Chapter 16: Training

It was a hard day's work at Vermillion. As I panted, trying to run up to the top of a nearby mountain, I looked on as 3 figures laughed. I finally made it and was ready to pass out. Just then all three broke up laughing.
"Ha ha. Very funny. You guys are a lot faster than me. Besides, you didn't exactly have it easy." I told them.
All three just stared at each other. One said that the first one down the mountain is a rotten Exeggcute. Suddenly all three sprang downhill.
"Hey! Wait a sec!" I shouted out to them.
It was no use. In the lead was a large, brown, rat with whiskers being closely followed by a small red fox which seemed to be on fire. Both were surpassed, however, by a small blue bat, as it had the advantage of flight. Once the three Pokémon got down to the hill, Raticate & Flareon argued with Zubat that it cheated. I managed to finally make it down, but was too tired to stop them. Zach had decided to train Graveler, as he has tons of experience with his Golem, and Amy volunteered to help out with training Raichu. They offered this as soon as we got into Vermillion. Josh & Megan had the task of trying to train Gyarados, who was not exactly willing to help.
"Hey! Watch it!" Josh said to the huge serpant.
Gyarados had decided to take a nap and splashed Josh with a lot of water. Megan giggled at the soaked Josh, until she got soaked herself. Then it was Josh's turn to laugh. Gyarados then turned and had both Josh & Megan caught in a huge wave.
"Geez, how are we supposed to train this thing? It won't listen to anyone but Matt!" Josh exclaimed.
"Pi..." sighed Pichu, who was trying to dry off.
It had been a tough week. After we got off Lapras, Raichu & Raticate had some fun racing each other until they were both worn out. Gyarados decided to swim around while Zubat relaxed in the air. After comng back home and getting something to eat, Zach told me that I could train Raticate, Raichu & Zubat easily at a nearby mountain. I asked what I should do about my other 3. Zach said he could train Graveler, since he had Golem for years. Since Raichu was originally Amy's, she could help train it. That left Gyarados. Since they were the only ones left, Megan & Josh got stuck with the job. We trained like this for the past week. I finally made it back from the mountain with very little energy, although Raticate, Flareon and Zubat still had some left.
Resting at home, I finally got a chance to sit down in hours. Raticate & Flareon were sleeping on the floor while Zubat was eating some Pokémon Food.
"Oh Matt! Zach said that he's on his way back with Graveler." Mom called out from the kitchen.
That was good news. It's been a while since I had seen Graveler. Just then, Megan & Josh opened the door soaking wet. I looked up at them and so did my Pokémon. Dad peeked out and let out a sigh. Those two came in soaked every day since being tagged with Gyarados.
"You sure you can't train it? I'm sure we can handle Flareon & Raticate. Come on Matt! You're the only one Gyarados will listen to! You have to do it." Josh protested.
I just sighed, "All right. I'll do it. You guys don't mind, right?"
Flareon and Raticate shook their heads, then went back to sleep. Josh handed me Gyarados's Poké Ball. It too was soaked. Amy called a few minutes later to say she was going to drop off Raichu. Mom told me as I was organizing my Pokédex. Josh was putting on some new clothes, and Megan was desperatley trying to get her black hair dry. Mom was fixing dinner as Dad was reading the newspaper when Amy came in with Raichu. It ran up to me and hugged me as I welcomed back my friend.
"Wow. You sure have gotten stronger Raichu!" I said to the electric mouse.
Raichu just smiled. Just then, the phone rang again. It was Zach. He said there was something going on at the Pokémon Center when his connection went dead. Worried, Josh, Megan, Amy & I ran down to the Center. When we got down there, the Center had smoke pouring out of it! I had thought it was a fire, so I grabbed my Poké Ball and called out my Pokémon: Gyarados. I told Gyarados to Hydro Pump the fire out, but the Hydro Pump put out two tall adults. One had red, flowing hair, one had short, purple hair. Both wore white suits and were coughing from almost drowning. As soon as they saw me, they gasped. Guess who it was?
"Don't you two have anything better to do?" I asked them.
"Of course not! I...I...mean" Jesse sputtered.
Suddenly they assumed a standing position, backs to each other.
"Prepare for trouble!" Jesse shouted.
"Make it double" James said.
"To protect the world from devistation!" Jesse said.
"To unite all peoples within our nation!" James shouted.
"Would you two stop reciting poetry & help me here?" called out a small cat.
"Meowth, you know very well not to interrupt us during the motto!" James said.
"Meowth! Stop showing off and help me carry these Poké Balls!" Meowth shouted.
Meowth was dragging a huge green bag of Poké Balls. All of us gasped. Jesse & James just laughed & gloated when I heard a voice within the Center.
"Matt! The two bunglers forgot one! Catch!" Zach said as he threw a Poké Ball at me, and instinctively opened.
"Grave! Graveler!" said the four-armed boulder.
Josh & Megan were about to send out their Pokémon, but I stopped them. This would be some good training. I first ordered Raticate to Jump Kick the two villians, sending them into Meowth. Next, Graveler picked them up and rolled them into a ball, spinning them faster & faster, sending them up in the air. Flareon was up next and Flamethrowered the trio, making them a huge fireball. Still up in the air, they were doused by Gyarados's Hydro Pump. Sent even higher up, the water didn't help any when Raichu used it's Thunder to make Team Rocket extra crispy. Zubat finished them off by sending them "Blasting off again!" with a Whirlwind.
"All right you guys! We did it! You're getting pretty tough!" I said to my Pokémon, who cheered with me.
All the trainers managed to reclaim their Pokémon, and I recruited myself to help re-build the Center. After cleaning up, it was time for dinner. I was amazed at how easily they beat Team Rocket. Usually, they had to do more than one attack, and were often the victim of the first strike, but today was the total opposite. I was proud of my main six. We got home just in time for a huge dinner, complete with mashed potatoes & French Fries. Go figure.
"Mom, no one cooks like you do!" Zach said while stuffing down mashed potatoes.
"Yum. This food is delicious!" Amy said.
"I've never had meatloaf this good before" Josh said.
"This chicken is the best I've ever had!" Megan said between bites. Pichu agreed.
"Honey, you've outdone yourself!" Dad said to her, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Mom was waiting for a compliment from me & Zubat, but we were too busy stuffing ourselves to talk. Mom knew that was the compliment she needed, and sat down to enjoy her own meal. That next day, the four of us decided to hike up the mountain to see if there was a good, open space to train in. We spotted a cave along the trail, and decided to rest there. Unfortunately, Megan sat on the wrong rock, and caused an avalanche. As the rocks fell down the mountain, we hurried inside the cave, only to have the entrance blocked by rocks. Megan then seemed very angry at what just happened.
"I don't believe it! In trouble again! Can't we spend 10 minutes without some kind of danger?" she asked.
"Sorry, but it's not in the contract with Pallet Gym" Josh said, showing a contract with the Pallet Gym at the top. Megan read it while Pichu provided light.
"Arg! I knew I shoulda signed with another fanfic! I coulda been in 'The One Special Place' or 'My Best Friends', but no! I need to talk to my agent" Megan said.
"Well, the pay isn't bad, and the benifits are great" I pointed out.
"Umm. Maybe we should by trying to find a way out?" Zach said.
"Oh yea. Graveler, I choose you!" I said as I called on my brute strength Pokémon.
Using Mega Punch, Graveler managed to punch our way out of the cave.
"Nice job Graveler." I said to my Pokémon. Graveler smiled.
We went up the trail without any more distractions. Zach was right. This mountain was perfect for training. Graveler lifted heavy boulders like they were weights. Raichu tried to break rocks with its electric attacks, as did Flareon with its flames. Zubat flew at a few rocks trying to break them with its wings, while Raticate Jump Kicked the rocks and tried to bite through them. Gyarados tried to Hyper Beam & Hydro Pump the rocks into dust. The Pokémon also had various races, which improved their speed greatly. When we finished up at the mountain, we went back home, where my dad told us about a tournament held by the Stone Brothers. Only Pokémon that could or that were evolved via a special stone could enter. I was eager to take this chance.
"All right! This will be the perfect training! I'm gonna sign up my Flareon!" I said, as I wrote my name & Flareon on the paper.
Josh & Megan did the same. They would use Nidorino & Nidorina. Zach had to be left out because of his not having a stone-induced Pokémon, but I gave him Raichu to use in the tourney. A few hours later, it began.
"We're up first Flareon" I said to my companion.
Flareon agreed and stepped onto the battlefield. My opponet wasted no time, sending out a Vileplume. This match was easy. Using Flamethrower & Fire Spin, Vileplume was out before it could attack. Josh & Megan didn't have it so lucky, as Josh faced off against Misty from Cerulean Gym. Her Starmie easily beat Josh's Nidorino. Megan had to deal with Vermillion Gym's Leader, Surge and his Raichu, who beat Megan. Zach won his first match against a trainer with a Victreebel. In a short time, the field was narrowed to four competitors. Zach & I faced each other for one of the matches. The winner would move on to the finals, where he would face the Stone Brothers. First prize was 12 Rare Candies and a stone of their choice. Second place would recieve 6 Rare Candies. The referee held up his flag and the match began.
"Flareon! Fire Spin now!" I shouted.
"Raichu! Use an electric attack!" Zach shouted as well.
The two energy blasts met each other and cancelled each other out. Flareon used this to tackle Raichu, who quickly got up and Swifted Flareon. Flareon got up just in time to see Raichu headbutt it, then slam it with its tail. Flareon shook its head and jumped off, using Fire Spin to capture Raichu. When the fire dissipated, Raichu was pretty beaten up, as was Flareon. Both lunged for each other, and hit each other hard. Both were standing up, but Raichu fell to its knees and fainted. Flareon did too after a few seconds. The judge ruled Flareon the winner because Raichu fell down first. After congrajulating Flareon & checking on Raichu, I found out who I had to compete against. It was none other than the top Master: Ash Ketchum! I just stared wide-eyed as he sent out a tiny little Pikachu to do battle.
"He got to be top Master with a Pikachu?" I asked myself.
"Trainers, go!" the ref shouted.
"Pikachu! Time to finish this match! Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu lept high in the air and sent down a devistating electric attack. Flareon was in critical already.
"Aw man! Flareon! Stop it with Fire Spin!" I shouted.
Flareon sent out a huge column of flames, but Pikachu's Agility helped it to dodge. Ash decided to get serious, and turned his cap backwards, yelling out to Pikachu to finish with Quick Attack. The Pokémon did as it was told, but Flareon used Smog to blind Pikachu. Using its own Quick Attack, Pikachu was knocked over. Flareon jumped up itself and used Fire Blast to smother Pikachu. Deciding enough was enough. Ash called for a Thunder. Pikachu glowed yellow and unleashed a huge electric attack, which hit Flareon and sent it slamming in the ground, fainted. I rushed to see if my Fire-type was OK, while Ash & Pikachu were jumping up & down. Ash had also somehow managed to beat all four Stone Brothers, including Mikey & his Eevee. I accepted the 6 candies and walked off with Flareon & Raichu, disappointed. I gave each of my own Pokémon 1 candy, and decided that they needed to train even harder than they were doing.
And training we did. For the next two weeks, we trained as hard as we could. We entered every battle we could. We raced. Zach, Josh & Megan helped us out by battling me. Raichu defeated Sandslash by Swifting it then Thundering it's soft belly. Raticate defeated Golem by using it's kicks & Fang attacks. Flareon beat up on Poliwhirl using Double Team & Tackle. Graveler managed to defeat Dratini, although Graveler got nailed by Dratini's Hyper Beam attack. Gyarados countered all of Lapras's moves and defeated it with a Tackle. Zubat faced off against Pichu, and even though it got shocked a few times, the bat still managed to win using Supersonic & Take Down. Proud of my Pokémon's work, I decided to give oursleves a little vacation.
The next day, we all sat by the docks and relaxed. The past few weeks had been rough on all of us. All of my Pokémon were a LOT stronger than they were before. Zach then pointed something out. There were only 4 days left until the League started! It would take us 3 days to get there! I ended up cutting our mini-vacation short, which was NOT in my daily plans. As I said good-bye to my Mom & Dad as well as Amy, I sailed off on Lapras with Megan, Josh & Zach. Finally, we were going to be in the Pokémon League. Hopefully our hard work will pay off.

To be continued...

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