Gym Battle number one! As wellas some more non-shipping garble...
Crazy irrelevant ranting crap: Oh-kaay, so it's another double post. so sue and screw me over...pant, pant...DkZM0mA, Saffire Persian, where the hell are you guys? C'mon, i won't bite ya! Rip the chapter open with thine critique and plaster it with thine comments,i prithee! Uni sucks like hell!!! death to communists!!! Long live a country i couldn't care less about! i got no brains and eat wheatabix for breakfast!
okay, ranting over...now onto the revised chapter!
Chapter Seven: Quit Buggin’! Vs. Cassandra!
The next day dawned bright and sunny at the Pokémon Centre. In a hospital bed, Sapph woke up the next morning with his eyes tightly shut and feeling twice as much pain as he’d felt after his first visit to the dentist.
I’ve gotta
stop winding up here, Sapph thought furtively.
Thinking the pain had woken him, he kept them shut, hoping the pain would go away until he felt a hand brushing his hair off his forehead. Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw were a pair of bright green eyes under a slightly pink forehead a few inches away.
“What the-“ Sapph asked, sitting bolt upright and causing Nurse Joy Jr. to drop a breakfast tray in surprise as she backed away.
“Oh! I-I’m s-s-sorry! I d-didn’t mean to-to…” Nurse Joy Jr. stammered, looking aghast as Sapph pulled a pair of fried eggs off of his face and popped them in his mouth.
“No worries… hey, this is good! Did you make this?” Sapph said jocularly, pulling a strip of slightly burnt bacon from behind his ear and eating that too. The young nurse nodded, blushing to the roots of her pink hair.
“Um…thanks for saving me yesterday,” she said, not looking at Sapph.
“My pleasure, Nurse Joy Jr.” Sapph said cheerfully.
Not to mention my responsibility, he added mentally.
“P-please, you can call me Joy, uh… Mr. Sapph,” She said quickly, blushing some more.
“Deal. You can call me Sapph,” Sapph said with a smile.
They stared at each other for a moment before the door slid open again and Chansey said <I
told you we’d need a second tray…> Both heads spun towards the doorway.
“Be quiet, Chansey,” Nurse Joy muttered back.
<G’morning, Sleeping Beauty!> Chansey said, waddling over with the older Nurse Joy, who carried a second breakfast tray, and Mongle and Ledyba who looked fully recovered following in the Egg Pokemon's wake.
“We better go, we’ve other patients to look after,” Nurse Joy Sr. told her little sister, who nodded, still looking anywhere but at Sapph in her embarrassment.
“I’ll come too,” Sapph said eagerly, “just let me get my shirt…”
“You really don’t need to,” Nurse Joy Sr. said. “We are indebted to you, you know,”
“Then think of this as paying me back!” Sapph said jovially, grinning from ear to ear.
***
That evening in the Pokémon Centre, Sapph lay back on his bed in a lodging room, staring out of the window at the Corei sunset, deep in thought.
He’d spent the most of the morning and afternoon at the Centre, helping the two Nurse Joys and Nurse Chansey tend to the injured Pokémon. He reasoned that by exposing Mongle and Ledyba to as many different species of Pokémon as possible, they would handle being in battle against them much more easily in future, particularly Ledyba. It also served as a way of keeping Chansey from hunting Mongle down for his blood. Furthermore, it served a third purpose of giving Sapph a good idea of and chance to figure out which Pokémon would work out on his team.
Victims…so that’s where Kamren’s going… Sapph thought furiously to himself, his eyes narrowing slightly in the gathering gloom.
I’ll show him… those Pokémon didn’t deserve that kind of treatment, even if it was in battle…
One thing puzzled Sapph though…as he rose from the bed to release Mongle and Ledyba, he decided to ask them a couple of questions…
“Come on out guys.” Sapph said, releasing his Pokémon.
Mongle leapt on to Sapph’s bed and began bouncing up and down on it.
<What’s… up… Sapph?> the Leaf Squirrel Pokémon asked between bounces.
<Is something wrong? Can we help?> Ledyba queried, hovering before his trainer with a worried look at Sapph’s unusually sombre face.
“No, nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to talk… you know, about this afternoon…” Sapph mused, more to himself than to his audience.
<I’d have thought that would have been obvious, even for you!> Mongle chirped as Ledyba nodded.
“Whaddya mean?” Sapph asked, totally nonplussed.
<Nurse Joy Jr.!> Ledyba chortled.
<No…make that
Joy,> Mongle snickered.
“Hunh?” Sapph said nonplussed, unaware that footsteps had stopped outside his slightly opened door.
<OK, let’s review…crimson cheeks whenever you looked at her…> Mongle began to list, holding up a hand to tick off the points.
“Yeah,” Sapph said slowly, still oblivious to where this conversation was obviously heading for.
<Super accident-prone in your presence…> Mongle went on.
“Uhhh-hunh,” Sapph said slowly, arms and legs crossed as his brow furrowed in thought.
<Timid stuttering…> Ledyba said brightly.
<Yeah, yeah, good one, Ledyba!> Mongle said nodding vigorously as he ticked off that point and went on. <Absentmindedness… Head lost in the clouds all the while when working…>
“Still don’t follow…” Sapph went on, his eyes reduced to slits as he pondered the arguments being propounded.
<Oy…you…you mean…didn’t you notice
anything about her Ledyba-like disposition around you, especially when you looked at her or said something to her?> the Mongle asked, a totally incredulous look on its face.
<HEY! What d’you mean, “Ledyba-like”?> Ledyba demanded in an unusually heated tone.
“Now that you mention it, she was kinda… I dunno, shy… what about it?” Sapph mumbled, uncrossing his arms and legs and rising to a squatting position and staring suspiciously at his two companions, starting (at very long last) to cotton on to his Pokémon’s assumptions.
<Only the fact that she may have a crush on you!> Mongle taunted.
Sapph jaw dropped to the mattress.
“No. No way,” Sapph said in disbelief, blushing slightly.
<Sure does, Sherlock! Hey, are you bwushing? Does widdle Sappy like the little cutie nursey-wursey too?> Mongle asked, a sly, cat-like grin unfurling on his face as he noticed Sapph flush.
“You guys are nuts! Totally. Flipped. THAT’S what this was about?!” Sapph demanded slowly, a look of hilarious incredulity on his face.
<Yeah. Well, it was funny from my point of view,> Ledyba said innocently.
“You guys are so… totally… flipped! Even if by some rare, crazy fluke that were true…and I ain’t saying that the latter part is,” Sapph added hastily as the duo let out a loud whoop of gleeful laughter. “She’d totally prefer Rubin to me. Everyone has and does...” Sapph trailed off, looking away as his voice shrunk to a mumble.
<That’s not true! We don’t!> Ledyba cried out, looking slightly hurt.
<Neither do Mrs. Kent or Haley,> Mongle reasoned, temporarily ceasing in his messing up of Sapph's bed to fix him with a kindly eye.
Sapph fell silent for a while. They were right. Mongle and Ledyba hadn’t even seen Rubin before, and Haley and Mrs. Kent were always there for him, despite all they’d heard about his twin brother. He felt a faint prickling in the corner of his eyes and smiled as happiness filled him.
“Thanks, guys.” Sapph said quietly. “You’d better get back, it’s late and I plan to reach Entover City before nightfall tomorrow.”
<Okay.> Ledyba said, disappearing into his Pokéball.
<G’night, Lover Boy!> Mongle snickered once more as he disappeared into his ball.
“Those guys… just nuts…” Sapph muttered bemusedly as he rolled over onto his side, dreaming of defeating Rubin soundly as he snorted and snored. There was silence for a while and the footsteps continued down the hallway…
***
The next morning, Sapph felt ready to go. The morning sun shone brightly as he said his goodbyes to the nurses at the Centre.
“Thank you for all your help yesterday, Sapph. Look after yourself. Don’t forget to give us a call from time to time, especially at Entover, okay?” Nurse Joy Sr said.
“Sure thing, Nurse Joy Sr.! Bye, Chansey!” Sapph said, raising a hand in farewell.
<CHANSEEEEEEEEE!> The Egg Pokémon chimed, waddling forward to hug Sapph goodbye. She seemed much calmer than she was two evenings ago now that the thorn in her flesh was out of sight.
“Say, Nurse Joy? Where’s your little sister?” Sapph asked, looking around.
“I’m not sure, Sapph… she said she had to get something…” Nurse Joy Sr said, also looking around.
“Um, okay, I guess I’ll see her around soon.” Sapph shrugged, turning to leave. “Bye!”
<Ah, mon ami, missing your leetle romance alreadee?> Mongle chirped with a phony French accent ruined by the fact that he was laughing hard.
<Careful, Sapph,> Ledyba added in a serious tone, although his eyes sparkled with mischief as well. <Haley won’t like that kind of competition.>
Mongle fell off Sapph’s shoulder and screamed with mirth, rolling all over the road.
“Oh, ha, ha, you two…real funny,” Sapph said, rolling his eyes and returning the Pokémon to the confines of their orbs.
Sapph didn’t have to go too far before seeing the junior Nurse Joy. He’d barely left the outskirts of EverWood Town when he heard his name being called. Turning around, he saw the young nurse running towards him with a parcel in her arms.
Nurse Joy Jr. seemed slightly sadder than the others did when Sapph said goodbye.
“Uh Sapph, this is for you…” she said, holding out the package, blushing.
“Thanks. But it’s not my birthday,” Sapph said, shaking it to try figuring it out. Whatever it was felt soft.
The nurse giggled shyly.
“Urgh, I give up… what is it?” Sapph asked, giving up trying to guess without opening it.
“Uh… not too much… just something for your journey…d’you like it?” she asked nervously, as Sapph unwrapped a bright red anorak with a pair of red and black riding gloves.
Sapph was momentarily speechless. “Wow…uh, thanks a million, Joy…erm, I mean…thanks, Nurse Joy.” He said, putting on the anorak over his round neck shirt, causing Nurse Joy Jr. to smile shyly.
“Bye, Sapph.” Nurse Joy Jr. said softly, blushing. “I’ll… I’ll…”
It was the second time in three days that Sapph had been in such an awkward situation before, and was still not handling it too well. Trying to look cool, he reached out to scratch the back of his head with one hand while extending the other in a handshake.
“Uh…it’s okay. I guess I will too. Catch ya later!” Sapph said with a faint smile, figuring it would be easier on her if he left sooner than later.
Nurse Joy Jr. looked at Sapph’s hand for a moment. She then looked up at Sapph for a while as though studying him. Sapph started feeling uncomfortable as she saw that she was close to tears again. Sapph asked, “What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Nurse Joy said quickly, looking down quickly. “It’s just hard to… to say…”
“Saaay?” Sapph asked curiously.
She’s such a contrast from Haley, Sapph thought bemusedly.
One girl would pulverise you in a second if you made her mad, the other just blushes and looks away every time you talk to her. Girls were definitely not a topic he felt he was very good at yet.
Deciding that actions speak louder than words, she dried her eyes quickly, walked past his outstretched arm and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. This move caught Sapph so off guard that his hand dropped limply to his side, went stock still in surprise and blush crimson in turn.
All she said when Sapph felt her pull away was “For luck.” She then turned and ran back into town.
Sapph only thanked the Legendary Pokémon that Mongle and Ledyba were still in their pokéballs as he felt the spot on his cheek, his other hand reaching into his anorak pocket and finding a note. Pulling it out and opening it, he read:
‘Even if I met your twin, I’d still like you loads more than him, no matter what. I really, really like you and I’ll really, really miss you, Sapph. Please don’t forget that because I’ll never, ever forget you. Joy. P.S. – Thank you again for saving my life in the forest.’
Corei sure is weird, Sapph thought as he watched the little nurse run off, folding the note and placing it safely in the private little rip between the lining of his knapsack and smiling faintly,
but I guess I’m beginning to really like it…
***
Sapph whistled cheerfully as he strolled along the path to Entover City. The morning’s events had been capped with Ledyba perfecting control over his Supersonic attacks and Mongle upping his base speed and attack statistics significantly.
“That badge is as good as ours, guys,” Sapph had said gleefully at the end of practice. “Now, if only I knew where the nearest gym is…”
<It’s in Entover City, Sapph,> Ledyba had told him.
<Yeah, and that’s on the other side of the forest,> Mongle chipped in.
“Okay, guys. Thanks. Return for now,” Sapph said, recalling his Pokémon and setting off down the forest’s dirt road, humming to the tune of Viridian City when suddenly he heard a dull, stupid laugh ahead. Thinking it was Dex, Sapph sped up, hoping to beat Kamren to Entover City and win the badge first when he heard another voice which he was willing to bet wasn’t Kamren’s.
“Why’re you wasting time?” A rough voice yelled up ahead. Sapph froze in his tracks, listening hard.
“Awww... it’s so cute with its little flying cap,” a second, dull voice said in a coochy coochy voice that Sapph had loathed since the age of three.
Now, knowing Sapph isn’t the smartest tool in the shed, you’d say even he wasn’t that stupid to try taking on two potentially dangerous people single-handed… but hey, you’d have been wrong before. Sapph’s curiosity got the better of him and he went off the path to see what was going on.
“We don’t have time to waste playing with the cargo,” the first voice said sharply. “Just stuff the Litaire in the sack with the others and let’s go.”
“Litaire? Sack?” Sapph said in shock, peeking through a large bush to see what was going on, shutting off his Pokédex as he did so before it gave his position away to potentially dangerous people.
Two men dressed in black stood before a sack which bulged in several place. Both wore identical scarves around their necks. A small, green and red feathered bird with an old-fashioned flying helmet was being manhandled by the larger of the two.
That must be a Litaire, Sapph thought. The poor Normal/Flying type chirped in discomfort as its wings were twisted in all directions. The smaller skinnier guy had his booted foot placed firmly on the mouth of the large sack to prevent its contents’ escape. Sapph, thinking fast, found a large rock and threw it at the back of the larger guy’s head.
Connecting with Sapph’s target, the bully let his prey go.
“Hey, what the-?” the smaller guy said in his sharp voice, his slanting eyes widening as he turned to see his comrade stumble. The Litaire took its chance and aimed a sharp Peck attack at the other man’s knee. He howled in pain, and automatically hoisted his foot up and away from the sack, releasing all the Pokémon the duo had poached, which included a Squirtle, several Spinocle, a Growlithe, Vulpix, two Poochyena, three Ekans, a Butterfree, several Litaire, Taillow, Rattata and Pidgey, an Ivysaur and – Sapph couldn’t believe his eyes –
a Dratini.
Sapph would have given a lot to catch a lot of the Pokémon but thought better of it as the Pokémon scattered in all directions and the two poachers looked wildly around to see who’d cost them their bounty. Retreating for the time being, Sapph felt, or rather prayed that he hadn’t been seen…
…it was quite a shame that Sapph’s luck was so lousy…
“Where’d that rock come from?” the larger guy said angrily, clambering up the short cliff to where Sapph had chucked the rock from.
“Damn, Captain Doracus won’t like this,” the sharp voiced man said sourly, eyeing the empty sack.
“Captain Doracus won’t like what?” a young voice said in a voice of carefree cheer.
Both men froze and spun around to see a youth who looked barely a year or two older than Sapph appear out of thin air behind a tree in the small clearing into which the Pokémon had escaped. Dressed predominantly in a black and white trim tracksuit with matching sneakers, his neat black hair revealed dancing brown eyes and his face, though his unnaturally happy smile was obvious even from the little of his face that could be seen from within the shadows had an expression that told you he felt nothing but a detached pleasure. Upon seeing him, both men hurried forwards, bowing as they went.
“Captain Orion, sir,” the larger of the two said fearfully.
“What brings you here? Captain Doracos asked us t-“The other said greasily but the youth cut him off.
“Catch him another Dragon Pokémon?” Orion said cheerfully, looking totally unperturbed. “That was quite a beauty you let get away…too bad…Mr. Doracus won’t like this at all…”
The two men watched, sweating profusely all the while.
“So, two Team Shadow Admins got outwitted by a brat and a measly Litaire,” the youth named Orion went on. He was fingering a pokéball in between his fingers which he’d obtained from somewhere within his black cloak. “Dear, dear…what would Mr. Doracus say?”
“Y-you wouldn’t,” the men stammered, cold sweat cascading down the back of their necks, not daring to look into the youth’s face.
“Don’t worry, this failure will go unreported,” Orion said in a carelessly cheerful voice. “You’re still too useful to be disposed of and the matter is so trivial. Besides,” he went on, playfully twirling his pokéball on his finger. “I got what I wanted from the exercise and there are much stronger dragons in Corei for Mr. Doracus to obtain. And the disturbance
is one measly boy. We really don’t need to worry. If he continues to meddle in our affairs,” Orion went on, turning to leave, “his time will come soon enough.”
Orion faded into the darkness as he said to the duo “You’re dismissed.”
Both men looked up quickly but Orion had vanished.
“That kid,” the shorter man said tremulously. “Scary…”
His partner could only nod…
Meanwhile from a branch some eighteen feet above their heads, the Litaire watched as Sapph hurried along the path to Entover. Making up its mind after a brief moment’s hesitation, it spread its wings and fluttered off after Sapph wanting to learn more about his rescuer…
***
After another five hours of comparatively uneventful marching through forest terrain, the dark green rooftops and the wide, shrubbery-laced roads of Entover City came into view.
Good! Sapph thought enthusiastically, spotting a larger than usual rooftop which belonged to an equally large chalk white building as he approached the city outskirts.
There’s a gym in town! Time to earn my first league badge!
Half an hour later after a quick stop at the Pokémon Centre to refresh his crew, Sapph was standing in the Entover City Pokémon Gym waiting room, registering for a match.
“The Leader is ready now,” the female secretary said. “Go on in.”
“Erm, thanks.” Sapph said, his throat a little dry from nerves. “Can I get any tips?”
“Sorry, you’ll just have to do your best with no beforehand knowledge. No
real gym does tell you that sort of stuff anyway. Good luck, you’re gonna need it!” The secretary said, giving Sapph a look that said plainly,
‘What are you? A complete retard?!’
Sapph gulped and sweat dropped. “Okay” he said hastily, moving over to the double doors that lead to the battle room.
Gee, thanks, he thought sarcastically, pushing open the oak doors and going in.
The doors closed behind him as he stepped over the threshold.
Cree-py! Sapph muttered mentally, spinning around to take in the arena’s appearance.
The gym was dark and musty, strung from every nook and cranny were spidery strands of webbing. There was a shallow square depression in the middle of the pitch riddled with strong looking two by fours which rose from the ground and above the rim of the basin.
Don’t they ever clean up in this gym? Sapph thought, remembering the one back home which his parents run, and how hard he’d had it when he forgot to do it twice a day.
Just then, several spotlights burst to life, illuminating the gym floor. The rafters were pretty low, Sapph noted as he became accustomed to the light, not to mention covered with even more sticky web.
“So you’re my next prey, hunh?” a playfully cold female voice called out from the glare. Sapph squinted to see a tall, stringy woman in a back dress that looked like it was made from spider web standing on the other side of the battle field. She had black, bobbed hair and extremely dark brown eyes that looked black to Sapph and glittered strangely.
Very creepy, Sapph thought, taking in her appearance.
“You look weaker than my last opponent,” she continued as Sapph stepped up to the edge of the field, shielding his eyes. “He creamed my whole team with only one Pokémon. Hardly surprising, he had a heavy type advantage…”
“Yeah? Well wake up, lady, cuz I ain’t leaving this gym until I earn a badge here too!” Sapph called, readying his first Pokéball.
“Fine, but when your Pokémon wake up in ICU, don’t blame me!” She called back, pulling out a Pokéball too and enlarging it.
A male referee in a black-and-white striped shirt holding two flags stepped up to the sidelines to declare the rules of the match.
“An official gym match between Sapph Manson and the Entover City Gym Leader Cassandra will now begin. If Sapph wins, he will earn a Web Badge. Each trainer may use three Pokémon each…”
Wah! Three?! I only have two!! Sapph thought in a panicky way. A feathery spectator’s eyes narrowed at this point…
“A Pokémon is out of contest if one of them faints or if the Gym Leader recalls it in the case of hers. Let the match begin!” He called, raising both flags above his head.
But I can’t back down now! He thought to himself determinedly. “Let’s go, Ledyba!” Sapph called, throwing Ledyba’s Pokéball onto the field.
“I choose Nimbee!” Cassandra called, throwing hers.
Ledyba burst from his orb as a larger insect on four legs appeared on the field. A cross between a winged ant and a bee, Nimbee stood around five foot three, with red and gold banded wings, legs and body. Its purple and black eyes glittered just like its trainer.
“You use BUG TYPE POKÉMON!!” Sapph screamed, pointing at the Nimbee.
“What? You do too, remember?” Cassandra said scornfully.
Nimbee, the Worker Bee Pokémon. Nimbee possesses great mass which it uses in powerful, full-body attacks. Despite its size, Nimbee are quite adept at flight, Sapph’s Pokédex recited as Sapph scanned his and Ledyba’s opposition.
This could be troublesome, Sapph thought frantically,
but I didn’t come here to lose either.
“If that’s the best you got, then this’ll be easier than I thought” Cassandra mused.
“You take that back! Ledyba, Tackle attack, now!” Sapph yelled, pumping his fist.
“Nimbee, String Shot!” Cassandra countered.
Nimbee rose into the air and fired a thick string of webbing at Ledyba.
<Not again!> Ledyba moaned.
Ledyba saw the sticky line of webbing and dived just in time to avoid getting trapped in the gooey mess.
“Again!” Cassandra ordered.
“Dodge it again!” Sapph commanded.
<Roger!> Ledyba called back.
“Who’s Roger?” Sapph asked suddenly, earning himself a few weirded out stares from the others.
“Never mind,” Sapph said quickly.
“Keep up the String Shot, Nimbee!” Cassandra yelled.
Ledyba kept weaving in and out of the attacks, which kept missing their mark. Soon the ring was filled with thick, gooey strings, a fact Sapph and Cassandra were both quick to notice.
“Nowhere to run now, Manson,” Cassandra said with a satisfied smile. “Nimbee! Use Poison Sting!” Cassandra ordered.
“Watch out, Ledyba! Try deflecting ‘em with Supersonic!” Sapph ordered briskly.
A series of purplish, poisoned needles shot across the gym from Nimbee’s sharpened abdomen at the shy insect, who retorted by unleashing its high pitched shriek right back. The string magnified the volume of the piercing noise, which blew the needles away, majority of them being sent straight back at Nimbee, who also shrieked in a higher pitch as the needles peppered its body.
“Gah! Pull away, Nimbee!” Cassandra yelled. Nimbee, still feeling the projectiles strike its body, lashed out at a rafter with a line of strong webbing and pulled itself safely out of the sound and poison attack path.
Good thing this Nimbee seems to have the same attacks as Spinarak and Ariados, Sapph said, reflecting on the techniques he’d tangled with in the EverWood Forest and exhaling softly.
But if Cassandra thinks she’s escaped with that trick, Sapph thought grimly,
she’s got another thing coming!
“Good, Ledyba! Now Tackle him up!” Sapph hollered.
At this command, the Five Star Pokémon rocketed up slamming into Nimbee’s under body. Nimbee flew into the rafters from the force of Ledyba’s charge, smashing through one and sticking onto another, seriously weakened.
“Good job, Ledyba! Nice!” Sapph cheered.
“Don’t take that from a wimp like that! Use Signal Beam!” Cassandra hollered.
Signal Beam? Sapph wondered.
What’s that? The Johto-born trainer hadn’t heard of or seen any attacks from Hoenn.
Ledyba watched enthralled as Nimbee’s eyes glowed different colours: one red, one green. Two beady beams of light shot from each eye and twisted itself into a glowing helix.
<Ooooh, pretty lights…> Ledyba mumbled, still transfixed by the strange sight.
Whatever Signal Beam is, it can’t be good, Sapph thought frantically. “Ledyba, RUN!” Sapph yelled, his panic reflecting in his voice.
“Too late!” Cassandra yelled triumphantly.
Ledyba vaguely heard Sapph yell, but before his body could catch up with his senses, the twin beams hit him sending the Five Star Pokémon soaring across the field.
“Ledyba?” Sapph called out to his friend in a worried voice. “Ledyba!” Sapph cried out in relief as he saw his Pokémon rise shakily a few feet into the air. “Okay buddy, let’s go! Use Tackle!”
At this, Ledyba started laughing like a witch in flight, zooming around the room. Sapph's jaw fell open as Cassandra fell over animé-style.
“I guess your Ledyba in its confusion thought you said ‘Cackle’ instead of Tackle,” Cassandra mused as she pulled herself together, obviously torn between exasperation at how stupid Ledyba looked and how funny Sapph did with his mouth open in a dumb expression, watching his Pokémon soar around the room. “That’s a response we haven’t had before …”
Confusion? Sapph thought, looking at Ledyba. Upon closer inspection, he saw that his friend’s eyes had gone out of focus as he ran splat into a wall and hovered away dizzily a few feet away, only to fly right back into the same rafter, still giggling with a loud <Ow!> at each bump.
“Ledyba! Knock it- ooh now
that will hurt in the morning- off already!” Sapph ordered firmly.
“Well, might as well end this… Nimbee, Body Slam!” Cassandra said coolly after watching Ledyba slam into the rafter another six times, each time with a feebler giggle.
Nimbee sprang off the rafter in a free fall motion with the aim of squishing Ledyba flat.
“Ledyba, above you!” Sapph cried out.
<I see , I see, WHEEEEEEEEEE!> Ledyba giggled feebly, moving aside at the last second and barely escaping Nimbee’s falling bulk by darting to his right. Nimbee crashed full force into the floor, creating a huge cloud of dust which cleared to show Nimbee lying flat on his belly with swirls in its eyes.
The ref stepped up to Nimbee to check its condition, and then raised his red flag towards Sapph’s end of the field and called out: “Nimbee is unable to battle, this round goes to Ledyba!”
“All right! Way to go, Ledyba!” Sapph yelled to Ledyba, who’d stopped flying around. Apparently, the force of the shockwave from Nimbee’s failed Body Slam had awoken him to his senses.
<What happened, Sapph?> Ledyba asked his trainer with a confused expression on his face.
“Nothing you’d want Mongle to see,” Sapph replied with a smirk, making Ledyba blush.
I got too cocky there, Cassandra thought ruefully as she returned Nimbee to its pokéball,
I know now that I shouldn’ta, but I can still win this one…
Aloud she said:”Not bad. You use Bug Pokémon pretty well. I’m even impressed at your luck. But playtime is over, I’ll now show you how a true Bug Pokémon Master battles!”
Sapph gulped, but tensed as Cassandra enlarged her second pokéball.
“Be ready for anything.” He warned Ledyba, who nodded his assent, turning to face the opposition.
“Here we go, Shuckle!” Cassandra yelled, her long black skirt flaring out as she tossed her second pokéball onto the field.
What looked like a small, smooth red clay sculpture formed on the ground. Suddenly, four long, stringy appendages shot out of four of the white ringed holes and a similar one came out of the largest pore on top, each with a loud ‘shloop’. This one seemed to widen out at the top into a face which had two beady eyes and a small mouth.
“Hah! I know about that Pokémon!” Sapph said gleefully. “Shuckle, the Mold Pokémon! It’s more or less strictly defensive! Ledyba, use Tackle!”
“Who said that means that’s all it can do?” Cassandra said testily. “Shuckle, Withdraw!”
“
’Who said that means that’s all it can do?’ Lady,
Withdraw is a defensive technique,” Sapph mumbled through fishy lips earning a sweat drop from the Gym Leader.
The Mold Pokémon quickly withdrew its stringy appendages and head back into its body as Ledyba rammed into it. The Shuckle flew into the sunken area of the gym and right into one of the beams.
Perfect, Sapph thought, glancing at the gym leader and surprised to see her looking so calm. Then in the next second, his eyes became wide in shock as he saw what Cassandra was smirking about.
Shuckle slammed into the post and bounced off into another one. Ledyba gazed in astonishment as he watched his opponent, in a manner similar to a pinball, tear around the pitch, gaining speed with each collision.
“Hey, what gives?” Sapph cried out, watching the Bug/Rock Pokémon race along the ground at breakneck speed.
“A good trainer fights with the knowledge of the surroundings,” Cassandra told him confidently. “Any and every part of the battlefield can be used to gain victory. Shuckle, now use Mimic!”
With heightened acceleration, Shuckle latched one limb around the next wooden post and used it to swing itself around and right at Ledyba’s back, who couldn’t fly away in time. The Five Star Pokémon slammed into the basin, the wind knocked out of him.
“LEDYBA!” Sapph yelled.
“Keep it up, Shuckle!” Cassandra urged her Pokémon, who’d hit a beam and ricocheted straight for Ledyba.
“Look out!” Sapph called out to Ledyba, who barely managed to cartwheel away from the spinning sphere of chaos.
“Not so fast…Shuckle, grab him and use Wrap!” Cassandra ordered deftly.
One of Shuckle’s legs stretched out abnormally and caught Ledyba by the arm. Before he’d noticed anything, the other three joined in on wrapping around his body, denying him escape as they squeezed tighter.
“Grrr…Ledyba, use Tackle again!” Sapph growled.
“Do you really expect it to be that easy, Sapph?” Cassandra taunted.
Ledyba lunged towards Shuckle again, but the Mold Pokémon was ready. As Ledyba closed in, it withdrew its legs quickly, which resulted in Sapph’s Ledyba being yanked towards it. It then spun around, spinning Ledyba with it and into another post, where it let go and let the Bug/Flying Pokémon tumble down into the dirt.
“Ledyba, you OK?” Sapph cried out worriedly.
<I-I think so,> Ledyba said shakily, trying and failing to fire up his wings.
“Your Ledyba’s really something promising, Sapph” Cassandra said impressively. “But its time in this match is over! Shuckle, use Tackle again!”
Shuckle proceeded to bounce around the field again as Ledyba tried again and again to start up his wings without success.
C’mon Sapph, think! Sapph thought desperately as he watched the Shuckle build up momentum.
If I attack, she’ll just have it withdraw and if I stand still she’ll use her Mimicked Tackle attack on me! And even if I manage to evade it, she’ll wrap us up again… gotta figure out how to use that strategy against her…if only we could…that’s it!
<Sapph, help!> Ledyba yelled as Shuckle came at him again.
“Ledyba, jump as high as you can now!” Sapph yelled.
<JUMP?! Sapph, I’m a ladybug-like Pokémon, not a grasshopper type!> Ledyba said in a panicky screech as Shuckle closed in, fragments of wood flying off the posts where Shuckle hit them.
“NOW!”
<OK!> Ledyba said, giving his legs all they had and barely escaping the speeding shell.
“How many times must I show you that it’s pointless?” Cassandra whooped. “Shuckle, let’s Wrap this up!”
Shuckle spun around and snagged Ledyba with all four of its legs, binding him tightly.
She's falling for it! Sapph thought with glee. "Aloud, he ordered, "Ledyba! Use Tackle!"
He just doesn't learn, does he? Cassandra thought to herself in disbelief, shaking her head.
“Reel him in for the finale! Withdraw!” Cassandra hollered triumphantly as Shuckle withdrew only its head and pulled his opponent in.
“Steady now…steeeaadee…,” Sapph muttered, watching as the gap between them shrank rapidly. Four feet…three…two feet…
“Now, Ledyba! Use your Supersonic attack at full power down the head pore and Tackle it!” Sapph yelled when it looked like Ledyba would hit any second.
A mere two inches from the shell, Ledyba unleashed its Supersonic attack with full force into Shuckle’s shell, making the latter release its hold on his prey. Without stopping, Ledyba slammed the Shuckle clean out of the shallow pit and smack onto the floor at Cassandra’s feet, with its head out, swirls in its eyes and foam at the mouth. Its shell was still vibrating and looked seriously cracked.
“Shuckle is unable to battle,” the ref announced, raising the red flag again as Ledyba clambered out of the pit and successfully fired up his wings at last. “Ledyba wins!”
“Awesome!” Sapph yelled triumphantly, hugging his Ledyba, who’d fluttered back to his trainer for some praise.
Cassandra returned Shuckle silently, lost in thought.
I see, so he had his Ledyba use sound to stun Shuckle long enough for him to successfully use a powerful Tackle attack at critical power. Analysing my attack pattern like that, he really is to be commended…
Aloud, though, she looked across at her opponent, who was now rubbing his Ledyba’s head affectionately and said, “You’re pretty good, Manson. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a battle that intense in a long while.
Or used this,” she added, raising her third pokéball.
Sapph and Ledyba let go of each other and focussed on their last opponent.
So, she’s deciding to use that here? The ref thought, eyeing the pokéball as well.
She didn’t use it against that other kid… maybe that was why he won so easily…
“Meet the strongest of my crew…go, Ledian!”
A shape emerged from her pokéball, twisting itself into a shorter, yet more slender Pokémon. Standing about a foot taller than Ledyba, it shared Ledyba’s colour scheme, except for its now elongated head with prominent, blue eyes and its hind legs developed into two red feet.
Both Sapph and Ledyba gaped at their new opposition. Sapph decided to get some info on Ledian from his Pokédex:
Ledian, the Five Star Pokémon. The number of spots on its back increases as the number of stars in the night sky increase. Ledian is the evolved form of Ledyba.
“Whoa,” Sapph gasped.
“Ledian, use Flash!” Cassandra ordered.
Ledian’s body glowed and then exploded in a burst of light, which blinded Sapph and Ledyba.
<Oww! My eyes!> Ledyba yelled, trying and failing to shield its eyes with its stumpy arms.
“Ledyba, try a Supersonic attack” Sapph called desperately.
“Too late again, Sapph! Ledian, use Comet Punch!” Cassandra crowed.
Ledyba inhaled deeply, but before he could launch his attack, Ledian pummelled Ledyba with a volley of lightning quick punches, the first three striking Ledyba in the belly and the last two finding their mark on his face. Ledyba flew back into the ground in a dead faint, due to exhaustion.
Raising his green flag, the ref announced: “Ledyba is unable to battle, this round goes to Ledian!”
“Ledyba, return!” Sapph cried out, returning his defeated Pokémon to its ball.
The fainted Ledyba returned to its ball in a beam of red light. “Thanks, Ledyba, you did great, take a rest now.” Sapph murmured to the pokéball.
Looks like it’s all up to you now, buddy, Sapph thought, enlarging his second pokéball.
I wonder what Pokémon he’s gonna use now, Cassandra mused to herself, a faint crease forming on her brow.
A Flying type would put me at a serious disadvantage. Let’s hope he doesn’t have one…Especially since I’ve already lost two Pokémon and he’s just lost one…
“Go, Mongle!” Sapph yelled, throwing the ball on to the pitch.
“Have you lost your marbles? Mongle?! This match is in the bag!” Cassandra crowed in triumph as the Grass Pokémon took an attack stance on the field.
Sapph clenched his fists and teeth as he said, “It ain’t over ‘til the fat Persian says! Mongle, Pound!”
“Double Team!” Cassandra countered lazily.
First two, then four. In a space of mere seconds, Mongle was surrounded by Ledians. Mongle skidded to a halt and stared around at all the bugs.
<Uh, Sapph? Which is the real one?> Mongle asked tentatively.
“Bugged, hunh? Don’t worry, I’ll end it now! Ledian, Comet Punch again!” Cassandra taunted.
“Mongle!” Sapph yelled frantically as all the Ledian lunged at the Leaf Squirrel Pokémon with their fists cocked back. Mongle leapt up at the last available second, leaving the Ledian to hit each other, which caused majority of the clones to fade away.
“Now I got you! Ledians, get him while he’s stuck in the web!” Cassandra ordered.
Web?, Sapph thought bemusedly looking up into the rafters. Then his eyes widened in shock when he saw what the gym leader had meant.
Oh, sh-
Mongle caught hold of a rafter and meant to jump to the next one as the Ledian bore down on him. But the sticky secretions left on the posts held him fast.
<What the-?> He gasped.
Shoot! What do I do? Sapph wondered as he watched Mongle get stuck in the web-laden rafters.
“Too late once again, kid! Comet Punch attack! Now!” Cassandra hollered, getting more and more pumped.
Just as Mongle managed to free itself, four Ledian fists collided forcefully with his chest, sending him through another two rafters and into the roof. Sapph watched helplessly as strands of webbing fell onto Cassandra’s Ledians.
Wait, that’s it!
“Mongle, use Razor Leaf!” Sapph called.
“That’ll never work, Sapph! Ledian, Double Team again! And use Tackle to end it!”
<
I hope you know what you’re up to, Sapph, > Mongle thought as he swiped his glowing tail through the air, releasing a barrage of sharp leaves which sliced through the rafters en route to the oncoming Ledian, creating a cascade of logs, which took out all the bugs and buried the real one under a pile of heavy wood and tangled webbing.
“Oh no!”
Ledian isn’t used to the webbing either, Cassandra moaned. “Ledian, get out of there, fast!”
“Wait for it… now! Pound attack!” Sapph cried.
Mongle fired himself down just as Ledian freed his upper body. Mongle smashed Ledian’s head back into the mound of web and wood with tremendous force. Mongle landed on all fours and turned to look at Ledian, who had swirls in his eyes.
The ref had seen enough. “Ledian is unable to continue. This round goes to Mongle. The winner of this match is Sapph Manson from Cherrygrove Town”.
“Yes! We did it! We won!” Sapph yelled in triumph as Mongle cheered.
He’s good, Cassandra thought, watching the Johto trainer's antics with a smile,
he’s really good. Who’d have guessed he’d think to use the webbing and wood to slow Ledian down long enough to deliver a critical hit?
She then returned her Ledian to its pokéball and said,” Well done, Sapph. I guess you taught me a lesson about what it really takes to win a battle: it’s not type advantage, but skill and guts. Beating three of my Pokémon whilst holding back like that was genius.”
All Sapph could say to this was “Erm, thanks.”
Who was holding back? He thought exasperatedly.
“Oh, and one more thing, Sapph,” Cassandra continued, walking towards him,” Verity?”
The reception lady came in holding a badge case.
Sapph noticed the case and said, “Uh, Cassandra, I’ve got one of those already…” Though most of Sapph’s belongings were second-hand, he’d bought a badge case from the Cherrygrove Odds and Ends Store before leaving.
“Then just take what’s in it.” Cassandra smiled as she took the case, opened it and removed something silvery from within, which she then presented to Sapph.
“As Gym Leader of the Entover City Gym, I, Cassandra, hereby bequeath this Web Badge onto Sapph Manson for a victory in battle in my Gym. Wear it well.”
Sapph picked up the badge from Cassandra’s palm and stared at it. It looked like a silvery spider web embossed on a white background.
“Thanks, Cassandra! Take a look Mongle, our first badge!” Sapph said cheerfully.
<Yay! Now for the Star-spangled Banner!> Mongle chirped, half-asleep.
Sapph, Cassandra and Verity all sweat-dropped.
"Uh... erm- well, see ya!" Sapph said hastily, running for the exit.
Cassandra and Verity stared at each other in disbelief and mouthed
'Star-spangled Banner?'
***
Later in the Pokémon Centre as Ledyba and Mongle were being treated, Sapph related the good news to the EverWood Town Pokémon Centre nurses, and Richie (an experienced that he relished).
“
Well done Sapph! I knew you could do it!” Nurse Joy Jr. said happily over the videophone.
“Thanks…erm, Joy,” Sapph said uncertainly. She smiled shyly, blushing slightly.
“Well, gotta go,” Sapph said shortly. “Got to make another call to Olville Town. Greet your sister for me!”
“
Okay, bye! I’m cheering for you! ” She said, hanging up. Smiling, Sapph phoned the Kent Villa.
“
Well done, Sapph! You’ve taken your first step to the championships! Have you told your parents? ” Mrs. Kent congratulated.
Sapph hesitated for a second then said “Not yet.”
Mrs. Kent seemed to understand.
“
Alright, Sapph. But promise me you will, OK? ” she said, fixing Sapph with a look he deemed reminiscent of the one his mother used demanding who took the last cookie from the jar without permission when he and Rubin were six.
Sapph’s face darkened a little, but brightened at once. “Um, sure, Mrs. Kent! I’ll tell ‘em!”
Mrs. Kent smiled, “
Thank you dear. Now you must get some sleep. I’m about to do the same now. Goodnight! ”
“Goodnight.” Sapph replied, cutting the videophone connection.
I’ll tell ‘em all right, Sapph thought to himself, his new Web Badge held aloft and reflected double in his eyes,
but only when I win all eight of these badges!
***
*In the quarters of Air Dragon*
So! Comments, please! They’re really appreciated! Later!
;165;: yeah! we like you're comments!
Mongle:hey! what's with Ledyba getting a sprite and me not?!
Me: uh, I said Later...
Mongle: I mean where r ma fans? is there no love for me out there?
;165;: No, I don't think there is...
Mongle: AAAAAARGH (Runs out of the room)
Me: Now you've hurt his feelings...
;165;: What feelings? You didn't give him any did you?
Me: He may not show 'em sometimes, but yep, they're there...
;165;: Oops! Hey Mongle, I'm sorreee! Hey, wait up! (chases after Mongle)
Me:now they've left me alone for a bit, Later!
They won a battle and aren't dead yet! Now if only they can stay not dead...Will the Grizzlar will show up again next chapter? I feel bad for Haley, getting dragged into all this.