Part 13: The Fighting Spirit!

I held my breath as the pokeball lay still on the ground, still glowing red. No beeping sound of success was made. Had Sir Duke been captured? The darkened hall still had a sense of malice and foreboding about it.

 I breathed heavily and took a nervous step towards the pokeball. I stepped cautiously over the broken chandelier shards. I never broke eye contact with the red glowing, ominous pokeball. My heart thumped harder and harder against my chest as I slowly bent over to retrieve my newest catch.

 Suddenly, the pokeball burst opened, releasing the weak yet snarling Gastly. I cursed to myself and gritted my teeth as I took a surprised step backwards.

‘Peeks, one more thunderbolt should do it!’, I said without mercy. More electricity crackled across the Pikachu’s cheeks.

I heard Salvadore cough and splutter before lifting his head, finally coming round.

Sir Duke closed his fiendishly pale eyes in a resigned sigh. He looked disappointed and shook his head. He then swiveled around and swirled in a vacuum of purple gas. Salvadore yelled as the poisonous phantom entered his mouth once more. The possessed breeder jerked his body for a moment and his eyes glowed an eerie red.

‘Apologies for using your friend once again, but I’m afraid I am destined to be alone’, Salvadore said in a deep, ghoulish voice, ‘My brothers have left me for other trainers and you see, I must stay here in wait of their return’.

A thought suddenly came to mind.

His brothers! Gengar!

‘What if I told you that I knew the whereabouts of one of your brothers? A Haunter, your brother, left with a trainer before, right? Before you were made to flee Lavender Tower!’, I said trying to sound confident.

Salvadore turned his head suspiciously, his red eyes staring right through my soul. ‘Dorian? I remember when he left... so long ago... But how did you...?’

‘I battled him for a gym badge... and lost’, I bowed my head, reflecting on that gym battle, ‘He has become a strong pokemon, but he is troubled, hurt! He needs your help!’, I pleaded out to the ghost.

‘Are you sure it’s my brother? How do you know?’, the hoarse voice sounded uncertain.

‘You just have to trust me!’, I yelled in desperation, ‘There are a lot of people and pokemon counting on you! I know you may not have a heart, or at least not your own, but look deep down. There’s something deep inside you and it’s telling you that I’m right! I know it! Look deep down and follow it!’. I spoke without even thinking, as if I too was possessed.

There were a few moments of silence.

I took deep, yet silent breaths of musty air. The haunted breeder stared at the floor, thinking. After a while he slowly raised his head and gave a devilishly crooked smile. ‘I don’t know what it is but there is something about you, something that tells me your intentions are good and your mind is determined. I will help you. Not as your partner, but as a friend!’.

I sighed a relieving smile. ‘Thank you. And I promise you, you will see your brother! But just one other thing. I think Salvadore would appreciate it if you didn’t possess his body to communicate again’.

His fiendish red eyes winked at me, ‘We’ll see...’, and the ghost drifted out of the breeder’s mouth, chuckling menacingly to himself.

Salvadore collapsed onto the wooden plains once again, gasping for air.

Sir Duke swayed and swiveled around the dilapidated hall.

‘Wait a sec! What about Aly!?’, I asked in a panic, just remembering that the dragon tamer was still nowhere to be seen. Gastly circled cheerfully around my head before passing through a door to my left. I gathered the pokemon egg and followed him through the door. The door which had previously been locked shut now opened with ease.

The room inside was instantly lit up by a blazing fire place. The light from the fire revealed an old library room. Two of the walls were covered in shelves upon shelves of dusty books varying in sizes.

I jerked my head to the left where I was sure I heard a rumbling noise, but the only thing to be seen as a framed painting of a train painted in a Picasso styled template.

Sir Duke chuckled once more.

Suddenly, the painting flopped down as a screaming Aly was projected through the hidden hollow in the wall. She bundled into me and we both went crashing into the carpeted floor. I just about managed to hold onto the pokemon egg with the tips of my fingers.

Aly sprung to her feet and wiped down her dusty jeans, scowling with anger.

‘Nice of you to drop in’, I snickered.

She shot me another stabbing glare. ‘Seriously! NOT FUNNY!’.

Sir Duke and I split our sides with laughter.

* * *

We sat in a small cafe in the centre of Lavender Town, right across the new Silph Co. Skyscraper that was under construction. I presumed that it, along with so many others had fallen victim to the Saffron City fire. I didn’t know a lot about the company, only that they were the creators behind the pokeball and most likely many other items which we trainers took for granted.

We ate generous helpings of croissants and fruit in the sunshine which shone through the cafe window. We welcomed the sunlight as we ate, especially after last night’s happenings.

Sir Duke wandered around the shadows in the side alley of the cafe, playfully teasing some rattata. The waiters had asked me to leave him outside as the Gastly had kept disappearing and reappearing around the place, terrifying all the customers. I felt angry that I had to leave him outside but the ghost pokemon seemed indifferent about it and I suppose he was just curious to hover around an unfamiliar area.

Aly and Salvadore, however, did not share my angered feelings toward leaving Sir Duke outside. They were still afraid of him... understandably... but I was still annoyed at their attitude.

Aly explained how she had been tied to a toy train set and was couriered around like a doll for the bones of an hour. Sir Duke obviously had a different understanding of what “fun” meant than what we had.

I had to explained to them that the Gastly was not officially my pokemon and was just temporarily helping us out, as Salvadore had little recollection of what happened that night. I also mentioned that I wanted to get some training in with Sir Duke before facing Emmett once again. The best place to do this would be the gym, right here in Lavender town. Both Aly and Salvadore happily agreed, delighted that they didn’t have to face the haunted Saffron City for another while. It was settled: I would face Lavender Gym...right after breakfast!

* * *

We stood before the modern built Lavender Town Gym, or “Lavender’s Fighting Dojo”, as the sign above the entrance suggested. Statues of fighting type pokemon stood at either side of the entrance, almost as if they were guarding the dojo.

Two young boys walked out of the gym in martial art uniforms, conversing about their long training session. Orders and shouts of people sparring from within the dojo could be heard from the outside. The excitement and atmosphere went to my head and I rushed through the electronic doors, ready to battle for my next badge! Aly and Salvadore followed, smiling at my impatience.

I stood awestruck inside the dojo. The building was practically a giant hall, full of fighters and martial artists training. To my right were a dozen people sparring with their pokemon. To my left were suited Kung Fu students who were perfecting their patterns and movements. A teenage girl stood out in front from the rest of the trainers, executing perfect side kicks, blocks and palm punches.

My eyes instantly fell on a middle aged, built up man, seemingly coaching both groups at the same time. A pig snouted pokemon with gigantic fists stood alongside him. I recognised it as a pokemon I had previously bad against. In fact, it was the first pokemon I battled against, Primeape! It jabbed the air and screeched at the trainers and pokemon sparring one another, almost as if it were driving them on to be the best.

After a few minutes of roaring orders the coach noticed me and smiled. He mumbled something to his Primeape and walked over to us. He seemed a lot bigger and muscular up close. I could not help but feel intimidated by his towering stature.

‘You youngins seem a bit lost’, the man said in a deep, husky voice, ‘Anyway I can help you?’. His eyes looked a bit suspicious, as he noticed the curious Gastly who floated in the air along side me.

I cleared my throat. ‘Hi, my name is Robin. I come from Viridian City and I want to challenge your gym!’. I stuttered on some words and sounded weak.

The man laughed heartily and gave me a pat on the shoulder, although I had a feeling that that would bruise. ‘A gym challenge, eh? Well, ya sure don’t look like much of a fighter but I’ve learned from the past that ya don’t need to be the biggest to be the best! My name’s Anthony and I’d be happy to accept your challenge’. He turned around and shouted to his students, ‘Hold the line, trainers! We got ourselves a pokemon battle! Becca, would ya be a dear and referee this battle for us!?’.

The young teenager bowed, ‘Of course, father. I’d be honoured’.

All the other trainers and pokemon looked at us and quietly retreated to the outskirts of the giant hall. Becca took her position at the central side of the floor that I presumed was now our battle arena.

‘C’mon, son. Let’s see what you’ve got!’, Anthony beckoned as he made his way across to the opposite side of the hall.

‘This will be an official two on two pokemon battle. There will be no time limit. The challenger, Robin, will have the first move. Begin!’, Becca announced and bell rang out to signify the beginning of the battle.

I looked at Sir Duke who was inspecting some cobwebs on the gym ceiling. He was still adapting to the outside world, so I decided to go for a different pokemon for the moment. Since this was a fighting type gym, my best option would be...

‘Go, Hope!’, I yelled and summoned my Butterfree from her pokeball. She fluttered and danced in the air. There were a few gasps of admiration for my pokemon from the other trainers.

Primeape jumped up and down excitedly beside Anthony, but the gym leader shook his head. ‘Not yet, Primeape. I’ll call on ya later if I need ya’.

Primeape let out a snarling grunt.

‘Alright, Robin. Lets see how you deal with this. Go, Hitmonchan!’, the gym leader yelled and summoned his fighting pokemon, armed with boxing gloves. I checked the Dex:

Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokemon and the evolved form of Tyrogue. It’s punches can move at blinding speeds and easily shatter concrete. However, it must rest after a short work out.

Anthony’s Hitmonchan jabbed the air to warm up for the battle. It’s fists moved fast and it’s facial expression was stern with concentration.

‘Ok, Hope. Let’s show ‘em what we’re made of! Use psybeam!’, I ordered confidently.

Hope’s eyes glowed purple and she fluttered her wings in rhythm.

‘Bullet punch, now!’, Anthony yelled.

Hitmonchan sprung at the unexpecting Butterfree. It’s fists stiffened and seemed to gloss in the light, almost like they were made of steel. All of a sudden, Hope was attacked by an onslaught of metal fists. Hitmonchan’s punches moved so fast that all I could were blurs of silver. Hope, bundled backwards through the air. She didn’t even get a chance to finish her attack. I gasped in surprised. I never knew Hitmonchan could move so fast. Sure, it looked nimble on it’s feet but I decided to check my Dex:

Bullet Punch, a priority move. The user attacks with a series of bullet like punches. This move always goes first.

So that’s why Hitmonchan could move so fast.

‘C’mon hope! I know you can do this! Use Sleep Powder!’, I urged.

Hope fluttered her wings more rapidly, releasing a wave of spores.

‘Nice try, kid!’, the gym leader smirked, ‘Hitmonchan, detect!’.

The Hitmonchan swiped the air with it’s fists as the green spores approached. My confidence took a sudden drop as the spores also seemed to drop to the floor in front of Hitmonchan, as if they had hit some sort of invisible barrier. I gasped in disbelief.

‘But how...?’.

‘Hmm... seems you’ve got a lot to learn, kid’, Anthony laughed, ‘Detect is a move that will protect Hitmonchan from even the strongest of moves. Luckily for you it’s unlikely that Hitmonchan would succeed in using Detect again. But unluckily for you this round ends now! Hitmonchan, finish this off with ice punch!’, he spurred his pokemon.

‘Hope, dodge it!’, I pleaded to my Butterfree, but the butterfly pokemon could not evade the attack fast enough. Hitmonchan pulled it’s fist back. It’s fighting glove seemed to sheath itself in ice. It’s arm then thrusted outwards, scoring a direct hit on Hope. Hope shot backwards through the air and landed on the wooden floor with a loud smack, fainting on impact.

‘Hope is unable to battle. This round goes to Hitmonchan!’, announced Becca.

Hitmonchan continued to jab the air in victory.

I resignedly withdrew Hope, thanking her for all her efforts.

Primeape was grunting loudly beside Anthony, seemingly annoyed at the Gastly who was hovering in front of him, inspecting him.

‘C’mon Gastly. I need your help for this battle!’, I called the ghost pokemon. Sir Duke swiveled around to face me and then hovered over in front of me. He winked at the opponent Hitmonchan who returned it with a puzzling, yet determined stare.

‘Ok, Hitmonchan. Just keep your cool and finish this sooner rather than later!’, Anthony commanded, ‘Use bullet punch!’.

Once again, Hitmonchan lunged forward with a blur of metal punches. However, it soon realised that it was punching thin air. Sir Duke had disappeared! Hitmonchan froze in confusion.

Even I was somewhat baffled by the Gastly’s disappearance.

Sir Duke suddenly reappeared behind Hitmonchan, laughing heartily. He then licked the surprised Hitmonchan on the cheek with his grossly large tongue. Hitmonchan shivered in detest and it’s body became stiff, almost as if it was paralysed.

I was about to give an order for Sir Duke to make a move again when I realised I didn’t know any of its attacks. I hastily grabbed my Dex with embarrassment:

Gastly’s attacks may include: Lick, Mean Look, Hypnosis and Nightshade.

As I contemplated my next move Anthony was roaring orders at his pokemon to get out of Gastly’s reach but Hitmonchan could not budge, truly feeling the effects of Sir Duke’s lick attack.

‘Ok, Sir Duke. Let’s try a nightshade attack!’, I commanded, unsure of what was about to happen.

Gastly nodded and his ghoulish eyes glowed red. A shadowy silhouette seemed to emerge from his body, like mitosis. The shadow then flew through the air and passed through the helpless Hitmonchan’s body. It’s eyes bulged from their sockets in pain before it collapsed and fainted to the floor.

Everyone in the room gasped in shock. No one had expected such a strong attack from the Gastly.

‘Hitmonchan is unable to battle’, Becca announced, ‘This round goes to Robin and his Gastly!’.

The crowd around us applauded and cheered, enveloped in the audacity of the battle. Primeape jumped up and down excitedly on the spot, grunting ferociously in anticipation of its battle.

‘Wow, I never knew Sir Duke was that strong!’, said Aly, amazed.

‘Hm... Gastly must be at an extremely high level. After all, that’s how nightshade works’, commented Salvadore, ‘The higher level the pokemon is that uses nightshade determines the intensity of the attack!’

I was truly impressed, both by Salvadore’s knowledge and Sir Duke’s strength.

Anthony returned Hitmonchan to its pokeball, thanking it for its fine fighting display. He then turned to his worked up Primeape, ‘Alright, Primeape, you’re up! Give it your all!’, he encouraged his pokemon.

Primeape squealed a loud battle cry and leaped out onto the battlefield. The crowd cheered for the snout-nosed fighter. Primeape must be a popular pokemon in this gym, I thought to myself.

‘I gotta hand it to ya, kid’, the gym leader looked at me with determination burning in his eyes. ‘You surprised me a lot! And that’s one strong Gastly ya got too! But now your real test begins! Primeape and I have been training with each other for years, ever since he was left in my possession by a young trainer, around your own age. We’ve won many tournaments in the past few years, including the P1 Grand Prix for the past five years running! We fought our way to the top and resurrected the Saffron City Dojo when the Karate Master left. Even when the dojo fell in flames from the Saffron City Fire Incident we still continued to fight. We worked together as a team and with the help of my beautiful daughter we created this dojo for others who want to be the best too! Heck we even earned status as an official Kanto Gym’. He took a breath from his crowd rousing speech and gave me a hard stare. I met his stare with my own, refusing to blink. ‘Robin, I understand you want this badge, but we’ve got a reputation to keep. If you want it then you’re gonna have to earn it!’

I gritted my teeth, ‘That’s fine by me! Sir Duke, use Nightshade!’, I ordered with adrenaline gushing through my body.

‘Primeape, take the hit like a champ and then use assurance!’, Anthony thundered.

I was shocked at how he was going to let his pokemon take a free hit. Why would he not tell Primeape to even try to avoid the attack? Or was this all part of his plan? I looked on at the battle and held my nerve.

Once again, Sir Duke made a shadow duplicate of himself which he launched at the waiting Primeape. The ghost attack passed right through Primeape’s body and the fighting pokemon fell to his knees, squealing in pain.

Then, to my surprised, he looked up with his darkened eyes and raised his fist. A dark aura enveloped his hand. The Primeape sprung to his feat and swiped his darkened fist through the air. A sudden dark force shot through the air in the shape of a giant palm. It struck the unaware Sir Duke square in the face and the ghost pokemon went soaring backwards.

I looked in horror at the weakened Gastly was panting heavily and wincing in pain.

Anthony smirked in confidence, ‘Well kid, ya put up a good fight. But this ends now. Primeape, finish this with fire punch!’, he commanded fiercely.

Primeape’s right fist became alight with a blazing flame and the fighting type pokemon made a lung at the helpless Gastly.

I watched helplessly as Primeape strided closer and closer. He was just about to bare down his flaming fist when Sir Duke suddenly glowed with an intensifying white light. Primeape slowed down his attack and shielded his eyes from the blinding light.

I stared in disbelief. A smile began to push up my cheeks. I now realised that Gastly was evolving!

Primeape started to swing his fiery fist in a reckless attempt to land any sort of attack.

Suddenly, a shadowy claw burst from the white light and grasped Primeape’s fist, quenching the flame. The light eased, revealing a more jagged and terrifying ghost pokemon hovering where a Gastly once hovered. His gaping jaw smiled even more menacingly than before and two hunch claws floated disembodied beside him, one of which was now crushing Primeape’s fist. I checked my Dex:

Haunter, the gas pokemon and the evolved form of Gastly. Haunter can slip through any obstacle and likes to lurk in the dark. It’s touch can cause its opponent to shudder endlessly.

‘Wow, Sir Duke, you’re a Haunter now! Congratulations!’, I stated, overjoyed.

-Haunt-Haunt-Haunt!-

Sir Duke laughed and without warning swung the panicked Primeape over his gaseous body and slammed him on the solid wooden surface.

‘Primeape!’, Anthony screamed out, ‘C’mon! Get up and use assurance once more!’, he urged.

The pig monkey pokemon struggled to his feet as a dark aura engulfed his arm once again.

‘Sir Duke! Watch out!’, I yelled.

The Haunter narrowed his eyes. His two ghostly claws drew closer together and a mysterious purple orb began to form and grow between them. It looked like a shadow ball.

‘Sir Duke, come on! Move out of the way!’, I pleaded, but the ghost pokemon just hovered on the same spot, smiling evilly as the purple orb continued to grow.

Primeape screamed out and readied his hand back.

‘Sir Duke!!!’

-Haunt-Haunt-Haunt!-

To everyone’s surprise, Haunter started to bounce and dribble the shadow ball off the floor.

Everyone in the gym was now screaming, urging both pokemon to give it everything.

I smirked for a few seconds before shaking my head, ‘This is not the time to be playing basketball!’, I scowled at him.

Primeape grunted and swung his fist.

I gasped, horrified, as a giant shadow fist surged towards the playful Haunter.

-Haunt-Haunt-Haunt!-

Sir Duke chuckled and to everyone’s surprise did a flip over the dark attack. Using the shadow ball he slam dunked it, directly on Primeape’s head. There was a puff of purple smoke on contact.

I stared dumbfounded at the battle scene, watching carefully as the smoke cleared from the battlefield, revealing a dancing Haunter and a fainted Primeape.

I jumped for joy in victory. ‘Sir Duke! We did it! You were awesome!’.

‘Primeape is unable to battle. Haunter wins the round and therefore, I declare Robin the winner of this battle!’, Becca said with a smile.

Anthony withdrew his fainted Primeape and thanked him for a great battle. He then walked over to me and offered a hand of congratulations. We shook firmly.

‘Nicely played, Robin. You’ve shown me that you’ve got what it takes! In recognition of defeating me in an official gym battle I present you with the Breaker Badge’.

He took his hand out of his pocket and opened out his fist to reveal a small red badge in the shape of a closed fist.

My face lit up with excitement as I gently took the Breaker Badge from Anthony. ‘Thank you! That was a great battle and I sure learned a lot from it’. I turned back to my friends. ‘So, what you guys think?’

Both Aly and Salvadore nodded happily. Then, Salvadore quickly looked down at the egg cradling in his arms.

‘Is there something wrong?’, I asked curiously.

‘Hmm, nothing really. I just thought I felt something coming from the egg’, he reassured us.

‘I wonder what pokemon is resting in this little egg?’, Aly said warmly, slowly leaning closer towards the egg.

Suddenly, Sir Duke appeared right in front of Aly’s face. He stretched his abnormally large mouth with his crooked claws and stuck out his elongated tongue. The dragon tamer stumbled backwards, shrieking in fear.

And there it was. A picture perfect moment. Sir Duke and Salvadore laughing in hysterics. Aly on the floor, glaring at the teasing Haunter. I truly had it all!

Three well earned badges...

Two of the best friends anybody could ask for...

And a new ally to accompany us to Saffron City!