--- Emily's Fifth Gym Battle: Vandyke City (by Michael Keens/ Exodus) --- I’m down in the dumps again. The guy that started travelling with me, and got close to me, turned out to be a fool that needed someone to make his girlfriend jealous. I can’t believe I let that liar kiss me. Men could be such slime, but so can some females, like Bianca. I was all alone again with no one trustworthy to lean on for support. I thought about my track record with guys, Sebastian turned out to be a nasty piece of work, and the guy that was travelling with me (he doesn’t deserve to be named since I’m trying to forget him), and then there was Tetsubo, the one who hurt me most, because I thought I could rely on him to be totally trustworthy with me. He was great at supporting me and was always looking out for me, but he lied all the way through... And I can’t seem to forgive him yet. I put those thoughts aside and prepared my Pokémon for my Gym Challenge, at least my Pokémon were reliable and true, but Poisoness wasn’t willing to battle. “Rina...” “Poisoness, I’m sorry, but Needle is out of our life, as is Tetsubo.” “Rina...” she sobbed. “We don’t need them, I thought I needed Tetsubo but now I’ll show the world that I don’t need him.” “Rina...” “Poisoness, he’s been lying all this time, and Needle was probably in on it too, Poisoness, you’re an individual, let’s show the world that you’re great on your own.” She gave me an unconvincing smile, and then we entered the Gym. It was located in a mine shaft, many steel poles held the place together and there was only one way to go. There were a couple of mining tracks and one cart to ride in, I stepped in and an automatic system shunted us forward, by which I mean myself and Poisoness. It was almost like a roller coaster ride except there was no guarantee this was safe. I gripped Poisoness’s paws and gave her a fearful hug. We reached the end of a long slope, and the brakes clicked on, sending sparks out the back of the cart’s wheels. We came to sudden stop, and I heard clanging sounds. A small distance ahead, stood a miner, hacking away at the rock, he wore a yellow hard hat and blue uniform and he had peaceful green eyes and a large brown spiky moustache and beard that practically covered his face. He had a trolley full of gems and crystals. “Um, I think I’m in the wrong place, I’m looking for the Gym Leader?...” I asked unsurely. “Aye, ye’re een de right place, lass.” he replied. “But you’re a miner.” “Ah kin be two thin’s, deeggin’ fer raire jewels becomes a borin’ job, sae Ah became a Pokey-moan Trainer, det’s haird tae but Ah gae between de two hobbies an’ deevide mah work an’ play time.” “Um, if I beat you, I do get a badge, right?” I questioned, barely understanding what he just said. “O’ coorse, Ah am a certeefied Gym Leader an’ ye’ll get dis Discovery Badge eef ye kin ween. Bah de way, call me Doog’.” he said holding up a colourful gem. “You mean Doug?” I questioned. “Det’s what Ah said, Doog, an’ what’s yir name, wee lassie?” “Emily Whyte of Fuchsia City.” “Well Emily. Shall we get stairted?” “Poisoness, I know you’re upset but you’re one of my strongest Pokémon...” “Gae knaeck some sense eentae her Pokey-moan...” “Rina...” “Marowak!” Doug was tutting at me, “Ye’d theenk everyoane wood have guessed what mah favoorite type aire, Ah’m a miner, Ah spend all mah time undergroond...” “And Ground-types have the advantage over Poison...” I groaned. “Mairowak, Boane Club.” “Maro!” “Poisoness! Double Kick!” “Maro?” Poisoness got through his defenses before he brought the bone down on her and kicked him backwards. “Maro!!!” it growled. “Good work Poisoness.” I congratulated. “Rina...” I could see our personal problems were affecting her battling, but she seemed to focus her rage towards the enemy. “Tackle!” I said, and Poisoness rammed her side into the Marowak. “Thrash.” “MARO!” He started to beat at Poisoness repeatedly. “Nido... Nido... Rina!!!” she wailed. “Poisoness! Bite attack!” I shouted. “Rina!!!” she screamed, slamming her teeth down on one of Marowak’s arms. “Boane Club.” “Maro!” he shouted bonking Poisoness down, it was more painful than it looked. “Boanemeran’.” The bone hit once and flew out of sight. “Head Butt.” “Maro!” Poisoness was lifted further into the air and spun uncontrollably into the returning weapon. “Ri... na...” she groaned as she fell to the floor. “Return...” I ordered and used the Pokéball to manually return her. “Ye put up a good fight, Ah hope ye’ll coanseeder yir next Pokey-moan cairefully.” mused Doug. “Of course I will! Go! Blossom!” “Gloom!” It had been a while since I’d last called upon her, I had to remember that she was my first Pokémon, and though I had yet to send her back, I’d kept her ball with me for the entire journey, I should rely on her skills more, now that she had evolved... Images flashed through my mind, of Tetsubo and his great relationship with his Staryu, I shook my head, I was still mad at him, I’d show him, I’d show everyone that I was a great trainer, that I didn’t need anyone but my Pokémon! “Blossom! Stun Spore!” She blasted out a cloud of pollen and it overwhelmed the Marowak, it coughed a little signifying that the attack had worked, but as an added bonus, it seemed to be scratching at its eyes. “We blinded it... Blossom! Now’s your chance!” “Gloom!” she squealed absorbing the Marowak’s energy. “Maro...” it groaned and collapsed, dropping its bone. “Det’s better, but ye cannae fool me, Glooms aire Grass/ Poiseen-types. Gae Dugtreeo.” “Trio Trio Trio.” sang the three heads in the soil. “Blossom, use Sleep Powder!” “Gloom!” “Dugtreeo, Deeg.” “Trio!” they said in unison before burrowing into the ground. The cloud of dust blasted by but faded before it reached Doug. “Trio Trio Trio, Trio Trio Trio...” I heard from below. “Blossom! Run!” She panicked and ran from side to side but the Dugtrio tracked her down and lifted her up with an explosion of rocks. She landed on the floor with a crash, and shook herself off. “While eets doon, San’ Ettack!” “Trio!” They shunted forward and a dust cloud splashed in Blossom’s eyes. “Feessure strike.” “Oh no!” I shouted concerned. “TRIO!” they shouted together and a life threatening tremor flew at Blossom who was rubbing her eyes. “Um, um... Petal Dance!” I shouted. “Gloom Gloom!” she said nervously and leaped into the air and spun into a twister, there were no leaves to fuel it apart from her own, still, the point of it was to get off the ground as the tremor exploded underneath her and collapsed further underground. “Go Blossom!” I cheered. “Gloom!” She spun around the Dugtrio but seemed to be randomly choosing directions, she was still blinded. “Get eet Dugtreeo, Slash ettack!” “Behind you!” I shouted. A lump of dust bloomed around the area as the Dugtrio rose into the air and a white sharp shape tore down Blossom. “Gl-Ooh!” she squealed, and flung herself down on the Dugtrio. They retaliated with an Earthquake that bounced Blossom back to me, she was bruised, dazed and blinded, and not fit to battle anymore. “Return... My last chance, Go Solar!” “Ivysaur!” he yelled. I probably should have mentioned that Solar evolved the other day, I was just absorbed in my depression to remember to write that down. “Anaether Grass/ Poiseen Pokey-moan. Dugtreeo, Deeg.” “Solar, Vine Whip!” “Ivysaur!” he yelled, and flung his vines forward, they wrapped around the Dugtrio with a solid slapping sound and lifted it up before it could burrow underground, and then threw it up into the air, a lot of dust was also pulled up, so typically, their mysterious lower body was hidden. “Razor Leaf!” “Ivy-Saur!!!” he yelled, and a flurry of leaves flew into the dust cloud and added green to the dusty orange mix. There was a crash, and the Dugtrio was on the ground, out of it. “Ah cannae believe eet, mah Groon’ type Pokey-moan aire loseen’ tae pairt Poiseen-types, well Ah shan’t rely oan Groon’-type moves, Gae San’slash!” “Slash!” it growled and charged forward, I gasped at its speed. “Fury Swipes.” He started to scratch constantly at Solar, who took the damage and fell back. “Razor Leaf!” Two leaves popped out from the blooming plant on his back and spun into the Sandslash who rolled into a ball until the attack was over. “Solar Beam!” “Ivy...” “San’slash! Poiseen Steen’!” “Slash!!!” he squealed, and spun in the air sending out poisonous spines. They connected with Solar and he looked slightly ill but he was holding on to his stored energy, it was hard for him to get the energy from the little light in the room, so it took slightly longer to power up. “Eairthquake!” yelled Doug, confident that he had this match in the bag. “Solar Beam!” I retaliated. The quake threw Solar off balance and into the air but he turned himself and shot the beam, it missed but the explosion that followed had a big enough range to throw the Sandslash into the wall. “Sweeft ettack!” “Sand! Slash!!!” The stars finished off Solar who had taken the full force of the quake and was dizzy enough, the stars connected and Solar was shunted up a little. The Sandslash had disappeared and burst out of the ground to deliver the final blow to Solar. “Its over...” I groaned, and we had worked so hard. “Perhaps naet, Ah’m a fair man an’ Ah naeteeced ye recalled yir Pokey-moan weet’oot dair permission, because ye were worried aboot dem, eef any more aire feet tae bettle, Ah’d be happy tae coanteenue.” “I’ll see, Return Solar, Blossom?...” “Gloom... Gloom...” she groaned, swaying her head to the sides, “Gl’ Gloom!” she said firmly, shaking herself off. “Alright! Blossom, Stun Spore!” “Deeg.” Once again, the dust missed. “Petal Dance!” She leaped into the air again, I knew it’d make her dizzy but anything else would make her hurt by the Sandslash’s finishing blow. It burst out where it thought Blossom was, and missed, and so didn’t see her coming from behind. She spun into him and surprised him, he fell back but grounded himself, giving off an angry glare. “Stun Spore before you lose it!” I pleaded. “Gl’ Gl’ Gl’... Gl’ Gl’ Gl’... Gloom!!!” she finally squealed as the dust burst out of her top and consumed the Sandslash, she collapsed after that. “Sa... Sand... ... Slash!!!” he wailed getting more and more angry. “Return, Go Poisoness!” ‘Rina...” she groaned. “Its almost over, you can do this, On your own.” I cheered softly and firmly. “Rina...” she said, her eyes looking pleadingly at me. She wasn’t used to this, she needed her soulmate apparently. “I see... I might have given up my guy but you can’t... Poisoness, I’ll work something out, but only if you prove yourself...” She turned towards the Sandslash, and I felt guilty for forcing this battle on her when she was going through this experience. “Poisoness! Double Kick!” She attacked it rather savagely, because of my promise. “San’slash! Deeg!” It dove underground but Poisoness chased after it. There was a silence, then a lot of slashing and beating sounds and the ground burst open, I saw Poisoness on the top unclearly, it seemed the Sandslash had won, but wait, Poisoness was clinging to a weakened Sandslash, not being lifted by him, she flipped him over her and threw him down, then landed on him, his spines were stuck in the ground and he couldn’t move, but it didn’t matter, he was too weak to fight on. “Coangretulations Lass, Ah dinnae theenk Ah’d see de day det Poiseen-type Pokey-moan wood beat mah team, noo as promised, de Discovery Badge.” he said, handing me the gem he showed me earlier. “Thank you sir.” The ride uphill was easier and slower and we emerged at the entrance, it was so nice to see the sun again, which was currently about to set, I was tired and needed rest, but I had a promise to keep. “Poisoness... You really can’t imagine life without Needle, can you?... I was selfish, I’m sure he never meant to hurt you, but as for Tetsubo...” “Rina...” she moaned, surely she wouldn’t see him unless I made the decision to find Tetsubo. “Poisoness, I promise. You’ll see Needle someday.” “Rina?” she asked, her eyes lighting up, in a manner of speaking. “But you have to be patient, I’m still mad at Tetsubo, but... Once I get my Gym Badges, I’ll confront him, no matter how I feel about him and I’ll make him call upon Needle. Until then, you’ve got to stand on your own four feet. Deal?...” “Rina...” she smiled, and nestled her head next to me. I lovingly stroked her slightly scaly body, I really wasn’t ready to confront Tetsubo, but like it or not, now I had made a promise to my Pokémon to do that, and I had to keep it. --- Abby's Sixth Gym Battle Rick's Forth Gym Battle Back to the Side Stories Back to the Pokézone