Battling - Part 2

Golduck nodded, then adopted a fighting stance. The referee stepped forwards with both of his flags raised. "Golduck vs Sharpedo. Begin!"

"Golduck, water gun"

"Crunch"

"Dodge and get into the water"

Golduck fired a stream of water at the shark,but Sharpedo charged straight through it, barely seeming to notice. He threw himself at Golduck, but the Duck Pokémon dived into the pool, swimming away as quickly as possible.

"Ice Beam"

Before Golduck could dodge, he was trapped in a block of ice that bobbed to the surface of the pool. Sharpedo then charged in once again and smashed through the ice, biting down on Golduck. The duck screamed in pain and flailed out, trying to dislodge Sharpedo, but without success.

"Throw and use Giga Impact."

Misty was powerless to watch her Pokémon get crushed as Golduck was thrown into the air before Sharpedo smashed into him from below. Golduck rose into the air once again and crashed down onto a platform, causing smoke to appear. Sharpedo returned to settle in front of his trainer. However, as the smoke cleared, Golduck was slowly clambering to his feet. His blue body as covered in bruises, yet he refused to lie down when his trainer needed him. Misty could see that Golduck was beyond the end of his tether, but had a chance to impress her opponent with her Pokémon's endurance and didn't want to forfeit.

"Golduck, Hydro Pump"

"Take down"

Golduck fired a torrent of water at Sharpedo who slipped to the side before sending Golduck flying with another powerful attack. Again, the stadium thought the battle was over, but again Golduck was able to climb to his feet, although barely able to stand. He simply refused to lie down, despite the crushing power of his opponents attacks.

"Again"

With Golduck too tired to even attempt to dodge, Sharpedo used Take Down, sending the duck back to the ground, where he crawled to his feet, no longer even able to move. At this point, no more commands were forthcoming from 'The Champion', and Misty watched her Pokémon try to regain some sort of battle posture.

In the stands the gang was in awe of Golducks endurance. They had seen the power of Sharpedos attacks as he dispatched the rest of Misty's team, but this Pokémon seemed was refusing to give up.

"What's he waiting for?" May asked as 'The Champions' inaction lengthened.. "Golduck is finished, he needs to just hit it again."

Brock and Gary looked at each other, as realisation sank in. Brock turned to May and explained.

"He is waiting for Misty to recall Golduck. She should know he can't win, and is in no state to fight, so to stop her Pokémon being harmed she should recall it. However, I don't think she is thinking straight anymore. Her team has been decimated, but she has one Pokémon that is refusing to give up. I think she will be trying to show him that her team has endurance. She will be driven by anger to try and get revenge."

"But if he's waiting for her to recall Golduck, shouldn't she do that?" May persisted.

"Yes, but I doubt she will. Her will to prove herself and the stubbornness of that duck will make it hard for her to withdraw it."

Back on the field, Golduck has regained its feet, and Misty called for another Water Gun attack. Sharpedo looked back at his trainer who nodded. A gold beam formed in front of its mouth, before firing at Golduck. The hyper beam smashed straight through the Water Gun and sent the duck flying backwards once more. Golduck skidded to the ground, immobile for a moment, but then with one hand began to haul itself to its feet once again. There were gasps from around the stadium, to take two of the most powerful attacks around and to still get up was unbelievable.

"Sharpedo, end it."

Before Golduck had finished regaining its feet, Sharpedo darted forwards and tackled it to the ground. Again Golduck began climbing to its feet, but as it tried again, Sharpedo tackled it once more. After three more tackles, Sharpedo returned to its trainer, as Golduck was barely able to even more an arm. However, unbelievably, he then slowly pushed itself to its knees, and then to its feet. Facing Sharpedo once again, it glared across the pool at the shark that it refused to let defeat it.

Misty took a deep breath. "Golduck, can you still fight?"

Golduck didn't respond, but a golden beam appeared in front of the gem on his head, before firing across the pool at Sharpedo, who dived under water. As the shark surfaced, preparing to attack once more, Golduck toppled forwards into the pool. Sharpedo dived after it, and pulled it to the surface, pushing it onto the platform. The duck lay there, not moving.

"Golduck!" Misty screamed. "Golduck, are you ok?"

The referee stepped forward, for the last time. "Golduck is unable to battle. Misty is out of Pokémon, so the victory goes to 'The Champion'!"

Misty watched her opponent recall his Pokémon, and she reached out to do so herself. Holding out the Pokéball, a red beam came out, but stopped just short of Golduck. She tried again, and the same thing happened.

Suddenly Golduck lifted off the platform and began to float away from Misty, towards her opponent. She looked up at him, as Golduck came to rest beside him. He knelt next to the stricken Pokémon and put a hand on the side of its head. A team of Nurse Joys and Chanseys ran onto the field with a stretcher, where they lifted Golduck, 'The Champion' never moving his hand from the side of the Pokémon.

As the stretcher moved away, Golducks Pokéball suddenly flew out of Misty's hand and was caught by her opponent. Misty felt sick, she hadn't realised how hard she had pushed her Pokémon. She hurried after the stretcher as it rapidly moved away down a tunnel at the side of the stadium.

"What just happened?" Drew asked. "What was he doing to Golduck?"

"I have absolutely no idea" came Brocks response. "Gary, any clues?"

"Only one. He is a psychic" was the researchers suggestion.

"Like Sabrina? Could be..." Brock mused. "Although from what I remember about Sabrina, she is one of the most powerful psychics around and she would struggle to move a Pokémon like that whilst moving. Usually she stands still when working."

"Yeah, but it would explain how Golduck was moved away if he was a strong psychic." Gary argued.

Dawn was listening, but finally butted in. "Guys, does it matter? Our friend was just crushed, one of her Pokémon just been taken away and your arguing over whether he is a psychic?"

"Sorry" they muttered quietly. As they looked up, they saw May, Max, Dawn, Jessie, James and Meowth all heading down the stairs to try to find Misty.

"Get it on the operating table, I need to see if it has any internal injuries." Nurse Joy commanded her Chanseys. Ash kept his hand on the side of Golducks head, with his eyes shut. Nurse Joy turned to him. "Sir, I'm afraid your going to have to wait outside."

Under his hat, Ashs eyes snapped open, although Joy couldn't see. "No. I'll heal him." His tone left no room for argument, and it never occured to the Nurse that she should try to overrule him.

Ash shut his eyes again and focused on Golduck. He sent out his aura into the duck Pokémon, looking for any internal injuries. As he found them he pushed power into the tissue around them, healing them before moving on. Nurse Joy had set up an x-ray, and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The Pokémon shouldn't have survived the journey with injuries like these, and now they were being healed in front of her eyes. As the last of the internal injuries was sealed, Ash pulled a Pokéball from his belt, releasing Meganium. Not moving his hand, he caused all the lights in the room to snap on, and then turned to his Pokémon. "Heal."

The Leaf Pokémon wrapped its vines around Golduck and then began to absorb energy from the lights, to transfer to the wounded duck. Meganiums eyes widened as it realised how badly wounded the Pokémon was, and looked questioningly at its trainer. Ash just shrugged. As the bruises on Golducks body began to heal, Ash placed his hand the duck once again and began transferring energy.

After nearly 5 minutes of transferring energy, Ash and Meganium withdrew. Ash then turned to the stunned nurse who had watched him heal a Pokémon that she had thought would take her hours.

"Let him rest. I can't restore his full energy, but he will be fine. Nobody can see him, not even his trainer. I'll collect him tomorrow morning."

Ash then recalled his Meganium and walked out. Nurse Joy ran after him, and called for him to stop which he did, but didn't turn around.

"Champion, what did you do?"

"I just saved a Pokémons life. How is irrelevant."

"Why can't his trainer see him? She'll be worried."

"She is the reason he was hurt. Her license will be reviewed." Still having not turned at all, Ash strode out the door, and back towards the stadium which the center was next to and where his office was.

A few minutes later Misty dashed through the doors. Nurse Joy looked up from where she was behind the desk, trying to analyse what had happened.

"Nurse Joy, where is my Golduck? I have to see him!"

Nurse Joy frowned. This was the trainer who had caused her Pokémon to nearly die. She had analysed the injuries whilst they were healed. It was very possible without 'The Champions' aid she wouldn't have been able to do anything. She stood up, frowning at the women in front of her.

"Miss Waterflower, I cannot allow this. Pokémon Master left clear instructions that nobody was permitted to visit, even explicitly stating that you in particular could not. Perhaps you should appeal and see what he thinks about the state you let your Pokémon get into. If it wasn't for his intervention I would have struggled to save your Pokémon."

Misty faltered. This was unexpected. She couldn't see her friend? And the Masters intervention? What had happened here? She felt her eyes filling with tears. "But Nurse Joy, I want to..."

"No. Do not make me have to throw you out. You may wait here if you wish, but you will not be allowed to see him. The Pokémon will rest here until the Pokémon Master deems otherwise. As his right with a Pokémon he feels to have been mistreated."

At this moment the rest of the gang came into the Pokémon Centre. Gary was the first to reach Misty, and seeing her state he instantly took her into a hug.

"Misty, what is happening? Where's Golduck?"

"I can't see him. Nobody can apparently. He thinks I mistreat my Pokémon"

Dawn turned to Nurse Joy, a furious expression on her face. "How can you stop a trainer from seeing her own injured Pokémon? It's her responsibility; she should be allowed to see it! Misty would never mistreat any of her Pokémon!"

Nurse Joy bridled at this. "If she was so worried about it, she shouldn't have let it get in such a state. I am only obeying orders. The Pokémon Master has the right to protect a Pokémon he believes to have been mistreated. Given the state of Golduck, and the level of injuries, I have to concur with his view, and cannot therefore overrule him."

"But it was the Master that caused him to get so badly injured!" Dawn exclaimed. Nurse Joy was about to answer, but Misty cut across Dawn, her voice sad and tearful.

"Dawn, she is right. I let Golduck go too far. 'The Champion' was trying to prevent it getting hurt at the end, all he used was tackle. I should have recalled Golduck. Nurse Joy, can you please heal the rest of my Pokémon? We'll go and get some rooms, and I'll come back to collect them in the morning." Misty held out 5 Pokéballs, which Nurse Joy accepted. Misty then turned and walked slowly away, with the rest of the gang watching in disbelief. Gary turned and chased after her. The rest of the group looked at each other.

"So" said Drew. "I think Garys got that. Nurse Joy, do you have any rooms we can stay in?"

Ash walked upstairs to where his office was and entered, settling himself behind his desk. He felt exhausted, having poured most of his energy into Mistys Pokémon trying to save him. He moved to his computer and searched through trainer profiles. He located Misty Waterflower and marked her license as under review, suspending it in the process. He then looked towards the door where he sensed a familiar person approaching.

The door swung open of its own accord and Cynthia walked in, hesitating as she passed the threshold. The door shut itself behind her and she sat down in the chair in front of the desk once again.

Cynthia knew exactly what she wanted. The job she had been offered was perfect for her, and would perhaps allow her to be a moderating influence on the man in front of her. It had surprised her when she realised it, but she actually agreed with what he was doing. She knew that the majority of gym leaders were powerful, but there were a few weaker ones. She also knew that many of them were bad at training upcoming trainers.

If she became the overseer for this she could focus on what she loved, Pokémon and teaching. However, before she accepted she wanted to clarify a few things.

"Champion" she started haltingly, before realizing how uncharacteristic this was and took a breath to calm herself. "What did you do with Golduck?"

"His wounds are healed, and he is regaining energy. I couldn't restore it all."

"You couldn't... Wait, what did you do?"

"Healed him."

"How?"

"Does it matter?"

"To me, yes. As well as a battler, I'm a..."

"A researcher. Yes, I know about your passion for research Cynthia. Your wondering how a human is possibly able to heal a Pokémon when you know that the amount of energy a Pokémon has is far greater to that of a human. Suffice it to say, I have my ways. Golduck is fine."

Cynthia blinked. She did not expect him to see through her that easily. Realizing that this question was probably not going to get answered, she moved on.

"The job you offered. I assume its available?"'

"Yes."

"Then I would like to accept on a few conditions. Firstly, I would need full access to the trainer database, for obvious reasons. I would also expect a way of contacting you at any time. Equally, if I am to do this properly, I expect you to trust my judgement. If I say a trainer is good enough, it means you would have to give them a fair assessment, and if they are good enough, you will have to train them."

"This seems reasonable."

"When it comes to training, I would like to be able to use the facilities given over to you here at Indigo. Not all the time, but I would want to run camps here for promising trainers. You could even attend these to watch promising trainers."

"I will not use them all the time. If your demands for their use aren't excessive, this is acceptable."

"And I would like to know your name."

"That Cynthia, is something I can't give you."

"Why not? Surely you know, and if I'm going to work this closely for you, I expect you to trust me."

"My name is a closely guarded secret. Its not that I don't trust you, but I am always cautious. You will not be allowed to know it. However, if you wish to know my extent of trust for you, try entering the island a few miles from here. I believe it has been called Mystery Island? You are welcome there, although I do suggest you pick a time I am home for your first visit."

Cynthia leaned back in her chair, breathing out. She had gained far more than she expected, the only thing missing was a name. And the revelation about Mystery Island was intriguing. She knew she couldn't reveal anything from the island if she wished to get closer to any of his other secrets, but to be able to get onto the island that had frustrated people for nearly 3 years was a very tempting offer. She remembered when it first appeared, a road appearing overnight, and a gate that was never open. Anybody who tried to fly over found themselves being diverted away. Nobody had managed to get onto it, ever. And she now could. Before she could say anything else however, the man across the desk spoke once again.

"My criteria. Your main role is to help promising trainers who have potential. Much like you did as Master, so you can do this as you see fit. However, you will also be my deputy. You may not divulge anything that passes between us, under any circumstances. And whilst I will listen to your advice, ultimately, decisions are mine alone. Agreed?"

As he spoke, he extended a hand over the desk. Cynthia thought a moment, then realised that this was what she wanted. She took the offered hand and shook it.

"Welcome back to the Pokémon League Cynthia. Your appointment will be announced tomorrow."