Rock Bottom [G]

“So this is what a Gymnasium looks like, huh?”

It wasn’t as a glamorous or as technologically advanced as she had read in the reports. Though this was something she should’ve expected. Athena wasn’t really vying for the Pokemon League; the thought alone exhausted her. Fighting battles, rescuing Pokemon, helping your friends, finding a rival… she was not some common kid with extremely naive ideals about the world. If only the higher-ups did not require proof of their skill, specially those wishing to rank up, Athena would surely be elsewhere.

The Gym was vast enough to accommodate big Pokemon. The field, on the other hand, was arid and full of rocks. It was something else she should have seen coming. “Oh how predictable… fight a Rock-type specialist in a rocky environment!” Her comment did not go unnoticed as Rowan glared at her, but did not say anything. Athena smiled back, taunting Roark to frown even more.

“Athena!” He finally spoke after the roof of the gym opened to welcome the sun. “ It is my duty as a Gym leader to see if you’re qualified to undertake the journey to challenge and compete in the Pokemon League!” He pointed at her, while adjusting his spectacles. “ I will prove to you that specializing in a certain type is not suicide!!”

“Yeah yeah, save your speeches for later. I am not interested in what lower-life forms have to say.” She waved her hand at him, as if to dismiss every point he wanted to make. Then glared at the referee. “Can we get started please? I’m getting specs of dust all over my dress!”

“O-of course!” The referee stammered, but regained composure, in fear of getting another glare from the woman. “The Oreburgh City Gym battle between the Challenger, Athena Elder, and Roark, the Gym Leader is about to begin!” He paused and glanced at each side, but not turning to fully face Athena, and continued. “ The battle will be three on three, and as soon as all three Pokemon on either side are unable to continue the battle will be over.” He pointed at Roark was fuming with confidence, anger and impatience. “ Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon!”

“Oh! What a wonderful set of rules!” Athena feigned happiness. “Gym leaders must be really full of themselves to fight under these conditions…”

Rowark did not utter a word, but instead, glanced at the referee and nodded. “Let the match begin!”

“Onyx! Let’s teach them a lesson!”

Roark’s pokeball glowed red and released what could only be an overgrown lump of rocks stuck together. “Onyx!!” it roared fiercely. Athena was rather unimpressed, but it was her turn now to make an entrance. She’d save the remarks when, and if, they mattered the most.

“Fault! You’re up…” She threw the Pokeball as it was trash, and out came a Palpitoad, and as soon as it was released, it’s eyes became hearts as he went straight to Athena. “ Do not disappoint me…”

Her glare and words cut through his heart and he turned around to face the Onyx, full intent of battling, Maybe if he won, she’d let him caress those wonderful pillows?

“Athena, you have the honors.” he said, adjusting his glasses once more.

“Tch. I really dislike that tone of superiority of yours.” She extended one hand and called out her Palpitoad. “Fault! Use Supersonic, then change positions and go in with a Mud Shot!”

“You may have type advantage Athena, but fighting is more than just that!” Roark shouted back at her. “Onyx! Use screech and follow up with Rock Throw!”

Upon command from their respective masters, Fault and the onyx quickly tangled themselves together in each other’s moves. Being huge as he was, the Onyx was quickly affected by the Palipitoad’s supersonic, but managed to hold on to itself long enough to release a painful screech at the water type Pokemon. Needless to say, in it’s second move, the attempt to release a Rock Throw was hindered, and instead it targeted itself, and so the rock fell on Onyx, though it did little damage.

And so Fault finished things off with a Mud shot, fainting Onyx.

“You did good Onyx…” Rowark picked up another Pokeball and sent out Geodude. “Make this one count Geodude! Use Stealth Rock, and follow through with Rock Throw!”

“No wasting time I see…” Athena commented. Things were so boring, now that she knew victory was only bubbles away. “Use Round… then Bubble.”

“Geo..dude!!"

Geodude successfully set up stealth rocks around Athena’s area, though this hardly made things much difficult. This is what happened when emotion got in the way of things. The Palpitoad released waves of sound that hit Geodude, but no that hard. Athena was hoping to hinder the setup of stealth rocks, but Fault was not the smartest. A single boulder to it’s head, and the Palpitoad went to heaven.

“I will punish you later!” Athena withdrew Fault, released Rotom from it’s confines, and it zipped around before settling just a few inches above the air. It flinched as stones dug into it. “ Tsk. Ampere. Use substitute and then attack with Hex.”

“Let’s finish this Geodude! Keep at it with Rock Throw!”

Ampere flashed once, creating a clone of itself in mid air, but not before a barrage of boulders flew in from above. The attack successfully… hit the clone, but the Rotom materialized soon after, free from harm, though it had to sacrifice some of it’s health for that. A purple pentagram suddenly appeared from below Geodude and exploded.

“Geodude! Hang in there! Use Rock Throw again!” The Geodude was hurt, but not that badly. If he had been poisoned or had a status condition, it would be a different matter. However, just before he could throw another rock, the same pentagram appeared beneath it and caused another explosion, knocking it out completely.

“Tch! Why are you so angsty when you’re this strong Athena! I don’t understand…” Roark was down to the last Pokemon. If he lost, he’d do it proudly. “ Cranidos! This is the final battle…”

Athena watched as Roark fell down to his last Pokemon with amusement. The Cranidos was a delicious sight. It was a prehistoric Pokemon, was it not? She had the urge to study it bit by bit.

“Say, can I have the Cranidos if you lose?!” Athena called out, and was rather impressed by the outburst Roark made.

“Hell no! Cranidos use Leer and follow with Pursuit!”

“Cranidos!!”

Athena rolled her eyes and substituted Ampere with Mercury. Unfortunately for Athena, the Pursuit managed to connect before the Rotom was switched out, and it fainted as a result. “Damn! Forgot all about that move…” She was unperturbed by the loss. The recently evolved pokemon would prove sufficient for this. “ Mercury. Metal Mash that pebble back to ancient history please…”

The Metang stood still as the Cranidos charged in again for another Pursuit, but as it came close, Mercury’s mechanical arm swept the Cranidos in an upper cut surrounded by silver energy. It landed, fainted, close to it’s trainer.

“Roark is out of Pokemon! The winner is Athena!”

“As it should be.”