it to this point?" David asked, motioning at the gym around them.
"I confronted one." Morty stared off into the distance, but David could sense that he was looking beyond the wall. "After years of running and hiding, I finally faced my fears. I bumped into a Gastly in an alley one night. His eyes grew big when he saw me, and he flashed that creepy grin my direction. But I didn't run. Something kept me grounded. For the first time, I saw beyond the intimidating exterior and creepy stare."
"What'd you do?"
Movement drew David's gaze to a spot over Morty's shoulder. A shadow, dimmer than the darkness around it, pressed forward and came to a halt beside the Gym Leader. Two terrifying red eyes flashed into existence, followed by a wide, sinister grin—the nightmarish smile of a Gengar.
"I caught him."
A clicking sound echoed across the room. It was followed by a near-blinding flash of white light. David brought up a hand and squinted back toward the entrance. The door stood ajar, and a figure now resided beneath the infiltrating sunlight.
"Eusine," Morty's voice carried a hint of surprise. "I wasn't expecting you back for another couple of days."
"Plans changed," came a sharp voice. The figure strode confidently forward until he had come to stand before David and the Gym Leader. His light brown hair had been combed back, with only a small collection of bangs extending out over his forehead. His formal attire consisted of a white, short sleeve button up tucked into a belted pair of light blue shorts. "There's been movement," he added.
Even beneath the shadows and his headband, David could see Morty's brow furrow. "Of which kind?" he asked.
"Both," Eusine gravely replied. "Something has pushed the trio into a chaotic frenzy. I've never seen them move or act this sporadically. There was a report yesterday about Entei nearly killing a young trainer. I feel like that has to be connected with some of the suspicious movement being reported between Goldenrod and Olivine." As the newest arrival paused to take a breath, his eyes fell on David. The Mystery Man did a double take.
"It's just like you to get tunnel vision," Morty said with a chuckle, his expression having returned to its relaxed default. "This young man was planning on challenging me today. He's from…" the Gym Leader turned toward the would-be challenger, "where, exactly?"
"I've lived in Violet City the last several years. I'm originally from Cinnabar Island."
At the name of the second location, both mens' eyes lit up. Eusine was the first to speak. "A Kanto boy, eh?" A sly grin—not unlike those his former traveling companion from Cherrygrove would give him—appeared on the Eusine's face. "Good company then. And a capable battler I'm sure."
"Are you from Kanto?" David asked.
Eusine placed a fist over his heart. "Celadon City claims me as her child."
"My aunt and uncle live in Celadon!"
Eusine nodded. "My grandfather still lives a couple blocks over from the Gym."
"Such a small world," Morty said, stepping between them, and bringing both hands to his temples. "I'm amazed I didn't foresee this fateful meeting."
"Spare me the fortuneteller act," Eusine moaned, the smirk never really leaving his face. He turned to David and brought a hand up to cover his mouth. "He says he's a seer. I'd bet all the money in my wallet that he told you to hold off on giving him your name till after your challenge. Wants to 'experience your spirit through battle.'"
"You think we find that chamber in the Ruins of Alph without it?" Morty piped up, a wry smile creasing his lips.
The Celadon City native blew back a bang that had fallen in front of an eye. "Didn't do much to help us find that kid that got lost. And don't even get me started on tracking Suicune. Almost twenty years of attempted research—"
"I yield," Morty said, raising both hands in defeat. "Spare me another lecture on my skills as a part time researcher. I will say though, to your credit, I've noticed my powers have weakened these past few months."
Eusine's grin disappeared. "That might be tied with one of the reasons I've come back."
Morty glanced over at David, who had watched the previous exchange with wide, confused eyes. "Our discussion will have to wait until after my battle with this young man. I am on the clock after all."
Eusine crossed his arms. "Fine. I'm only in a slight hurry. And besides," he added, nodding toward David, "I'd enjoy seeing a Kanto native whip your ass."
Morty motioned toward the empty judge's spot at the edge of the battlefield. "Then move your ass over there. We'll need a ref for this match, and I don't think any of my crew are around at the moment."
Eusine opened his mouth and closed it slowly. With a wave, he strode over and took his place inside the painted box on the floor.
Morty turned back to David. "Let's do this."
The battlefield lay in the center of the chamber, obscured by the natural haze of the gym. David found his trainer box and tossed his backpack onto the ground behind him.
"How many badges do you have?" Morty called.
"Three."
Without a sound, the Gym Leader bowed his head. A moment later, a shadow passed over the candlelight on David's right. Staring into the dim light, the challenger could just make out the hovering presence of an apparition.
"Misdreavus," the creature's soothing voice called.
David's hand instinctively went for the Poké Ball in his left pocket. He forced the hand into a fist. Not yet, he told himself silently. He slowly drew out a capture device from his right pocket. He threw the sphere into the air and winced as a white light issued out of the nothingness.
"'Vee!" came the cheerful cry of the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee's optimism provided the smallest boost to her trainer's wavering confidence. The Normal type's moves would have no effect on the ghoul, but the same would apply for Morty's Ghost-type attacks. Luke had stressed type advantage to him repeatedly in their training sessions. The young man hoped he could make the most of the trade-off.
"The challenger will have the first move," Morty announced.
With a strong desire to leave this house of specters, David wasted no time in getting the battle underway. "Close the distance with a Quick Attack!"
The Normal-type sprinted forward with her trademark burst of quickness. Even though Kadabra and Scyther were his fastest teammates, neither had that quick first step that Eevee possessed. She had cut the distance between her and Morty's Pokémon in half before the latter finally responded.
"Standby," was all he said.
David's brow furrowed, but he refused to call off the approach. Physical attacks would be the only moves in Eevee's arsenal that could damage Ghost-types. He would just have to take a page out of Chris' playbook and adapt to whatever schemes Morty had in store.
Eevee had now closed the distance between the two. Misdreavus continued to hover five feet off the ground, her eyes fixed on her opponent, but her spectral form showing no signs of aggression.
"Bite attack!" David directed.
The Normal-type pounced into the air and chomped down with an extended pair of black energy fangs. The attacked ghoul grimaced, but kept her eyes on her opponent. Eevee had just let go when Morty suddenly spoke again.
"Will-O-Wisp."
Falling back to earth, Eevee had no way to avoid the black flames that rained down on her. She landed hard on her feet, but winced as a burst of flame slid across her spine.
"Psywave," Morty cooly commanded.
"Jump back!"
Eevee just managed to stumble back as a twisting stream of energy blasted the ground she had stood on.
"Dark Pulse," Morty called out. The Gym Leader had flipped a switch, and now showed no sign of letting up.
"Roll to the side!" David frantically directed.
The Evolution Pokémon rolled beneath the expanding wave of dark energy that emanated from Misdreavus.
"Smokescreen, on the double!"
Eevee spat out a plume of jet black smoke. The cover spread and formed a wall between the two combatants. It would stop Morty from continuing his assault, allow Eevee to catch her breath, and give David a chance to gather his thoughts. He winced at the sight of another spontaneous flame smoldering along his Pokémon's side. Whatever he decided to do, he couldn't delay much longer. I've got to get creative with my approaches, he thought. Quick Attack had been a nice way to open the battle and sneak a quick strike in, but something so direct would likely not succeed twice against an experienced trainer like Morty. He'd need to use Eevee's full arsenal…
Morty's voice slipped through the black cover, but it was too low for David to hear. A sickly sphere of chaotic energy burst through the darker cloud of smoke, and was on Eevee before David could even respond.
"Hang tou—" he cut himself off as the dark ball passed harmlessly through his wide-eyed Eevee. Morty's tactic came to him a split second too late.
Misdreavus slipped through the fading smoke, launching a crescent slice of darkness toward her stunned opponent. Dark Pulse found its mark, and sent Eevee onto her stomach.
"Psywave," came Morty's louder direction.
David could see that Eevee wouldn't be able to handle another direct attack. He had to break Morty's momentum and find a way to get back on the offense. With Eevee's debilitating status, he'd need to deliver on both at once. That's when a thought struck him.
"Kick up a Sand Attack with your back feet!" he commanded.
Facing the ground, the Normal-type had no problem digging her feet into the dirt to kick up a brown cloud of dust. The particle-filled burst passed harmlessly through the ghoul, but lingered in the space she occupied.
"Now roll back onto your feet!"
Obscured by the dirt-laden cloud, Misdreavus fired her wavy stream of pink energy at the location she thought the Normal-type might roll to. Eevee, however, had flipped over in the other direction. The Ghost-type hadn't moved between Eevee's attack and her own, setting up David for a counterattack.
"Bite attack, let's go!" he roared.
Eevee pounced into the air and brought her fangs down on the fading cloud of dust that had surrounded the Screech Pokémon. There was a shriek of pain, confirming a successfully landed attack. But when the dust cloud faded, David was shocked to see Morty's Pokémon still airborne. Even with Eevee's clamped jaws around her side, the Ghost-type had her eyes on her trainer, awaiting his command.
"Drop down," Morty's casual voice hardened.
Misdreavus fell like a meteor from space, stopping mere inches from the ground. Eevee's body dropped with her, but unlike the spectral ghoul, the Normal-type's body was made of flesh and blood. With a crack, Eevee smacked the ground stomach-first, and relinquished her grip on Morty's teammate.
"Looks like your 'mon is—" Morty stopped himself as Eevee staggered back up to her feet. A spiraling flame licked at her back, but she withstood the lingering burn.
An immense pride welled up in David at the sight of his teammate's resolve. It reminded him so much of his battles with Jasmine—his Nidorina's gutsy performance in particular. But just as that match had ended, so too must this one. David waved a hand toward Morty and quickly stepped over to his Pokémon's side. "We'll yield this round." Eevee looked up at him in clear frustration, but David could see the exhaustion in her eyes. "You did an amazing job making the most of your moves. Take a breather and trust your teammates to carry on what you started."
Eevee pouted, but didn't press the issue. David bent down and lightly tapped the creature's capture device against her skin. After a red flash, the Evolution Pokémon had vanished.
"Good call on the stoppage," Morty acknowledged. "That tells me something about the bond you and your team must share."
"We're working toward that," David replied. Though my ultimate goal is a bit more… ambitious, he silently added.
Eusine lifted an arm lazily toward the Gym Leader. "This guy takes the first round."
"Who am I?" Morty egged on.
"An asshole," Eusine replied, before turning to David. "Please don't make me have to acknowledge this guy again."
David's nerves didn't let him verbally respond. He gave a simple nod instead. "Next up," the challenger finally said, tossing another Poké Ball onto the battlefield.
With a flash, Magmar appeared on the scene. As the battlefield brightened with his presence, David felt his own spirit pulse with life.
Eusine examined each party before raising both arms. "The second round begins now."
"We await your move," Morty said, adjusting his headband.
"Okay," David heard himself say. He may have been down a Pokémon, and he might still be up against a type he feared, but this next battle could turn the tide. A small grin fought its way onto his lips. Chris must have rubbed off on him in the short time they'd been together. His next move would channel his companion from Tohjo Falls, however. "Lava Plume, max power!"
"Match them with Dark Pulse."
Misdreavus let loose a dark wave of energy. The attack had nearly reached Magmar by the time he had finished prepping. Whipping his head forward, the Spitfire Pokémon released a flaming orb to meet the oncoming move. The concentrated sphere seemed to warm the room by several degrees as it ripped through the center of Misdreavus' attack. Without slowing down, Lava Plume raced the length of the battlefield and exploded into Morty's Pokémon. A pillar of fire erupted upward at the point of contact, launching the apparition toward the ceiling. Morty watched in disbelief as his teammate drifted back to the ground and remained still.
The Gym Leader dropped to a knee to check on his teammate. "I guess you weren't kidding when you said max power."
Eusine pumped his fists. "That's more like it."
Magmar turned toward his trainer and received a thumbs up. The sight brought a smirk to the Fire-type's visage.
"That's all our strength training with Luke paying off," David told his teammate. When he took notice of silence from the opposite end of the battlefield, he looked up. Morty stared back at him with a concerned expression. David tilted his head to the side. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah." Morty's face slowly returned back to its relaxed default. David thought he could still make out a curious look in the Gym Leader's eyes. "I'll go ahead and bring out your next opponent."
A shadow flickered over the candles by the wall. A wicked cackle echoed around the chamber, chilling David's blood. The sight of Magmar backpedaling alerted the challenger to the location of their next opponent. A Haunter hovered at the center of the battlefield, a nefarious grin plastered across his shapeless form. David's spine stiffened at the sight. He already missed Misdreavus.
"I—I'm ready when you are."
An uncharacteristically sinister grin appeared on Morty's face. "Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice.
"Mhm," was all David could manage.
"Then we'll await your move."
David forced his clenched fists to relax. Despite the unnerving ghost's presence, he and Magmar had already worked their way out of an early deficit. The Spitfire Pokémon hadn't even taken damage. This next battle could see them seize the momentum. They needed to start with a bang. David pointed toward their adversaries. "Give 'em a Lava Plume barrage!"
With the distance between them, Magmar had plenty of time to prep the energy for the assault. With an outstretched hand, Morty kept Haunter at bay. The Gym Leader's eyes remained fixed on Magmar.
Seeing his teammate's puffed out chest told David it was time. "Fire!"
Magmar snapped his head forward, launching a bright red orb toward the hovering specter. At that, Morty brought down his arm, and Haunter sped forward. An instant later, Magmar had whipped his head forward three more times. A trio of flaming spheres had joined the first. David couldn't help but marvel at his Pokémon's flawless execution.
I'll have to thank Chris and Typhlosion for helping with control…
His good vibes were swiftly crushed by the approaching Ghost-type. Haunter bobbed through the air, slithering between the pillars of fire that exploded up from Lava Plume's impact with the ground. The creature's speed was unlike any David had ever faced. It seemed like Morty's teammate had closed the gap in the blink of an eye.
"Night Shade," he heard the Gym Leader command.
There would be no time to avoid or stop the assault. David instead opted for a counter. "Fight through it and deliver a Fire Punch!"
Magmar brought back a fist and a red aura slowly formed around it. The Spitfire Pokémon kept his eyes fixed on the incoming attack. Twin bolts of black energy had leapt from Haunter's demented eyes and now zigzagged their way toward David's teammate. "Break through and knock Haunter down a peg!"
The Fire-type finished preparing his attack before charging into harm's way. He had only made it a couple of steps when the dark beams reached him. Haunter's attack sliced into Magmar's chest, but the Spitfire Pokémon pressed on. Several more steps brought him within range of his cackling opponent.
"Shut him up!" David called out, anger momentarily superseding his fear.
"Dodge it," Morty confidently responded.
Magmar swung his fist forward in his best imitation of Electabuzz' Thunderpunch. In another impressive display of speed, Haunter slipped back, avoiding the haymaker entirely. That left his airborne opponent in a vulnerable position.
"Sucker Punch."
In an instant, Morty's Pokémon had swept under Magmar's outstretched arm. One of his detached fists swung out, delivering a dark energy punch to the Spitfire Pokémon's gut. The species wasn't known for their physical strength, but Haunter's strike still managed to send Magmar careening toward the ground.
"Get your feet under you!" David hurriedly reminded his teammate.
Magmar managed to spin his body around at the last possible second. His feet slammed into the earthen battlefield, drawing a wince from the creature that, even through the dim lighting and speed of battle, David could see.
"Too fast," the challenger hissed under his breath. Haunter was already surging forward again. If Magmar didn't start landing his attacks soon, this battle would be over in a hurry. Glancing toward his teammate, David could see the faint red aura from Magmar's previously attempted attack. There's our chance, the trainer thought. "Go for Fire Punch again! Use the same hand!"
Haunter was almost upon David's teammate when the Spitfire Pokémon brought back his fist once more. A look of surprise, followed by a devious smile, overcame the Fire-type's expression. As Haunter's eyes took on the nightmarish glow for Night Shade, Magmar suddenly sprung forward.
"Heads-up!" Morty warned.
Haunter had drifted too close, though. Magmar jumped up and swung his flame-encased right fist. The punch found the Gas Pokémon's ghoulish face. A wave of fire rippled out from the point of contact. Haunter recoiled back, a pained expression momentarily replacing his unnerving grin.
"Perfect!" David howled. "Now, set him down with Lava Plume!"
Magmar's momentum had carried him a good distance into the air. He took aim at the recoiling adversary beneath him. This was their chance to put away Morty's second teammate.
"Hypnosis!" the Gym Leader suddenly directed.
Haunter's painful expression became focused. His eyes locked on to the Spitfire Pokémon's. Much as he needed to, Magmar could not look away while in the midst of preparing his attack. A pale blue glow came over the Gas Pokémon's eyes. A moment later, the Fire-type's body seemed to relax. The fiery glow near his mouth faded. His arms fell limp. And worst of all for his trainer, Magmar's eyes took on the same blue glow.
"Magmar!" David shouted. He knew with Hypnosis having just occurred, his yelling would be useless, but that knowledge did nothing to ease his worry.
Having reached the pinnacle of his jump, the Fire-type began to fall. With no control over his body, Magmar dropped like dead weight.
"Use Dream Eater once he's landed," Morty instructed. The Gym Leader pushed up his headband, and David could tell that the older trainer could sense how close he was to winning this battle.
The challenger winced as Magmar hit the ground with a loud thud. Despite what must have been a painful landing, the Spitfire Pokémon still looked to be sleeping peacefully. Should I recall him? David silently pondered. His teammate had already taken several hits from Haunter. The Magmar species had never possessed a great deal of bulk. One or more rounds of Dream Eater might be enough to finish him off. But the thought of Morty's final teammate held off that train of thought. If he returned Magmar and brought him back out for the final battle, his teammate would still be asleep. And if Morty kept his best Pokémon for last, as was almost certainly the case, a sleeping challenger had no shot of winning.
David gritted his teeth as Haunter telekinetically wrenched out Magmar's energy in the form of green orbs. With a spine chilling cackle that made the challenger come up on his toes, the Gas Pokémon began to devour the floating life force spheres.
"You've gotta wake up!" David shouted once more. Between the fall, Haunter's attack, and his screaming, he knew Magmar couldn't stay asleep for much longer.
"One more time," Morty calmly called. David could hear the assuredness in his voice. This battle would be over once Haunter followed through.
"Haunt'!" the ghoul howled as a burst of fire erupted from the center of his visage.
"What?" the Gym Leader's normally even voice cracked.
David blinked in disbelief, but slowly, a smile crept on to his face. "Thank Arceus for Flame Body." Looking at his teammate, his smile widened. Between the sprouting flames and Haunter's howl, Magmar had finally come to. And Dream Eater had brought their opponent within striking distance. "Feint Attack!"
Magmar rolled onto his feet. He stumbled over his first steps, still shaking off the sluggishness, but the Fire-type found his footing not long after. When Haunter looked back toward his formerly snoozing opponent, he found only an imprint in the battlefield.
"To your left!" Morty warned.
From among the shadows, Magmar dove at the confused Ghost-type. Haunter tried to retreat, but the Spitfire Pokémon's momentum proved to be too great. David's teammate slammed into the ghoul with a full body tackle. The dark energy around the Fire-type's body seemed to add to the Pokémon's weight and impact. With a painful howl, Haunter drifted back, and slowly sagged to the ground.
"Nice work!"
David nearly jumped at the sound of Eusine's voice. Among the dim lighting, terrifying ghosts, and tense battles, he'd completely forgotten about the trainer's presence. It took him an extra moment to recall and process what the self titled Mystery Man had said. "Oh... thanks!"
"Forcing us into mostly close quarters combat," Morty said with a nod, "that was a smart strategy."
David managed to keep a look of confusion from appearing on his face. He thought I planned all that out? The challenger forced a grin on to his face. "Yeah, uh, Flame Body always seals the deal once we land a few physical attacks."
Despite his exhaustion, Magmar turned back to give his trainer an exasperated look. David's grin quickly morphed into a guilty smile as he shrugged away his teammate's knowing expression.
The sound of Morty chuckling brought David's attention back to him. The Gym Leader had his eyes on the trainer. The man's vision carried with it something that David couldn't quite identify. "This has been quite an enjoyable battle so far," he said.
"For sure," David agreed. Despite the creepy ghouls and the uncertainty of the match's outcome, the young man from Violet City couldn't help but feel energized by the intense back and forth. "It feels great to have regained some momentum."
An uncharacteristically wicked smile creased Morty's lips. "Try not to lose it."
The room darkened at that moment. The shadows cast by the candle light seemed to extend out from the walls and reach hungrily toward the battlefield. David saw a small cloud of fog pass in front of his face. He paused and suddenly realized how hard he was breathing. Bursts of condensation continued to pass between his lips as the air temperature cooled. One of the stretching shadows twisted its way to the center of the dedicated fighting space. The formless darkness slowly rose out of the ground and took shape. David gulped. The sight of two glowing red eyes and a maniacal grin had his hands shaking. He could feel cold sweat trickling down his back. One more, David, he told himself.
"Will you stick with Magmar?" came Morty's official sounding question.
David's eyes moved from the Poké Ball in his hand, to his battle-worn teammate, and then to Morty. Seeing the Gym Leader wrestle with his headband managed to ease the challenger's nerves somewhat. This Gengar before him wouldn't steal his soul. They were in the middle of a Gym Battle. David and his Pokémon were fighting for their fourth gym badge. That's all this was. The challenger looked back at the Shadow Pokémon's unreasonably large grin. This is all that's standing in our way.
"Are you good to go?" David asked his current partner.
Without hesitation, Magmar nodded back. "Mag'."
"Hell yeah," David heard himself say.
"Then let's get the fourth round underway," the Gym Leader said with a nod.
"Don't let up," Eusine added.
The challenger nodded. "We're going to bring the heat," he informed, trying his best to psych up his worn down teammate. "Lava Plume!"
"Opening with it for a third time," Morty replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Shadow Ball, Gengar."
As Magmar prepared to fire his flaming orb, Gengar gathered a spiraling vortex of dark energy. The mischievous creature had formed the black aura into a ball and fired it before Magmar could even finish prepping.
"Release it!" David pleaded.
The Spitfire Pokémon's attack met Gengar's the moment it left his mouth. Whether due to rushing or a general lack of energy, Lava Plume was almost immediately overwhelmed by Shadow Ball. The chaotic orb of black energy smashed through the condensed ball of flame and scored a direct hit on Magmar. A chilling screech echoed out as Gengar's attack shattered against David's teammate. The collision knocked the Fire-type into the air and deposited him beside his trainer.
David fought the urge to run over and check on his teammate. Per league rules, such a move would automatically force his teammate to concede the battle. So the trainer watched, with clenched fists and gritted teeth, as Magmar rolled onto his stomach and attempted to lift himself from the ground.
"One major component of battling involves keeping your opponent guessing," Morty spoke up. He pointed a finger at Magmar. "Opening with Lava Plume in three consecutive battles let me see exactly how the move worked. By the time you used it on Gengar, I already knew how long it took to charge and how much strength it would pack." He blew at a blonde bang that had fallen over an eye. "Being predictable will get you beat against higher leveled trainers. You have to be willing to switch up your strategy when necessity demands it."
David absorbed the impromptu lecture and felt his head nod in response. He had been guilty without a doubt. He turned his gaze toward his teammate. Magmar had brought his head up and heard every word the Gym Leader had just spoken.
"Shadow Ball."
Gengar had charged and fired another pulsing sphere of dark energy by the time Magmar had made it back to his feet. The Spitfire Pokémon looked on, his arms hanging limply at his side, as the Ghost-type move bore down on him. Just as the chaotic ball swung up to strike him, the Fire-type dipped to the side, avoiding the attack by mere centimeters. Luke's teammate scrambled forward, his arms still dangling helplessly, but his resolve affirmed with each step he took.
"Hm," David heard Morty mutter over the relatively quiet battlefield. Based off the Gym Leader's expression, he hadn't seemed to expect Magmar to still be able to fight. David honestly wasn't sure himself, but he decided to aid his Pokémon until the Fire-type had lost his will to fight. "Confuse Ray," came Morty's controlled response.
"Get in close," David encouraged. Long ranged attacks would take too long at this point. But with his teammate's arms effectively useless now, the challenger knew of only one effective attack. And he'd need to time it just right.
A pale shroud of light passed from Gengar and drifted swiftly toward Magmar. David waited until the status move was nearly on top of his teammate. "Feint Attack!"
Magmar pressed off his right foot and spun around the eerie attack. He disappeared into the darkness on his left, leaving a bewildered Gym Leader and his Pokémon to track him.
"He disappeared to your right," Morty reminded his partner. "Let's prepare a Shadow Ball and aim it that way."
Once Gengar had followed his trainer's instructions, there was a tense moment of silence as both parties awaited the appearance of Magmar. David heard a sharp intake of breath from Morty. "He's behind you!
Magmar had somehow managed to push himself fast enough to get behind his opponent before Morty or Gengar could notice. Gengar had only managed to turn halfway around when Magmar delivered his full body tackle. The super effective move knocked Gengar off balance, and nearly caused him to lose hold of the chaotic energy in his hands. To his trainer's horror, Magmar stumbled and fell to his knees after delivering the blow. He'd given all he had.
"Carry through with Shadow Ball!" Morty directed.
Gengar shook off the pain from the super effective surprise attack and spun around to find his opponent vulnerable. Even as David extended Magmar's Poké Ball out to return him, he knew he'd be too late. The large orb of darkness crashed into the Spitfire Pokémon and bent him backwards. David could tell his Pokémon was finished even before the ear splitting whine had faded.
"Magmar is unable to battle," Eusine stated matter-of-factly. David could see a look of respect in his eyes as he examined the defeated Pokémon. He slowly turned his gaze toward Morty, and then at David. "That brings us to the deciding battle, gentlemen. It's been a fine contest so far, but I expect a challenger from the great Kanto region to bring this home." The Mystery Man flashed a smile to try and mitigate any additional stress he had just placed on David.
"That's what we came here to do," David replied, though he couldn't bring himself to return the warm expression. He had hoped to deal significantly more damage to Morty's final teammate before sending in his closer. Gengar still looked as though he hadn't even battled yet. The situation reminded David of his city's baseball team, the Violet City Sprouts. Their pitching—from their starting rotation to their bullpen—was exceptional, but they found themselves losing more than they won due solely to their inability to build on leads. The bats would falter late, and as the games stretched into extras, their pitching would eventually be forced to yield the game winning run. Other teams in the league—especially those in their division—like the Cherrygrove City Cobras, would mock the squad mercilessly when they made the short drive south. Now that I think about it, David mused as he stepped to his teammate's side, I'll have to ask Chris if he's a Cobra fan.
David killed his current train of thought and focused on his defeated teammate. The trainer brought out a Super Potion and began to spray down his partner's wounds. "How are you feeling, Magmar?"
"Mag," came the creature's low, shallow response.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do more."
"'Mar," the Spitfire Pokémon replied, shaking his head. He gave his trainer a thumbs up.
"Well, anyway," David said, swallowing hard, "you were awesome. I can't believe you took down two of Morty's Pokémon and still were able to put up a fight against his third. You deserve a long rest."
Magmar didn't argue with that. He let his trainer return him to his capture device.
"Your Magmar really impressed me," Morty acknowledged. The Fire-type's sneak attack had left it defeated right in front of the Gym Leader's box. From this close, David could see the genuine admiration in the twenty something year old's eyes. "If he can build off that impressive stamina, you might have yourself a tank come the Silver Conference."
"I've got to get your Gym Badge to get there," David reminded him. The challenger slowly turned and headed back to his designated box.
"Let's decide this," Eusine's voice sounded official, but David could hear an ounce of impatience buried within it. The challenger couldn't blame his anxiousness. It sounded as though the researcher had come back with some important news. He certainly hadn't rushed here just to referee a Gym Battle.
"Let's see your final teammate," Morty said.
David stared down at the Poké Ball in his hand. A feeling of déjà vu came over him. This had been the last Pokémon he'd used against Chuck as well. Hoping for the same result, he tossed the device into the air. The Psi Pokémon materialized onto the battlefield and immediately assessed the situation. He turned his head slowly, first examining Gengar, then looking over the Gym Leader.
"Interesting," Morty commented with a smile. "A battle involving two Pokemon weak to one another's types."
Kadabra turned his stoic expression on his trainer. As he looked at his teammate, David felt a calming presence come over him. At one Pokemon apiece, their victory may not have been assured—or even likely—but somehow… David felt as though Kadabra was already working out a winning strategy. His demeanor and approach to battle reminded the challenger of the trainer he had most recently departed with. Even with the limited time spent with the Tohjo Falls native, David had picked up on the young man's affinity for pre-battle strategy. In Kadabra's case, it would be up to David to discern his Pokemon's victory plan and see it through to completion. The creature's intelligence and mental prowess were so far beyond his trainer's that David knew finding the right strategy would be a matter of when, not if.
The Psychic-type nodded slowly toward his trainer before turning back to face the opposition.
"The challenger has the first move," Eusine reminded after a moment of stillness.
David hadn't forgotten. He knew once the first command had been made, time for rational thought would be scarce. And for his Pokemon, whatever move he decided to begin the battle with would ultimately affect the strategy Kadabra implemented. In his Gym Battle against Chuck, David had used his partner's speed and disruptive moveset to wear down the brawler's Fighting-types and ultimately place them in vulnerable positions to be knocked out. Though in that contest, the strategy and decisions had come almost entirely from Kadabra. Through spurts of telekinesis, the Psychic-type had eventually smartened David up to his plan. From there, the trainer had helped his partner more effectively dispatch their remaining adversaries.
"Kadabra won't be able to spend any mental energy on me this time," David muttered to himself. Gengar's Shadow Ball was too strong to ignore. One ounce of hesitation could put the Psychic-type on the fast track to unconsciousness. It became clear to the challenger what their opening strategy should entail. "Start things off with Kinesis!"
Kadabra thrust forward his right arm. The spoon in his hand twisted and stretched out like it was his own appendage. A swirling vortex of multicolor light spiraled out an instant later. Gengar had no time to dodge as the bright energy struck and orbited his face.
"Shake it off and close the distance," Morty hurriedly directed. Gengar displayed his tremendous speed by covering the length of the battlefield before David could get out his next command.
"Psybeam!" the challenger hurriedly commanded. Not even a second after calling for the attack, David felt a negative telepathic nudge from his teammate.
"Dodge it."
The Shadow Pokémon slipped around Kadabra's ray of psychic energy. The move had brought Gengar face to face with his opponent.
"Shadow Ball!" Morty's directed in a raised voice.
The Poison/Ghost-type quickly collected the dark energy into a sphere and fired it. At such a close range, Kadabra had no time to use its shiftiness. The orb struck and dispersed across the Psychic-type's chest, dropping him to a knee.
Should have held off on attacking, David silently berated himself. Kadabra must have wanted to wait for Gengar to give them another opening. With his speed, the Psychic-type could have avoided an oncoming Shadow Ball and been prepared to counter. Instead, David had opened up his own teammate for punishment.
"Decreased accuracy doesn't matter if our target is at point blank range," Morty called out. Even from this distance, David could see a small smirk at the edge of his lips.
"That's true," the challenger admitted. "But even with that setback… we still got Gengar to do what we needed." Upon seeing a confused look come over the Gym Leader's face, David waved a hand toward his teammate. "Disable!"
Kadabra brought up his spoon and bent it forward with a thumb. A golden bolt of energy leapt from the silverware and struck Gengar in the chest.
"Hm," David heard the Gym Leader murmur.
"Follow that up with Psybeam!"
On Morty's command, Gengar managed to leap back in to the air to avoid the super effective move. The spectre stopped once he had put a safe amount of space between himself and his opponent.
"Trying to throw us off our game," Morty said with a nod, "I like it. Unfortunately for you, firing off special attacks isn't this Gengar's M.O." He nodded at his teammate. "Curse."
The ghoul brought his shadowy appendages together. A wisp of dark energy materialized in front of the creature. Within a matter of seconds, the black aura had grown and twisted to form a spike.
"Give them another Psybeam," David quickly commanded. He wouldn't wait to see what their opponents had in store.
As Kadabra prepared his attack, the Poison/Ghost-type suddenly smacked his chest. The challengers watched on in shock as the dark spike stabbed into Gengar.
"Shit," David hissed, unsure whether to be pleasantly surprised or horrified. Morty's Pokémon drifted slowly toward the ground, his creepy visage contorted in pain. This would be just the opening they needed to finish the battle. "Knock him out!"
The familiar peculiar ray of energy leapt from the Psychic-type's spoon. As it closed in on their vulnerable opponent, David knew the attack would be enough to win them the Fog Badge.
"Kadab'!"
The Psi Pokémon violently convulsed. He staggered backward, dropping his spoon to the floor.
"What's up?" David shouted over the creature's coughing fit.
The Psychic-type couldn't respond, but at that moment, a shadowy entity slithered out of Kadabra's back. David looked back at the creature that had just stabbed himself. Any signs of pain had vanished—his grimace having been replaced by an evil grin.
"Curse…" David mouthed. He could only assume it was a status move that affected both parties. He couldn't let this battle drag on. "Bring him down with Psybeam!"
David felt another negative twinge in his subconscious as Kadabra bent to pick back up his spoon. He'd rushed his teammate. This was evident in the unfocused and inaccurate attack that followed. That gave Morty and his teammate a chance to add onto the challenger's suffering.
"Toxic!" the Gym Leader directed.
Gengar twisted through the air like a demented ballerina. As he spun, he opened his mouth, and a foul smelling purple liquid rained down. The purple liquid splattered onto David's teammate. A hiss started up from the grounded goo, followed by faint traces of steam. Kadabra dropped to his knees as that same steam poured off his back.
"We can't let them sit back and widdle us down." David's reminder was as much for himself as his teammate. "We have to—"
"Kadabra!" the Psychic type slammed his left fist into the ground as another dark specter pounced from his back.
David flinched at the sight. He could feel his head pounding as he tried to figure out how best to aid his teammate. Had Morty placed them in an unwinnable situation? Should he forfeit and spare his teammate from his drawn out suffering.
A sudden burst of emotion surged into David's consciousness. He felt an incredible pain that made his eyes sting. His back burned like someone had pressed a hot iron to it. Kadabra. The creature had linked their minds once more. David could see now that his partner was attempting to show his trainer how hopeless their situation was. The battle needed to be stopped.
Kadabra!
A silent voice screamed into his consciousness. He looked through a squinted eye and found Kadabra had made it back to one foot. The voice boomed again through his skull. A word came through clear as day. Focus. The same word he had screamed to himself the day he had caught Abra. The Psychic-type had done his damnedest to teleport away from the persistent trainer, but David had managed to track the shifty creature until he could run no farther. Focus and persistence. Those two ideals had gotten him a new teammate that day on Route 35. Today, it would bring him the Fog Badge. The connection with Kadabra vanished and the trainer was alone in his thoughts once more.
"Of course," David breathed. He gathered all the strength he could muster into his voice. "Telekinesis!"
Despite all the pain he was in, and even though he faced a moving target, Kadabra managed to bring up the hand that held his spoon. The silverware rocked back and forth, tracing Gengar's movements. David watched on, waiting for the right time. A shadowy ghoul leaked out of Kadabra's back and passed through the burning steam from Toxic. Still Kadabra held his spoon steady. A moment later, David felt everything line up.
"Now!"
Kadabra took on a white glow that faded almost as quickly as it had appeared. Gengar, who had been surfing through the air, suddenly froze. The constant maniacal grin was suddenly replaced with a disconcerted frown.
"Great shot," David breathed.
"Confuse Ray!" Morty hastily commanded.
"You know what to do," David told his teammate. He turned to face Morty. "I was wondering why you hadn't used another attacking move. With Shadow Ball disabled, we were prepared to contend with whatever other attacks you'd throw our way." He glanced over at his battle worn teammate. Kadabra had just collected the necessary psychic energy into his spoon. "I gotta say, you threw us for a loop."
"But you recovered," Morty replied, a small smile surfacing on his lips. He watched as Gengar's white ray was obliterated by Kadabra's attacking move. "And now, I get to learn the victor's name."
"This is Kadabra."
The translucent bolt of energy slashed into Morty's stationary teammate. The shadowy form of Gengar vanished as the glowing psychic energy encompassed it. A thud echoed around the chamber before the light had even faded. At the sight of the fallen Shadow Pokémon, Eusine brought up a hand and waved toward the challenger.
"And I'm David."
"Who's there?"
Chris and his team had traversed the cave for more than three hours. They had yet to find a passage that led them east. Not that Chris could have kept track of direction beneath the mountain. His PokéGear had no real maps beyond the eastern path that bordered Route 42. Not that it would have mattered, as his device's GPS couldn't possibly have located him. The team had traveled in relative silence for the past hour or so. The trainer could sense he wasn't the only one dealing with a rising stress level. That's when Crobat had given a warning screech. Flaaffy jogged over and brought her tail up to light the edge of the chamber. Scyther flew forward to aide the Bat Pokémon with any potential enemies. A tense moment of silence followed. This prompted the trainer to catch up with the rest of his team.
Upon reaching Flaaffy, Chris looked out at the space her beacon had lit. Scyther and Crobat hovered in the air near the edge of the Wool Pokémon's light. Just beyond them, two broad figures stood motionless. Upon hearing Chris' question, neither being replied. The trainer took a few cautious steps forward. He could hear Eevee's uneasy steps beside him.
At that moment, Typhlosion, who had cautiously watched the group's rear in case of ambush, finally made it to his trainer's side. The flames from his shoulders, added with Flaaffy's glowing tail, helped illuminate the entire section of cave they now inhabited. The intimidating duo ahead came suddenly in to view.
"'Champ," the creature on the left quietly said. It had a humanoid appearance, but possessed four arms and way too much bulk. Chris immediately identified it as a Machamp.
"Conkel'," the creature on the right hissed. Chris narrowed his eyes as he examined it. The bipedal cave dweller stood shorter than his counterpart, but possessed just as much bulk. He held a black pillar in each hand. He had both columns pressed firmly into the ground. The way he held them out led Chris to believe that they weren't just for show. The trainer had never seen a Pokémon like this before. A quick scan with his Pokédex revealed it to be the Muscular Pokémon, Conkeldurr.
"A fitting descriptor," the trainer mused. As he examined the scene closer, Chris found a small passageway between the two hulking creatures. He strode forward to lead his team though, but the two Fighting-types stepped over to block the opening..
"We need to get through," the trainer explained. Though they hadn't given them much in the way of verbal communication, Chris figured such an explanation would have to draw a response.
It did not.
"We're heading east to Mahogany Town," Chris tried again.
Silence.
"Ty," came his starter's frustrated growl.
Chris reached back and placed a hand on the Fire-type's arm. "We'll battle our way through if we need to," he whispered, "but that's our last resort." He turned back to the sentries. "We don't want to fight you. We just want to get through this mountain with as little trouble as possible."
A grin came to Machamp's face. He extended one of his arms out and pointed at Typhlosion. He brought a second arm up and pointed at himself.
"'Phlosion!"
The heat from his starter's flames momentarily dispelled the clamminess Chris had felt since entering Mt. Mortar. It also helped to bring the trainer from Cherrygrove out of his cautious mindset. "If we have to burn through you, we will."
At that, Machamp began to chuckle.
"Nido!" the Drill Pokémon roared.
Chris looked over at Conkeldurr. "Are you going to intervene?"
The Muscular Pokémon looked over each member of the team before him. "'Keldurr," he growled, shaking his head.
"Fine," Chris replied through gritted teeth. He turned his attention back to the Superpower Pokémon. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
At that, Machamp slowly began to walk toward the party.
Chris sighed. "Don't say we didn't warn you." He nodded at Typhlosion. "Flamethrower."
The fire on Typhlosion's shoulders jumped into a frenzied state as the Volcano Pokémon reared back. Machamp continued his forward progress, never changing his steady pace. As the fire starter whipped his head forward, the trainer saw the Fighting-type bring up his hands. A stream of fire leapt from Typhlosion's mouth. As the flames reached Machamp, the Superpower Pokémon extended out both arms and began to move his hands rapidly. Chris watched on in confusion as the Fighting-type somehow continued his approach. Several steps later, Machamp had reached the Volcano Pokémon's side. That's when Chris finally saw what was happening.
"He's beating back the flames with… Karate Chop?" Chris vocalized, more as a question than a statement. Typhlosion himself seemed in shock. The Volcano Pokémon ended the attack much quicker than usual. He must sense it to, Chris thought. "Flame Wheel!"
As Typhlosion sprinted the short distance between the two, the flames from his shoulders spread until he had made himself a living fireball. The Fire-type dove to deliver his flaming tackle. The Superpower Pokémon brought his hands up right before the collision. In that instant, Machamp managed to catch Typhlosion's attack with two of his arms. Holding the fireball in place, the Fighting-type then swung his other pair of arms forward. Two Karate Chops found the side of the Volcano Pokémon's head. The flames around Typhlosion vanished as the fully evolved starter recoiled in pain. That was all the opening Machamp needed. With a fluidity Chris didn't know the species possessed, Machamp pounced forward, making it to Typhlosion's back, and wrapped two massive arms around the trainer's first Pokémon.
One look at the starter's face told Chris that the time for one-on-one was over. He'd go with a super effective striker first. "Crobat," he called for the Bat Pokémon's attention, "Wing Attack, let's go!"
Even though he had only been in the PC for a few days, Chris had already forgotten how quickly Crobat could move. Having taken the role of scout, the Bat Pokémon was already close to the action. But that still didn't prepare Chris for how brief the amount of time would be between his command and Crobat's attack landing. The Poison/Flying-type swung down from the ceiling and struck Machamp's exposed head with four super effective blows. Chris called for the move again. Crobat swung around and drew back his four glowing wings once again. Too late, trainer and Pokémon noticed sparks issuing out of one of Machamp's fists. While still clutching tightly onto Typhlosion, the Super Pokémon delivered a solid Thunder Punch uppercut right to the approaching Crobat's jaw. Despite all the work they had done to improve the Bat Pokémon's stamina, the strike knocked the creature from the air and left him splayed on the ground.
"Nido!"
The Drill Pokémon came rushing in next, his horn already glowing bright green before Chris could call for Megahorn. As he rumbled forward, Machamp turned to face the Poison/Ground-type, placing Chris' starter in harm's way in the process.
"Watch for Typhlosion!" the trainer reminded his teammate.
Nidoking slowed his approach upon noticing Machamp use his companion as a shield. In that moment of hesitation, Machamp spun over and delivered a chop to Nidoking's throat with a dark coated hand. The critical hit sent Nidoking staggering backward in a coughing fit. That sight seemed to push Flaaffy over the edge. The normally reserved Electric-type scrambled forward, her body pulsating with sparks. With such a small strike window, Chris was afraid to call any attacks with the still progressing Wool Pokémon.
"Ty!" came the Volcano Pokémon's gasping voice. He waved as best he could with one of his pinned legs. He pointed at Machamp, urging Flaaffy to ignore him and strike.
"We'll find a way to do this without having to hit you too," Chris shouted back. "Flaaffy, get in close. If he tries to attack you, he'll only be opening himself up.." The trainer knew the Electric-type was his slowest teammate and nowhere near the most coordinated, but it was the only way he could ensure her attacks wouldn't hit Typhlosion.
Flaaffy dashed in a zigzag pattern, slowly inching her way closer to Machamp. The Superpower Pokémon eyed her movements closely. When Flaaffy had made it to just outside of arm's reach, Chris decided to pull the trigger.
"Thunderbolt!" he directed. Typhlosion would no doubt be hit with some residual electricity, but he had faith in Flaaffy's ability to land the attack from this close of range.
As she fired the charged up energy into a concentrated bolt, Machamp suddenly reached out with an electrified fist. The punch discharged and scattered the electrical current in every direction, leaving a stunned Flaaffy to look on in shock. The Superpower Pokémon brought his other free hand around and delivered a Karate Chop to Flaaffy's torso. The blow dropped the sturdy Pokémon to her knees.
Chris found himself running forward now. With Typhlosion unable to produce much flame due to Machamp's Submission hold, and Flaaffy struggling to remain conscious, the lighting in the cave had grown quite dim. Light from the Electric-type's tail flickered every few seconds, revealing the body-covered floor. As Chris drew close, he noticed a small figure running at his feet. Looking down, the light revealed his last remaining teammate at his side. Even with such poor visibility, Chris could see the terror in the Evolution Pokémon's eyes. The trainer could sympathize with him. The Normal-type was staring down two super effective, fully evolved opponents that had just taken out his more experienced teammates. But as Chris looked back up and saw Machamp drag Typhlosion to the ground, a fierce rage replaced all other emotion.
"Quick Attack, Eevee!" Chris shouted. As the Normal-type rushed forward, the trainer drew back his own fist.
"That's enough!"
A booming voice brought all conscious beings in the chamber to a halt. Chris slid to a halt as Machamp released his Submission hold on Typhlosion. The Superpower Pokémon slowly stood back up and faced the opening in the wall that had sparked this whole conflict. True to his word, Conkeldurr had not moved an inch from his position. He too now faced the natural door.
A figure stood in the entryway. As Chris' eyes adjusted to the dim light, he could make out the tall silhouette of a human. The person began to slowly move toward him. Typhlosion, though still shaken, managed to make it back to his feet. The flames from his shoulders illuminated the corner of the chamber once more. That's when Chris locked eyes with a man wearing a martial artist's gi and a black headband.
We end with David's triumph and Chris' defeat. The former managed to survive his fear of ghosts and earn his fourth Gym Badge. The latter ran into a heated situation, which led him into an even more fiery encounter. What was Machamp and Conkeldurr's deal? Who is this mystery man that ended the conflict and seems to carry the respect of the powerful Fighting-types? We'll look to find out the answers to these questions, as well as others, in the next action packed chapter of Heart and Soul! I hope to see you then! Please Review and Subscribe!
