-----------------------

An excited young man on tv, “We’re back arena side with special guest, Professor Gary Oak! Professor Oak is here in Lavaridge investigating some of our local rumors and legends. Have you tracked down our mystery bird yet professor?”

Gary smirks with a nod, “I did manage to catch a glimpse of one before it Teleported away. So it’s definitely real. I’ve yet to determine if its an case of a yet undocumented pokemon or, perhaps a regional form of Oricorio. The situation is very similar to the Sinnoh Oricorio we confirmed two years ago.”

“I remember that! A highly aggressive Electric/Ghost bird haunting the Great Marsh at night! The Wattsons have a standing bounty for a capture.”

Chuckling Gary, “As elusive as any ghost.”

“Well we wish you luck here at home, and on that note.” The young man gestures behind him while the camera zooms out to show the carved out crater below. “We are less than ten minutes away from the start of Gym Leader Torch’s debut match against Naomi Wattson’s Red Rebels! We can see most of the town finding a seat in the stands.”

Yup, totally can.

The lad turns back to Oak, “So Professor, I know you had your time as a trainer yet missed out on the Hoenn circuit. What kind of impression do you get from this field?”

Gary takes a moment to consider before answering, “First, I’m aware that the main gym field is actually back in town.

At the caster’s nod he continues.

“Second, this field is great for a rookie trainer’s introduction to zones of high Fire energy.” He points to a few smoking pillars, “The vents from the lava shafts below make for interesting obstacles.”

“Anything else Professor? You’re on target so far.”

“Yup,” Gary smirks, “This field is perfect for battles among very destructive, and most likely Large, Pokémon!”

“That's right folks! Torch is bringing the heat tonight against Wattson! Another notch in the rivalry with our neighbors to the south!” The crowd’s cheers erupt, “Looks like Torch is taking the field!”

——

Naomi pokes my side, “Kurt, two minutes.”

Looking away from the tv in the locker room, the space reminds me a bit of the cave. Including the poor bugger in the bathroom stall. Pour one out for anyone that dies with their pants at their ankles. Unless their name is Lanister.

“Kurt!” Watts steps in front of me.

“Sorry kiddo,” sighing a little, kinda giving away that I’m actually nervous, “Mind train hopped the rails for a second.”

She pouts in a way that only teen girls get away with, “We’ve planned and planned and planned. Time to just follow it.”

Holding back a snort, I won't point out that plans rarely work. “One offence, one defense, one support, and one flex. Rotating as needed.”

A green light flicks on with a buzzer sound.

We step towards the metal stairs mounted to the cave floor. I can hear the roar of the crowd and someone that is probably Torch.

“Thank you, everyone for coming out this evening!” More cheers, “I’m excited to finally show off all the hard work my personal team has been doing!”

The announcer takes his cue, “Now entering the field, Naomi and Kurt of the Red Rebels!”

Naomi leads the way out of the cave and into the crater carved stadium. The audience welcomes us with cheers, or jeers in the case of a rowdy pack of teen girls.

Across the field of menacing, smoking stalagmites and pits, I take my first real look at Torch. A young man with deep red hair is looking right back at us. He's rocking a white button up shirt over a red undershirt.

His eyes go from simply measuring us up to glaring at me.

“Naomi, why does he look like I stole his lunch money?”

Naomi whispers while continuing to smile for the crowd, “Like I know, the guy is annoying though. You’ll see.”

Torch calls out, “It’s been a year since I last saw you Naomi. I can see that Wattson spark is brighter than ever!”

Shifting back to scowling at me, “Though I don’t understand why you picked someone so dangerous to travel with. I can feel the air of death about him from here. Like a shadow, veiling your light.”

Uh, “Is this tool serious?”

Watts cringes, “Ya, guy is like one of those Church of Arceus Paladins.”

Oh no, he’s got white knight syndrome.

Speaking across, “Kid, I’m just here for the badge and a fun battle.”

Now he smirks, “Oh it’s a battle, though I doubt you’ll be having any fun.”

With that, he nods to the judge… who I just noticed is wearing a fireproof jumpsuit. Multiple Solrock are standing by to put up barriers. He just raises a flag to signal the start.

An eruption of cheers from the crowd as Torch sends out two pokeballs. Flares erupt from the tops of the spires. The ambient heat noticeably jumps up, and so does Torch’s hair?

The red light keeps expanding until finally we see a commercial sized brick oven. Next is the form of a red centipede so large it coils up the oven smokestack.

Um, “What are those?”

“Shit,” Naomi sends out her picks, “Just follow my lead Kurt!”

Fair enough, I toss out my Palossand and Carracosta. They join Naomi’s Florges and Shiny Gardevoir.

“Battle Start!”

Torch is still bound by the gym guidelines, “Centiskorch, Coil. Rotom, Fiery Dance!”

Naomi and I cheer, “Howling Siege!”

A wave of sizzling heat blasts across the battlefield as flames burst from the front of the big oven. A pair of burning eyes reside in the dark interior. Just as quickly as the hot wind went out, it gets sucked back into the giant centipede as its front antenna ignites into burning whips!

On our side viewers at home may have their minds blown as my haunted sandcastle hops aboard the back shell of my bipedal turtle. Florges takes a station atop the sandy tower while Gardevoir disappears in a flurry of blue flower petals.

Our opponent points forward, “Fire Lash and Searing Shot!”

Naomi shouts, “Lasura, block it! Delphi, set up!”

The brick oven Rotom Heat fires off mortar rounds of lava across the field the size of beach balls. Meanwhile the big bug races forward, winding between spires to avoid possible attacks.

I’ll handle that, “Buy us time Kona, keep advancing Zilla!”

My Carracosta marches straight forward, slow and steady, stacking Iron Defense and Bide. All the while Palossand kicks up sand attacks and a slowly growing Sandstrom. Florges starts pouring a fountain of mist from my turtle’s back.

Centiskorch can’t find an attack angle with all the sand and mist swirling about.

Those mortar shots finally come down only to splash across a shimmering dome of a pale blue Light Screen where Gardevoir Teleports.

Time to return fire, “Kona use Mud Bomb on the siting target.”

Naomi groans, “No Kurt.”

Atop the turtle shell, the mist and sand swirl together into a good sized blob that gets launched across the field.

Torch just raises a brow as the mud harmlessly splashes off the side of the brick oven.

Watts explains, “Rotom is immune to ground moves, stay on the bug for now. Lasura hit it with a Draining Kiss!”

I see, well that’s less than ideal.

The gym leader smirks, “They took their shot, our turn, Skorch, use Detect to move in with Lunge on the Carracosta. Brick,”

Our black and blue Gardevoir appears right next to the oven and pulls a Dementor impression.

“Smog.”

A billowing cloud of burning ash bursts from the oven right in the face of Gardevoir.

Naomi panics a little, “Pull back! Kurt watch out!”

Mildly distracted by Watts’ attack I just catch the Gyarados sized bug bursting through the mist and sand right at us! This time a blooming lotus shield materializes just in time to deflect the Lunge.

Torch isn't done, “Now, Skitter Smack.”

The Centiskorch’s tail whips around to broadside each of Florges, Palossand, and Carracosta.

Our boosted defenses shrug off most of the hit, “Stone Edge!”

Zilla lashes out with a wicked swipe that carves into the exoskeleton, leaving a trail of superheated bug juice.

Gardevoir appears with another Draining Kiss attack on the bug this time.

Naomi calls out, “Delphi us Aromatherapy.”

My own idea, “Kona hit it with Earth Power now!”

While his bug gets piled on, Torch scoffs, “Coil again. Brick, show them who's in control with Magma Storm.”

What Storm?!

Like a volcano erupting, the chimney stack blasts a ceaseless stream of lava pellets into the air that begins to rain down around our team.

Zilla does her best to side step the larger chunks of molten rock coming down. Some even hit his own Centiskorch.

“Shit!” Naomi swears again, “Prep more Flower Shields, Kona and Zilla rebuild your Iron defense!”

Watching the Misty Terrain get burned away by the sheer heat, Torch calls out, “Layer on more Smog. Skorch, use Heat Crash now!”

“Zilla, Wide Guard! Kona, Sand Attack.”

The fire bug smashes through a barely forming Flower Shield, gets an eye full of dirt, and slams blindly into the crossed flippers of Zilla.

“Stone Edge!”

A rock covered arm slams into the vulnerable face of Centiskorch!

“No,” Torch shouts, “They’re right in front, Fire Fang!”

A chance for us, “Counter and blast with Ancient Power!”

Zilla catches the burning pincers and inhales to fire off her next move! Gardevoir teleports in for another Draining Kiss onto Rotom.

“Discharge!”

In the blink of an eye, lighting arcs across the field, lighting up the smog layer. Branches of electricity climb up each of the smoking spires while the rest hits our team like a wave.

Zilla is locked in place, Paralyzed.

Shit is right, everyone is locked up!

From the gym leader, “Bug Bite.”

Almost everyone, “Kona, Curse!”

All the sand surges off of Zilla and smothers Centiskorch! It thrashes around and screeches.

Naomi calls out, “Aromatherapy again! Shake it off Lasura! You can do it!”

Florges barely manages to start shaking off pollen beside Zilla.

Torch is scowling again, “Brick, Fiery Dance again to get rid of Gardevoir. Then Searing Shot again. Skorch, use Struggle Bug.”

Fire, fire everywhere. Gardevoir gets blasted back before she can recover from paralysis, just getting off a light screen directly over Rotom before falling unconscious from burns.

Searing shot explodes against the Light Screen at point blank from Rotom reflecting some of the damage.

Just a few yards away Centiskorch is twisting and writhing to shake off Curse.

Naomi returns her Gardevoir while calling out to Florges, “Delphi use Fairy Wind as strong as you can!”

Zilla finally shrugs off paralysis and fires off the Ancient Power attack in a dark beam. Flower petals spiral around it, using the force to empower Fairy Wind.

Getting blasted into a rock spire, Centiskorch gives a final screech before falling unconscious as well.

Rotom erupts again with Magma Storm.

Kona looks nearly spent, but Zilla is more pissed than injured, “Get in there girl! Come on!”

Naomi keeps to the original plan, “Cover her with Misty Terrain Delphi!”

Zilla jumps forward with what little of Aqua Jet is of any use for her size, using the mist to give it that extra push.

While my Carracosta bursts forward in her own version of Rock Slide, Torch has had enough.

“Overheat!”

Naomi yells, “Get out with Fairy Wind Delphi!”

I’m left to rely on my turtle's natural resistance as a nova of flames erupts from the mouth of the oven!

Florges tries to use her wind and the heat wave to fly clear of the actual fire.

Rocky turtle shell cannonballs into haunted brickwork!

Zilla gets up and immediately smashes another Stone Edge. Rotom cries in pain.

“Aqua Tail!”

“Discharge!”

Zilla spins to slam a water covered tail into Rotom Heat’s face just as another wave of lighting goes out.

My turtle hulk collapses to the ground in front of a visibly crumbling brick oven.

“Seems you won't be getting my badge after all.” Torch regains his smirk.

This asshole.

Naomi laughs, “I disagree!” Pumping her fist in the air, “Let's go Delphi and Kona!”

Flower petals from Florges drift around a healed up Palossand. The sand castle fires off a salvo of Shadow Balls into the face of Torch’s Rotom!

Bricks go flying as the oven collapses, Rotom is unconscious.

With the end of all the fireworks we can hear that the jeers in the crowd have gone silent, there's only cheering.

“Both of Gym Leader Torch’s pokemon are unable to battle, Red Rebels Win!”

-------------------------