CHAPTER 96 – THE LAST BADGE, VS GIOVANNI (PART ONE)

In the previous chapter we see how they explain the truth about Team Rocket which was completely innocent and was being framed by Team Rainbow Rocket, a criminal team that came from the Ultra Wormholes that are dedicated not only to steal Pokémon but also to "help" other evil teams to achieve their objectives, knowing the truth, now our heroes decide to help but for now their goal is to win the last gym badge.

...

With Ash.

We went straight to the Pokémon Center while talking about what had just happened and apparently we all believed the story that Giovanni told us, there was too much evidence to prove it and also that the police are not stupid and naturally have their means to verify the veracity of Giovanni's words.

Either way, this worries me, if Team Rainbow Rocket is really helping other evil teams to get stronger, then it's a problem, but while I'd like to think more about this but we'd better focus on what's in front of us, our latest gym battle.

The rest of the day was simple, we talked for a while about Team Rocket and then everyone started doing what they wanted, I saw a stream of e-Nigma with Latias and Pikachu, while the three girls started watching an interesting movie.

And so we spent the day, nothing out of the ordinary.

...

The next morning.

We woke up as soon as the sun rose because we were all nervous, today was our last battle before the Pokémon League, if we won today, we would be qualified to participate and we would also have a few months until the start, so there would be a lot of time to train which will benefited us greatly.

Anyway, we showered, got dressed and went quickly to breakfast but we got a surprise as soon as we went down because someone shouted my name loudly.

"Brother!" – said a voice.

And suddenly, the next thing I remember is having Molly in my embrace.

"Molly, you came early" – I said with a smile.

"Your little sister woke us up three hours ago, apparently she couldn't wait to see your battle and she was nervous the whole day of yesterday and today morning" - my father said with a smile.

"It seems incredible that they have known each other for so recently but they are either as brothers who have been together all their lives and even better" – smiled my mother.

"Mama, Papa!" – I exclaimed.

"Good morning everyone, are you ready to get your last badge?" – said my father with a smile.

"Ready!" – we all said.

And then, as we talked, we headed to the Pokémon gym where as soon as we entered Giovanni was dressed in a black suit, but without the "R" of Team Rocket.

"You're already here, you're coming pretty early which that means you're impatient to get your last badge, follow me then" - said Giovanni.

We all nodded and headed to the typical battlefield we had already seen on numerous occasions.

"Here it's not like in Blaine's gym, this will be a 3 vs 3 but get ready because I won't use weak Pokémon, as the last gym leader I must test your skills in an extremely difficult battle, are you ready?" – explained Giovanni.

"Of course!" – we all said.

"Then let the first one be placed" – nodded Giovanni.

Obviously the first one was me as normal, so I put myself in my position when suddenly, the referee came and quickly placed himself in his position.

"Sorry for being late, this battle for the last Kanto Gym badge is about to begin, the rules are simple, it will be a 3 vs 3, the one that weakens all the opponent's Pokémon, it will be the winner, you can start" – said the referee.

"I will not be indulgent like you, I will show you the power of the strongest gym leader in all of Kanto, Nidoking I choose you!" – said Giovanni.

And a Nidoking that looked quite intimidating came out onto the battlefield.

"If that's the case... Charizard I'll choose you!" – I said.

And Charizard went out into the battlefield ready to fight.

Although it may not seem like it, Charizard is one of the best for this gym because despite being Fire type, Earth type attacks have no effect on him and believe me when I tell you that I checked it and I will also tell you that it was with Nancy's Nidoqueen and indeed while flying, Charizard will not be affected by any Earth type attack and for the Stone Edge Unless we are caught off guard, I already have a strategy.

"Not bad, earth-like moves don't work against your Charizard... but that's only if it's flying and I have a way to make it fall, Nidoking use Stone Edge!"

Perfect, that's what I wanted.

"Charizard breaks those rocks with Dragon Claw!"

Charizard quickly walked over and used his claws to destroy the sharp rocks coming out of the ground.

"Now take down that Nidoking using Dragon Claw!"

"Use Thunder Punch!"

Both attacks collided causing both Pokémon to recoil from the impact.

"You are stron but luckily i am very strong too, Nidoking use Thunder Punch!"

"Dodge it and use Flamethrower!"

Charizard flew out and dodged the Thunder Punch without problems and then hit a Flamethrower in Nidoking that sent him flying but without weakening him.

"It's quite annoying that he flies, but we won't give up on such a thing, Nidoking use Stone Edge!"

Nidoking used the same attack again, believing that Charizard might be misguided, but...

"We've already seen that attack, it won't work, Charizard use Dragon Claw again!"

Charizard again used Dragon Claw and destroyed the rocks very easily, however, when I realized, Nidoking had jumped and was in front of Charizard.

"Thunder Punch!"

"Dodge it!"

But it was useless and Charizard received the attack by sending him to the ground.

"Are you okay Charizard?" – I asked somewhat nervously.

"Char" – said Charizard rising from the ground.

"Okay, then again, Charizard use Dragon Claw!"

"Dodge it and use Thunder Punch!"

Nidoking can dodge Charizard's attack in time, however, I was already afraid that something like this would happen.

"Knock it down Nidoking!"

"You know what to do Charizard!"

Before Nidoking's attack hit Charizard, he grabbed his arm and threw him into the air.

"What the hell?" – said Giovanni confused.

"It's over, Charizard use Dragon Claw!"

Quickly so that Nidoking could not make any movement he went towards him and fully impacted the Dragon Claw which caused him to fall to the ground completely weakened.

"Nidoking can't continue to fight, Charizard is the winner!"

"Charizard!" – Charizard roared with excitement.

"You did great, good job!" – I exclaimed.

"Pika pi!" – and that was Pikachu.

"I didn't expect that, you caught me by surprise, but I must admit that your Charizard is exceptionally strong... but we won't give up, Golem I choose you!"

And a Golem went out into the field to fight.

"Charizard you did well but it's time for you to rest!" – I said returning Charizard to his Pokéball.

Golem is a very defensive Pokémon and in addition to Rock type, Charizard's weakness, so I better use my other Pokémon.

"Manaphy I choose you!" – I said pulling Manaphy out of his Pokéball.

At first I didn't plan to use it, but now that I know the truth then I will.

"A Manaphy... a Pokémon very difficult to find and even harder to catch, I must confess that you are a remarkable trainer, but even if that Pokémon is rare, does not mean that it is strong, Golem use Rollout"

Golem hid his limbs in his body and began to roll at full speed towards Manaphy, damn it, this attack again.

"Use Hydro Pump against the ground, we saw this attack before, we won't fall into the same plot again!"

Manaphy nodded and used a powerful water-type attack on the ground, which caused Golem to get stuck.

"Using water to turn sand into mud, good move, however I am not a gym leader for being weak, Golem use Stone Edge!"

Numerous sharp rocks began to come out of the ground.

"We've seen that attack countless times already, Manaphy use Protect!"

Manaphy erected a shield protecting himself from the rocks, but...

"Catch him, use Rock Tomb!"

Golem stomped on the ground and suddenly numerous rocks came out of nowhere and fell to the ground surrounding Manaphy.

"Manaphy free yourself!"

"I won't leave you, Golem uses Rock Climb!"

Golem crouched down and put his tiny hands on the ground, then wrapped himself in a brown aura and propelled himself towards Manaphy at a speed unbecoming of a Pokémon as slow as Golem.

"Use Protect!"

However, Manaphy was trying to free herself and was unable to use Protect before Golem hit an attack on Manaphy and sent her flying.

"Are you ok lovely?!" – I asked nervously.

Manaphy stood up from the ground and looked at me with a smile.

"Phy!" he nodded.

That's how I like it, apart from Pikachu Manaphy was my second partner, we are strong, very strong and we will not let ourselves be defeated by a Golem or by any Pokémon

"Use Tail Glow!"

"It's time to finish, Golem use Stone Edge and surround her again"

Both Pokémon used their respective attacks, Manaphy increased her power while Golem used the rocks to trap Manaphy.

"Finish her off, Golem use Rock Climb!"

It seems like I planned to use the exact same strategy but the same strategy doesn't work twice against me.

"Manaphy use Hydro Pump"

"It won't work, it won't give you time to dodge even if she destroy the rocks" - Giovanni said.

"Who said we want to break the rocks?" – I asked.

Giovanni was surprised but soon understood my intentions because Manaphy used Hydro Pump but not against the rocks but towards the ground and thanks to the Tail Glow the Hydro Pump was many times more powerful than before and lifted Manaphy from the ground making Golem miss his attack.

"Now it's time to finish, Manaphy takes advantage of its failure and use Hydro Pump!"

"Damn, Golem dodge it!"

But it was useless, Golem is too slow, if it had been another Pokémon it is possible that It would have dodged it but Golem did not, so Manaphy's attack hit Golem squarely weakening him completely.

"Golem can't continue to fight, Manaphy wins!"

"We did it!" – I said cheerfully.

"Wow, I guess you don't have the 7 badge for being weak, I underestimated you... but that won't happen again, go ahead Rhyperior!"

And a menacing-looking Rhyperior stepped out onto the battlefield.

"Manaphy comes back you deserve a break!" – I said returning Manaphy to his Pokéball.

Manaphy is quite tired but the reason why the change is because I promised Pikachu that I would fight him in the gym and he is the last Pokémon of the last gym, I think it is the best time to fight alongside him.

"Pikachu it's time to end this fight!" – I said.

"Pika pi!" - exclaimed Pikachu as he stepped out onto the battlefield.

"The truth is that I would like to know why take your Pikachu to the battlefield being weak against my Rhyperior" – said Giovanni surprised.

"Pikachu is my first Pokémon and my best friend, during our journey through Kanto we have lived a lot of adventures that he has made us strong, that's why I think that winning the last badge with him is what I want, we will show how strong we are and we will not even worry about having the disadvantage, we will overcome it together!" – I said.

"Hahaha, I like it, it's the first time in a long time that I've felt excitement from a Pokémon battle... but I'm not going to lose, Rhyperior use Drill Run!"

Rhyperior wrapped his horn is a brown aura and began to spin it at a high speed shooting towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu use Iron Tail!"