บท 57: Chapter 57
The winds that had been blowing strenuously for the entire morning finally calmed down. The lightning hidden behind the dark clouds blinked a few times before rain started pouring heavily in the Rock Mountains and its nearby regions.
"I am going to check up on him," Anira said and got up from the table they were sitting at.
"It's raining outside now. We should just wait here." Misty suggested. "There are still 30 minutes in his Gym Match, and we all know how strict he is about being on time."
"I will be fine. You guys wait here!" She waved her hand and left the Pokemon Center, holding a red umbrella.
There was no smile on her face as she walked down the path marked on the map on her PokeNav+. The red dot that was blinking on the map belonged to Aizen's wristwatch, and she had been constantly keeping tabs on it since early morning. What was disturbing was that Aizen had not moved at all from the same spot for the last 4 hours.
The girls found a note pasted on their room's door when they woke up. It was from Aizen, informing them that he will be out to do some training and that he already had his breakfast. At first, Anira, just like Misty and Leaf, thought that he wanted to Train his Pokemon for the Gym Match. But now, she was having different thoughts.
Her heart thumped hard when she stepped inside a clearing and found Aizen sprawled on the ground, sleeping. All his Pokemon were out and by his side, under a transparent dome-shaped barrier that protected them all from the rain. And she could sense that the new members of his Team were tensed about something.
Anira subconsciously activated her Aura Sight and observed her brother's Aura. She could tell by the way his Aura was refining nature's Aura to replenish his Reserves that he had recently healed himself.
"What happened to him?" She sternly looked at Dexter and asked.
"Meta..."
"Gengar!"
The two Pokemon answered her.
She had to control the burning rage inside of her that wanted to teach Gengar a lesson for hurting her brother, but she knew that it was not really its fault. Aizen asked it to constantly attack him with Night Shade to help him with his Psychic Training. All Gengar did was comply with its Trainer's wish.
Rinko had managed to keep Elekid, Lapras, and Growlithe calm, but they all still asked Anira if Aizen was going to be alright. As the young members of the Team, they were quite nervous about the situation. She assured them that everything was fine and gave them some love before sitting by the side of her brother and gently running her finger through his hair.
Aizen woke up fifteen minutes later, and he instantly became nervous under the gaze of his little sister.
"Morning!" He smiled at her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Aizen," She called him out by his name, which meant that she was mad at him, "what is going on?"
He did not know how to answer her question, so, he stayed silent for a while.
Anira did not inquire again, but her eyes never left his.
"I have decided to spend some time training my Psychic Powers." He honestly said. "I want to grow stronger."
She could see that he was quite troubled by her question, and she did not want to push him into the corner with more questions.
"We have 5 minutes in your Gym Battle. Let's go." She nodded to him and got up from the ground.
Aizen spent a minute apologizing to his Pokemon and recalled all of them except for Sky, Rinko, and Dexter.
"You can go have fun now." He smiled at Sky.
"Skyyyyy!"
The Dragon roared and shot up in the sky, disappearing behind the clouds to fly in the storm. It loved thunder and lightning ever since it was baby Bagon, and it only grew more fond of it when it rode through a storm for the first time.
The little silver fox was already nestled in its favourite spot, its head nuzzling in Aizen's neck as it took a nap.
"Let's go." He grabbed Anira's hand and gently squeezed it.
"Meta..." Dexter's eyes shined briefly and they were teleported right outside the Lavender Gym.
"There you are!" Misty called them out. She was waiting for them outside the Gym with Leaf. "You had us worried for a moment." She smiled at them.
"You are looking pretty today." Aizen off-handedly commented and nudged her nose. "Let's go inside."
The orange-haired girl lowered her head to hide her blush and followed after him inside the Gym.
Oliver was already in position at the Battle Arena, smiling at Aizen when as he walked inside the challenger's square.
"You are early." He smirked. "10 seconds early."
"And you look well," Aizen smirked back.
"I am fine." He replied and then nodded at the match Official.
"This is an Official Gym Match between the Lavender Town Gym Leader, Oliver Marker, and the Challenger, Aizen Orayen. The battle will be 2v2 with Standard Rules. The only exception to the rule is that the Gym Leader can not substitute his Pokemon." The Referee announced. "Do you have any questions?" He asked Aizen.
"No." He shook his head.
"Gym Leader, please send out your first Pokemon." The referee set up the match on the Pokedex and asked Oliver to pick his Pokemon.
"Go, Haunter!"
"Haunter..." The Ghost Pokemon eerily looked at Aizen after it was called out.
"Challenger, please send out your first Pokemon."
"Go, Golbat!" Aizen plucked the Pokeball from his belt and tossed it in the air.
"Golbat..." The large bat Pokemon constantly flapped its wings and stared at its opponent with its narrowed eyes.
"Haunter vs Golbat." The referee registered the information and raised his hand. "Begin!"
As soon as the Referee announced the start of the match, Haunter disappeared by turning invisible.
"Attack with Night Shade!"
"Double-Team!" Aizen called out, and Golbat managed to avoid a pair of malevolent black rays of light, but Haunter kept sending them. "Throw Air Slashes right where the Night Shade comes from. Do not hold back!"
"Golbat..."
The large bat swiftly flapped its wings, sending out dozens of Air Slashes. A few clashed with the rays of the Night Shade, eliminating them before some landed right on the invisible Ghost-Type that came into sight after getting hit.
"Haunter, Curse!"
"Haunter.."
"Golbat..."
The two Pokemon cried out as soon after as a malevolent red energy surrounded them. Haunter seemed better off after the red light subsided, but Golbat was rattled by the unexpected pain that was numbing its senses.
"Shadow Ball!" Oliver called out.
Aizen knew that he had to end it soon as the Curse would keep hurting Golbat with every move it makes from now on.
"Aerial Ace to dodge and then target Haunter!"
The large bat complied with the command and rushed at the disappearing Haunter.
"Air Slash!" Aizen called out.
Haunter was unable to dodge the Air Slash form up close and took some damage.
"Night Shade!"
"Aerial Ace!"
The red light appeared around Golbat once again, but it bore the pain and continued with the move, attacking Hunater mercilessly.
"End it with Crunch!"
The fangs of Golbat glowed before it ruthlessly bit on the head of Haunter. The Ghost-Type Pokemon cried out in pain as the Dark-Type energy invaded its body and started devouring its Ghost-Type energy reserves.
Golbat only let go of Haunter after it dropped unconscious.
"Haunter is unable to battle. Golbat Wins!" The Referee announced the result of the first round.
The Curse was still in effect, indicated by the red light blinking around the bat, but it did not look ready to succumb to the pain.
"Well done!" Aizen smiled at his Pokémon. "Think you can keep up?"
"Golbat..." The large bat confidently answered.
"Go, Banette!" Oliver recalled Haunter and threw the Pokeball of the next Pokemon in the air.
The doll-like Ghost-Type Pokemon stared at its opponent and looked ready to hunt it down, but its chilling gaze only added to the resolve of Golbat who glared back at it.
"Banette vs Golbat!" The Referee raised his hand after registering the information. "Begin!"
"Phantom Force!" Oliver called out.
Banette disappeared after its eyes briefly glowed red.
"Double-Team!"
Golbat immediately complied and several after-images of it appeared in the field.
Luckily, the doll-like Pokemon missed the attack as it caught an after-image with it.
"Again!" Oliver commanded.
"Keep using Double-Team and wait for the opportunity. And use Giga Drain right when it appears." Aizen gambled as he knew he could not push Golbat to perform futile attack Moves that would only drain its energy.
Banette did not come out at first and seemed to be deciding on which image to strike first. But only after a few seconds, its patience ran out.
The moment it came into sight, Golbat used Giga Drain. The Doll-like Pokemon managed to hit the mark this time as Golbat cried out in pain after the attack, but soon Giga Drain took effect and the large bat gained some energy back, lessening the pain.
"Aerial Ace!" Aizen did not miss the chance when Banette was wide open to the attack. The Ghost-Type Pokemon was engulfed in the green light that was constantly blinking, draining it of its energy.
Golbat was ruthless with its attacks that followed, and when it had given enough beating, it executed a powerful Crunch on the opponent.
Aizen smiled when Golbat did that on its own. It showed that it was growing a good battle awareness.
"Night Shade," Oliver called out with a smile.
The attack hit the mark from point-blank range, giving Golbat no chance to get away. The large bat was already at its limits, the last Crunch was its final bet. It dropped unconscious as soon as the hallucinations started.
"Golbat is unable to battle. Banette wins." Referee announced.
Aizen recalled Golbat and whispered some praise before throwing another ball in the air.
"Woof!"
The orange puppy happily yelped before seriously looking at its opponent. Being around Rinko was really rubbing off on it.
"Banette vs Growlithe. Begin!"
"Flame Wheel!" Aizen commanded as soon as the voice of the Referee fell.
"Woof!"
The orange puppy shot in the direction of Banette but the doll-like Pokemon, despite being heavily drained of its energy, managed to get away.
"Shadow Force." Oliver's voice resounded and right then, the doll-like Pokemon appeared out of Growlithe's shadow, hitting its mark rather viciously.
The orange puppy cried out in pain but then glared at its opponent, and somehow, exhaled a terrifyingly hot breath from its mouth before Banette could get away.
"Heat Wave, eh." Aizen happily smiled when Growlithe learned the move mid-battle.
The poor Banette was taken off-guard by the counterattack of Growlithe and paid a heavy price, taking the full brunt of the move.
"Hold on." Oliver's words helped Banette shake off the dizziness that threatened to take away its senses. "Hiden Power!"
As soon as Oliver's Voice fell, Banette's eyes glowed red and then waves of Electricity appeared out of nowhere, taking Growlithe by surprise.
The orange puppy's body trembled under the Electric-Type Hidden Power that did some damage and rendered it incapable of moving.
"Phantom Force." Oliver gave the command and Banette disappeared in the ground after a malevolent energy surrounded it.
"Flame Wheel!" Aizen called out, but Growlithe failed to heed the command in time. Its painful cry resounded in the Arena that ached the Prince's heart.
Banette performed the move and got away fast, not taking any chances this time.
There was no trace of cheerfulness in Growlithe's eyes as it glared at Banette.
Both the Pokemon were in a terrible state, but Banette was closer to its limit because of the damage it took from Golbat and then the Heat Wave of Growlithe.
"Flame Wheel!" Aizen commanded again.
The puppy engulfed itself in its hot flames and shot at its opponent as fast as it could.
"Shadow Ball!" Oliver commanded.
The Shadow Ball and Flame Wheel clashed with each other, a couple of meters away from Banette. Growlithe took some damage as the two attacks cancelled out each other, but then it lunged at Banette without taking a moment's rest, and shot a powerful torrent of flame at it, ending the battle right then and there.
"Banette is unable to battle. Growlithe wins! The Winner of the match is the Challenger, Aizen Orayen." The Referee announced as soon as the doll-like Pokemon fell unconscious on the ground with smoke rising from its body.
Aizen calmly walked up to the orange puppy and crouched by its side.
"You were brilliant!" He smiled happily and lovingly scratched the back of its ears.
"Woof!" The orange puppy happily yelped back at him before licking him all over his face.
Yes, Rinko was rubbing off on it.
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