Chapter 24

The room was massive.

Plants stood on the green ground in brown pots. To the side of the large battlefield, was a tree.

Bob blinked.

There, leaning against it, was the gym leader, Bugsy.

He held a large bug-catcher, his eyes were closed. Perhaps he was asleep.

A few more steps, Bob heard his voice.

"To let you know," He said, now standing at one end of the arena, "I am a pioneer of the bug-type,"

Bob walked to the other end. The referee followed.

"This will be a 3 on 3 battle," he explained, holding a flag, "the challenger is the only one able to switch pokémon, if needed,"

"Let the match begin!"

Bob felt a weight press on his shoulders. It may not have been that bad during the first one, but he still had to fight it.

'Maybe this is why they have gym battles,' He thought, 'to combat the pressure of thousands of spectators watching,'

He looked over at Bugsy.

"My research is an endless bout," Bugsy flicked out a pokéball, spinning it on one of his fingers, "Let me demonstrate my findings,"

With that, the pokéball cracked open, a white fuzz forming into a pokémon.

"Free!" It was a Butterfree, floating with a smirk on it's face, "Butterfree,"

Bob nearly smiled, 'I know the perfect pokémon for this,'

Another lob, and another white fuzz floated to the ground.

"Quilava!" Guts cried, feeling the heat.

Then, he froze for a moment.

The sight of a Butterfree gave him a few flashbacks, but he shook it off, trying to block the experience.

'I have to remember,' Bob thought, making fists, 'this is not Johnathan's Butterfree. It's a stronger one,'

"Free..." The bug-type couldn't stop smirking as it eyed Guts.

It even began to float in a memorizing figure-eight. Guts followed the bug wearily.

"Flame Charge," Bob needed to test the waters.

"Quil," Guts accelerated across the field, towards the floating Butterfree.

"Psychic," Bugsy murmured.

The bug-type paused, focusing his gaze on the approaching fire-type.

'That's a high damaging attack,' Bob thought, 'wonder how Guts will handle it,'

That answer came.

BOOM!

Guts halted, looking faint.

It's as if half of his brain exploded and fell out of his head like a waterfall. The fire-type's eyes went haywire, trying to recover, but to no avail.

Butterfree slowly went back to it's pattern, a smile morphed on its face.

"Lava..." Guts groaned, his anger brewing from the attack.

Quickly, his maw opened and let loose a blazing attack of hell.

"Quiver Dance," was all Bugsy said as the bug-type broke out of the figure-eight pattern, dodging and weaving the blast.

"Guts, Smokescreen,"

After the beam ended, Butterfree noticed a smoke cloud rolling in.

WOOSH!

Turning lightly, it sent a single gust of wind that tore the cloud apart, leaving nothing left but a few stars.

The bug-type instantly huddled up, a green hue coating its body.

BASH!

BASH!

BASH!

The Swift attack did nothing to the bug-type, only resulting in the shake of a head.

A hole was left. An attack from below was imminent.

CRACK!

Out of the ground shot a flaming ball.

BOOM!

"Defence Curl,"

Initially, the bug-type huddled up again when Guts hammered into it, but this attack was felt as Butterfree shook from the impact, knowing how badly that could've gone.

"Guts, Ember,"

The fire-type opened its mouth, preparing the load.

ZAP!

However, electricity dashed around Guts and halted his counter.

'Clever,' Bob had now noticed the powder that scattered down while Guts slammed into Butterfree, 'expected from a gym leader,'

"Butterfree," Bugsy interrupted, "Show me your Air Slash,"

"Free!" Butterfree had an everlasting grin on its face as it floated near.

The bug-type flew in its figure-eight, its gaze locked on the fire-type's.

An unknown fear crept upon Guts as his pupils swung side to side, still trying to blow his foe away with an interrupted Ember.

SLASH!

At one point, Butterfree swung its wing, the air forming into a blade, and this sliced Guts' face.

SLASH!

However, it was not over as the bug-type did this again at another angle, cutting the fire-type and sending his head flinging everywhere.

Guts was building rage as the Air Slashes battered his skin. He wanted to get some satisfaction after losing to a Butterfree previously.

The act to struggle out of the paralysis left the fire-type's mind as his past battles poured into his head.

So, he waited.

Butterfree was getting satisfied, as the slashes created bruises and cuts on Guts' body.

BASH!

It sneaked in a Tackle as the fire-type fell back, as if to faint.

However, Guts opened his mouth, and a charged shot awaited.

The bug-type tried to huddle up into Defence Curl, but it was too late.

BOOM!

That attack blasted Butterfree to bits, but not enough.

"Psychic," At Bugsy's command, Butterfree immediately focused on the beaten fire-type, who stared back with an angry glare.

"Leer,"

The bug-type froze for a moment upon witnessing Guts' intimidating glare.

Although, it didn't change anything.

Nonetheless, Bugsy was quick to act.

"Defense Curl,"

Butterfree, however, was not.

BOOM!

The mental attack imploded inside Guts' brain, sending the fire-type to the ground.

BASH!

The Swift that Guts activated after the Leer smashed into the bug-type, causing it to groan.

Despite the damage, the fire-type had been knocked down.

'Is he done?' Bob thought, 'guess he will lose to the same species twice,'

"Quil..." A groan escaped the battered fire-types lips as he stood up again, body bruised and tattered.

Bob could hear, from the fire-type's spluttering back, the sounds of multiple engines mixing together in a rhythmic pattern.

Bugsy nodded, though, Butterfree was bewildered.

No matter how hard it thought, the bug-type couldn't understand how and why the fire-type stood up again.

Guts' right eye was swollen shut, his legs where shaking, and the flames on his back seemed to die out. This was all the more reason for the foe to be knocked out.

Bob nearly smirked, watching his ace stand up again, "Guts, Smokescreen,"

The fire-type, though injured, was unsure about what Bob requested through hisj instincts. Though, there was something Guts wanted to try out.

He needed to knock down his strong foe, and the fire-type may have found it.

"Gust,"

In the cloud, Butterfree flicked a wing, and the smoke dispersed just as fast.

Of course, the fire-type had dug underground.

So, the bug-type waited, as it knew already the assumed plan.

Just like that, a fireball exploded from the ground like an erupting volcano, heading for the figure-eight Butterfree.

WOOSH!

The bug-type easily dodged the attack.

Though, it did leave it surprised.

There was no Quilava. Butterfree's Stun Spore was useless.

Its eyes quickly looked forward.

A single eye stared back.

So, Butterfree focused. It needed to end this injured dog.

WOOSH!

However, Guts dashed to the right.

Thinking an attack from elsewhere was imminent, the bug-type followed the fire-type's

dash.

But, just as it laid its bug eyes on Guts, he dashed the other way.

This continued, as the fire-type was in a rhythm, his flaming body jumping from side-to-side.

'No goddamn way,' Watching this, Bob was amazed, 'this reminds me off...it can't be,'

Too preoccupied on launching the Psychic, Butterfree finally caught Guts attacking.

BOOM!

But it was all for naut, as the bug-type was bludgeoned by Guts' side attack.

SCREECH!

When the fire-type landed, he quickly twisted his feet, and flew back the other way to attack a second time.

BOOM!

Another explosive hit.

SCREECH!

Crunch...

There was a faint crunch as Guts turned again, but he didn't stop.

BOOM!

At this point, the hits punched the sweat and air out of Buttterfree, who couldn't understand what was going on.

SCREECH!

Crunch...

The sound came from the fire-type's legs.

He was determined even more.

BOOM!

Butterfree flew back to the ground as Guts landed with another twist.

SCREE-

CRUNCH!

It was strained enough. The fire-type held its breath in agony as something in his legs began to tear.

"Quil..." He took a deep breath in. He couldn't move. His body was not listening to him,

"...lava," Guts looked over at his enemy and sighed.

Butterfree, now as bruised as Guts himself, was strewn on the ground, in a trance.

It pondered on why the fire-type stood up again, thinking of theories that had no end.

That was when memories rolled in.

The bug-type itself could remember how it lost a few battles under Bugsy, and feeling disappointed about it.

"Free..." With a heave, it pushed itself up.

It wanted, no, needed to impress Bugsy. That's why the bug-type itself stood up after a heavy hit.

With the pressure of those skimishes building, the option of an endless smile and a pattern of movement was the only coping mechanism it thought of.

Guts' eye widened after watching his enemy get up again after that hellish attack. He didn't know how to feel.

There was nothing he could do, but not give up.

So, he glared back, not giving in.

"Butterfree, Psychic,"

Now, Butterfree understood why the fire-type never gave up.

Perhaps he wanted to impress his trainer, much like the bug-type?

Whatever it was, it was over.

The fire-type needed one attack before he could be put down.

Just one more attack...

One more...

One...more...

"Quil?" Guts stared at the Butterfree, expecting the attack, but nothing came.

Bugsy looked down at the bug-type, standing on the ground...

Not moving...

"Butterfree..." Was all he said, staring at an unconscious statue.

"Nice work, Guts," Bob spoke, alerting the fire-type, "at least you got your revenge,"

"Lava-" When he tried to move, pain shot up into his body as the fire-type attempted to move.

'Seems like you are done for now,' Bob thought, returning Guts.

Bugsy did the same, "I'm proud of you Butterfree, have a good rest,"

Then, without a minute to spare, both trainers brought out their next pokémon.

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A\N: Please tell me how this experimental chapter was. I'm planning on doing this only for the important fights, obviously, but do tell me where I can improve.