Chapter 233: Fighting Gym Battle (2)
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Nighttime, Dewford Town – Gym]
After managing to defeat Brawly's Hitmontop, he picked his next choice. Brawly's grin widened as he hurled his next choice in an excited voice, "Time to ride the waves, Sky! Breloom, show them your power!"
*Pop*
A lean, green mushroom-like Pokémon burst forth, its pointed head bobbing, its small, yet powerful arms already tensed. Breloom, a formidable Fighting/Grass type, is known for its swift strikes and potentially sleeping Spore attacks.
Wrapped around its neck was a [Muscle Band] to further increase its Physical Attacks by 10%. Azure, seeing this, recalled Kirlia, thanking her greatly, "You did good, girl. Best to save you when needed. Return."
Brawly raised an eyebrow, keeping his happy grin on his face. Azure, calm, settling over him. He reached for his first Poké Ball as he declared, "Alright, Brawly. Let's ride the waves. Corphish, standby for battle!"
*Pop*
From the crimson beam of light, Corphish materialized, its bright red carapace gleaming, its large claws snapping assertively. It braced itself, ready with its held item [Mystic Water] attached to its claw.
Sapphire practically leaped onto the stands, pulling Ruby along. She said excitedly, her eyes staring in expression, seeing Azure's battle up close, "This is it, Ruby! Get ready to see a real champion in action!"
Ruby, already looking bored, settled beside her, though a flicker of genuine interest sparked in his eyes as he watched Azure take his position. Ruby mused quietly as he said, "A new team, huh… Let's see if his reputation precedes him, or if he's merely coasting on past glories even with a Type disadvantage..."
Brawly grinned, seeing this as he complimented him, then commanded instantly, seizing the initiative, "Trading your Kirlia for Corphish, huh? I see what you're doing. But let's see how your Corphish handles this! Breloom, Mach Punch!"
*Zoooom*
Breloom vanished, reappearing almost instantly before Corphish, its fist a blur. But Azure eyes followed its movements.
Azure countered, his voice sharp, "Corphish! Metal Claw, block it!"
*CLACK*
Corphish crossed its large claws veiled in a metal sheet, intercepting the Mach Punch with a resounding clack of Metal Claw. The force of the blow still pushed Corphish back a step, but it held its ground.
Sapphire observed, a slight frown on her face, using her eyesight, muttered, "That was a clean hit. But Corphish took it well."
Ruby hummed. His eyes narrowed, noticing something off with the clash, mumbling to himself, "Mach Punch is a priority move. Yet that hit seemed… heavier than a normal Mach Punch even with its Muscle Band."
Azure's eyes narrowed, processing Ruby's observation and his immediate read on the situation. Mach Punch typically had a base power of 40, but he thought, 'But that impact felt more like 60, perhaps even 80… unless…'
An almost imperceptible shift in Breloom's disposition, a subtle glint in Brawly's eye. Azure thought, a faint smile playing on his lips, 'Technician. Breloom's usual abilities are Effect Spore or Poison Heal. But Technician, a Hidden Ability, boosted the power of moves with 60 base power or less by 50%...'
Taking the chance to see Breloom Azure noticed its stance as he thought cautiously, 'This Breloom is a finely tuned rapid-fire machine, making moves like Mach Punch, Bullet Seed, or even Mega Drain devastating. This is a Brawly who isn't just a surfer, but a cunning strategist… not bad.'
Feeling the danger of allowing Breloom to hang around, his expression turned serious. Azure called, adapting on the fly, "Alright, Corphish! Agile Style Bubble Beam!"
*PEW*
Corphish gathered blue energy in its claws, firing a concentrated stream of bubbles at Breloom. Bubbles were scattered around the area as everyone was too focused… it suddenly became invisible upon contact with light.
Brawly roared, anticipating the attack, "Dodge, Breloom! Then Bullet Seed!"
*Wooosh*
Breloom, sidestepped the Bubble Beam with a fluid motion. Immediately, it slammed its fists onto the ground, and a volley of sharp, green seeds launched at Corphish…
*CRACK*
*POP*
*CRACK*
*POP*
… but the seeds slammed into the invisible bubbles scattered in the battlefield with incredible speed and force. Each one felt like a small explosion, and Corphish winced, seeing the power behind the seeds.
Brawly, on the other hand, was confused about how Bullet Seed was countered. It wasn't till he saw the bubbles from the light as it clicked in his head, muttering, "His making different colored bubbles each. Red, green, and blue… by coming together, they become simple white light vanishing into the light, becoming invisible… amazing!"
Sapphire gasped, eyes wide, seeing they're battle as she pointed out excitedly, "Whoa! That Bullet Seed was super strong! But Corphish bubbles blocked them! How did they become invisible?"
Ruby, surprisingly, leaned forward, his prior disinterest gone. He calmly muttered his interest, seeing how Azure used his moves, "Indeed. That was not a standard Breloom. The force of those repeated attacks… indicates a significant power boost for low-power moves. But Azure already took precautions by using Bubble Beam's bubbles to turn invisible to make a fabulous counter. He must have noticed."
Azure nodded, a corner of his mouth turning up. He thought excitedly, 'Brawly's good. He wasn't just relying on type advantage, but on a well-trained Pokémon. Thankfully, I've had plenty of experience with Scizor and Hitmontop, having the Technician ability to notice. I gotta be thankful for Lance showing me how to use Bubble Beam effectively.'
Azure smugly smiled, having experience battling this type of Pokémon. But he focused his attention on the battle as commanded, pushing for a decisive blow, "Corphish, hang in there! Use Crabhammer!"
Corphish roared and charged, its right claw glowing with intense energy, aiming for Breloom. Brawly, however, was already a step ahead as he ordered, "Let's do this bruh! Mach Punch, Breloom, get close!"
*Zooom*
Immediately Breloom darted in, using its Technician-boosted Mach Punch to close the distance before Corphish fully wound up its Crabhammer. Breloom ducked under the swing, then delivered another powerful Mach Punch to Corphish's underside…
*BAM*
… The hit connected, sending Corphish skidding back, leaving it vulnerable. Brawly pressed, capitalizing on the opening, "Now, Spore!"
*Pooof*
Breloom released a cloud of fine, yellow powder from its cap. The spores drifted lazily towards Corphish, a guaranteed sleep-inducer.
Azure barked, a desperate urgency in his voice roared, "Corphish, lock in! Agile Style Dig to escape!"
*RMBL*
Corphish, its eyes narrowed, locking in. It repositioned itself as it dug down into the ground, avoiding the cloud of spores raining down where it previously was located…
*Rmbl*
Corphish then reemerged from a different location, cautiously eyeing the Breloom. It glared intently at it while Breloom let out a cocky grin on its lips.
Sapphire cheered, pumping her fist, "Yes! He avoided the Spore!"
Ruby nodded slowly as he added, commenting on the move, "A clever counter. Using an offensive move to avoid status effects like spores. But does he have a move to counter the Breloom?"
Azure calmly analyzed the situation he was in, as he didn't have a move that was super-effective on Corphish. Thus, he ordered calmly, "Corphish! Dragon Dance!"
*Shiii*
Corphish's body becomes surrounded by swirling purple clouds of energy, and it spins around several times. Orange energy then shoots up from the ground around Corphish, enhancing its attack power and speed by +1.
Once Brawly saw this, his eyes narrowed as he muttered, then ordered Breloom in a serious voice, "Dragon Dance? It knows that move… we can't allow it to continue! Breloom! Rush in with a Force Palm!!"
*Zooom*
Breloom lunged again, its movements fluid and powerful. Force Palm, another quick, close-range attack, aimed for Corphish's vulnerable underside.
However, Azure was prepared as he countered, his command sharp, "Corphish, Dragon Dance again!"
*Wooosh*
Corphish began quickly spinning as Breloom lunged forward, blinded by the swirling purple clouds of energy. In doing so, Breloom missed its Force Palm attack as Corphish spun, increasing its speed and Attack power by +1 again.
But unlike before, it was close to Breloom's blind spot. It reeled its claws at the ready as Azure and Brawly ordered, "Now! SPORE/BUBBLE!!"
*POOOF*
*SPLASH*
Breloom unleashed a powder of pollen from its head, resulting in a cloud of spores in the area. At the same time, Corphish began producing a foam of bubbles from its claws, as it landed on Breloom and at the same time launched itself away from the spores in the process.
*Tmp*
Landing on the ground again, Corphish managed to avoid another spore attack. Its beady eyes narrowed at Breloom as it shrugged off the bubble attack.
Sapphire sighed a breath of relief, seeing Corphish avoid the spores as she said, "Whew… that was too close there. If Corphish gets hit, it would be game over."
Ruby observed, his eyes fixed on Corphish. His focus on its movement and moves as he pondered to himself, 'With the way it used Dragon Dance, it used the energy produced to blind the Breloom by then spinning around it to avoid an attack and prepare a counterattack. Nicely done, but without any moves dealing damage, it would be all for naught…'
Despite having missed its attack, Brawly pressed on, "Breloom, Bullet Seed!"
*PEW*
Breloom opened its mouth, launching a rapid volley of green seeds. Azure commanded, adapting instantly, "Corphish, Protect!"
*CLANG*
He couldn't let Breloom land all those hits. The Bullet Seeds arrived as they were deflected by the transparent barrier of Protect, but this left Corphish in a defenseless position that Brawly took full advantage of.
Brawly roared, showing no mercy, "Breloom, finish it with Sky Uppercut!"
*Boing*
Breloom coiled, then sprang, launching itself upwards with incredible power, aiming a devastating uppercut. But Azure slyly smirked as he thought, 'Finally! We've been waiting for this moment!'
Corphish saw the incoming Breloom and cockily grinned. Azure swiftly ordered, "Now! Water Gun to push yourself away!"
*SPLASH*
Quickly adjusting its claws on the ground, it shot out a stream of water, effectively putting Corphish back away from Breloom's Sky Uppercut. In the process, Breloom managed to hit open air effectively, missing its attack.
*Wooosh*
Seeing the missed attack, Sapphire cheered, "Whoa! That was close!"
But Ruby's eyes were wide open, seeing what Azure did as he thought, stunned, 'He purposely used Corphish. He baited Brawly to come close just as it sent itself to the air, leaving itself defenseless!'
*Shiii*
Corphish's claws glowed, gathering energy as Azure ordered his voice sharp, "Now! Time to end this Corphish! Strong Style Tera Blast!"
*PEW*
The gathered energy began to grow into spheres as Corphish unleashed a dual-beam Tera Blast. Brawly's eyes widened seeing this as he thought, 'We can't dodge that! Breloom can't use Detect while in mid-air – '
*BOOOM*
The attack landed as Breloom was launched through the air. Corphish panted tiredly from the battle it was through but grinned smugly seeing Breloom crash land to the ground.
*Thud*
Breloom crashed down to the ground, fainting on the spot. Brawly's eyes widened seeing his Pokémon faint, leaving it to a 1-on-3 match now.
Sapphire erupted in cheers as she roared excitedly, "He did it! Corphish is amazing!"
Ruby, however, was quieter, with a thoughtful expression on his face. His eyes landed on the move that Azure used as he pondered, 'Tera Blast… what a beautiful move. But with Corphish bad Sp. Atk stat, it shouldn't have won… unless the move used had an effect, but…'
Ruby kept that thought to himself, busy seeing the battle, gazing at Corphish. Corphish was struggling just to stand as Azure thought, 'This guy was pulled through the ringer. Getting hit by Breloom was dangerous enough thanks to its high Attack stat. Even if it was Mach Punch, it was boosted greatly thanks to [Muscle Band] and Technician.'
Azure knew Corphish had given its all. It had absorbed significant damage and brought him crucial information. He looked at Corphish with respect.
Azure recalled Corphish, patting its Poké Ball. He said fondly, thanking his Ruffian Pokémon, "You did wonderfully, Corphish. Get some rest."
Corphish, with a final, weak snap of its claw, returned to its Poké Ball. Azure held the ball for a moment, his expression unreadable, before clipping it to his belt.
He glanced at Brawly, who was recalling his Breloom, a satisfied smirk on his face. Brawly said, a gleam in his eye, "Well played, champion. You quickly picked up on Breloom's nature. Not many trainers do. But that was just the warm-up. Let's see how you handle this."
Brawly merely grinned in anticipation. It wasn't the grin of defeat, but one of anticipation, of a challenge finally met.
He took a deep breath, and his voice boomed through the gym, hurling his last Pokémon in a confident voice, "Alright, Champion. You're a true master. But let's see how you handle my ultimate partner! Hariyama! It's your time to shine!"
*Pop*
He threw his final Poke Ball, and a massive, imposing Pokémon materialized. It was a Hariyama, unmistakable in its powerful physique, but there was something different about it as it appeared while holding a [Life Orb] around its neck.
Its skin was a shimmering, almost ethereal gold, its hand wraps a deep, resonant purple. Azure's eyes widened as he muttered, "You have a Shiny Hariyama. Now you're gonna make me jealous… talk about showing off."
A ripple of awe and surprise went through the Ruby and Sapphire, and even Azure's calm demeanor faltered for a fraction of a second, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly. Brawly grinned at his words, smugly grinning.
Sapphire gasped, eyes wide, seeing a Shiny Pokémon for the first time, "A Shiny Hariyama! It's so strong and cool!"
Ruby, too, leaned forward, a genuine expression of admiration on his face. He grinned approvingly of the choice as he added, "Hm, I must admit, the chromatic variation is quite striking. A powerful Pokémon, too. Brawly certainly has taste."
Azure quickly regained his composure, his gaze fixed on the golden Hariyama. It stood there, radiating raw strength, a true titan of the fighting world. His eyes settled on the Poke Ball containing Grovyle as he thought calmly, 'I've already used Kirlia and Corphish, what I need… is speed. Agility. Grass-type attacks, while not super-effective, could exploit any opening. Plus, with his movepool, victory is surely ours.'
Grovyle, for all its youth, had a fierce determination. It was a risk, but Azure often chose the path that pushed his team to grow.
He unclipped Grovyle's Poké Ball as he smirked, hurling it into the air, roaring, "Grovyle, I choose you!"
*Pop*
With a flash of light, Grovyle burst onto the field, its emerald green skin a stark contrast to Hariyama's golden bulk. It landed lightly, its sharp leaves twitching, its eyes immediately locking onto the colossal opponent with its held item [Miracle Seed] around its neck.
Despite the size difference, there was no fear in its gaze, only focused readiness. Brawly chuckled, a deep rumble as he ordered, "Grovyle, eh? But my Hariyama isn't just about power. Hariyama, let's see how fast that little gecko is. Use Arm Thrust!"
*Wooosh*
Hariyama lumbered forward, its massive arms windmilling, a blur of powerful strikes. Azure commanded, his voice sharp now, cutting through the gym's quiet, "Quick Attack, then double back with Leaf Blade!"
*Zooom*
Grovyle was a streak of green lightning, zipping past Hariyama's initial flurry. It moved with incredible speed, appearing behind the larger Pokémon in an instant, its forearms glowing with emerald energy…
*SHINNG*
… It slashed, a clean hit across Hariyama's back. The Shiny Hariyama roared, a low growl of annoyance, but the damage was minimal.
Brawly yelled, "Force Palm!"
*Wooosh*
Hariyama spinning, its massive palm glowing with energy, aimed directly at Grovyle. Grovyle, still incredibly agile, tried to dodge, but Hariyama was surprisingly quick for its large size…
*BAM*
… The Force Palm connected, not fully, but enough to send Grovyle skidding, wincing slightly, feeling the shockwave it produced, recoiling in pain. Azure asked, his concern evident, "Grovyle, you alright?"
Grovyle shook its head, letting out a determined chirp, "Grovvyle! (I'm ok!)"
But they didn't get a breath of relief as Brawly pressed the attack, "Close Combat!"
*Wooosh*
Hariyama closed in, beginning a relentless barrage of punches and kicks, a whirlwind of powerful strikes. Azure eyes narrowed as he thought in realization, 'It has Sheer Force. With [Life Orb] boosting its attacks, it should've taken 10% of its health away, but it hasn't. This is like the Janine fight all over again…'
Having an idea of what to expect, Azure countered, his voice rising in intensity, "Agility! Keep moving! Don't let it touch you!"
*Zoooom*
Grovyle became a green blur, weaving between Hariyama's devastating blows, its speed a breathtaking spectacle. It ducked under a thunderous punch, leaped over a sweeping kick, its movements fluid and precise.
Sapphire let out a small gasp of awe, "Grovyle dodging them all!!"
Ruby, surprisingly, leaned forward, completely engrossed. Unaware, Brawly frowned as he thought bitterly, 'His been stacking his Agilities, possibly getting its +6 Max stat boost in Speed. Talk about troublesome dude.'
Azure, seeing that he gained the momentum on his side, ordered, "Now! Agile Style! Leaf Blade!!"
*SHINNG*
As Hariyama momentarily overextended, Grovyle seized the opening. Its arm blades glowed with emerald energy, forming an 'X' shape. With a burst of speed, it slashed across Hariyama's broad chest, eliciting a grunt of pain from the massive Pokémon.
The attack left a faint, cross-shaped mark on Hariyama's golden skin. Brawly bellowed, his own excitement building, "Not bad, Champion! But Hariyama has endurance! Hariyama, Belly Drum! Then Hammer Arm!"
*BDMP*
*THWACK*
Hariyama let out a mighty roar, slamming its massive belly with a resounding thwack. Its attack power surged, but at a cost to its health.
Its golden skin seemed to pulse with raw, untamed energy. Then, with a furious cry, it swung its incredibly powerful arm, a devastating Hammer Arm aimed at Grovyle.
Azure commanded, his voice taut with anticipation, detecting the danger, "Grovyle! Detect then use Fury Cutter!"
*Wooosh*
Grovyle, despite its fatigue, moved with its characteristic speed, narrowly avoiding the bone-shattering blow as its eyes gleamed, activating Detect…
*BOOOM*
Hariyama's attack tore a crater in the gym floor where Grovyle had just been. Both Azure and Grovyle gulped, seeing the power as they thought, 'Too close for comfort! We gotta end this fast!!'
*SHINNG*
Without missing a beat, Grovyle spiraled into the air, its sharp blades glowing. It began a rapid succession of strikes, each Fury Cutter connecting with Hariyama's body…
*SHINNG*
*SHINNG*
*SHINNG*
… The first hit, then the second, then a third, fourth, and fifth, escalating in power with each successful strike. Hariyama roared in frustration, trying to swat Grovyle away, but the Grass-type was too quick, a pesky, relentless tormentor.
The cumulative damage from Fury Cutter, amplified by its increasing power, finally began to take its toll. Hariyama stumbled; it's breathing heavily, "Har… Har… (Damn it… Stay still, you… small fry…)"
Azure's voice was a sharp crack, "Now, Strong Style Leaf Blade! Finish it!"
*Shiii*
Grovyle landed, its two arm-blades glowing with brilliant green energy, combining into one powerful, razor-sharp Leaf Blade. With a final, determined surge, it launched itself at the weary Hariyama, spinning, and delivered a precise, powerful strike directly to Hariyama's chest...
*SHINNG*
… There was a sound like tearing fabric, a final, pained cry from Hariyama. The massive, Pokémon swayed unsteadily, its eyes glazing over, before it crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, unconscious.
*THUD*
Silence descended upon the gym, broken only by Grovyle's heavy breathing. Azure smiled happily as he said, breaking the silence, "Well done, Grovyle."
Sapphire leaped to her feet, clapping wildly, her face alight with pride and admiration as she declared, "He did it! Master won!"
Ruby, for his part, slowly, almost instinctively, began to clap. His initial, dismissive air had completely vanished, replaced by a look of profound respect.
He still might not like battles, but he couldn't deny the sheer skill and artistry he had just witnessed as he murmured to himself in disbelief, "Azure Sky is no mere Champion; he is a master in his own right…"
Azure walked onto the field, a faint smile touching his lips. He knelt beside Grovyle, patting its head gently as he said proudly, "You did well, Grovyle. You were magnificent."
Grovyle chirped, rubbing its head against his hand, exhaustion warring with the thrill of victory. Brawly walked over, a broad, genuine smile on his face, extending a hand as he said proudly, "Azure, that was an incredible battle. Your Grovyle is truly exceptional. You truly are a Champion. And with a new team, no less. You've earned this."
He presented Azure with the Knuckle Badge, TM, and a reward. He took them as he examined them, slyly smiling.
[Item: Knuckle Badge
Rarity Item: A+
Type: Key Item
Description: A Gym Badge, commonly referred to as simply a badge, is an item that serves as proof of a Pokémon Trainer's victory in a battle against a Gym Leader at a Pokémon Gym. With this badge, Fighting-Type Moves are increased by 12.5%, and controlling Pokémon is easier for the Trainer to command.]
[Item: TM Bulk Up
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Bulk Up].]
Azure took the badge and rewards, its simple, dignified design reflecting the strength of the Gym Leader. He said, thankfully at Brawly, "Thank you, Brawly. It was an honor to battle you and your powerful Hariyama."
As they left the gym, Sapphire clung to Azure's arm, her eyes shining as she said in admiration, "Master, that was amazing! The way Grovyle moved, the way you strategized... I learned so much!"
Ruby, surprisingly, approached them. He began, his tone less dismissive than before, "Azure Sky, I… I admit that it was more compelling than I anticipated. Your Grovyle displayed a certain… grace, despite its ferocity. Perhaps battles aren't entirely devoid of aesthetic appeal when conducted at such a high level."
He gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod, then turned to Sapphire. He said passionately with a smug grin, "Still, Sapphire, I maintain that contests are far more sophisticated. Perhaps you'll consider joining one after you've exhausted yourself with these… gym challenges."
Sapphire gave him a blank look as she said bluntly, "No way."
Ruby shook his head helplessly as Azure dropped the bombshell on Ruby, as he said casually, "With that out of the way. Sapphire, can you bring Lorry out after we heal up in the Pokémon Center? The sooner we reach our next stop, the better. Besides, Ruby is joining us, so please play nice, you two lovebirds."
Both froze at the implication as Azure went ahead first. Both roared in outrage, "WE'RE NOT DATING!!!"
Azure chuckled as the two followed him, outraged by his words. Azure looked at the Knuckle Badge in his hand, slyly smiling as he thought, 'With this, we should be able to encounter Team Magma soon. The sooner I get to rob – I mean apprehend them! Yeah, apprehend them!'
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 100 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!