Chapter 8
I have no witty or cool title...
I own nothing, please support the official release.
Vs Rina
xxx
Ash grinned at his Krabby. King glared at him and renewed his struggles. If his claws weren't taped together, he might have stood a chance. As it was, the trainer only laughed at his efforts. Bulbasaur gave him a frightened look and hid her head in Gore's thick fur. Gore snorted, ignoring their antics in favor of alternating between glaring at Vulpix and his partner as he strode along route eight.
At least he's angry at someone else too. The boy shrugged, better to split the boar's ire with Vulpix than him having to deal with it alone. "Hey you, C'mere! Take on the Bridg-" the boyish voice was cut off by a squawk.
"Be polite!" a deeper voice ordered. Ash turned to the voices with a raised brow. A man with a black mohawk and a leather vest was squeezing a similarly dressed boy's head. "Apologize, Danny!"
"Okay! I'm sorry," he muttered to Ash giving the man an annoyed look. "You know one of these days I'll be in charge, and you'll pay big time Ben!"
"Whatever," the man, Ben, replied rolling his eyes. Behind the two was a boy who looked to be about his age who was tinkering with a motorcycle. "Anyway," the biker began giving what Ash assumed to be his brother another stern glance, "How would you like to be the first to take the Bridge Bike Bros Challenge," he offered priming a Pokeball.
"Bridge Bike Bros Challenge?" Ash repeated drawing his knife. Ben tensed and moved to stand in front of his brother, but relaxed immediately when Ash only began cutting at King's tape.
"Yup! We're licensed by Lady Sabrina of Saffron," the eldest brother explained quickly striding to Ash and showing him a paper. Gore snarled and spat a small gust of ice in front of the man's feet. "Okay, easy big guy," Ben said backing away with his hands raised. Ash shot the boar a stern look and offered the biker apologetic look.
The trainer freed King with a final cut. The crab pushed himself out of Ash's hold with an irritated hiss and a dark look to match. "Shoulda took the break," the boy said shrugging. Ash ignored his Pokemon's infuriated chirps as he strode to the eldest brother. Well, it does have the official symbol of Saffron. For centuries Saffron family had treasured the Abra line and used it for their badge. Until, a few years ago when Sabrina took over the Gym and added a Drowzee and a Tyrogue to their badge. I wonder if the Tyrogue is a way of showing respect to the Dojo? The Drowzee, he knew, was added due to Sabrina's own partner being a Hypno.
He handed the document back to the biker. Replicating a city's badge was grounds for prison time at the least, and execution at the worst. It depended on the Gym Leader and the severity of the crimes attached to the fake badge. Three one on one matches with a thousand dollar prize if he won. Can't hurt. "I accept!" Ash said smirking.
"Good, then you'll be fighting Danny first," Ben said the gentle smile on his face at odds with his rough appearance.
"Right," Ash muttered glancing back at his team. Gore glared at him and turned away. Bulbasaur was ignoring him in favor of staring at tree leaves swaying in the wind. The trainer didn't bother asking Vulpix. "C'mere King!" he called turning back to his opponent.
Danny was giving him an unpleasant smirk as he released an average looking Pidgeotto. Ash gave the Pokemon a considering look as the bird shrieked and glared at an unmoved King. Flying-type Pokemon were considered the fastest Pokemon for good reason, but they were also considered among the frailest. "Battle begin!" Ben yelled.
"Gust!" the youngest brother cried. The Pidgeotto shrieked as its wings were engulfed by a silver glow. The bird flapped its wings rapidly sending a gust of wind at the Krabby.
"Harden," Ash said raising a brow. His Krabby gave his opponent a condescending look as he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden. The trainer pulled down on his hat to keep it from flying off. Is it newly evolved? To his surprise, Danny looked shocked that the move didn't have any effect. "Water Gun!" he ordered stroking his chin.
"Up! Then use Double Team!" Danny snapped his brow furrowed. The Pidgeotto squawked and took to the sky as the pressurized stream of water raced toward it.
"Rapid Gun!" Ash suggested with a shrug. King chirped and fired three Water Guns in succession. The bird flew away from the streams of water with the lack of effort Ash had expected. He shrugged, it had been worth a shot. "Harden!" he ordered after the bird activated its Double Team.
Double Team was an ability that allowed the user to create several illusionary clones of itself. Ash didn't quite understand how the ability worked, but he did know that the illusions were harmless. "Air Cutter!" Danny barked with a grin. Each bird gave a shriek as their silver wings shot several small blades of wind at the confused Krabby.
King managed to activate Harden again and crossed his arms over himself before the blades hit him. The crab hissed as small cuts formed in his armor. "Just keep using Harden!" Ash commanded through gritted teeth. Double Team, what an annoying move! The only methods to tell the clones apart from the original was by looking at their shadows and the sound they made as they moved. For a bird pokemon, Double Team was an incredible boon. Right now, he doesn't have any way to deal with such a quick Pokemon, so we'll have to wait until it gets tired.
"Aerial Ace!" the youngest brother said with a smug smirk.
Or until he charges me directly like a moron. "Harden! Then grab it with Vice Grip!" Ash ordered. Aerial Ace was a an incredibly fast attack that that involved combining Quick Attack's speed with Wing Attack's wind manipulation. Pidgeotto chirped and dove toward King with its wings cloaked in a layer of wind manipulated to cut. King and his trainer's eyes widened at the bird Pokemon's speed before it slashed at the crab with a wing. The Krabby hissed as a far larger cut appeared on his shell.
"It's coming back around!" Ash barked at his dazed Pokemon. The bird did a flip then dove toward the crab with even fiercer winds surrounding it. "Powder Snow, aim for its wings!" he commanded his lips stretching into a grin.
"Get back!" Danny shouted his eyes wide. The bird flapped its wings desperately to slow its ascent, but only succeeded in making itself even more vulnerable the chilly gust. Pidgeotto squawked as it crashed into the ground. The bird struggled to lift itself up and return to the air. But no matter how hard it flapped its wings It wasn't able to stay airborne.
It shrieked as a rippling orb of water slammed into its chest and threw it a few feet through the air. "Falc!" Danny cried running to the downed bird. Ash snorted and strode to congratulate his Pokemon. Flying Pokemon that had their wings frozen or injured were helpless. That was one of the basic things children were taught in Trainer's school. Fighting a Pokemon who had evolved to fight with his pincers with Aerial Ace was reckless at best. If the youngest brother had kept using Air Cutter he might have stood a chance.
"You did great," Ash said as he knelt next to his Krabby. King chirped, then moved so that he stood at his full height and his claws were displayed. Ash grinned at the Pokemon as he patted his tiny crown. I sure do have a humble bunch.
"Kick his ass, Stan," he heard Danny growl.
"Ready to go again?" Ash inquired giving his friend a considering look. The crab chirped and snipped the air. The black-haired trainer smirked and rose. His smirk quickly fell into a more serious look when he saw his opponent's Pokemon. The middle of the three brothers had released a pink Nidorino that was giving King a predatory look. Ash glanced behind him then sighed, relieved. Fortunately for Nidorino's health and Ash's wallet, the rest of their team had decided to take a nap. Thank the Sky God and the Great One for little miracles.
"Don't go wild or else," Ben snapped giving the Nidorino a stern look. The poison-type whined and kicked at a large rock. Ash blinked, that was an unexpected shift. "Ready you two?" he asked his tone far kinder. Ash nodded and Stan gave his brother a thumbs up. "Then let the battle begin!"
"You don't have to be so dramatic about it," Stan muttered rolling his eyes. "Use Sludge!" the black-haired teenager ordered. The rhino snarled and shot a large glob of poison at King. The crab leaped away from the poison, only to be met with Nidorino's Tackle. Before the horn could pierce him, King grabbed the weapon with both of his pincers.
"Bubble!" Ash ordered grinning widely.
"Sludge!" Stan countered. Nidorino squealed and flailed as the forceful spray of bubbles slammed into his face.
"Let him go, and use Water Pulse!" The Krabby clicked his understanding and released the spooked Pokemon. King cocked his claw back and narrowed his eyes.
"Dig!" Stan shouted clenching his fists. To Ash's mild surprise Nidorino leaped over the rippling orb with ease. Upon landing the rhino's paws began to dig through the earth at an unnatural pace
"Attack it!" he cried when he noticed King seemed stunned by the display. The crab flinched and clicked before blasting a powerful Bubble at the rhino. He was too slow, the poison-type had already burrowed underground. "Keep your head on!" Ash commanded immediately when King chirped furious with himself for freezing up. "Everybody makes mistakes right? Just make up for it by winning!" the trainer continued with a reassuring smile. King gave him a neutral click before turning to scour the area around him.
Ash sighed and joined his Pokemon in checking out their surroundings. The Nido family were an intelligent bunch, so the duo doubted Nidorino would try to come up directly beneath such a well-protected Pokemon. A pink and white blur dashing out from the trees to their right caught his eye. "Turn right, use Water Gun!" he barked.
Nidorino lowered his glowing horn, and then he slapped the stream away. Tackle and Fury Attack at the same time? So that's a Horn Attack! "Bubble, then immediately, use Powder Snow!" Ash snapped narrowing his eyes. King hissed and inhaled deeply, making his chest expand.
"Lower your horn!" Stan snapped. King spat a small spray of bubbles at the rhino. Most of which Nidorino slapped away with his horn, but winced as he was hit in the eye by a stray bubble. The Krabby chirped and shot the strongest, chilliest, gust of wind, he had ever created at the poison-type. Nidorino squealed and shook his head rapidly when the ice move slammed into his face. Ash smirked as the pink Pokemon lost control over his Horn Attack.
King didn't need a command. The crab cocked his arm back and narrowed his eyes. A moment later the crab fired a pulsing orb at his opponent. The orb knocked Nidorino off his feet and sent him skidding away from his opponent. "Water Gun!" Ash ordered when Nidorino, disoriented by the rippling orbs impact, struggled to his feet. To his surprise, the rhino took the pressurized stream with only a grunt. Ash glanced at King. The crab was glaring at his wounded opponent with slightly drooping claws. We need to finish this.
"Sludge!" the middle brother barked. Nidorino snarled and spat a large glob of poison at the red crustacean. King shrieked and darted away from the deadly liquid. The rhino growled before he shot several barbs out of his mouth. The Krabby's widened before he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden. Ash breathed a sigh of relief when the Poison Sting bounced off the proud crustacean. "Shock Wave!" Stan commanded making Ash flinch.
Nidorino narrowed his eyes, and then shot a bolt of electricity at King from its horn. The water-type shrieked and flailed as the electricity surged into him. For a moment it seemed the crab could still do battle, then King fell like a marionette without strings. "King!" Ash cried, rushing to the downed Pokemon. "Come on buddy, wake up," he murmured lifting his unconscious Pokemon.
"He won't be waking up," Ben's voice declared from behind him. Ash flinched and paled at the statement. "Anytime soon, I mean," the biker corrected in a rush.
"You really need to put a sock in it sometimes, Ben," Stan muttered striding toward them. "Good match," he said, extending a hand to Ash. The trainer took it with a moment's hesitation and nodded. He didn't trust his tone to be polite at the moment.
"I'd like to battle you someday," Ben announced, turning to give Ash's team critical looks. Ash nodded, still not trusting his voice and handed the man his winnings. "Thanks for being our first challenger! Next time you want to find us, we'll be right here!" the biker added in a shout as Ash strode to his team.
Ash sighed as he looked at his unconscious Pokemon. "You definitely gave him a run for his money, King," he muttered with a wry smirk. He did put up a great fight. But even if he was fresh he wouldn't have beaten that Nidorino. We've still got a ton of training to do. His brown eyes hardened. Next time we'll win!
xxx
"I promise you'll get a name soon," Ash whispered as he rubbed his Pokemon's green head, and strode along the path. Bulbasaur crooned and nuzzled him back. "Did I ever tell you all what Gore's first nickname was?" the trainer asked with a smirk. Bulbasaur and King turned to eye him curiously while Gore had frozen in horror. The boar glared at his partner for all he was worth.
The boy wasn't intimidated in the slightest. It was hard to be frightened of a Piloswine when you had seen him Tackle his own reflection as a piglet. Especially, bad when one considered that the water had been perfectly calm. "Gore's nickname was…. Pepperoni!" he announced snickering when the Piloswine squealed and covered his face with a hoof. "Yeah, he got it cause the first thing he did after hatching was eat my pizza!" Ash continued smirking at the glaring ice-type. Almost wish Vulpix was out to enjoy this with us.
Gore's glare grew in intensity when Bulbasaur trilled and King gurgled amused. "We also considered pulled pork and woolly ham," the trainer confided in a sly tone. Gore squealed and shot a small piece of ice at Ash's head. The boy squawked as it hit him and squawked again when part of his hair froze. "Jerk! Can't handle a joke," he muttered, rubbing the frozen part of his head.
"And don't you laugh!" the trainer snapped when King gargled. "This is why you're my favorite," Ash told Bulbasaur in a whisper loud enough for the others to hear. The glares he received made him smirk smugly. "You're also the best looking," he said, hugging the saurian tighter. She shot the others a smug look and licked his cheek.
"Could that be?" Ash mumbled, coming to a stop. He narrowed his eyes. "It is!" he cried, making King and Gore jump. Beyond the trees, stood the tall gray towers of Saffron. "We're almost there guys! Let's pick up the pace!" the trainer shouted pumping a fist. Bulbasaur growled and hit him lightly with a foot. "Sorry," he mumbled too happy to make his tone truly apologetic.
The raven-haired child's pace increased to a near run. After spending time in Celadon the boy had come to appreciate the comforts of city life. A soft, warm, bed and a hot shower every night sounded amazing after spending over a week on the road to Saffron. Ash cried out as he slammed into something hard and bounced off. "Are you okay, girl?" he inquired with a groan.
Bulbasaur whined and shook her head vigorously. "Don't do that! You'll make it hurt more," Ash muttered, glancing at what he had run into. A thick pink wall hovered in front of a Hypno. The Hypno was a yellow-furred humanoid creature with feline characteristics and a pendulum in her left hand. Judging by the long mane and smaller nose, the psychic-type was female. Ash swallowed harshly when he realized the psychic was glaring at him. Hypno were special among Pokemon, they had a great capacity for physical combat as well as their powerful psychic abilities. Well-trained Hypno had been known to stand up to, or even defeat powerful Alakazam. He grabbed Vulpix's Pokeball and primed it.
He sighed, relieved, when a familiar roar and chirp made themselves known. Gore raced past him with his Take Down. Hypno thrust her arm out and sent the barrier to meet the boar's charge. Then the barrier twisted and slammed into the swine's side. Gore squealed confused as he was thrown into a tree. King leaped at his opponent with his Vice Grip. The psychic's glowing right arm seemed to blur as she smacked the crab away.
Ash gaped and ground his teeth. Ghostly energy can affect a psychic's state of mind and break their focus! But how will I get her to? He grinned as he threw Vulpix's Pokeball into the air. The vixen was released in a scarlet light. "It said males were stronger than females!" he cried pointing at Hypno. The psychic snapped her head to him with wide eyes. She leaped away from the ghostly orb of flame that was aimed for her head. Vulpix snarled and spread her tails. Two small balls of purple fire closed in on Hypno from her sides.
The psychic's eyes narrowed before rushing the vixen directly. Vulpix barked before drawing breath to spit flame. But Hypno was faster. Her pendulum shook as a wave of pink energy crashed into the vulpine. Vulpix yelped as she was thrown through the air. The vixen came to a stop onto one of the highest branches of a tall tree. "Use as much of your Poison Powder as you can when I give the signal," Ash instructed Bulbasaur as they glared at their opponent.
"Stop it, Glace!" a familiar, feminine voice snapped. "He's not an enemy," Erika continued as she strode out from behind a tree with King in her arms. The Krabby glared at Glace but made no move to attack the Hypno.
"What are you doing here?" Ash snapped his tone harsh. He winced and tugged on his hat when he realized how he sounded. "Thanks, for helping us out," the trainer said averting his gaze. Vulpix was hopping from her tree branch to a lower one. The boy grimaced when the vixen's paws slipped and she smacked her head against the branch with a yelp. Ash's eyes widened in horror as he watched his Pokemon fall to her death. Vulpix was consumed by a pink light before she could fall any further.
"Thank you," Ash mumbled, sighing and deflating with relief. Glace nodded with a glint in her eyes that might have been apologetic. But it was gone before he could be sure.
"Eri? Glace?" a tired feminine voice called with a note of panic.
"We're over here!" Celadon's Gym Leader cried setting King down. "Should we do something for him?" Erika asked, pointing at Gore's still form.
"He'll be fine," Ash said, waving his hand dismissively. Probably just took a look at the pendulum. "Go wake him up right?" She snorted and trotted over to the slumbering boar with her vines out. The trainer flinched when she slapped the boar's nose. Gore squealed and flailed as his peaceful sleep was brought to a painful end. Note to self: her berries are off limits.
Vulpix glared at Glace for all she was worth. The Hypno stared back, her composure cooler than a Sinnoh mountain. The vixen looked away with a huff and strode to her trainer. Gore rushed in front of Ash and growled. The boar, still hadn't forgiven her for attacking while he slept. Ash patted his friend's side soothingly. Vulpix snorted at Gore before sauntering around him.
Gore tensed when the vulpine walked by Ash, but relaxed when she curled up under a tree. Ash hefted himself up with a grunt. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" the trainer inquired tugging on his hat.
"I was... visiting someone," Erika answered averting her gaze.
"You have a friend in Saffron then," Ash said, rubbing Gore behind his ears.
"Yes! No! Something like that!" she blurted smoothing her dress.
"Wait a minute, how do you even have something like a friend?" the younger trainer asked blinking. Vulpix snorted and stared at him as though he had said something incredibly foolish. Ash shrugged as Erika stared at him, her face flushed and wide-eyed.
Behind the flustered Gym Leader, a tall woman, likely a head taller than the petite leader of Celadon, with long black hair was speaking quietly to Glace. The Hypno stared at Ash with sad eyes for a moment before nodding. "I apologize for the trouble she caused you. Glace has been understandably paranoid since the attack," the woman, who Ash assumed was the Hypno's trainer, explained her tone calm.
"Attack?" Ash repeated, narrowing his eyes.
"Rockets attacked the Silph Corporation's headquarters in Saffron, yesterday," Erika explained with a yawn. Ash gulped, his eyes wide. Bulbasaur trotted next to him and nudged his leg, wanting to be picked up.
"I'm afraid that no one will be entering Saffron for the next few days," Erika's companion continued her gray-blue eyes sympathetic.
"Well that sucks," the trainer said, tugging on his hat.
"Indeed," the woman agreed her lips tugging into a small smile. The smile faded as suddenly as it came. "Why'd you want to go to Saffron?" she asked. "I work for the Saffron Gym," she explained when Ash's brow furrowed.
"I came here to challenge Lady Sabrina," the boy said with a frustrated sigh.
"I see," the Gym Trainer said, her face blank. "Would you mind having a match with me?" she asked removing a Pokeball from the belt around her waist.
"Well-" King answered for him. The Krabby leaped in front of his trainer and raised his claws. Ash glanced at the rest of his team. Gore and Bulbasaur snorted, while Vulpix stretched and turned away. "I guess so," he uttered with a smirk. The woman frowned and glanced at the Will-O-Wisp Vulpix had created. She placed the capsule back on her belt and drew another.
The Pokemon the woman had released was a Venonat. Ash raised a brow. This was the first time he had fought a Venonat since he fought the girl who disappeared. "Three on three good for you?" the brown-eyed boy asked.
"Yes," his opponent replied.
"Don't underestimate him, Rina," Erika told the Gym Trainer. "He's the one Misty said beat those Rockets," she finished glancing at Ash. "And he beat Vinya."
"String Shot," the Gym Trainer ordered her eyes sharpening. Venonat chirped and shot a string of silk at the crab Pokemon. King jumped away from the attack and shot a spray of bubbles at the bug-type. "Reflect, Psybeam," the woman murmured while tilting her head to the side like a curious cat. The pink barrier was far thinner than the one created by Glace, but it still stopped the Bubble easily. Venonat narrowed its large red eyes and shot a pink ray at the Krabby at astonishing speed.
"Harden!" Ash snapped, his eyes widening. King shrieked as the beam sent him tumbling back to his trainer.
"Acid!" his opponent ordered raising a brow. Ash paled as the bug Pokemon shot a spray of poison at the dazed water-type.
"Harden!" he cried his tone urgent as King struggled to rise. The Krabby, having caught onto his trainer's panic quickly activated the white sheen of Harden. King hissed his pain when the Acid landed on him. Ash flinched when he saw the melted shards of armor hit the ground. Gore snarled and moved to help him. "This is a duel!" the trainer explained grabbing the boar by his floppy ear.
"Psybeam," Rina ordered crossing her arms.
"Water Pulse!" the younger trainer countered. King and Venonat chirped in unison as they cocked their arm back and narrowed their eyes respectively. The rippling orb met the pink ray, before tearing through it and surging toward Venonat. The bug shrieked as the orb slammed into it and knocked it on its Ash's eyes narrowed. The pulse lost a ton of power! "Powder Snow!" King clicked weakly then he inhaled deeply.
"String Shot on a tree!" the Gym Trainer commanded. Venonat spat a string of silk at a tree that quickly hardened, and pulled itself away from the weak gust of wind. Not without injury, its left foot was covered in a thin layer of frost. The bug swayed and then leaned against the tree to steady itself.
"Water Gun," Ash mumbled with a frown. It shouldn't have been able to escape! He's more tired than I thought. King fired a small stream of water at the hairy bug that knocked it out of the tree. The crab extended his claws and glared at the prone Pokemon.
"Venonat withdraws," the tall woman said her tone even as Venonat was consumed by a red light. His opponent released a small Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime were a humanoid species that averaged at a little over four feet tall and one-hundred pounds heavy. The Pokemon had pale skin, red cheeks, and spindly arms that ended in gloved hands with a red dot on each finger. They were Psychic-types with fairy-type properties. Their specialty in barrier techniques meant they possessed some of the weakest telekinetic powers among psychics.
"You did great," he muttered returning King. Fairies can't stand poison. All we need is a clean shot. Psychics have a counter against poison with their barriers, but she's still my best bet. "You're up," he said, glancing at the cow on his shoulder. Bulbasaur glanced between Ash and the Mr. Mime nervously before she leaped off his shoulder. "Ready when you are."
"Psywave, full power," his opponent uttered, narrowing her eyes at the saurian. The psychic closed its eyes for a moment, then a pink circle larger than King sped toward Bulbasaur. She squeaked and leaped out of the attack's range. Mr. Mime thrust an arm in the grass-type's direction. A moment later a thin, pink wall formed it hovered for an instant, then it raced toward Ash's Pokemon.
"Into a tree!" Ash barked. Bulbasaur chirped and shot her vines toward the nearest tree. She yanked herself out of the wall's path just in time. Ash and Bulbasaur winced while Gore growled when the barrier slammed into a tree with a crack. The trainer grabbed his friend by his ear again. If the boar interfered it would be an automatic loss for Bulbasaur. I shoulda known better than to let him stay out while she was fighting. "Energy Ball!"
"Psybeam," Rina muttered while uncrossing her arms. Mr. Mime squeaked as it brought its hands close to one another. It thrust its hands toward the startled saurian who dispersed her Energy Ball in favor of swinging to a nearby branch. "Confusion." Mr. Mime grunted with exertion as it lifted several rocks from the path. With a wave of its hand the rocks soared through the air.
"Keep moving no matter what!" the boy snapped between gritted teeth. Energy Ball takes too much time to charge! If only she were ready for Razor Leaf. Ash's eyes widened when one of the sharp rocks nicked the grass Pokemon making her yelp and slip off her branch. "Acid!" Ash yelled when the mime clenched its fist. Bulbasaur spat the acidic spray just before she hit the ground. Ash winced when she bounced as she hit the ground.
"Reflect!" the dark-haired woman ordered slight worry in her tone. The rocks immediately fell as the mime rushed to create a barrier. The psychic whimpered when the barrier melted slightly and poured more power into the attack. The Mr. Mime sighed, relieved when the wall held.
"Energy Ball then, Poison Powder, quick," Ash whispered motioning to the now standing Pokemon to be quiet. Bulbasaur stared at him as though he was doing something ridiculous, but began to charge an Energy Ball.
"Barrier crash," Rina uttered her expression returning to its impassive state. A small, thick, pink wall materialized and shot toward the saurian cow with incredible speed. Bulbasaur barked and slapped the ground with her vines. Ash gaped as the grass-type leaped over the psychic attack. She can do that? How the hell did I not think of that?
Bulbasaur shot a burst of poisonous dust at the stunned mime. The Pokemon shrieked so loudly that Ash covered his ears instinctively as it thrust a palm out. A Psybeam, far larger than the one from the start, crashed through the Poison Powder and into Bulbasaur. The Pokemon shrieked as she was thrown through a tree branch. "Do you wanna come back?" Ash asked, swallowing harshly.
Bulbasaur's response was a weak wail. "You did great," the trainer muttered after recalling her. He placed the Pokemon's ball onto his belt with a sigh. Best to keep Gore fresh for the last round. The trainer blinked when he realized Gore had already moved in front of him. "Okay then, that'll work too," Ash mumbled with a shrug. The longer King spends in his ball the better he'll be if we need him. The biggest upside to withdrawing one's Pokemon from battle was the stamina they regained. To his surprise, Gore didn't react to his mumble, opting instead to stare at the psychic with an expression that was unreadable to even Ash.
"Psywave," the Gym Trainer uttered with a blink. Mr. Mime recoiled and lost its concentration when Gore roared furiously. The boar surged at the mime with the strongest white sheen Ash had ever seen him with. Mr. Mime fired its pink circle shaped wave into the boar's face, but it hardly slowed the Piloswine, in fact only angered him further. The psychic squeaked in horror before erecting a thick pink barrier.
Gore rammed the barrier with such force that it shattered. The mime squealed as the enraged ice-type crashed into its round body. Mr. Mime tumbled several yards before coming to a stop mere inches from its trainer. Ash looked between the unconscious mime and his partner wide-eyed. "Buddy come back!" he cried when the swine continued to glare at his helpless opponent.
The Piloswine growled, but assented, his deadly temper soothed by the mime's brutal defeat. The Gym Trainer was expressionless as she recalled the mime and released her next Pokemon. Vulpix snapped to attention and Ash gulped at the trainer's next choice. It was a fox Pokemon of a reddish brown color that darkened near its paws. The Pokemon was an eight-tailed Vulpix. If I remember correctly, when a Vulpix gets their eighth tail it means they're ready for evolution. We've gotta make her fight close up somehow. A single Take Down. Just one and it's over.
"Don't you think that's going too far, Rina," Erika mumbled glancing between the dark-haired woman and Ash.
"Not at all," Rina replied, tilting her head in a manner that reminded him of a cat. The vixen took one look at her opponent before huffing and turning away as though the boar wasn't worth her time. Ash scowled and Gore snarled at the blatant disrespect. "Take this more seriously, Vivi," the Gym Trainer said, her tone serious.
"Icy Wind!" Ash barked, giving the vixen a baleful look. The swine huffed and spat a gust of snowy wind at the haughty fox. Vivi darted around the attack and rushed into the woods. The pig blinked, confused by the action. Ash glanced at Rina, the woman's composure hadn't fractured. "She's got a plan," he told his partner.
Gore stared at the trainer for a moment then, he began spewing snowy wind in the direction the vixen had disappeared in. "What are you doing?" Ash asked, staring at the boar as though he had lost his sanity. Well, it's not like there was very much to lose in the first place. The Piloswine snorted, satisfied, and began to create Ice Shard after Ice Shard around himself. "Ah, that's what we'll do!" the trainer cried pumping a fist. Gore was probably hoping to get lucky and hit her, or just to lower the temperature for himself, but the swine's actions could still be incredibly helpful.
His Avalanche would be stronger the more ice the swine had to manipulate. Which would give him a better defense against Vivi's fire, and limit her speed. Heat was one of the very few things the Swinub line hadn't evolved to deal with. Given that he hadn't been born in a mountain, and had been forced to endure five summers Gore would be able to handle it better, but it was still a serious advantage for the Vulpix.
"If you're ready," Rina mumbled, closing her eyes. Six pink bars fell from the above and pinned the Piloswine. Gore squealed and flailed mightily in an effort to free himself. A purple, giant, ball of flame slammed into the swine's side and exploded on impact. Ash paled as his friend was thrown off his hooves with an agonized squeal. The Piloswine skidded several feet until he hit a tree.
Vivi burst into the clearing with purple flames cloaking her slender form. Damn it all! Will-o-Wisp and Flame Charge again! "Cover your belly!" Ash roared clenching his fists. Gore snarled jerked his head up quickly. One of the closer chunks of ice raced to its master's aid. To Ash's horror, the ice was too slow. The fire-type rammed the Piloswine's belly with a victorious bark. The boar roared in fury when Vivi remained in that position for a couple moments. She stepped back, lowered her Flame Charge, and gave the boar a condescending look.
"Get back!" the Gym Trainer snapped her eyes widening. Ash smiled coldly when Gore snarled and kicked at the vixen. Vivi yipped and backpedaled several yards away from the rising swine. A chunk of ice slammed into her side, sending her flipped to her feet just before the chunk came back around and threw her off her paws. Gore narrowed his eyes. The ice began to spin as it raced to finish the downed vixen. Vivi barked and blasted a Flame Burst that broke the chunk into ten small pieces.
The vixen rose while favoring her right leg and her breathing coming in pants. Vulpix trotted out of the shade sat next to Ash. The boy paid her no mind. Defeating this experienced, if incredibly arrogant vixen was far more important at the moment.
Ghostly, Dark, and even some psychic natured Vulpix don't need to use Quick Attack to reach their full speed. She might be as fast as that Matriarch with both legs! "Mud Slap!" Ash whispered tugging on the bill of his hat. His friend snorted before inhaling deeply.
"Ember," Rina ordered her face becoming blank once again. The small ball of fire tore through the swine's spray of mud and hit the boar between his eyes. Gore shook his head vigorously, but didn't seem hurt. Ash clenched his jaw. Tackle and Mud Slap are worthless in a fight of this level!
"Icy Wind full power," the Piloswine's partner commanded while narrowing his eyes. No Will-O-Wisp or Flame Burst? She must have lost a ton of power on that massive Flame Burst. Gore reared back and spat a large snowy burst of wind at the vixen. Vivi yipped fearfully and spewed a small stream of flame that only just protected her from the wind. "Take Down!" Ash barked with a grin.
The Piloswine snarled and stomped his hooves as he was consumed in a strong white sheen. The boar roared and charged the limping vulpine. Vivi bared her fangs amused, lowered her leg, and darted around the attack with ease. The fire-type barked triumphantly and spat a small orb of flame into the swine's right side. Ash flinched as the the orb exploded making Gore stumble with a squawk. "What the - but how did she?" Ash asked wide-eyed. She was never hurt at all! But why doesn't she press her attack?
He narrowed his eyes. The Vulpix hid it well, but judging by the way she was leaning, she was in considerable pain. "Ice Shard!" the trainer commanded determination shining in his brown orbs. Gore panted heavily and glared at the eight-tailed fox before shooting a chunk of ice at her. Ash grinned as Vivi shot a Flame Burst at the ice. "Come on buddy, one more time!" he cried his grin returning.
"Fire Spin, shield," Rina said suddenly making Ash jump. Vivi shot a smaller orb of fire that exploded on impact with the shard. The Flame Burst couldn't destroy the ice, but it did manage to alter its path. The vulpine barked and shot a stream of flame that quickly spread into a circle around her.
"I am so stealing that," Ash mumbled with a blink. Vulpix snorted her agreement and continued to stare attentively at the older vixen. Vivi inhaled heavily and shut her eyes. The flames rose as she exhaled the breath. "Mud Shot on a wider scale!" the raven-haired trainer shouted his eyes widening. Gore blinked at him, confused by the command. "Damn it, Gore! Just make a bigger Mud Slap!" he snapped pinching the bridge of his nose.
Gore snorted his understanding and shot large glob of mud at the panting vixen. "Finish him," Rina said narrowing her eyes. The mud was blown apart feet from the vixen's shield as though it had been hit by something. Gore narrowed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then the boar squealed and backpedaled as though he had been struck.
"G-get back!" Ash shouted clenching his fists. What the hell is that? The flame shield struck out at Gore's hind legs in a form similar to a whip. The swine squealed and rushed forward into another invisible attack. His partner stumbled and swayed before his legs finally gave out. "Gore," Ash muttered closing his eyes tightly as he recalled the unconscious boar. After a moment, he smirked.
"It took three Flame Bursts, a Flame Charge, and a couple Embers to put you down. You're amazing, pal," he told the Piloswine with a fond smile. The ball shook slightly, even as battered as he was Gore still responded to his partner's voice. A warm feeling formed in Ash's chest at the thought. The boy caught his fire-type staring up at him. "Sorry, girl, I can only use King for this one," Ash said his smile fading. Vulpix rolled her eyes before striding back to the shade of the tree she had been resting under.
"What did I do wrong?" he mumbled, priming King's Pokeball.
"Misty did not exaggerate, it seems, you are quite the rookie," Rina announced leaning her head back a bit and closing her eyes.
"Glad I didn't disappoint," Ash responded, raising a brow. He had never heard of Gym Trainer who didn't refer to a Gym Leader by their title. The trainer shrugged, it wasn't a big deal. King took his surrounding in with narrowed eyes. He glanced back at his trainer. "Yeah…. She beat Gore. It's just you now," the boy answered the crab's unvoiced question. Vivi barked and stomped her paw. "Bubble!" Ash ordered rolling his eyes.
King chirped as he shot a spray of bubble at the impatient vixen. The Vulpix narrowed her eyes and sent a small Flame Burst at the ground in front of the spray. The orb's explosion dispersed the Bubble making the Krabby narrow his eyes. "Harden!" Ash said with a huff.
"Ominous Wind," the Gym Trainer countered, her blue eyes seeming as though they were trying to bore a hole in King. Vivi purred, then she shut her eyes to concentrate. King narrowed his eyes at what he likely considered a slight, and cocked his right arm back. "Attack!" Rina snapped her tone urgent, but her expression still blank.
The Vulpix snapped her eyes open and spread her tails quickly. A gust of black wind soared toward the choleric crab. King chirped a challenge as he shot his Water Pulse. The rippling orb met the black wind and tore through it. Vivi yipped as she was sent tumbling out of her shield. The Krabby hissed, then he surged toward the prone vixen with his claws taking on a white sheen.
Vivi yipped and jerked her head at the crab. A small part of the shield molded into an orb and slammed into the crab Pokemon, knocking him onto his side. The Vulpix hissed and spat a thin stream of flame at the ground near King. The fire quickly spread into a circle around the dazed crustacean. "Bubble!" Ash snapped. His water-type pushed himself to his feet with a weak hiss, and then he sprayed a small cluster of bubble at the fire. Vivi picked this moment to blast a tiny orb of fire at the crab.
"Dodge this one!" the trainer barked, his eyes widening as he recognized the orb as another Flame Burst. King covered his eyes with his dominant claw and sidestepped the flame. "Bubble!" Ash cried when he saw the Vulpix inhale deeply. Sensing his urgency, the crab immediately shot a large burst of bubbles that utterly smothered Vivi's fire. The panting vixen glared at the Krabby balefully.
The trainer smirked. One more shot and this is over. The smirk faded as quickly as it came when he took in King's form. "Bubble!"
"Don't overdo it," Rina muttered with a yawn. To the young duo's astonishment, Vivi took the forceful spray without even attempting to dodge. The Vulpix rolled a few feet away with a whine. King slumped and shut his eyes with a relieved gurgle.
"You did great," Ash said with a smile as he wiped his brow. "I guess we win th-," his proud declaration was cut off by a gasp when Vivi began to rise. The experienced Vulpix's slender form was surrounded by wisps of dark energy. She snarled with a glare so fierce that Ash and King flinched. Vivi directed the wisps to her open maw and molded them into an orb
Ash paled while King instinctively activated Harden and crossed his claws to brace himself. Vivi blasted a black beam at the crab Pokemon with astonishing speed. The Krabby chirped fearfully as he slammed his right claw on the ground and leaped. Vivi jerked her head up to alter the beam's path at King. The trainer flinched again as his Pokemon was thrown into one of Gore's Ice Shards.
"King!" Ash cried flinching again. That was Dark pulse! But how could a Vulpix use such a powerful move when she's about to collapse? And why didn't she at least try to dodge the Bubble? Something tickled at the back of his mind, something he had been told once when he was young about dark-types. "Can you get up?" he asked his Pokemon with gritted teeth.
King pushed himself up with a weak hiss. The crab sagged and swayed, but managed to brace himself against the chunk of ice that was only slightly smaller than him. Vivi huffed, annoyed with the water-type's persistence. Ash bit his lip, his friend wanted to fight, but he wasn't sure if continuing would be good for the Pokemon's health. The Vulpix blinked as a pink glow surrounded her and lifted her off the ground. "I yield," Rina announced, catching the exhausted vixen.
Ash's eyes narrowed. Were her eyes, pink just now? So, she's a psychic then. This was the first time he had ever met a person with psychic powers. Though the abilities of a human psychic were pathetic compared to a Pokemon's they were still respectable. Ash kept this thought in mind as he strode to the woman, with King in hand. "You've gotten a lot stronger since last time," Erika observed staring at King.
"Yeah, he has, we fought a couple of tough ones a while back," Ash said glancing back at Vulpix. She rolled her eyes, a gesture she had taken to rather quickly, and then turned an ineffectual glare on Vivi. "What were those weird moves you used anyway?" he asked, turning back to the older trainers. "I mean the weird thing I couldn't see, and what you used to boost that Dark Pulse up," he elaborated when Rina and Vivi tilted their heads to the side.
"Extrasensory, a psychic move, and Payback, a dark move," the psychic explained with a nod.
"Extrasensory is a move that all Vulpix know instinctively," Erika added stroking Vivi's tails. The experienced Vulpix purred and licked the Gym Leader's delicate hand.
"You must visit Rina a lot if she lets you do that," Ash pointed out furrowing his brow. The Vulpix were well known for their vanity and were especially sensitive about their tails. There was even a legend of a Ninetales driving a man to madness for touching her tails without permission. The trainer shuddered, at one point it had seemed like an old wives tale, but it seemed like something his Vulpix might do if he didn't control her instincts well enough. For some reason Erika blushed again before mumbling something about needing a nap and speeding off into the woods. "So what's Extrasensory then? It can't be an egg move 'cause Dexter didn't mention it when I scanned my Vulpix."
"Extrasensory is a move that the Pokedex cannot detect," Rina told him giving Erika an amused look.
"A move that Dexter can't detect," Ash mumbled shutting his eyes. In the end, the Pokedex is just a general encyclopedia of the various Pokemon species in Kanto.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, young Ash," Rina said nodding at him. She turned to follow Erika, but paused mid step. "This, I believe.." she began turning back to Ash and levitating something small toward him. "Belongs to you now," she finished with a small smile.
"Thanks," Ash mumbled blinking at her as King grabbed his prize. Her smile widened, then she turned and strode into the woods. King gurgled at the trainer and held up the item for him to see. It was a round golden rock with a Drowzee, Abra, and a Tyrogue on it. "The Marsh Badge!" the boy cried, dropping his Pokemon in his shock. "So Rina must have been short for Sabrina then," he said, stroking his chin and ignoring the outraged chirps his Pokemon sent at him.
He narrowly ducked under the small ball of purple fire Vulpix sent at him. Apparently, the vixen had decided to take a nap after giving up on fighting Vivi. "Sorry," Ash apologized, patting King's shell and giving Vulpix an apologetic look. The vixen narrowed her eyes at him then she curled into a ball. Ash glanced at the small purple flame. I really hope she outgrows the whole showing affection by trying to kill me thing. He blinked, surprised by the casual nature of thought. I wonder if this should bother me more than it does.
xxx
Things you might want to know:
Yes, Sabrina having a Hypno (Glace) as her starter/partner is a tribute to Dazed, The Straight Elf, and Traveler.
Rapid Gun is just using Water Gun back to back.
Edited the first chapter so Gore's egg move is Avalanche.
Erika's last name is Magnolia. No, it is not inspired by Fairy Tail, it's taken from a flower.