Ch 60. Ares vs Blaine

(Unedited)

After a day of well rested sleep, along with some nagging of Jenny which he had walked out off at the shopping mall, Ares arrived at the hotspring, just like Old m- Blaine had asked of him.

Blaine was already waiting for him, as he pressed on one of the faucets of the hotspring, making a secret entrance appear.

The doors were wide, the tunnel disappearing inside of the volcano.

"Wow, I've never seen something like it."

Jenny had appeared not much later, looking into the tunnel as a draft of hot wind was blowing out of it.

"Do you think there will be lava further inside?"

Jenny was filled with curiosity, already moving inside as she ran in.

Blaine and Ares both watched her go, not saying much about her as they went after her at their own pace.

"This place has become my gym a bit after tourism became popular in this area. Tourists continued to challenge my gym only for the gymbadge to be used as a souvenir. There weren't any worthy challengers, ones who wanted to become stronger and enter the pokemon league."

"So you moved the gym, giving them riddles to find the gym. Or you would go to the trainers themselves once you judged they were serious about the challenge."

Ares continued, the temperature around them slowly but surely rising.

"That's right. The gym had to be well hidden, somewhere no tourist would stumble into. The location fits my specialization as well, as the volcano is a perfect battle field for fire-type pokemon."

Blaine grinned, as steel doors finally came into view.

Increasing his pace, Blaine passed by Jenny and pushed the doors open.

Behind the steel doors was a battlefield. But not just any ordinary battlefield. It was floating in the air above the lava, tightly secured by thick chains that kept it afloat.

The rocks around them reflected a red hue, the color of the lava tinting everything in its own hue.

"Welcome to my gym, Ares, the challenger. I am Blaine, the Cinnabar city gym leader, a fire-type specialist. The battle is in singles format, which will be a two on two pokemon battle. The rules are simple. Both sides are allowed to substitute pokemon. Once all the pokemon of one side have fainted, the other side has won the match. Healing items aren't allowed, but items such as Focus Sash and Miracle seeds are allowed to be used. Gives a certain edge to an already piping hot battle. Is everything clear so far?"

Blaine questioned, a pokeball already in his hand after he had taken the spot on the other side of the battlefield.

"Crystal."

Taking out his own pokeball, Ares waited for Blaine to begin. Gymleaders would always start first, giving the challenger a small advantage.

"Then let the battle begin!"

Blaine shouted, releasing his first pokemon on the battlefield.

A cream colored horse-type pokemon appeared, fiery red manes flickering back and forth as its hooves stomped impatiently on the ground.

Rapidash, the fire horse pokemon.

Seeing the choice Blaine went with, Ares thought for a while and took out a different pokemon. Glancing to his side, he gave a small nod to Lucario, who grunted in acceptance and sat down on the ground. He knew today he wouldn't be battling.

"It's your turn to finally battle. Let's go."

Calling out his pokemon to battle for the first time, Ares couldn't wait to see how he would fare.

Appearing on the other side of Rapidash was the giant scar-bearing figure of Charizard, who blasted a hot stream of rock melting fire into the air.

Charizard was pumped and ready to blow off some steam.

It had waited patiently to show off some of his strenght. Now that he stood face to face with a worthy opponent, he could let loose and show Ares he was not to be messed with.

"Go Rapidash, Flame charge now!"

Cloaking itself in fire, Rapidash burst forward towards Charizard, its speed faster than expected. Charizard saw Rapidash coming, stood his ground and waited for Ares's strategy. It would see how good Ares was at reading a battle. If he was lacking, Charizard would take matters in his own hands.

"Charizard, Air Slash. Aim low."

Creating a bit of distance between Rapidash and himself, Charizard used Air slash at the same time, blasting cutting currents of air towards Rapidash' legs.

Rapidash was forced to dodge, jumping sideways as the flames flickered out.

"Smokescreen."

Following that, Charizard unleashed a dense curtain of black smoke, effectively hiding his presence in the smokescreen.

Rapidash looked unconfortable around itself, stomping in agitation on the ground.

"Rapidash, use Firespin. Blow away that smoke."

Blaine saw right through it, having already thought of a counter move should something like this happen.

With itself as the center, Rapidash blasted waves or spiralling fire outwards, thinning the smokescreen around it. Yet through the fading smoke, Rapidash still couldn't spot Charizard. He had disappeared from sight.

"Above you, Rapidash!"

Blaine called out, spotting Charizard swooping down from above at breakneck pace.

"Too late. Dragon Tail."

Charizard dove down, already in striking distance between himself and Rapidash. His tail lit up in green dragon energy, as dragon scales covered it like an armor.

Slamming his tail down, Charizard hit Rapidash clean on the back, slamming in down hard on the ground. The battlefield cracked, pieces of it falling down in the lava. Holes had appeared, from which torrents of lava would blast upwards. The battlefield had changed into a minefield for both sides.

Trying to get to its feet, Rapidash managed to stand, looking at Charizard in spit. But the next second, Rapidash collapsed.

Not seeing Rapidash stand up again, Blaine retrieved it to its pokeball.

"Well done, Rapidash."

"You have a strong Charizard. It must have been hard to train it, seeing that it has a stubborn streak to it."

Blaine had seen right through Charizard, as it seemed to still test the bottomline of Ares.

"I didn't have it as a Charmander, so difficulties are to be expected. It seems like I have earned a bit of his trust now after this battle."

Charizard just scoffed, turning his head aside.

It would take a little while more before Ares could have his complete trust!

"I can see that. But your next opponent won't be easy. Come out! Magmar!"

Yelling loudly, Blaine looked towards the lava.

The lava bubbled energetically, as if a giant creature was breathing beneath it. The lava began to bulge as a creature jumped out of it.

Landing on the already broken battlefield, a Magmar appeared, still steaming from the lava bath it had just been chilling in.

As this was the first time he had seen a Magmar right in front of him, Ares took out his Rotom phone.

Scanning the Magmar in front of him, the pokedex entry popped up.

[Magmar, the spitfire pokemon. Born in an active volcano. Its body is always cloaked in flames, so it looks like a big ball of fire.]

So it truly was a pokemon that lived in volcano's, swimming freely in the lava like it was water. That's what you call a fire-type pokemon.

"Magmar, use Confuse Ray."

At the command of Blaine, glowing orbs of light shot out form Magmar's body, surrounding Charizard. Charizard huffed in annoyance as he tried to swat the balls away. A bad move, as he suddenly became dizzy when he came into contact.

"Charizard, calm down. Close your eyes and listen to my voice."

Charizard looked in horror at Magmar, not trusting to close his eyes when there were four of them in front of him. How could Ares even consider making him close his eyes.

"Just do it!"

Charizard refused to listen as he stubbornly stared at the army of Magmar in front of him, thinking that if he just used Heat Wave he would hit all of them.

Seeing Charizard not listening at all, Ares shook his head.

Stubborn, just like the first day!