Chapter 16

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

A series of ‘Ooooohs’ ran through the crowd after Chase’s challenge. Cecilia simply sighed and shook her head.

“No, thank you,” She said.

“That wasn’t a question. I’m going to put you in the dirt and expose you like the fraud you are!” Chase yelled.

“Watch yourself, low-class trash,” One of Cecilia’s companions said. “Don’t you dare talk to her like that! Don’t you know who I am?!”

“Fuck off, I’m not talking to you. Can’t she speak for herself?”

“I did, and I said I wouldn’t battle you,” Cecilia said, before walking off. Her group followed suit.

“I know what you are! I looked you up! You think you’re so strong when the only reason you’re here is because of your brother and father,” Chase said. She stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh? Did I hit a nerve?” He grinned and turned to the audience. “Everybody acts like this chick having a dragon is some great unimaginable feat, but her brother owns a Hydreigon— which I’m sure most people here know, but connect the dots! They probably gave her its offspring. Not only is that an unfair advantage, but she has the best Deino possible! Good genes, and someone to call for training advice whenever she wants.”

Murmurs ran through the crowd as people began to agree with his points.

“Now, with your father, you get virtually infinite amounts of cash! And not only that,” He paused as he pointed to the biggest kid of the group. “But you’re also engaged to this motherfucker.”

I heard a few people gasp, along with whispers about his name. Bianchi.

“So yes, motherfucker. I do know who you are, and I just can’t be bothered to care. Don’t you people see?!” Chase asked, addressing us. “These rich fucks are pooling their resources together and helping each other even though they already have an unfair advantage to begin with! And I’m going to prove that no matter how much you cheat, you’re still worse than I am,” Chase finally finished. The crowd was now fully on his side, chanting for the girl to go back to Unova. Cecilia’s shoulder were shaking, and she was frozen in place.

“Why are you like this?” I blurted out.

“Huh? Who the hell are you? Some other groupie?!” He asked.

I looked around myself, and my eyes widened. I had just spoken without realizing it, and everyone’s attention was now on me. My breathing quickened and my heart pounded against my ribcage.

“Ah—uh—I mean— There’s no reason to be m—mean, right?” I said, stumbling all over my words. “Let’s all just get along...”

“You add nothing to the conversation. You don’t counter my points. Do us all a favor and stop talking—”

“N—no, look, sure, some of it might be unfair, but it’s not the first time this happened. It’s like this every year!” I said, finding my courage. I remembered that this was the man who had destroyed Denzel’s self-esteem for sport, and now he was trying to do it to someone else? No. “In fact, I think that you’re just mad that her victory overshadowed yours. Am I wrong?”

“Even if you were right, my point still applies.”

“Then complain to the League, don’t make all of these people gang up on her. Ask them to institute some standards! She’s not at fault here, the system is!”

“Why are you fighting so hard for someone who would never give you the time of day? You’re sucking up to them for no reason!” Chase asked me as if he was unable to comprehend my actions.

“Because it isn’t right! We’re all in this together, and fighting because of your small ego won’t make you any better. Try to be a better person for a change, and maybe one day, you’ll have friends to ask for help too if you’re struggling!”

“You’re up Frillish. This is it. This is what we trained for,” I told him.

He nodded and stared straight ahead.

“A Frillish, huh? Interesting, I haven’t seen many of those before,” The gym trainer said as she sent out her Pokemon. A small tree-like being materialized in front of her, confusing me for a second before I recognized it. It was a Bonsly.

A screen flanking the arena lit up and counted down from three.

I got this.

“Get up high and then Bubblebeam!” I yelled out as soon as the timer hit zero.

Frillish propelled himself upward with his tentacles, and a stream of bubbles rushed toward the Bonsly.

“Jump back, and then Rock Throw!”

Bonsly dodged, but Frillish’s attack hadn’t ended. The Bubblebeam followed it and impacted it directly, causing it to faint.

Yes! I celebrated in my head. I had taken inspiration from Deino’s seemingly endless Dragon Breath and trained Frillish to keep his Bubblebeam going as long as possible. One more.

“Wow, you’re good,” The gym trainer said as she sent out a Geodude.

“I am?” I asked, beaming with a smile.

“Yep. Geodude, Rock Throw!”

Geodude grabbed a rock and threw it upward, but it failed to even reach Frillish because of how high up he was.

“Aw, shucks,” She said.

“B—Bubblebeam?” I ordered, unsure of what was going on. Wasn’t this too easy?

Frillish sent out another Bubblebeam, which Geodude dodged with Rollout. Eventually, however, he tired out, and after two hits, he went down.

“Congratulations, challenger! You’re now allowed to battle Roark. Head down to the lobby, and we’ll tell you the date and time of your battle,” She said, returning her fainted Pokemon. After a pause, she spoke again. “I can see the look on your face. You’re good, but you’re not that good— no offense. This is just the only check we have to regulate the amount of trainers taking up Roark’s time. Beating the Pokemon we use is the bare minimum level of skill someone should be at before challenging him, and if you struggled, the odds are you’d never beat him. You have a chance, though,” She said with a wink. “Don’t let the win get to your head. I’ve seen it happen, and the consequences could be disastrous.”

I took her advice to heart and made my way back to the lobby. I immediately told Denzel I had won, and he looked ecstatic for me. After a few minutes of waiting, my battle with Roark was scheduled. In three days, at 5:30 pm, my first gym battle would finally take place.

TEAM:

Togepi - Pound, Sweet Kiss, Rollout, Growl, Headbutt, Fairy Wind

Frillish - Bubblebeam, Night Shade, Absorb, Water Sport