Chapter 38: Tooth and Nail
I will devour you.
My large paw trapped the girl beneath me. My claws so sharp, they had no difficulty piercing her delicate skin.
Now that I've evolved, there is no longer any use for this human girl.
My stomach growled as I looked upon the meal before me. The fire of revenge within emitted smoke from my snout.
I will rip you apart.
My home. My family.
I was ready to enact my vengeance upon those who had robbed me of everything. She was the first step.
My mouth salivated as I prepared the first bite.
But…
"…It's alright," the girl whispered weakly.
Her voice caused me to slacken my grip.
I gazed upon my prey and found myself locked onto her.
In that moment, I found myself entranced by that human.
"If I can be part of such a beautiful creature, then I don't mind dying," she breathed out with an air of elation.
Her hand reached towards me, but I did not stop it.
The fingertips clashed gently with my jet-black fur.
The soft and tender hand trembled, but I sensed no fear from it. I recognized the scent of acceptance that she gave off.
Her blue hair was a mess, and her pale skin drenched with sweat from the pain I caused. Her silvery-blue eyes so serene and welcoming.
I thought to myself as I observed her peaceful face.
How could a human at death's mercy be so beautiful?
Alas, I set her free.
Instead of fleeing, the girl still decided to walk alongside me.
During our travels, we encountered two others.
The mischievous crow and that grinning trickster.
Maybe they came to steal my prey. Or maybe they could smell my hatred for humans.
I could have slaughtered them right then and there.
But I did not want to. Instead, I knocked them unconscious.
I wondered then if I had been growing soft. If that was the case, it would have been due to…
That girl.
"These wounds… Did humans do this to them?" she gasped as she observed their injured bodies.
I am no healer, but injuries caused by humans were painfully obvious.
The thought of such damnable humans made my blood boil hotter.
From there, we reached a large healer's abode. The white walls were jarring to look at with the night sky.
However, as I enjoyed the scenery of the black curtains of the skies, the human girl's cries caught my attention.
"What do you mean, no?!" she shouted at the older human, hiding behind a door.
Her arms cradling the two injured Pokémon.
"This is a Pokémon Hospital, isn't it?!"
Ah… so it's called a 'hospital'.
"The buses aren't running; I'll never make it to a Pokémon Centre in time!"
That must be where the pink-haired healer resided.
"At this rate, they'll...!"
After pleading for so long, the older human finally spoke.
"Those two were chased out of town a while back. They kept attacking people."
"Fitting how they're called the Dark type, since they are truly 'Evil'."
"The world is better off without them."
Accursed human…
I knew it.
I got ready to strike at the vermin.
Humans are irredeemable!
Chomp!
But my [Bite] found the human girl's arm as its victim instead.
Although she was one of those detestable humans that I abhorred, I quickly stopped my teeth from sinking any further.
Her blood spilled into my mouth, but she did not show any sign of pain.
A by-product from my many attempts at her life perhaps.
"See? What did I tell you?!" the man screamed in terror.
An unpleasant odour came from between his legs.
"Dark Pokémon just want to hurt people!"
My jaws were still on the girl's arm, but my anger at the coward's words were tempting me to burn him with my flames.
"…I understand," the girl finally said. Her tone was uncharacteristically chilling.
"If you won't treat them, we'll go somewhere else."
I had never heard her speak like this before.
"So shut your filthy mouth."
"I won't allow you to stand here and insult these Pokémon."
To think she would get so upset for the sake of us Dark Pokémon…
I found myself a little more interested in this human girl.
We went on foot together to seek a place of healing.
The Pokémon Centre if I recall.
She held the one called Umbreon in her arms whilst I carried the feathered one called Murkrow.
I was curious why she would care so much about us.
We met as children when her eyes were innocent.
But somewhere along the way, her silvery-blue eyes had hardened with resolve.
"…My mentor's partner was a Gengar," she suddenly spoke, as if she sensed my curiosity.
I recalled the poltergeist that roamed in the house of that elderly woman where we stayed for a while.
"Ghost types weren't accepted as a Type by society in the past either."
"Humans were afraid of them. But Miss Agatha fought against that."
"She conducted research in many institutes to prove they were a real Type."
"And after she used them to win the Indigo League, people started to think differently about them."
To think the Ghost Pokémon were once in the same boat as the dark Pokémon, it took me by surprise.
"I want to do that, for Dark types," she continued.
Umbreon and Murkrow were listening to her story. I was too.
The resolve in her voice was genuine. We all felt it.
"Houndoom, I won't ask you to forgive us."
I perked up as I heard my name.
"I know it's too late for that. But maybe we can work together."
"At least... Until you think I've let the world beat me."
"If that happens, you can eat me. I won't resist."
Silly girl. I already know how you are.
You're an odd human, to want to be eaten by a beast like me.
Nevertheless, I will accept your resolve.
My Trainer, Karen.
…
{ LOOKS LIKE THIS MATCH IS HEADING FOR ITS CLIMAX, FOLKS! }
{ KARIN, THE ELITE FOUR CANDIDATE, IS DOWN TO HER LAST POKÉMON! }
{ AND IT'S HOUNDOOM, A DUAL DARK-FIRE TYPE! }
{ IN TERMS OF TYPE MATCHUP, RHYDON HAS THE ADVANTAGE! }
{ THIS ROCK-GROUND TYPE WON'T BE EASY TO TAKE DOWN! }
A smirking Gary stared arrogantly at Karen and Houndoom, his hands relaxed inside his pockets.
The orange-haired Trainer was not the slightest bit worried.
{ WILL GREEN KEEP UP HIS STREAK AND EMERGE VICTORIOUS? }
{ OR WILL KAREN FIND A WAY TO TURN THINGS AROUND? }
Karen let out of small chuckle at Gary.
"Just this much isn't enough to corner me," she declared, her eyes shadowed by her blue hair.
"Now, Houndoom…"
Both Trainer and Pokémon shared the same expression.
Red eyes matched the silvery-blue ones. The gleaming eyes exuded their raging wrath.
"It's time to hunt!"
With that, the horned canine leapt towards Rhydon.
"Crush them, Rhydon! [Rock Slide]!" Gary commanded.
The stone-plated giant then punched a nearby boulder, sending out rocks as projectiles towards the approaching hunter.
But Karen and Houndoom were now unchained. They were going all-out.
"Erase everything."
A blob of sinister black energy formed within the mouth of the canine.
"[Dark Pulse]."
With the move's name spoken, an enormous beam of darkness annihilated the projectile rocks, leaving nothing but dust in its wake.
Rhydon could barely dodge in time.
{ AMAZING! ALL THE ROCKS RHYDON SENT FLYING ARE GONE! }
'The hell?! That move wasn't this powerful back in the Prelims!' Gary thought, recalling Karen's previous battles where she used [Dark Pulse].
'Those eyes…!'
The image of Houndoom's entrance with its glimmering eyes came to his mind.
'I see! It must've used [Nasty Plot] to boost its focus and Special Attack sharply!'
An agile Houndoom made its way in front of Rhydon, causing the latter to react by punching it.
However, the attack missed as it only managed to hit the ground while the canine let out a blazing fire onto the Drill Pokémon's shoulder.
Houndoom then landed on a nearby boulder, waiting for Rhydon's next move.
"[Rock Slide]!" Gary called out.
Rhydon obliged and enacted the same move again.
But instead, only small projectile rocks came out from the move, allowing Houndoom to dodge them with ease.
The stone-plated giant groaned in pain at its sizzling shoulder.
"It's weaker than it should be!" Blue exclaimed.
The orange-haired boy quickly reasoned the cause.
"What a nasty burn," he spoke aloud.
"Let me guess… [Will-o-Wisp]?"
A sinister flame that left a severe burn and intense pain. Weakening the opponent gradually and the Attack stat halved.
"Bingo," Karen congratulated.
{ NORMALLY, RHYDON'S ROCK-HARD SKIN WOULD RESIST BURNS. }
{ BUT HOUNDOOM'S FLAMES WERE SO INTENSE THAT THE HARD SKIN WASN'T ENOUGH TO STOP THEM! }
{ KAREN SURE KNOWS HOW TO TURN A SITUATION TO HER ADVANTAGE! }
Rhydon looked back at its Trainer for orders.
"That's enough, Rhydon. Return!" Gary called out, preparing to recall his Pokémon.
But before Rhydon was sent back into the Ball, the horned canine launched a covert attack, damaging the recalling Pokémon.
"[Pursuit]!" Karen commanded.
"Another one!" Ash exclaimed in surprise.
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked in a similar tone.
'Tch. That thing's agility is a real pain in the ass,' Gary groaned mentally.
Karen's silvery-blue eyes were ruthless, her smile now dangerous.
"Did you think Houndoom wouldn't have [Pursuit] too?"
"Heh. That trick's starting to get old. You got any new ones?" Gary taunted back, not showing any weakness.
He then lifted Arcanine's Ball close to his lips.
"We're almost there. Just get your timing right," he whispered, Arcanine nodding inside the Ball.
With that, Arcanine was sent out.
{ ARCANINE'S BACK IN THE GAME! }
{ BUT WILL IT STILL BE ABLE TO FIGHT AFTER THE BEATING IT TOOK FROM UMBREON EARLIER? }
With an intense glare, Arcanine roared powerfully towards its opponent.
"ROARRRRRRRRRR!"
"Intimidate... Trying to weaken us, huh?" the teen called out.
'It's shoulder…' Karen noticed.
Arcanine's shoulder was injured but the Pokémon was still raring to go.
'Umbreon was aiming for the head. Arcanine must have turned away at the last second to deflect the blow.'
'What impressive reflexes.'
'Despite those injuries, its spirit is as strong as ever!'
"[Flamethrower]!" / "[Dark Pulse]!"
A clash of black energy and raging flames exploded in the middle, causing a massive dust cloud.
From it, Arcanine appeared sprinting towards a large rock with Houndoom tailing him from the rear.
The red canine then leapt to the top of rock in a flash, causing the horned one to slow down.
"Arcanine, [Morning Sun]!" Gary ordered.
The red canine howled to the skies, the sunlight then shined onto him and healed the injuries.
"[Morning Sun]. It's a move that uses the sunlight for recovery," Blue stated while admiring the golden light.
Espeon was drawn to the display since it was part of her namesake. The Sun Pokémon.
"You think we'll give you time to recover?" Karen asked rhetorically.
"Houndoom, go! [Dark Pul—]"
Her command was cut short as beneath a charging Houndoom were 2 bubbles of warped space.
With quick reflexes, the horned canine managed to dodge the two [Shadow Balls] that were shot upwards.
'Future Sight again?! Of course! Alakazam sent back not just one [Shadow Ball]. He must've sent the remaining ones further into the future as insurance,' Karen surmised.
Houndoom then fired off her [Dark Pulse] again. This time, it hit the mark.
A burst of darkness bloomed atop the rock.
But a blazing Arcanine came out of the black explosion, protected by its flames.
"[Flare Blitz]!" Gary called out.
'Damn, he recovered quick! By covering himself with [Flare Blitz], he also mitigated the damage from [Dark Pulse]!' Karen observed.
Houndoom got away just in time before [Flare Blitz] could hit.
Suddenly, the flames went haywire and were being sucked…
"The flames…!" Ash noticed.
'Figures. Houndoom's Ability is...' Gary mentally confirmed.
Into Houndoom's mouth.
"It's eating the flames?!"
'Flash Fire.'
An Ability that absorbs Fire Type attacks, increasing the user's own Fire Type moves in the process.
"So you've closed the distance. It's still not going to help you win!" Karen cried out.
The two beasts stared down at each other, their flames having no effect on both.
A stalemate.
Both Trainers began grinning maniacally.
"Well, close-quarter combat is where Arcanine excels at anyways," Gary called out in confidence.
"Let it all go, Arcanine! Roar to your heart's content!"
"Fine. Let's fight tooth and nail," Karen replied in kind.
"Just like real beasts! Go wild, Houndoom!"
The two beasts were now permitted to let loose.
"ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!"
"ARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Both Pokémon were large quadrupeds. As well as apex predators.
They're built to hunt, to take down prey. And now, their fighting instincts were more brutal than ever.
The two beasts danced a bloody waltz as each shredded the other's body with sharp claws that painted red streaks.
Houndoom slashed Arcanine's side abdomen.
Arcanine stabbed into Houndoom's neck.
The feral dance continued. Minutes passed, but no one could take their eyes off the battle.
The students of Pokémon Academy watched in horror at how vicious a battle of beasts could be. Most were scared at the aggressive display of untamed carnage.
And yet, there was a twisted beauty in such a cruel battle that captivated everyone.
Blue watched in terror at the gruesome combat, Espeon sharing her sentiments and began to worry for her previous teammate, Arcanine's safety.
Ash had his eyes widened at the savage brawl. The boy was no stranger to violence and cruelty, but the sight of Pokémon fighting to the death made him uncomfortable.
Pikachu could only watch in silence at his late rival's successor's battle. The electric mouse unknowingly held his breath, completely immersed in the beasts' destructive clash.
Finally, Arcanine gained the upper hand.
For Gary, it came as no surprise since as heavyweight fighters, Arcanine far surpassed Houndoom. The former's 155 kilograms to the latter's 35 kilograms.
The sheer size difference and fighting prowess was what allowed Arcanine to dominate Houndoom.
Victorious in the bloody waltz, Arcanine bared his teeth upon the horned canine's throat.
But Houndoom was not done yet. She would never yield against her opponents.
Sensing an opportunity, the horned canine used its whip-like tail to stab the threat. At the end of the tail was a sharp triangular tip, just as sharp as her claws.
Arcanine's animal instinct kicked in and swiftly dodged the tail. However, the irregular shape of the tail managed to nick the underside of the red canine's jaw, drawing blood but not enough to knock him out.
Adrenaline rushed into the veins and the two backed off from each other, giving the two some breathing room.
Suddenly, Gary noticed something about Houndoom.
A small fruit popped out of the black canine's skull-shape pendant, and she quickly devour it.
"Houndoom just ate something!" Blue exclaimed, noticing the fruit.
"A Berry?!" Ash exclaimed as well, catching a glimpse of something green.
"Tch! Planning to heal?" Gary clicked his tongue as he was not expecting this.
The Grand League's rules also stated that only one Pokémon may be able to have a held Item.
But from the green-eyed boy's observations, he carelessly ignored the chance of Karen using one. He slapped himself mentally for making such a foolish oversight.
"Just try it! Arcanine!" he bellowed.
Within a half second, the large red canine disappeared in a flash.
'Sync your breathing with your opponent and strike when they're off guard.'
'Go from zero to top speed, throwing your entire weight behind the attack.'
'Move in the split second it takes for your opponent to blink and disappear from view.'
The inherited technique of the late Raticate.
The trump card of the ace.
"[Extremespeed]!"
It was impossible to tell where Arcanine was. The only clue Houndoom had was the light tap on battlefield when the red canine needed to land.
Only for it to vanish another moment later.
Arcanine then seized its chance behind an unsuspecting Houndoom. And pounced on her with blinding speed.
The godlike swiftness was too fast for anyone to see.
No one could react to such speed…
Normally.
A streak of red finally found the nigh-invisible Arcanine. The latter shocked beyond belief.
As the red canine prepared to sink his teeth into the black one, an unnaturally reactive Houndoom managed to swipe her leg into his mouth instead of letting the sharp teeth bite down on her throat.
The horned canine had sacrificed her leg in exchange for her neck.
'It read the timing on [Extremespeed]?!' Gary thought in alarm.
'And actually blocked it?!'
The boy started to sweat bullets at the unexpected development.
'Even Houndoom's reflexes and sense of smell can't account for that.'
'That Berry... It must have been a Salac Berry. It stimulated her Pokémon's adrenaline glands to give it a Speed boost!'
Karen now had the advantage against Arcanine.
'Houndoom, this Arcanine held his own against you and Umbreon,' she mused, preparing her counterattack.
'We can't beat it without a few sacrifices.'
'So, Arcanine… Take the leg. But in exchange…'
"[Sucker Punch]!"
'Offer us your head!'
Houndoom pulled her bitten leg towards the ground, dragging Arcanine into the dirt. And then, she delivered a devasting blow to the red canine's throat with her hind leg.
{ HOUNDOOM HITS HOME WITH A WELL-PLACED [SUCKER PUNCH]! }
Arcanine was finally downed. The canine was not moving.
"No way… Oi, Arcanine!" Ash shouted at the red beast, pleading him to get up.
"Pika-pika Pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked out to Gary's ace.
They were opponents in the Grand League, but seeing Arcanine, the remaining legacy of Raticate, defeated left a bad taste in their mouth.
Gary stood there in silence, his orange hair covered his eyes, making his expression unreadable.
A sharp pain stung Houndoom's leg as the bite force of Arcanine broke the bone-like white ankle and was bleeding profusely.
'That really did a number on her leg,' the Dark specialist thought.
'But if we keep our distance, finishing off Rhydon shouldn't be a problem.'
However, Karen and Houndoom's triumph was cut short by a sly grin from Gary.
"Oi, oi. You're not that weak."
"Are you, Arcanine?"
Karen and Houndoom widened their eyes at what was supposed to be a downed Arcanine.
Instead, the red canine was crouching close to the ground, his black eyes fixated on his opponent.
{ IT... }
{ IT'S STILL STANDING, FOLKS! }
'[Endure]!' Karen figured out.
'It turned its head in the same direction of the attack to reduce damage!'
Arcanine smirked at Houndoom, still breathing heavily from the last attack.
Ever since Arcanine mastered [Extreme Speed]...
He had never been pushed to its limit like this.
Never had it met another Pokémon he respected so much.
Not since Raticate.
Arcanine roared with elation of such a worthy opponent. Houndoom howled in return, sharing the same feeling.
Now that the two had gained each other's respect...
They were ready for the final clash.
Their blood was pumping. The air was electric.
Everyone at the arena that day could feel it.
"Return."
Everyone…
A pouncing Arcanine was suddenly recalled back into his Ball.
Except Gary Oak.
His Trainer focused his cold green eyes as he switched to his other Pokémon.
Arcanine went emotionless and resigned inside his Ball after being recalled, knowing that its role had ended.
'He's switching Arcanine out now?' Karen pondered in confusion.
'I didn't even have a chance to command Houndoom to use [Pursuit]!'
"Well, we hit a few bumps on the road, but I've sealed off your mobility just as planned," Gary grinned deviously.
" Get in there and take a bite... Rhydon!"
The stone-clad giant made its second appearance. Its burn still present.
However, the Drill Pokémon was now holding a Berry.
"Tch! [Dark Pulse]!" Karen cried out.
Rhydon ate the Berry just before the beam of darkness hit it.
Boom!
But from the black explosion, emerged giant boulders flying towards the weakened Houndoom.
'Is that [Rock Slide]? It's so much more powerful than before...!'
Houndoom was undeterred and fired off a second [Dark Pulse] at the incoming projectiles.
The second explosion caused more dust clouds to form.
{ I CAN BARELY KEEP UP! }
{ LOOKS LIKE GREEN HAS SWITCHED POKÉMON AGAIN! }
{ AND DESPITE ITS NASTY BURN, RHYDON'S FIRING OFF A FRESH BARRAGE OF ATTACKS! }
{ OH! ARE YOU SEEING THIS, FOLKS? }
Rhydon emerged from the dust and surrounding it were phantom blades.
A frenetic dance of fighting. It sharply raised the Attack stat.
[Swords Dance].
'That's not all. Its Burn has healed, somehow!' Karen observed, noticing the severe burn had been lifted.
Rhydon recalled to Gary's instructions before the match started.
The unveiling of the genius' schemes behind the scenes.
…
"We're only allowed one item per match."
"You're getting it this time around, Rhydon."
"It's a Rawst Berry, for healing burns."
"You're the one who's going to strike the final blow against Umbreon and Houndoom."
"Alakazam and Arcanine will set things up for you."
"Arcanine, start out fighting like normal."
"But as the match goes on, try to rile up your opponent more."
"Karen's all about emotion and empathizing with her Pokémon."
"We'll use that against her."
Arcanine nodded.
Gary's team were close. Rhydon had admired Arcanine, the team's ace, for a long time now.
It had shared in its teammate's struggles as he pushed himself ever higher. And seen it delight in the thrill of victory.
It knew Gary did not care. All his Pokémon knew he was just using them and their feelings for each other.
But they were still loyal to him. They were all prepared to put their lives on the line for him.
No matter how hard that may be.
Even if it meant giving up the one thing that made them happy.
It did not matter they were just pawns to him. For the sake of victory...
They would give their all.
…
Rhydon slammed its fist into a nearby rock and launched more projectiles towards a limping Houndoom.
The latter responded again with another [Dark Pulse]. The move's power was still increased thanks to [Nasty Plot].
However, Houndoom was growing weaker and more tired after each usage.
{ IT'S [ROCK SLIDE] AFTER [ROCK SLIDE]! }
{ HOUNDOOM IS HAVING A HARD TIME FIGHTING OFF ALL THESE ATTACKS! }
'The burn, weakening Rhydon's Attack...' Karen suspected right on the money.
'He set this all up!'
"Finish her off, Rhydon!" Gary commanded with certainty.
Then, Rhydon hammered down onto the earth, conjuring pillars of rocks that made their way towards the horned canine.
"[Stone Edge]!"
The pillars came closer to Houndoom.
However, the black canine glanced back towards her Trainer.
The teen nodded to her, understanding her motives.
'We're near our limit,' Karen pondered, tired of the back-and-forth.
'But we'll keep going, won't we, Houndoom?'
"[Fire Blast]!"
'We'll face them head on!'
Houndoom breathed out a large stream of red-hot flames onto the ground. The flames resembling that of the character 'large'.
The force from the powerful flames propelled the canine into the air.
'The recoil!' Gary thought in surprise.
The orange-haired boy could not believe that his opponents were still fighting back.
All these humans...
"It launched itself up?!" Ash cried out in shock.
They're such a pain.
Houndoom was travelling in the air towards a stunned Rhydon.
Hatred. Contempt. Fear.
I can smell it on them all.
Houndoom recalled to the Prelims.
Pokémon Battles...
A sport where we are forced to fight for their amusement.
She remembered how the crowd cheered for her victory.
It makes me sick.
Is this humans' idea of fun?
She recalled to Karen's handshake with her opponents.
However,…
Every now and then, their scent changes.
How her opponents praised the black canine and her teammates.
From hatred… to respect.
Karen and her ridiculous dreams.
She really believes she can change the world, little by little. I want no part of that.
But…
I do understand showing off your strength to protect your territory.
That makes sense.
It's a law of nature I witnessed countless times back when I was a pup.
Houndoom was now closing in on Rhydon.
However, Gary's attention was on Karen.
It's that law I follow.
It's an idea I can get behind.
And...
'Those eyes…'
The boy was focused on the silvery-blue eyes that seemed to peer into his soul.
Not of hatred, not of sorrow.
But those of someone trying to understand.
And that enraged Gary to the limit.
"Well, I'm gonna be a Pokémon Master! And Pikachu here is gonna be my ace!"
'Those goddamn eyes!'
'They're like his!'
'It's like they can see right through me.'
Then, it all came flooding in all at once.
Raticate's death.
Eevee's tears for her best friend.
Growlithe and Eevee's sorrowful farewell to each other.
"But don't you dare talk about your Pokémon like that!"
And the boy snapped.
'I hate those eyes... Those eyes that can understand their Pokémon!'
"Stop looking at me like you understand me!"
"Crush her, Rhydon!" Gary commanded angrily.
The stone-clad giant readied its arm and launched it towards the approaching canine.
"[Hammer Arm]!"
A sickening sound echoed across the stadium.
Children cried out their eyes at the horrific sound.
Adults winced in terror.
Trainers were unable to watch the aftermath.
The students of Pokémon Academy gasped in horror at the brutal sound.
Calem and Shauna were hugging each other, the latter extremely frightened.
The Elite Four watched the battle's outcome, never averting their gaze.
The other competitors could only watch in silence.
Blue widened her eyes and covered her mouth, muffling her small scream.
Pikachu and Espeon observed with eyes of distress.
Ash and Serena looked upon the battle with panicked eyes.
A… nd…
A cough of blood was vomited out on the battlefield.
This time…
A whirring sound could be heard.
The feral eyes emitted a streak of red. Her claws pierced the stone armour to prevent herself from flying away after [Hammer Arm]'s contact.
Ominous black lightning crackled from the charging orb of obsidian darkness.
The whirring signalled Rhydon's impending doom.
Houndoom charged [Dark Pulse] even more.
I will win.
For the first time, Gary could not move.
He was powerless to stop it.
His green eyes could only widen in fear.
I will protect them.
For a split second, the boy was terrified of Karen's silvery-blue eyes.
The ones who took me in.
Eyes that showed no fear nor regret.
They who gave me a place to belong.
And with all her last remaining strength, Houndoom's teeth sank into Rhydon's throat.
Letting [Dark Pulse] rampage within her mouth.
For my pack!
(My family!)
And the accumulated black energy erupted like a volcano of darkness.
KRAKOOOM!
{ TH-THEY'RE DOWN! }
{ BOTH FIGHTERS ARE DOWN! }
Gary shielded his eyes from the raging tornado of dust.
Karen watched her partner's battle without averting her gaze.
The battlefield was destroyed.
{ ALL THE DUST... }
{ IT'S CLEARING...! }
A disturbed Gary looked upon the aftermath. A bead of sweat dripping down his face.
"…!"
And what he saw horrified him.
A fainted Rhydon flat on its back, its eyes rolled backwards.
And atop it was a still standing Houndoom.
The red eyes still glimmering from [Nasty Plot].
"Well done. Houndoom," Karen tenderly praised.
As the smoke cleared even more, the results were definitive.
Houndoom's eyes were unconscious.
"You were proud and strong. Right up to the end."
The competitors were flabbergasted at the outcome.
"It fainted…" Lance muttered in disbelief.
"But it's still standing…" Ash continued, amazed at Houndoom's indomitable willpower.
{ RHYDON AND HOUNDOOM ARE BOTH UNABLE TO BATTLE. }
{ GREEN STILL HAS ONE USEABLE POKÉMON. THEREFORE... }
{ THIS MATCH IS OVER! }
{ THE WINNER IS GREEN OF PALLET TOWN! }
Gary then gave his signature pose as sign of his victory.
The crowd went wild at the amazing battles the two Trainers performed.
Claps echoed around the stadium.
As well as the Pokémon Academy.
"That battle was crazy…" Calem muttered out, adrenaline still pumping into his veins.
"But… It kinda hurt to watch," Shauna replied sadly towards the fainted Houndoom.
"Yeah…" Trevor agreed.
{ THE ELITE FOUR CANDIDATE KAREN IS OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT! }
'Gary… I'm starting to feel alarmed about that boy,' Oak thought in worry as he watched Gary recalled Rhydon back into his Ball.
"Happy, Lance? You were right about that kid being one to watch out for," Lorelei asked.
"One to watch out, huh? I might be wrong about that one, Lorelei," Lance answered back before glancing at Gary.
"That boy is everything the Elite Four stands against."
Lorelei sighed and began comforting her senior Elite Four colleague.
"Sorry about Karen, Miss Agatha," the red-haired woman comforted.
"Bah. She's always had a habit of putting her Pokémon first. Usually, that's her strength. But this time, it worked against her," the elderly woman said nonchalantly.
"But still…"
"What an impertinent brat. The more I see him, the less I like."
"He might infuriate me more than Samuel ever did."
"Looks like we're in the same boat," Lorelei sighed, recalling that Misty also lost against the boy with a Pikachu from Pallet Town.
"Speaking of…"
"Where are they?"
"I'm sorry, Houndoom," Karen apologized to the recalled canine inside the PokéBall.
"I guess I wasn't strong enough."
Houndoom processed her words silently.
Karen and Gary then made their way to the middle of the arena.
The two were now face-to-face.
"What'd I tell ya?" Gary spoke with a smirk.
"A touching history won't help you win battles."
"…Perhaps," Karen simply answered with a smile.
Her answer only served to annoy Gary.
Although calm on the outside, the orange-haired boy's emotions were in turmoil inside. Anger dominated mostly.
"You really are something, considering you've only been a Trainer for only a year," Karen praised genuinely.
"You Pallet Town kids truly are magnificent. I'll be cheering you guys on."
"But you, Green…"
"Your cold, calculating battle style…"
The silvery-blue pierced into the soul of the cold emerald greens.
"It makes me wonder what you sacrificed to get this far."
Her statement hit Gary right in his heart.
"…Huh?" Gary chuckled mockingly. His hands inside his pockets were trembling.
"Sounds to me like you're a sore loser," he ridiculed back.
"I'm a genius. That's all there is to it."
But the boy was not fooling her.
"Come on, I told you my story," Karen sighed.
"At least tell me how you got like this."
Memories of Raticate resurfaced in Gary's mind.
His expression darkened upon remembering his former ace.
"…"
"...I…"
"I had a partner once. He tried to save some Pokémon that were in trouble."
"I decided to go along with it on a whim. But soon, I wished I hadn't."
Gary finally let go of the façade he wore and spoke his mind freely for the first time.
"Losing my friend made me realize something."
"Friendship. Sentiments. Emotions. Camaraderie."
Karen widened her eyes at his words.
"Moves. Abilities. Tactics. Timings."
"Each one is a piece that has equal value in obtaining victory."
"In other words, they're tools. They exist to help me win."
"But a person who is swayed by sentiments for their Pokémon cannot move forward to victory."
"Just like you."
Gary pointed an accusing finger towards the Dark specialist.
"Ooh, how harsh," she replied to his cruel speech.
'Those words sounded rehearsed,' she thought, unravelling his true feelings.
'He's probably asked himself these same questions over and over.'
'Like he's forced it upon himself.'
'It's like a curse.'
"…Just one piece of advice from the loser," she said to the tormented boy.
"If you keep shutting out your Pokémon's voices like this..."
"One day, you won't be able to hear them at all anymore."
Gary processed her words for a moment.
"…Thanks. Sounds like good advice," Gary thanked. His tone was neither genuine nor sarcastic.
"And thank you for listening," Karen replied.
The two shook hands as a sign of good sportsmanship.
"I look forward to seeing how far you kids go."
The two then made their way to the exit of their respective sides.
The cheers of the stadium were not calming down.
Then…
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Karen's Pokémon summoned themselves out of their Balls.
"Kyaaa!" Karen yelped uncharacteristically in surprise.
Murmurs of confusion surrounded the stadium.
"Eh? What's wrong? The match is over. Don't push yourselves any—"
A wounded Houndoom growled towards the teen with smoke emitting from her mouth.
"At least... Until you think I've let the world beat me."
"If that happens, you can eat me. I won't resist."
"Ah, that's right. I promised, didn't I?" she said and prepared for her demise.
She shut her eyes in acceptance.
…
Lick.
But the horned canine gently licked her Trainer.
"Hmm?!"
Murkrow started prancing and cawing boisterously, showing off its tattered wings.
"…Pft. What a funny guy," someone from the audience laughed.
Then, more praises came from the audience.
"Hey, nice! You know how to put on a show!"
Then, Murkrow pointed its wing towards a chilling Umbreon.
And the Moonlight Pokémon gave its questionably best smile.
"Whoa, that's creepy!"
"I dunno, I kinda like it."
"Cute but scary! What a combination!"
Then, the wing pointed to Houndoom.
The black canine was panting from the numbing pain but stood tall, nonetheless.
"AROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
She howled with pride.
"Yeah! Way to go, Houndoom!"
"You're so cool!"
"I've become a fan!"
And finally, Murkrow pointed to Karen.
With a soft laugh, Karen step forward.
The three Dark types surrounded her and bowed gracefully despite their injuries. Houndoom's long tail curved over Karen, making it look like a circle around the Trainer.
Karen also bowed gracefully. Her flowing blue hair and fair skin served to enhance her beauty alongside the Dark types.
With that, the audience went crazy with ovations towards the Dark type specialist.
The stadium began chanting her name.
"A pity my disciple was knocked out in the first round," Agatha said to herself.
"She's not ready for the Elite Four yet."
"Sometimes words just aren't enough."
"People need to be shown the truth."
The elderly woman thought back to her disciple's words and chuckled.
'Dear, sweet Karin,' she mused.
'You may have lost the match.'
'But...'
'So far as your quest to change the world goes...'
'You scored a fine victory today.'
"What do you say?" Karen asked her Pokémon.
"Will you stay and fight with me again?"
Murkrow and Umbreon nodded, prompting everyone to look at Houndoom.
And the prideful warrior gave her Trainer a smirk.
"Well, that's a first," the teen spoke aloud, her face blushing with happiness towards her partner.
"I don't think I've ever seen you smile like that before."
Inside the opposite exit, Gary could hear the crowd chanting Karen's name.
"All that crap about changing people's minds about Dark type Pokémon has blinded you to the truth!"
"Your past, your friendship, none of those matters! You're just drunk on your own meaningless sob story!"
His thoughts lingered back to his own words.
'…The hell? I was the winner,' he pondered in irritation.
He continued walking, his lifeless green eyes on the floor.
'Apart from some hiccups, the whole battle went according to my plan.'
'I showed everyone that my way is what gets results.'
'My way is not wrong…'
'…'
His footsteps stopped in their tracks, as if they were too heavy to move on.
'So, why…?!'
'Why can't I shake it off?'
'This feeling like I messed up somehow?'
Karen stared into the exit where Gary went.
'This was a good battle.'
'I think it helped lift Houndoom's curse a little.'
'How is your curse, Green?'
Footsteps echoed in front of the orange-haired boy.
Gary now finally faced forward to see the owners of those footsteps.
'Yours is a curse you've placed on yourself.'
A chestnut-haired girl with determined blue eyes and an Espeon accompanying her.
'Lifting it all on your own won't be easy.'
And a raven-haired boy with sharp red eyes and a Pikachu on his shoulder.
'I'll be rooting for you.'
The orange-haired boy stared back at the two with emotionless green eyes.
'The people you meet...'
Arcanine watched in silence inside his Ball.
'The conflicts you face...'
The Pallet Town trio now faced each other in a three-way deadlock.
Chapter 38: Tooth and Nail
'One day, I know they'll set you free.'