Chapter 39: Gym Battle - II

"Woof!"

The orange puppy looked at its trainer and shook its head. It wanted to finish this fight and win it for the team. Despite being in pain, its face was filled with determination. However...

"No."

Aeron refused, and he added before the orange puppy could say anything. "You have done great so far. Not only did you defeat the Beedrill, but Pinsir is also on its last legs. Poison has taken a toll on your body; any more, it would leave long-lasting damage. Is this the only fight you ever want to fight? Do you not trust your big brothers to win this for you?"

Growlithe looked at its trainer before it happily nodded its head. "Woof!"

"Good doggo," Aeron recalled the orange puppy to its Pokeball. "Now rest; you have done a great job."

Pokeballs could not outright heal a Pokémon, but they did boost a Pokémon's natural recovery rate while aiding them in getting rid of status conditions. Growlithe would need to see Nurse Joy after the Gym Battle, but its condition would not be too bad by then.

"Challenger Aeron Duskborn has switched out his Pokémon. Since the Growlithe lasted more than three minutes and a round against Beedrill, it will not be considered a forfeit." The referee announced before pointing the green flag at the boy. "Choose your next Pokémon; you have thirty seconds."

"You made the right choice." Jason nodded in approval of his decision. "Pokémon can be quite headstrong when they are in battle. Our duty as their trainers is to decide when they need to continue and when they need to pull out."

This was where most new trainers failed. Even when their Pokémon were severely injured, they would not sub out, thinking they could win if they pushed a little more. Many Pokémon had suffered devastating injuries because their trainer had not switched them out at the right time.

And just as Jason said, Pokémon can be pretty headstrong when they are in battles; it was a trainer's job to make sure their Pokémon had battles that would push their limits while also knowing when to stop.

"Fifteen seconds." The referee announced, and the boy did not keep him waiting anymore as he threw a Luxury Ball toward the battlefield.

"Larvesta, standby for battle."

"Larvesta..." The Torch Pokémon winced in pain as it landed on [Toxic Spikes] set by Beedrill in the first round.

"That's a fascinating Pokémon you have there." Jason had been a Gym Leader for a long time and had journeyed to many regions; however, even for a Bug-type Specialist like him, it was rare to see a Larvesta. "Another Fire-type...you came prepared."

"I just happen to have two Fire-type as my second and third Pokémon." Aeron gave him a soft smile. "And I don't mind exploiting Type advantages either, at least not until my Pokémon have become strong."

"And you are right. As young trainers, you should not care about exploiting type advantages. That's exactly why each Gym uses a particular type of Pokémon. It is a test of strength and insight for the trainers."

While they had their short conversation, the crowd was going nuts as they had never seen the Pokemon before them. Victor did his best to pull out every piece of information he had about the unique Pokémon from the faraway Unova Region.

"Ready?" The referee asked, and when the two nodded, he added. "Begin!"

"[Swords Dance] and then [Quick Attack]." Jason gave the command but almost coughed out as soon as Aeron spoke the following words.

"[Quiver Dance] and [Harden]."

As the Pincer Pokémon increased its defence and charged forward, Larvesta jumped in the air, spinning as it was surrounded by sparkling light before it closed its eyes and focused. When the two moves finished, its speed increased slightly as it easily dodged the [Quick Attack].

Larvesta should have been slower than Pinsir, but [Quiver Dance] increased its speed while Jason's Pinsir was already injured and exhausted from its fight with Growlithe. The orange puppy had ensured the Pinsir would be easy for Larvesta to deal with.

"[Harden] and [Quiver Dance]."

"[Quick Attack], once again," Jason called out since it was the only [Move] in Pinsir's moveset that could damage the Torch Pokémon. Everything else was at least half as effective. His choice of Pokémon were especially those that the new trainers would find easier to fight and yet challenging so he could put them through tests. But even then, almost all of them failed in doing so.

Pinsir, surrounded in Normal-type Energy, charged at Larvesta, but the latter blocked most damage with increased defence due to [Harden].

"[Quiver Dance]..."

"[Quick Attack]."

"...now dodge and use [Quiver Mind]."

Jason watched as Larvesta again buffed its stats before Pinsir could reach it with [Quick Attack] and dodged quite easily. Soon after dodging, Larvesta used [Quiver Dance].

'He is good. Rather than finishing it immediately, he is preparing.'

Jason's last Pokémon was going to be stronger than Beedrill and Pinsir. Therefore, Larvesta would find it hard to buff itself against it compared to a Pinsir who only had one neutral damage [Quick Attack] and was on its last legs.

So, Aeron played the long game where he did not finish off Pinsir and prepared for the next opponent. Of course, poison was also spreading through Larvesta due to [Toxic Spikes], but he had not forgotten about it either.

After using [Quiver Dance] thrice, Larvesta's speed and other stats increased significantly. The gym leader once again asked for a [Quick Attack], but Aeron asked Larvesta to dodge and use one [String Shot] after another on the whole battlefield.

"The stage is set." Aeron looked at the Larvesta and then at the panting Pinsir standing on a battlefield littered with sticky threads. "Finish it with [Flamethrower]."

The five horns on Larvesta's head started glowing as they gathered the Fire-type Energy.

"Lar...ves…!" The Torch Pokémon took a deep breath before it let out a powerful breath of fire. "TAAAAAA!"

Pinsir never stood a chance against the torrent of fire approaching it. Before it could even think of dodging, the fire engulfed it whole.

"Pinsir is unable to battle; Larvesta is the winner." The referee announced the results. "Gym Leader, please send out your next Pokémon."

"WOOOOOH!"

[Challenger Aeron takes out another Pokémon of Gym Leader Jason. Will he be able to do the same with the next Pokémon and win his first Gym Battle?] Victor's words fuelled the cheers as everyone was anticipating the next round. [But what do we have here? The whole battlefield has become hell!]

"Return." The Gym Leader returned the unconscious Pinsir and looked at the whole battlefield set ablaze. The [String Shot] used earlier was now burning brightly due to a powerful [Flamethrower]. Any Bug-type Pokémon that would step there would surely experience hell. His gaze landed on the Pokémon standing among the flames.

It was a Bug/Fire-type Pokémon, which meant Fire-type [Moves] did neutral damage. The flames were also damaging it, and coupled with the [Toxic Spikes], if he had waited thirty seconds to send his next Pokémon, the Larvesta could have taken a lot of damage. But he was a Gym Leader, not a challenger. His job was to test Aeron, not outright defeat him.

"Scizor...do your best." His words did not sound convincing even to himself and his Pokémon as the Bug/Steel-type Pokémon took four times the damage from those flames.

"Begin." The referee announced, and both trainers said at the same time.

"[Agility], [Swords Dance] and [Aerial Ace]."

"[Quiver Dance]."

"Zooor..." The Bug/Steel-type winced in pain as the burning fire engulfed its body. But it was also a warrior and completed the buff moves before gathering every ounce of its energy in one attack.

[Aerial Ace].

Flying-type [Moves] were twice as effecting against a Bug/Fire-type Pokemon like Larvesta. As the Scizor locked onto its opponent, it did not hold back and charged forward through the flames for an attack that would take out its opponent.

The Bug/Steel-type Pokémon could last only so long before its opponent, but before it lost the match, it wanted to take the opponent with it. So, it ignored the pain from the flames and kept charging forward until it was right upon the Larvesta. A slight smirk formed on its face as it used its strongest [Aerial Ace] ever.

"Aeron...he is so bad."

"He can be ruthless sometimes."

Nessa and Misty glanced at the pitiful Scizor and then at the crowd cheering for the red warrior to take out its opponent. That final push of the warrior Pokémon made everyone cheer for it. But the two girls just shook their heads with a sigh.

"Larvesta..." As if the devil had spoken, Aeron, who still smiled softly, gave the following command, leaving the Scizor wide-eyed, "[Protect]."

Zor?

The Torch Pokémon was surrounded by a translucent green energy shield that easily blocked Scizor's final attack.

"Put it out of its misery. [Flamethrower]."

The audience watched as Larvesta gathered Fire-type Energy with its five horns and shot a powerful [Flamethrower]. And not just any [Flamethrower], but the one powered by multiple [Quiver Dance].

"..."

"..."

"..."

The whole gym was silent as the crowd watched the red warrior falling to its knees before the small Larvesta.

"Scizor is unable to battle; Larvesta is the winner. Victory goes to the challenger Aeron Duskborn from Florian Town."

The referee announced the result, and Aeron looked at his Larvesta, standing atop the fallen Scizor. He did not know when, but his right hand shot upwards before he clenched it into a fist.

"Lar?" The Torch Pokémon excitedly looked at Aeron as if asking for confirmation, and when the boy nodded, it immediately jumped into his arms. "Taaaa!"

It won. They had won.

"We did it!" Aeron hugged Larvesta, and the excited Pokémon rubbed its white head with its trainers.

"Taa!"

[H-He won; challenger Aeron Duskborn has won the battle. He has won his First Gym Battle].

"WOOOOOOH!"

As soon as Victor announced it to all, the stunned crowd came out of their stupor before they cheered as loudly as they could for the challenger.

"Scizor, return," Jason recalled his Pokémon before a group of Water-type Pokémon came to extinguish the fire. "You did great." He walked forward and gave Aeron a wry smile while looking at the charred battlefield. "My Scizor is going to take a while to heal."

"I was trying my best to win." The boy walked forward and met him at the centre of the battlefield.

"And you did a great job at that." Jason patted the boy's shoulder before taking out something from his pocket. "As a Gym Leader, I have to give a badge to whoever defeats me in a Gym Battle. But it only happens a few times when a trainer impresses me, and it is even rare when that trainer is as young as you."

Jason smiled at the boy and, under the wild claps of the crowd, clipped the badge to his jacket. Aeron took a deep breath as he looked at the light green coloured badge shaped like a bug.

"The Bug Badge belongs to you." Jason and Aeron shook hands, but he could feel the boy's hands tremble a little despite him being calm on the surface. "Starting today, you are officially an Adept Trainer. Your Pokedex will be updated."

After a few more seconds, Aeron finally calmed down and bowed slightly to the Gym Leader.

"Thank you so much!"

"I will closely monitor your next Gym Battles; I hope you will win them all."

"I can only do my best."

"Are you free right now?" Jason asked, confusing Aeron. "I would like to invite you over for dinner."

"Hmm?" Aeron was slightly surprised but did not let it get the best of him; instead, he inquired. "Can I ask why you gave me the special treatment?"

"It's the least I can do after you saved that foolish son of mine."

"Son?"

"Berry is his name."

"But I don't know anyone named Berry."

"Hmm...then what about Samurai?"

"Wait! He is your son?"

-0-

Under the heated gazes of the crowd, Aeron walked out of Greenwich Town's Gym and immediately headed toward the Pokémon Centre. He had decided to meet with girls in the room rather than in the Gym.

"Aeron!" Nessa lunged into his arms, and he managed to stop himself from falling and spun around with the girl in his arms. His mood was absolutely at its best for the moment.

"You are forgetting someone!" Misty snorted as she looked at them, and Aeron did not shy away as he pulled her into a group hug.

"No congratulations?" Aeron asked as he looked Misty in the eye, and the orange-haired girl looked away with a blush before muttering. "...Congratulations.'

He kissed the girls on their foreheads before pulling away. "I need to shower, and then we'll go to Gym Leader Jason's place. He has invited us all for dinner."

Aeron left them behind, stunned by the two sudden kisses, something he had done unconsciously and out of happiness.

However, the two girls were left stunned by his small gesture.

"I hope he wins more Gym Badges," Misty muttered as she looked at the washroom door and heard running water.

"I know, right?"

Nessa and Misty looked at each other; their faces had turned red, but they were smiling from ear to ear.