--- Emily's Seventh Gym Battle: Jade Town (by Michael Keens/ Exodus) --- Its been so long since the incident with Bryan, and I’ve found myself going into trances while I looked at my stuff, it all reminded me of Tetsubo: Harmony’s Pokéball, she was a Wigglytuff now but it was what had caused her to evolve that I remembered, the Moon Stone that Tetsubo gave to me in Mount Moon, without thinking of how expensive it was, and that was where he let me have the Clefairy that I later traded for Miles, but at the time, all I could think of was how to ask him for the second Moon Stone which at the time, I wanted to evolve my Clefairy with, and now, I still wanted it, but for Poisoness. The Helix Fossil: Tetsubo battled hard and I selfishly took it from that paranoid nerd as a prize, Tetsubo never argued and let me have it without question. The map from the Cerulean Sisters: He could remember the town locations in that thoughtful mind of his, and to get it, we did that play, the one where we technically had our first kiss together. And finally, Graveyard, my Cubone: I selfishly put the burden to catch him on Tetsubo and from what I’d heard, it had been tough enough in the Ghost Tower. When I thought about it, I was pretty selfish at times, and perhaps my ex-friends disliked that as well as my loudmouth open ways, though I haven’t had the will to be loud for some time. And despite my flaws, Tetsubo never held them against me, in fact, he was patient, easy going, and he... liked those characteristics about me... But it still doesn’t change the fact that he lied to me for months. I threw everything back inside and headed for the Gym, I was still mad at him. Jade Town was a famous city, because of its abundance in rare jewels in the mountains, and for the town being built with its natural treasures. A lot of houses were made with emerald and crystal and it was like a dreamworld, unfortunately, it did seem to go to people’s heads, rich snobs walked around showing off their glamourous clothing and gems, the tourists that came here had to be awfully rich to enjoy a holiday. Luckily, Gym Battles didn’t cost anything so I went straight for an evil- looking small emerald castle. Inside was the booming sound of bass, and a rock band at the end of the green crystal room. “The journey’s just beguunnn!!!... The more the the betterrr!!!... Team Rocket’s on the ruunnn!!!... Pokémon! Oh yeeeahhh!!!...” sung an evil looking girl with punk band members on guitars, keyboard and drums. She had a pale face with black marks around her eyes and lips, she had a piercing in her nose along with a ring and jewels embedded around her eyes, she was dressed in black leather and dark green snakeskin materials, with deliberate tears and cuts, her hair was spiky and black and some strands hung over her face, she was a ‘goth’. “Take ten guys, looks like another victim.” “Hey, don’t call me that!” I retaliated. “Then what do I call you?” “Emily Whyte, of Fuchsia City.” “And I’m Madeline, best of all trainers in Jade Town and the local Gym Leader, and I’m sorry Green-gal, but you look too nice to beat me. Only the strongest and darkest Pokémon can beat mine, I never hold back, confusion sweeps across weak minds and poison consumes all!” “I can be pretty dark when I want to be.” I muttered. “We’ll have a three-on-three battle, and promise not to cry when I beat you. Go! Arbok!” “Ch’arbok!” “I choose you Miles!” “Mime!” He stood ready, not even practising his act. Since I was so alone, I’d found the time to train my Pokémon much more often, and Miles had finally learned the right times to show off and the right times to battle. “Use your Bite attack!” shouted Madeline. “Reflect!” I shouted in return. The Arbok was swift and merciless and came forward with a fierce expression, Miles summoned the golden shield to block it off, but it was so strong that it burst right through and shattered the barrier. “Miles...” I shuddered as he fell backwards with a deep mark from the fangs. “Mime...” he groaned. “Don’t hold back Miles, try your Psybeam!” “Mime!” “Ch-ar!!!” screamed the Arbok as it was blasted into the air, he fell back down with a huge thud. “CH’ARR!” he shouted with a lot of anger and crawled forward. “Acid...” smiled Madeline. “Use your Substitute!” I shouted, and Miles seemingly split in two, one remained still while the other was a blue spirit that floated to safety. The doll was totally melted and fell apart, covered in a searing mess. Madeline gave me an evil grin, “Now that’s we’re done with the demonstration...” “Confusion!” I shouted, realising what Madeline was up to. “CH’AR!” screamed Arbok spitting another round. It stopped in the air and came back at him, Miles stood bravely, one hand outstretched, the acid hit the Arbok in the face and it squealed a little but shook it off. “Quickly! Meditate!” I shouted. We needed to take every moment we had and use it well. “Now give it a Mega Punch!” “Mime Miiime! Mime Miiime!” he shouted charging forward and pulling his arm back. “Arbok! Glare!” “CH’ARRR!!!” it shouted, giving a frightening look. “Miiime...” groaned Miles, stopping completely. “Now use your Wrap attack.” “Ch’ar...” it said slithering around Miles. “Barrier!” “Ch’ar! Ch’arrr!!!” it wailed as it bounced off the blue shining cube. “Arbok! Use your Screech!” “CH’ARRR!” it wailed, and Miles’s shield shattered because he couldn’t concentrate on it. “Ah hah hah.” giggled Madeline darkly, “Now use Acid!” “Ch’ar!” “Mi-” I gasped, “Miles!” He tumbled back with a green burning mess on him, steam filling the area around him. “Ah hah hah!” laughed Madeline, I growled and turned to her. “What are you laughing about?! How would you like it if I seriously hurt one of your Pokémon?” I questioned. “Quite frankly I’d be surprised for someone like you to get that far, but if you did, I’d probably congratulate you.” she replied confidently. I growled and turned back to Miles, the acid had been removed but he had a lot of burns and looked ticked off. “We’ll show her, won’t we Miles? Use your Mega Punch!” “Mime Mime!” Madeline had a snide expression, and she didn’t even tell her Arbok to attack, she was toying with me. “Don’t hold back Miles! Show her what you’re made of!” “Mime!” screamed Miles, not only performing one powerful punch, but four consecutive Mega Punches, the Arbok was strong to stay on the ground rather than go flying, but it looked like Miles was getting somewhere, the Arbok had some bruises now. “Impressive, now why don’t we what your Mr Mime is made of. Tear it apart with Poison Sting and Bite attack.” smiled Madeline darkly. “You wouldn’t...” I muttered, “Miles! Psybeam!” The Arbok dived forward but was lifted by the beam, but its head was visible and he could see Miles. “Miles! Watch out!” “Ch’ar!” shouted Arbok firing many stings from its mouth, a few stuck into Miles and he collapsed, but tried to fight the poison. “Ch’ar!!!” wailed the Arbok flying down, opening its mouth. “Reflect!” The Arbok landed on a hard golden shield, Miles put everything into that defense, but it shattered and the Arbok then tore into him. Miles skidded back, and fainted. “Return.” I said quickly, this Gym Leader was merciless, she didn’t care about her enemies’ condition provided she won. “Told ya you were too nice to beat me.” “And like I said, I can be pretty dark when I want to be, and what you did to Miles has ticked me off. Go Graveyard! Avenge your team mate!” “Cu-Bone!” “Cute.” commented Madeline, “Arbok, use Dig.” “CH’AR!” it yelled, burrowing down. “Graveyard, can you aim a Bonemerang down that hole?” “Bone.” he nodded, and flung it, it flew down and was at the right angle to travel through the tunnel, rumbling occurred under Graveyard and got louder and stronger, and then it stopped. “Ch’ar!” wailed Arbok and burst out the ground with a spinning bone constantly hitting him, the bone came back to Graveyard, it may only have been one hit, but it worked perfectly, it cancelled the Dig attack and stunned that Arbok. “Now use Bone Club!” “Ch’arbok!” screamed the Arbok as Graveyard leaped up and brought the bone down on it. “Return Arbok.” said Madeline returning her utterly defeated Arbok, I was still in the running. “Go out there and stun that bonekeeper.” she said, throwing another Pokéball. “Weez-Zing!” it wailed, it sure was an ugly Pokémon. “Weezing, use your Tackle!” “Bone Club!” Graveyard swung his bone and batted the Weezing upwards, but it could float and stopped itself in the air, and came down on Graveyard quickly. “Now use Smoke Screen!” “Weez!!!” Smoke shot out from the Weezing and filled the area, I couldn’t see a thing that was going on. “Graveyard, um, Bonemerang!” I could see the bone fly out of the cloud and then back in, and no hitting sound occurred. “Sludge attack!” A splattering sound could be heard, just as the smoke cleared, and Graveyard had a splash of black in his eyes and on his skull. “Graveyard, listen out for that Weezing and strike with Bone Club.” The Weezing flew around constantly and Graveyard leaped up, only for the Weezing to move aside and cause him to fall to the floor. “Return Graveyard, get a good rest and prepare for a rematch.” “Hah, face it honey, you’ll never hit Weezing once he blinds your Pokémon.” laughed Madeline. “I need a Pokémon to take advantage of him.” I thought out loud, “But with Miles and Graveyard down, those are my type advantages out of the window, but then again, I could use a scientific advantage... Go Tails!” “Vul!!!” “What is it with you and baby Pokémon?” asked Madeline, “Weezing use Smoke Screen!” “Fire Spin!” The flames surrounded Weezing and lifted him up, only to bring him back down to earth very quickly. “Weez...” “Use Poison Gas!” “Go for it Tails, Flamethrower!” It was quite simple really, gas plus fire equals... ‘BOOM!’ The Weezing went flying back, immersed in flames, it bounced on the ground at all angles to put them out. Madeline gasped and glared at me, I turned to the battle, I wouldn’t let her get to me. “Now use Quick Attack!” Tails bounced off the Weezing and flipped into an attacking stance. “Smoke Screen!” “Ember!” The gassy smoke soon became red hot flames that surrounded the two Pokémon, worse was the fact that Weezing wasn’t being burned from its height, but at least Tails could take the heat. “You’ve doomed that Vulpix, air-head. Weezing! Use your Self Destruct!” I gasped, I couldn’t let Tails be wiped out, who knew what Madeline’s last Pokémon was. “Dig!” I shouted, as the Weezing exploded and filled the area with an even hotter temperature than the ring of fire. The force of the explosion had blown out the flames and the Weezing lay weakened, Tails had disappeared but she rose from the dirt and slammed into the Weezing bringing up many rocks to finish it off. “Weez...” “Vul!!!” cheered Tails, this was her first Gym win and she did really good. “Ugh...” groaned Madeline, “I can win this, lets see if your Pokémon can get close to this shifting opponent.” “MUK!!!” it screamed. I was a little worried, Muks were known to be able to manipulate their bodies, and without Miles, I couldn’t use its Psychic weakness, nor bring Poisoness into the battle to tear it apart and not be infected. “Let’s just go with what we have, Tails! Flamethrower!” “Acid Armour!” The Muk melted down and avoided the attack. “Quickly! Dig!” I shouted, and my Vulpix dived underground again. “Use your Harden and then Screech.” The Muk resonated with a golden glow and then it lowered itself down to the ground and started screaming, Tails burst up, but not near the Muk, she couldn’t take the noise and had to cancel her attack. “Use your Pound.” said Madeline. “Fire Spin!” The Muk pounded Tails, but she surrounded him in flames. “Minimize.” The Muk appeared to disintegrate and then reintegrated away from the tornado and pounded Tails again. “Now Sludge attack!” “Pix!” wailed Tails as the Muk rose and threw many parts of itself forward, she couldn’t help but be caught under it, she wasn’t blinded, but she was stuck to the ground. “Pound it!” shouted Madeline, and Tails was crushed. “Return Tails, don’t feel bad, you’ve already done your share... Now Graveyard, I really need you to win this for me.” He appeared, and he could see again. “Aw, isn’t that nice, he’s not blinded, but he Will be. Muk, Sludge attack!” Graveyard quickly spun his bone and repelled the toxic matter. “Body Slam it!” “Cu?!” The Muk leapt over the projectiles and spinning bone and came down on Graveyard before he could get away, the ground shook as it was in solid form, but upon landing, it melted down to drown Graveyard. “Graveyard... Return!” I said, but the recall beam wouldn’t get past the Muk’s body. “Stop this!” I shouted, “You haven’t the right!” “Oh, come on, your cute little bonekeeper must have more fight in it than that!” grinned Madeline darkly. “Graveyard! You have to get free! I care too much about you to lose you!” I shouted. The Muk stopped wriggling, it couldn’t mean... A bright light erupted and burst out the smallest gaps in the Muk, it was shunted off and Graveyard was glowing and growing. “He’s evolving...” I said, a wide smile on my face. “Marowak!” he yelled, he was bigger, had a skull which gave off a more stern appearance and was holding a larger bone. “Alright Graveyard! Let’s teach this mean gal a lesson for the cruelty she’s been putting you and your friends through.” “Maro!” agreed Graveyard. “Whoa...” said Madeline, “He’s not a cute little bonekeeper anymore, he looks... cool.” “He’s also going to power through your Muk.” I commented, “Graveyard, use your Bonemerang!” He threw it forward and the Muk sunk low with its shifting body, and then came at Graveyard. “No more games, use your Pound as much as it takes!” “Without his bone, he’s totally vulnerable.” I thought out loud, “Graveyard! Use your Rage!” “Maro...” “MUK!” screamed the Muk, practically punching away at Graveyard rather than pounding him, without his bone, he wasn’t that great a fighter, not that I blamed him, those bone throwing skills had helped me a lot in the past. Madeline ignored the Rage and allowed her Muk to lay into Graveyard, who was looking tired, it was now or never. “Graveyard! Release it!” “MARO!” he shouted and first head butted the Muk, pushing it back, he then acted out some of his Thrash attack moves, scratching and whipping as much as he could until he could reclaim his bone that finally came flying back. Now he was back in business, he swung and clubbed and batted at the Muk until it fell onto the floor. It attempted to rise, but Graveyard gave it one final swing and lowered the bone onto the Muk and whacked it three times. It remained in a puddle mess and couldn’t get back up. Madeline recalled the Muk and smiled. “So I was wrong, you can be pretty nasty when you’re pushed far enough.” I refused to answer, that wasn’t the sort of behaviour I was proud of resorting to. “Here’s the Venom Badge.” she said handing over a badge that was two squares connected diagonally, with a ring of green around the sides and edges, and a black central area with pink bubbles. “Hey Em’, how would you like to trade that Marowak?” asked Madeline eagerly. “My ‘little bonekeeper’?” I asked sarcastically. “Yeah well, its much cooler now, I’d be happy to trade any of my Pokémon for it.” I looked at her and thought about what we had been through. “No... Stinking... Way.” I answered slowly, and Graveyard and I turned away and started walking, “Your Pokémon are strong, but they’re just so heartless, Graveyard evolved not just to beat your Muk, but because its been greatly cared for. You’re good at training powerful Pokémon, but you’re not loving enough to handle Graveyard...” I could hear her frustration and some other things that I dare not mention to the younger readers, a snide grin was plastered on my face as we left Jade Town, I never really despised a Gym Leader before, but after everything I’ve told you, can you blame me? --- Scott's Seventh Gym Battle Rick's Sixth Gym Battle Back to the Side Stories Back to the Pokézone