Ch.23

Waking up the next day we headed over to the gym while taking our time. First window shopping on the way there, then grabbing a few things to eat. We finally arrived a couple of hours early for our battle, so we took a spot in the stands to watch others challenge the gym. I didn't recognize anyone, though I did notice one of the people challenging the gym had an Ivysaur. 

This person was a woman my age with silver hair, dark skin, and deep amber eyes. They were very beautiful due to their symmetrical and sharp facial features. Overall this woman was not someone I knew in my past life either from the games or anime. So, I looked up to see her name which was Sophie Herrera. She appears to be a part of my generation. 

Sophie also had a Weepinbell in addition to her Ivysaur, which makes me curious if she is specializing in grass-type Pokémon. She did eventually win the gym badge and her talents are very high too. After winning she left with a happy smile on her face while praising her two Pokémon. Then after a short break, the next challenger before me came into the arena. 

However, this challenger I knew, it was Sabrina and she quickly blew through this gym. Using her Kadabra and a Hypno the only other Pokémon of hers that I saw now. Seems like she is specializing in psychic type Pokémon. After she won, like usual she took the gym badge with a prideful and haunty face before leaving. 

After another short break it was my turn, though unlike the last two, even with Sabrina being popular, my fight drew a lot more people into the stands. I could even see the online views growing very high for the live stream of this battle. Annie Hirano, the gym leader finally came out and gave me a friendly smile before taking the other side of the battlefield. 

"Please send out your first Pokémon," the referee says once seeing we are both ready. 

"Ok, Swinub show them what you can do!" I say as I throw Swinub's Pokéball out since only Leo was remaining outside his Pokéball when we were in the gym stands. 

"I believe in you Tangela!" Annie says tossing out a Pokéball with a small Pokémon covered in vines, with only red shoes sticking out from it and beedy eyes from the center of its vine-covered body being visible. 

"Begin!" the referee says once the Pokémon land on the battlefield. 

"Swinub, do the entrance move set just as we practiced!" I say as Swinub covers himself in a mist and throws mud at Tangela. 

At the same time, Annie commanded Tangela to use Growth and Sunny Day. However, just as it was finishing Sunny Day, Swinub landed his Mud Slap. As Tangela grunts in pain from the hit which doesn't do much damage, but still makes it difficult for Tangela to see for a bit. 

"Tangela use Vine Whip!" Annie says as Tangela is trying to wipe the mud off its body/face. 

"Swinub, use Powder Snow!" I shout to Swinub right as Annie commands Tangela. 

Swinub charges up icy power in his mouth, as Tangela charges at Swinub and swings two of its many vines at Swinub. The two vines connected with Swinub's sides as they made cracking sounds of a whip smacking into him. Swinub cries out in pain but releases his icy attack as a very cold baste of snow gets shot at Tangela who was too close to dodge. 

Tangela cries out and stumps back as several of the vines have frost covering them with Tangela now trying to remove the frozen mud and ice covering it. Swinub was wincing from the pain that it still felt after having been attacked by Tangela. 

"Swinub, use Tackle and then Powder Snow again!" I say as Swinub charges at Tangela who is still preoccupied with removing the remaining Mud and Ice. 

"Tangela use Ingrain and Bind!" Annie says right after I command Swinub. 

Swinub smashes into Tangela who has already ingrained itself into the grass battlefield. Though Tangela grunts from the impact, it does however grab onto Swinub and start trying to bind him with its many vines. Swinub releases another icey breath as Tangela binds him slowly. Swinub's breath is able to freeze over most of Tangela's vines making them snap and break dropping him free. Swinub wastes no time and quickly backs away from Tangela who is flailing around in pain and finally removes the remaining mud and ice covering it. 

"Tangela use Attract and then Giga Drain!" Annie says with Tangela making weird movements that look like they are supposed to seduce Swinub. 

I make a grossed-out face at the little tentacle Pokémon doing weird movements with its many tentacle-like vines. As Swinub just stares at it with a confused face unaffected by the move since he is an extremely dense Pokémon with the ability of Oblivious. Seeing it not affecting Swinub, Tangela stops and begins charging its Giga Drain. 

'Oh shit!' I think as both Swinub and I got distracted by this weird matting dance Tangela was doing. 

"Swinub run around avoiding Tengela and charge up an Icicle Crash!" I say snapping out of it as Swinub immediately scrambles further away from Tangela who tries to grab onto Swinub to drain him. 

Swinub is running around like a little dog on crack jumping and zig-zagging around avoiding all of Tangela's vines like the plague. Meanwhile, very dense Icy mist surrounds Swinub as he slowly charges up his second strongest move. 

"Tangela, forget Giga Drain and use Solar Beam!" Annie says seeing Swinub avoiding the vines. 

With the Sunny Day still active Tangela is able to finish absorbing enough energy at the same time Swinub finished gathering his icy energy. Swinub then stops in his tracks releasing large several-foot-long icicles that fall from above the enrooted Tangela. Just as Tangela releases a very strong Solar Beam right at the now stopped Swinub. 

Swinub makes a surprised oink as the Solar Beam crashes right into him with a huge blast sending him flying back into the invisible barrier. With his attack crashed down onto Tangela with a loud crashing sound of glass breaking and a dust cloud covering Tangela. Just as Swinub falls to the ground unconscious from the Solar Beam, the dust settles to show an unconscious Tangela. 

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! Therefore it is a tie! Please send out your next Pokémon!" the referee says as I withdraw Swinub right after using a potion to heal his burns from the Solar Beam. 

"You did good Swinub… Primeape your time to shine!" I say after recalling Swinub and throwing out Primeape who does his usual battlecry and flexing. 

"Exeggutor, you can do this!" Annie says tossing out a new Pokéball with a tall, bipedal Pokémon that resembles a coconut tree or palm tree. It has thin, green leaves sprouting from the top of its body. The most interesting part is that there are three light yellow heads that resemble coconuts, each with different facial expressions.

One head looks happy, one angry, and one sad. Each appears to have their own consciousness and the one in the middle, the happy one seems to be in charge. With them possibly exchanging the leadership role at certain times. However, the biggest problem is that this Pokémon is a dual type, Grass and Psychic. Meaning Primeape is at a huge disadvantage here though that hasn't stopped him before. 

"Begin!" the referee says seeing us and our two Pokémon ready. 

"Primeape use the usual entrance!" I say Primeape uses Leer and Focus Energy. 

"Exeggutor, strengthen yourself!" Annie says as I see it use Calm Mind and Reflect. 

'Double shit,' I think seeing her basically do a full counter to Primeape. 

"Primeape use Acrobatics!" 'Use it to constantly stay on the move and if you see an opening use Rage Fist,' I say to Primeape as he begins running around the open grassy battlefield. 

"Exeggutor us Extrasensory!" Annie says as the three heads focus on Primeape with their different expressions. 

Primeape is stopped mid-run as the three-headed Pokémon uses its psychic powers to attack Primeape. All everyone sees is Primeape grabbing his head and falling to the ground in pain as he cries out. But for me with my psychic powers, I can see the normally invisible energy mentally assaulting Primeape. As the three heads attack Primeape without mercy. 

"Primeape! Push through it and use Rage Fist!" I say seeing that Primeape won't be able to dodge anything and has to constantly be on the offensive or risk losing. 

"P-P-P-PRIMEAPE!!" Primeape screams as I can see he is filled with rage while still being attacked by Exeggutor as he charges toward the three-headed Pokémon. 

"Exeggutor use Hypnosis!" Annie says seeing Primeape pushing through the pain like a masochist. 

However, Primeape reaches Exeggutor right as it stops using Extrasensory and tries to switch to Hypnosis. Primeape jumps onto the large two-legged tree Pokémon using his feet to hold onto it, while constantly pummeling into the three heads with his fists covered in ghostly energy. Exeggutor is crying out in pain with all three heads as they are being assaulted by Primeape's barrage of Rage Fists. 

"Exeggutor!" Annie says with worry seeing her Pokémon unable to do anything from Primeape's rage-filled attack that keeps increasing every punch. Like Rage Fist is slowly consuming Primeape and overflowing him with endless rage. 

'Oh, shit! Maybe Primeape needs to be like this while absorbing the Ghost Energy from the Haunter item to evolve,' I think seeing Primeape losing himself to his rage. 

Annie withdraws Exeggutor seeing her Pokémon unable to fight back and worried for its safety making her forfeit the round. As Primeape in a rage begins thrashing around in the arena kicking up the ground and punching it in a fit of rage. It seems he lost himself to his rage and is going crazy. 

"Gym Leader Annie withdrew her Pokémon, forfeiting the round. The winners are Trainer Lucas and Primeape!" the referee says while everyone including me and Leo is looking at Primeape with worry seeing him going crazy. 

'Well, now people will probably be more afraid to approach me with Primeape going crazy like this… thank god,' I think while pushing myself into Primeape's mind and forcing him to calm down. Ever since that night with the Haunters my psychic abilities have increased almost tenfold making me on par with an average Alakazam. 

'Sleep,' I say forcing Primeape, like Mantis from the Marvel movies force Primeape to sleep. Though unlike Mantis I don't have to be in physical contact with someone. 

Primeape in mid-rage in front of everyone all of a sudden drops to the ground sleeping. Making everyone confused at just what happened though I am sure some others can tell what just happened. I then recall him, as Annie and the referee seemed to release a sigh of relief since Annie was concerned about sending her next Pokémon out. 

"Trainer Lucas withdrew Primeape, please send out your next Pokémon," the referee says to us. 

I just nod to Leo who jumps out into the battlefield with no battle cry but with a stoic and serious look. Annie then throws out her last Pokémon, with a much smaller Pokémon than Leo appears a bipedal Rafflesia-like Pokémon with rudimentary hands and feet. It has beady red eyes and a small mouth, and its head and torso are a single joined segment. On its head is a massive red flower with five bulky petals and an orange-brown center. 

Upon its entrance, it gives out a battle cry, while Leo just gives it a look over and seems unimpressed by it. Vileplume gives Leo an offended look before glaring at Leo, however, Leo has entered the same Rank as most Gym leaders Pokémon. This means that even though Vileplume is one of Annie's main Pokémon, Leo can easily take it out due to his type advantage too. 

"Begin!" the referee says seeing everyone ready and the crowd was already taking pictures of Leo, since seeing an Arcanine is rare. Plus Leo is a never-before-seen Arcanine too, at least in this world his type of Arcanine is unknown.