Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Rain Dance ❯ Practice Match ( Chapter 19 )

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~Can you say, with absolute conviction, on your soul, that you’ve done all you can do?~

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear it anymore!” Batoy clutched his head, squeezing at his pounding temples. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated. The voice hovered around him, source unknown. Thick fog permeated the area around him, and try as he might, he couldn’t escape it. He’d searched for his pokeballs, wanting for protection and company, but no, he was completely alone.

~Why are you going to Full Moon Island?~

“Because I want to! Why do you care? How did you even know? Who are you?”

~You’re running away again.~

“Shut up!” he screamed again, futile, his shout somehow meek and pathetic. “Leave me alone… you don’t know what I’m doing…”

~Do you?~

“Stop….”

~Did you know what you were doing when you took those pokemon from their rightful owners?~

“Please don’t….”

~What about Meta? Did you know what you were doing when you condemned her to death?~

Batoy sank down to his knees and tucked his head down, covering his ears with his hands, but the voice sang through, dark and low, through his mind. “Please stop talking…” he whimpered.

~What about Ollie and Manual? Max? Will you condemn to suffering as well?~

“What do you want from me?”

~You should be true to yourself. Stop hiding.~

“Hiding from what?”

~Don’t be afraid of what you might find within yourself.~

---

Batoy shot up with a start, the darkness surrounding him overwhelming. Sweat soaked the hotel bed sheets. He shivered and wiped his brow, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light that slipped through the windows. The nearly full moon sat obscured behind thick clouds.

“Mia?” he whimpered lightly, but her side of the bed lay untouched. For the third time, he’d awaken with these terrible nightmares, and all three times, he’d awoken alone. Sliding out of the bed, he stood there, basking in the darkness. But when that failed to calm his nerves, he reached down to where he’d discarded his pants and pulled out a pokeball.

A gentle glowing light filled the room as Jet materialized on the bed, yawning and pawing at his eyes, glancing up at Batoy curiously. ~Quil?~ he asked lazily. Batoy smiled and gently patted the Quilava on his head before sitting back on the bed. “Sorry for getting you up, Jet. I just… I didn’t want to sleep alone. You don’t mind, do you?”

Jet shook his head before crawling into Batoy’s lap and curling up. Batoy sighed and stroked the Quilava’s back before lying down again, staring at the ceiling. If Mia had abandoned him, what would he do now? And why would she do so in the first place? It just didn’t make sense. Jet gave an uncomfortable bark and Batoy realized that his fingers were beginning to dig into the scruff of his neck. He pulled his hand away. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do…”

---

Not nightmares, but the sound of running water, roused Batoy from his sleep. The sun peaked over the horizon, its light reflecting off the water and illuminating the heavy grey clouds that dotted the sky. Batoy rubbed his eyes and sat up. Jet rolled on his back, still asleep. Batoy offered the sleeping pokemon a smile and a stomach rub. His nightmare hadn’t returned again, and for that, Batoy was thankful.

The door cracked open, and Mia walked through, dressed in a white tee and shorts, drying her hair with a plush towel. “Ah, that felt so good,” she said, hanging the towel around her neck, pulling her hair into a rough ponytail. “I’ve been needing that for a long time.”

“Where… where’d you go?”

Mia perked an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?” She padded over to the bed and rubbed Jet’s belly. “Wake up, sleepyhead.” The Quilava grunted and rolled over, covering his eyes with his paws.

“You weren’t here at all last night…”

“No, I was here.” Mia paused, raised a finger to her chin and looked up at the ceiling. “At least… I’m fairly certain I was here.”

“You don’t remember?”

Mia shrugged. “It’s not a big deal anyways. Get dressed, we have a lot of stuff to get done today.”

“We do?” Batoy frowned as Mia zipped up her windbreaker. “I thought we were just gonna go to New Moon Island.”

“Full Moon,” Mia corrected sharply. “And we’re not just going to lounge around here all day. We’re gonna stop by the Canalave City Gym. Now get dressed.”

---

Batoy trudged along after Mia, his arms behind his head. The two had eaten breakfast in the lobby of the hotel, and now they patrolled the street straddling the canal. Not a word passed between the two of them, and Batoy stared at the cloud laden skies in a futile effort to squash the feeling that he’d said something wrong. But the air sang with life, from the waves crashing against the legs of the pier, to the mournful wails of tanker ships, joined by a chorus of squawking Wingulls that hovered on thermals high In the air. Despite the clouds, the air was seasonably warm and comfortable.

“Here we go,” Mia said suddenly, and Batoy stopped in front of a large building covered with massive glass panes, lined in stainless steel. Stretched across its front in large letters was ‘Canalave Institute of Prehistoric Science’.

“A museum? I thought we were going to a gym?” Batoy said slowly, frowning in confusion.

“This is the gym. I suppose you wouldn’t know, but gyms have to be sponsored. The Pokemon League offers funding for different institutes in exchange for running a gym. What, did you think gym leaders just stood around waiting for challengers all day?”

“No need to be nasty about it,” Batoy muttered, his cheeks red from humiliation. In truth, he’d never paid any interest to gyms, even the one back home. Thinking back on it, Lavaridge’s gym also ran a massage and relaxation spa. “So, what’d you want to do here?”

“I need to check in with Sabrina. Come on.”

And come Batoy did, following after Mia as she pulled open one of the glass doors. The inside of the institute was remarkably clean, despite the vast quantities of sculpted sand the comprised the majority of the fixtures. The floors, made of tile, echoed with the steps of people as they moved towards their destinations. To the left, right inside the main lobby, was a reception desk. A rather bored teenage girl sat posted there, grooming her nails. To her, Mia went.

“Hey, where’s your trainer lounge?” She asked before the girl could even speak, pulling out a card from her pocket and sliding across the desk.

The girl looked at it for a moment, then thrust her thumb towards the nearest hallway. “Down the hall, swinging doors on the left. What about him?” she asked, motioning absently towards Batoy.

“He’s with me.”

“If he isn’t a gym trainer, though, can’t let him through,” the girl said with a disinterested shrug.

Mia glanced towards Batoy for the first time since they’d left the hotel, then shrugged as well. “Suppose it can’t be helped, then. Stay here, shouldn’t take me much longer than an hour to get this done.” With that, she nodded towards the girl, then made her leave.

Batoy stood there, slightly stunned, before slowly approaching the desk. The girl looked up at him, reluctantly putting down a magazine she‘d just picked up. Rachel, it said on her nametag. “Uh…”

“What is it?”

“Is there anything to actually do around here…” he said slowly, twiddling his thumbs behind his back.

“It’s a Pokemon gym,” she said as a matter of fact. “If you’re not interested in the exhibits, go watch a battle or something.” At the sight of Batoy’s mouth opening, she pointed towards a wall opposite the entrance, blank except for windows close to the ceiling. A door was situated on the right, near the corner. “Go through there. Follow the signs.”

“Thank you,” Batoy said, but the girl had already gone back to her magazine. A spark of anger floated through him, but he squashed the words that tried to surface. Doing so left his stomach queasy. Batoy made his way towards the door and slipped through it, appearing at the top of a row of stadium seating. On the floor were two arrows, one for spectators and the other for participants. He followed the arrow for spectators.

A strange scent invaded his nostrils, and Batoy glanced up to see a man walking by him. Tall, imposing, he had wild auburn hair coated in dust and a rugged chin. He smelled of dirt and sweat, and his tank top was soaked. His pants were soiled with bits of dirt and rock, tattered as if they’d been through years of abuse. He held a shovel slung over his shoulder. The man had noticed him as well. “Hey there, kid,” he said in a gruff voice. “Where’re you headed?”

Batoy shook off the smell. “Honestly, I don’t know. I thought maybe it’d be fun to watch a battle or something…”

“Watch? Wouldn’t you rather participate in one?”

Batoy smiled sheepishly. “Heh, I bet Jet or Manny would love to fight, but I’ve never done a gym battle before. I’m not really much of a trainer.”

“These fellows, Jet and Manny, seem to be quite the Pokemon. Mind if I take a look at them?” the man asked, rubbing his scruffy chin with a gloved hand.

Batoy frowned, then nodded. The man, rough as he appeared, wasn’t terribly intimidating. Rather, he seemed quite at peace with himself. “Sure. My name’s Batoy, by the way.”

“Byron. The pleasure’s mine.” The man’s face glew as Jet and Manny materialized in front of him. Jet shook his body and stretched while Manny groomed his ear. “Ah, these Pokemon have very good coats,” he said while kneeling down. Jet regarded him curiously, while Manny beamed with pride. “I imagine this one is Manny,” he said, petting the Eevee behind his ears, “and this fiery guy here is Jet.” Jet let his fires flare up in confirmation. “Impressive.” Jet couldn’t hide his grin.

Byron stood, rubbing his chin, fingers digging through the rough mess of hair. “You know, I think I’d like to see these two in action. What say you and I have a practice match?”

“A practice match?” Batoy repeated, but the two pokemon bounded with glee and excitement. The boy smiled and nodded. “Guess that answers for me. But where? We can’t battle right here, can we?”

“Of course not,” Byron laughed, pointing down the steps , towards the arena below. “This is a gym after all. There aren’t any reservations for today.”

Byron started down the steps, and Batoy followed, the clang-clang of the shovel hitting the steps. Byron moved with hint of a limp, but with the practiced grace of one who’d already learned to ignore it. Though curious, Batoy hesitated to ask. Given the man’s appearance, the story probably wasn’t as grand as one could hope for, not that anyone should ever hope for such a thing. “So, you have to reserve a spot for a gym battle?” he asked, eager for conversation.

“Aye. There are several reasons why, but most have to do with protocol and safety. A Gym Leader’s Pokemon need to rest, and so it’s best if not too many battles were scheduled in a single day. Likewise, if a trainer loses his or her challenge, we can set up a date for a rematch. Some trainers frustrate very easily, so it’s best if they’re given time to cool off and prepare an appropriate strategy.”

“I guess that makes sense, but I just don’t see how a Gym Leader can handle losing so many times. Don’t you think it’d be frustrating?”

Byron paused for a second, and though his face was hidden from Batoy, he imagined the man was contemplating. “No, though I can see how you’d think that. A Gym Leader’s job is to train trainers, and nothing makes us happier than seeing others succeed. So in this case, the actual battle’s outcome doesn’t matter, just if the trainer has shown an acceptable amount of progress.”

“Hmm, I guess you’re right. How do you know so much about gyms and stuff? Are you a gym trainer like my friend Mia is?”

Byron shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve been around my share of Gym Battles. Why don’t you head over to the blue side. I’ll stay over here in the red.”

The battlefield was massive, about 30 yards across and 50 yards long. There were almost as many rocks and boulders as there were sections of flat land. In the center of the field, a white pokeball shaped image had been inscribed, stretching about 15 yards as its diameter. Batoy knelt down and rubbed both Manny and Jet on their heads. “Okay, guys,” he whispered. “This is just a practice match, but I’m gonna do my best, and I hope you guys do the same.” The two Pokemon nodded and grinned before they leapt out on to the field, Manny on the left and Jet on the right. “Okay, we’re ready!” Batoy called out.

Byron nodded then flashed a toothy grin as he brought two pokeballs to bear. “Steelix, Magnezone, go!”

Batoy stepped back as the two pokemon appeared. The Steelix’s shadow eclipsed both Jet and Manny; as it rose to its full height, its head nearly touched the ceiling. Orbiting around the steel snake, the UFO-looking magnet buzzed with anticipation, its antenna sparking. Batoy faintly realized that his hands were shaking, and so he balled his fists, his mind racing on how he could possibly beat something so monstrous. The Steelix roared, and Batoy heard a whimper, only he did not know if it came from himself or one of the two small pokemon.

“You may have the first move,” Byron said jovially.

“Okay…” Batoy said, his voice softer than he’d intended. His heart pounded, and try as he might, he couldn’t steel his nerves. An idea came to him. “Jet, smokescreen! Manny, Focus!” he called. If all worked….

So far, it did. The Steelix recoiled from the billowing clouds of soot that floated from Jet’s flames. The cloud rose high, that Batoy could only see a faint outline of the Steelix and couldn’t see Byron at all. He smiled. There would be no way for the two steel-types to see pokemon as small as Jet and Manny. This could buy valuable time. ~Vee…~ Manny groaned as the wisps of orange fire that circled around him condensed into a faint hue.

Batoy couldn’t hear any commands from Byron, and though in the back of his mind, this should have worried him, instead he decided to press the attack. “Okay, Manny!” he called, stronger this time, “Swift!” ~Eevee~ Manny cried as he spun on his front paw, his tail glistening with hundreds of tiny stars that sprang forward as he whipped it around. The starts sailed through the cloud, barely disturbing the screen, and Batoy could hear the grunts as the stars struck home.

But there weren’t any sounds after that. Granted, Batoy didn’t expect Swift to cause massive damage; even he could tell those Pokemon were very well trained. But no reaction at all? Jet glanced back at him, and Batoy mirrored his confused expression.

That expression suddenly turned to horror. “Jet, watch out!” Batoy cried, and Jet turned just in time to see a massive slab of iron cleaving through the cloud racing towards him. He leapt sideways, enough to avoid a glancing blow from the Steelix’s tail, but the force of impact shattered rocks and stone, and Jet landed roughly on his side. Manny looked on, startled, until the tail swept towards him. The Eevee leapt, landed on the tail and clutching on for dear life as it suddenly raised high in the air. ~Eevee!~ it yelped, its back paws scrabbling to get some sort of hold on the steel-type.

Batoy heard a faint buzz, one that quickly grew louder as the smokescreen violently parted, blown away by the metallic sound the Magnezone emitted. Manny folded his ears and howled, hanging on desperately, his paws notched into a groove in the Steelix’s tail. Jet crawled up, fire rippling on his back. “Jet, help Manny!” Batoy shouted. “Flame Wheel!”

Jet rushed forward, his body consumed by flames, but as he leaped into the air, a solid mass blindsided him, sending him sprawling, a steel sphere planted next to his thigh. The Magnezone clasped its magnet-like pincers, its cold searching eye fixed on the Eevee now. However, the Steelix needed no assistance as it raised it tail high. Manny whimpered as a violent shake shook him loose, and he found himself in a free fall. He’d only scarcely looked up when the Steelix’s tail slammed into him, pushing him through the air and down towards Jet. Manny curled up, closing his eyes, bracing himself for impact.

The force of the impact overwhelmed Batoy’s shout. The Steelix’s tail slammed Manny on top of Jet, and the Magnet Bomb that sat waiting patiently finally exploded. A furious explosion raced around the Steelix’s tail, cratering the ground. Batoy had crossed half the field before he even noticed his legs moving. He knelt by the crater.

Both pokemon lay still, Manny on top of Jet. “G-guys, are you okay?” Batoy whimpered, and had the two not groaned at that time, he would have broken into tears. Instead, he gingerly scooped Manny into his lap and then Jet. The Quilava peaked open an eye, but his quivering sigh was enough. Batoy shook his head. “Don’t worry guys. You did your best.” He rubbed the Quilava’s head, and Jet cooed, though it was somewhat reluctant.

Byron approached, and Batoy hesitated to look up. “Um… sorry…” he said sullenly. “I guess that was kinda embarrassing….”

The man shrugged his shoulders. “No, it’s fine. Your pokemon did a wonderful job.”

“Yeah, they did… but…”

“But?”

Batoy’s shoulders sank. “I know it’s my fault. They’re good, but I just… I don’t know if I can help them be as good as they can be….”

Byron clapped his hand around Batoy’s shoulder. “Look here, lad. It’s obvious that you have trust in your Pokemon. They obviously trust you. So don’t insult them by not trusting in yourself. Even when you’re nervous, never be timid in combat. Always try to stay in control of the battle and don‘t panic when things look tough or bad. And don’t worry. I meet people who’ve done this for years, and they still don’t understand. It’s fine to take your time.”

---

The sun had long since reached its zenith and began its slow trek back towards the horizon. Its light peaked through thick clouds that rolled and tumbled, streaking the ground with luminescent beams. Underneath one of these beams, Batoy sat on a bench just outside the museum, overlooking the canal. Though the light was warm, the air stayed chill with the warning of coming winter, just a month away. His hands dug deep into his pockets, hiding from the brisk breeze that headed in from the sea.

The sound of sliding doors reached his ears, and Batoy turned to see Mia. Her expression flitted around before finally settling on apologetic. “Hey, sorry that took so long,” she said as she took a seat next to him, leaning back and crossing her legs. “I hope you managed to keep yourself entertained.”

Batoy rubbed his arms, noting to find a jacket or hoodie sometime in the future. “Yeah. Some guy named Byron let me do a practice match with him.”

Mia’s eyebrow arched. “Byron, huh?” she said with a slight hint of surprise and amusement. “How’d you do?”

Batoy sighed, staring up into the clouds. “Well, we got creamed. It was my fault, mainly, though. It’s kinda scary; if he’s that strong, just think of how powerful the Gym Leader is….”

The sound of a snort reached his ears, but when Batoy turned, Mia had already looked away. “Yeah, they can be pretty tough,” she said, running her hand across her ear and brushing away an annoying strand of hair. “It takes a lot of dedication.”

“Maybe someday we’ll try.”

“Heh, maybe someday you will. It’s a different life, that’s for certain. Exciting, adventurous; it’s an experience few get to have.”

Batoy shuddered from a gust of wind, but his insides warmed with bubbling thrill. “I think it’d be fun.”

“Mmhm…” The silence following gave way to the cawing of Wingulls, the mournful wailing of passing ships and the gentle whispers of the wind.