Chapter 10

The trainer before him was a girl.

She had a red and blue colour scheme on her upper body but wore red shoes and long white socks. The big hat on her head seemed to cling on for every minute. A yellow bag was at her side.

Bob noticed her brown eyes and hair that ended with two pieces of it pointing out. It reminded him so much of a fighter jet's tail wings.

"With that glare," She said, taking out a pokéball, "you must be a good challenge,"

Bob nodded, 'So this is the female version, Lyra, right? This will be a test for Guts,'

"Most of my pokémon are out," She began, "So use a strong pokémon for my ace,"

Then, she threw the ball, and a pokémon was released.

"Totodile!" It cried, jumping around with unlimited energy.

"Still energetic as always, Griffith," The girl said, which caused Bob to stare.

'Wait, she nicknamed it Griffith? No goddamn way,' Bob was surprised, but threw his own pokéball, 'this can't be a coincidence,'

"Cyndaquil!" Guts called out, staring down his foe.

"A Cyndaquil? Awesome," The trainer said, looking at her Totodile, "do your best,"

Bob decided to start the match.

"Guts, Smokescreen,"

As the fire type breathed in, he paused.

While wondering why Guts was not carrying out that order, Bob noticed something.

He noticed the shaking of his legs and the terror in the fire type's closed eyes.

Bob looked over, and saw a pokémon, famed for its playful attitude, having a glare so menacing it could make a legendary yield.

'What the hell?' he thought, watching the Totodile take a step, and this made Guts recoil, "Smokescreen,"

After some time, Guts got a little angry from being intimidated so, that he shook his head and blew out a black smoke, covering the area.

Totodile looked around, its vision only a black smoke.

It looked at its trainer. She gave a nod.

"Flame Wheel," Bob said softly, making sure only Guts could hear it.

He did, and his body became enveloped in fire.

"Cynda!" Guts charged forward and rolled, which in turn made him into a spinning wheel of hot burning fire.

Generally, every time the fire-type used smokescreen, he looked for his enemy's silhouette and attacked.

He found Totodile's and went to charge.

Although his attack was accurate, it hit nothing.

"Quil?" As he left his wheel form, Guts looked around in the smoke, with no water-type to be found.

Though, he did find an emotion.

And pain.

Within a pinch, Totodile rushed to Guts and clamped its jaws on the fire-type's neck.

Guts screamed in pain.

He would soon learn that once you trap Totodile, it is not trapped with you, you are trapped with it.

BASH!

BASH!

BASH!

Bob heard those sounds, and once the smoke cleared, he saw the water-type flinging Guts around and slamming him against the ground.

"Nice Bite, Griffith, you go girl!" The girl said, which was a point for Bob.

'Griffith's a girl? Okay, maybe the name was a coincidence,' Guts came flying back, 'I named my Cyndaquil Guts, so I can't speak on why she named Totodile that,'

"Totodile," Griffith cried, jumping around, excited by her battle.

She was deadlocked with her foe.

Guts was on his belly. Groans and moans emitted from his mouth.

'Will you get up?' Bob thought, looking back at Griffith, 'That was Bite, but she also threw his body around like a ragdoll,'

It was interesting. This moment had showed Bob something new.

"Cyndaquil!" Guts shouted, getting up, a little injured.

"Now it's my turn," The girl said, gripping her bag's handle, "Griffith, Leer!"

Guts was just in a stance when he saw Griffith charging at him.

He tried to move but felt paralyzed as the water-type gave him a disturbing glare.

"Now, Scratch!"

"Leer, then Quick Attack from the left,"

Before Griffith could unleash her attack, Guts was able to return the glare, but it saved him a millisecond, as right after the water-type slashed with her claws.

Of course, the fire-type vanished and reappeared from the left, smashing into his foe.

"Dile!" She was pushed back from the attack, surprised at how strong it was.

"Ember, but charge it..."

Guts looked to spew out a flame, but kept his mouth shut, feeling the increasing heat.

Then he let it out.

"Griffith, Water Gun,"

As the flame flew, it hit an empty space.

Bob watched, 'Thought so,'

At the corner of his eye, Guts saw the water type.

Then an incredible blast of water.

As the water soaked the ground, Griffith noticed how little fire it was.

Her suspicions were correct, as, in the corner of her eye, an angry mouse with a puffed-up mouth appeared.

This time, the scorching blaze hit its target.

'Good thing I told Guts to dodge,' Bob thought, watching a burnt crocodile, 'I forgot that this is not the games,'

Griffith fell on her back, heaving.

However, her trainer was having a different reaction.

"Yes!" She yelled, placing her hands in front of her and making fists, "Finally, we have a strong opponent!"

Bob raised an eyebrow, 'Strong opponent?'

"Don't keep 'em waiting, girl!" The trainer said.

But her words were potent, as with a huff, Griffith jumped back up, with a more serious yet playful expression.

Guts shook a little but grew agitated, and eager to fight.

"Griffith, use Water Gun!" The girl trainer said, pointing.

Bob retaliated, "Guts, dodge, then Flame Wheel,"

With a raging fire all around him, Guts jumped out of the way from the stream of water and ran towards the water-type.

Once he reached Griffith, Guts was splattered with a wave of mud.

This stopped his advance.

Griffith didn't stop there.

In that small time, without her trainer telling her anything, her jaws shut down on the fire-type.

Then, swinging him around, Griffith threw Guts upwards.

The fire-type could only see the blast of water before getting smashed by it.

This all happened in record time. Even Bob was surprised.

As Guts fell, so did Bob's thoughts.

'I never heard her say a command,' He thought, 'So this must have been Griffith's own doing. I have a long way to go in this world,'

BASH!

Dirt flew up as Guts hit the ground, even more, injured than before.

This was like the last few times when Guts would fight a powerful opponent and get his butt beat. He could tell this was a strong foe, and that is what made him push himself up again.

His skin was tattered and bruised, his breathing heavy, but Guts didn't care.

Bob saw this and nodded.

"C-Cynda..." Guts groaned, his closed eyes trembling, his limbs shaking.

When the enemy trainer saw this, she smiled. Griffith did the same.

Once Guts got to his feet, his back started to flare, and a familiar noise erupted.

'I can hear it now,' Bob thought, staring at the fire-type's back, 'why does it sound like a car engine? Weird,'

"Go for Water Gun!"

The water-type's cheeks began to bulge, but she never let it loose.

"Guts, use Flame Wheel again, but dodge when that Totodile explodes,"

"Cynda-quil," The fire type moved slowly forward, his body ablaze.

However, he was moving in a straight line.

Bob would come to realise that once Cyndaquil is pissed, he just wants to hit his opponent.

So making sure that Guts was not moving to the side, Griffith released a high pressured blast of water from her mouth. Even she had to hold herself down.

BAM!

The water hit the fire-type square on, and he was enveloped by the stream.

Griffith was sure that it was enough, but then her eyes widened once she saw the mouse, flames battling the water, slowly moving forward.

"Cyndaquil!" Despite being against a current Guts gained momentum from moving, and was now running.

Bob was silent. The girl trainer was amazed.

Griffith kept the stream up, but not for long.

BASH!

Guts smashed into the water-type, shutting her mouth.

Griffith could only keep her gaze on the raging mouse as they both flew down to the ground.

The water-type was sitting on her rear, exhausted, staring at the fire-type, who was on his belly.

It was the first time, Griffith felt a twinge of fear.

But her fears were little, as focusing on Guts, he was unconscious.

"What a match!" The girl trainer spoke, "That was the first time I've ever fought a strong opponent,"

"Yeah, it was a good match," Bob said, taking out a pokéball.

But the girl held her hand, telling him to stop.

"Let me revive him," She said taking out an item, with looked like a revive, "you were going to the gym, right?"

Bob watched as she knelt down and sprayed the contents on Guts, 'It sprays? Fascinating,'

A few seconds later, Guts stirred.

"There," The girl said, placing the item back in her bag, "all better,"

The fire-type laid there with a saddened expression.

"What's your name?" The girl asked, standing up and facing Bob.

"Bob, what's your name?"

"Lyra," Lyra responded, "do not count this as a loss,"

'So her name is Lyra,' Bob thought, "why not?"

She breathed in, "Our pokémon are not at their full potential, and I will only accept the win once we fight again,"

Bob nodded, "Fair enough,"

At that moment, Guts saw Griffith lending him a claw.

He grabbed it and stood up.

"Totodile?" She asked.

"Cyndaquil," Guts replied.

"Totodile," Griffith responded with a joyful attitude.

Then, Guts was taken in for a hug.

"Dile," Griffith said, holding Guts' head in her arms.

Guts didn't know how to respond. He felt his face burn up, then turned his head while he returned the hug.

Both Bob and Lyra saw this.

"Looks like they are already friends," She said, "so let's meet again, and battle,"

"When?"

Lyra had a finger under her chin, "Maybe during the Silver league when we get our eight badges?"

Bob nodded, and Lyra grinned.

"Make sure to get a winning streak going," She said, returning Griffith once they were done hugging, "I'll promise to keep her undefeated as well,"

After the greeting, Lyra walked away.

'What an event,' Bob thought, looking at Guts, who had red on his face, "Nice work, Guts,"

The fire-type jumped after hearing Bob but then averted his gaze.

Bob then picked him up, "Don't worry about the loss,"

"Cynda," Guts responded, looking up at him, then receiving a head pat.

"I'm proud of you that you were able to get up, but see this as a learning experience," Bob said, "I know how angry you can get, so next time, try and use that anger and not let it control you,"

Guts nodded.

"Speaking of which," Bob said, placing him down, "I'll bring out the others for this chat,"

After scratching in his bag, Bob took out three more pokéballs, and then threw them.

It was time for a debriefing.