The drum beats steady, the bass line heavy, and the guitar just ticks with each second passing. Marble does a lap of the chainlink arena to the thunderous roar of the crowd. Five levels of stands lit up in blue and yellow while spotlights roam across all the participants.
“Aaaalright trainers time to step out and let your pokemon have their time to shine!”
An Electrike and Luxio the size of a wolf and panther are waiting in front of the stage along with the Kanto girl’s Mightyena, Grovyle, and Glaceon.
We step into a booth and the chainlink closes us out of the arena, a dozen Rotom dash along the fence creating a wall of protection for the audience.
“Kurt!” someone yells from behind me.
Looking back has me stunned! On the floor just above us cheering and hopping is my girlfriend Lacy Cutter and Cindy from the Rustboro Pokemon Center.
I can’t help but smile and give a wink as the music picks up tempo.
Grace up on stage gives the call, “Pokemon! Are you ready?!”
All thirty roar in unison. All spread out around the chain link ring, even with this many, there’s plenty of space still. Imagine this with fully evolved pokemon.
Grace, Crystal and Iris shout together, “Baaaaattle Start!”
The boys on bass and guitar jam a power chord and the next song takes off at the same time as fireworks blast off above us.
Our pokemon immediately start their circle of the ring, zaps from my Joltik and bursts of wind from Floette encouraging the dragon trio’s three pokemon to get out of the way.
In the center of the ring Mawile rides the charging Boldore while swinging Honedge around like a lasso or whip.
Numel, Grotle, and Trapinch stay in tight formation as they stampede right towards them.
The two teams collide in complete disregard for the mayhem around them.
Meanwhile Vermilya’s Tyrunt is in hot pursuit of our Onix, the mini Trex is cut off however by a brawl between a swift Quilava and a Growlithe spewing flames like the fireworks still going off above.
The chainlink right in front of us rattles as Grovyle slams into it before launching back at the zangoose that threw him.
Sprays of water jet around the ring, bursts of lightning, twisters of razer leaves, cones of bright flames, the clang of claw on metal.
The Alpha dragons’ Combusken, Flaaffy, and Marshtomp are taking on Alloy’s metang with surprising coordination.
Jane yells beside me, “Don’t stop Marble!”
Torkoal and Koffing are blasting a cloud of poisonous smog and dense smokescreen. The whole fence shakes as the Onix can’t see in time to turn from the wall.
Tyrunt finally catches up and jumps to land on Marble’s tail only to get immediately flung off and into the flying Koffing.
Naomi jumps with Jane, “Nice job Marble!”
“Get moving again!” Jane pleads but with the crows, music, pyrotechnics, and battle there’s little chance they can hear us.
Torkoal looks ready to launch a flamethrower at us when it's suddenly lifted up by a dark energy from a chuckling Duskull and flipped onto its back, then sent spinning across the battlefield.
The fire turtle smashes through Mightyena’s dog fight with the Electrike just before Luxio can pounce in. Torkoal blasts flames from it’s back to flip back over and begins a fresh charge at the Duskull’s team member Meditite only to be slammed aside by a thrown Seviper.
I mutter out loud“This is nuts.”
The announcer howls, bringing back my attention, “Cacnea is out!”
I just catch the little barrel cactus pokemon collapsing in a glittering purple cloud of spores from the gloom that the Duskull and Meditite are protecting while the Growlithe is losing ground to the Quilava that is just too fast.
Bolts of lightning zip past our booth as Electrike and Luxio sprint down the Zangoose and Grovyle. Flashes of electricity arc between the two pokemon. Their tandem Wild Charge is dodged by Grovyle but the Zangoose had his back to them.
“Zangoose got hit with the blitz! The Fallarbor team is down two already folks, Wait! There goes Trapinch! Score one for the Royals!”
Glaceon shows no mercy with a straight Ice Fang assasination to one of May’s girls’ pokemon.
“The knockouts are coming in now folks! OOoooh that's a nasty hit to send out Meditite! That's one angry Torkoal!”
The fire turtle that could finally manage some semblance of revenge with a Flame Charge just in time to get shotgunned by a burst of Gloom powder. It takes a few steps before collapsing.
“Not the place to sleep little buddy, Torkoal is out but let's give a hand to the ferocious turtle!”
It’s hard to stay focused on our pokemon, as long as nothing stops Onix. But she’s still circling the fights.
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Turning to Jane, “Maybe we should signal her to start aiming for the distracted brawls?”
When Marble next rumbles by Jane waves to catch her eye then slams her fist into her palm over her head.
Our Onix makes a subtle turn and aims for the Quilava, Growlite pair. They never see the head smash coming.
“It’s a Two for One double KO for the Onix as the fire pokemon get sent flying! The Rebels finally make their move! On the other side Metang has had enough!”
The flying saucer with arms drops Marshtomp and Flaaffy after having grabbed them by the neck and slamming them together.
Combusken sends it spinning with a solid flaming kick. Unfortunately the fire chicken’s landing is interrupted by a leaping Electrike. A Thunder Fang sees the bird cooked.
“The Alpha Dragons are first out! But wait, so are the Ronin!”
Marble’s second victims are the Nuzleaf and Seviper who were barely holding on from their previous tussles and can’t escape the webs flung forward by Tesla.
“That's Four for the Rebels, but hold on folks that Onix has an extra passenger!”
What!?
Jane belts out, “Ditch that Tyrunt!”
It’s no use, the last slam slowed Marble enough for that persistent little trex to run up her tail. Tyrunt isn’t phased by Tesla’s panicked thunderwave and chomps down on my little red spider. To my surprise Tyrunt even thinks to jump clear, still clutching my Joltik!
“Ah shit!”
Onix whips around to tail smash the Tyrunt only for it to drop Tesla and dodge clear.
The crowd gasps as my bug gets swatted away by her own teammate.
“Pow! What a way to exit the match ladies and gentlemen! Onix is tricked into friendly fire.”
Flinching, Jane looks over to me, “Sorry Kurt.”
I hurry to return Tesla to her ball before she’s caught in any more fighting.
“Oh, Looks like that little spider left a parting gift! Tyrunt’s in trouble!”
Metang is going in for Metal claw on the dinosaur struggling to remove the webbing all over its jaw. At the last second a smoking miniature camel jumps in front of the hit for it’s teammate.
“Numel gets pounded! But it’s still up, wait nevermind.”
Marble plows into the melee, Tyrunt and Metang are flung away but the dazed Numel just got hit by a bus.
“Pyre Wisps are out! Gloom and Duskull got tag teamed by the Royals’ Mightyena and Glaceon! But don't blink, Electike and Luxio strike again, Koffing is down, the Spitfires are done!”
In the chaotic melee there’s too much to keep track of and clearly the fast pokemon have an advantage over the stationary defensive strategies.
The grovyle is chasing the speedy little Tyrunt, how does that work?
“That's one fast little rock type, Miss Vermilya must have found a variant. No time to speculate folks the slugfest in the center is about to climax!”
Mawile and Honedge have yet to land a finishing blow while Grotle lands a solid slam into Boldore with enough force to send it flying in a spray of leaves. Mawile lands gracefully and sheathes Honedge while glaring at her opponent, waiting for the next charge.
“Boldore is out cold! Ouch! Glaceon just took a mean right hook from Metang! Grotle is still facing down that wild steel duo!”
Jane waves down Marble and points to the center. Where Mawile is crouched low, about to samurai style draw against the rumbling Grotle.
A flash of gold catches the audience and blinds Grotle, Mawile, and Honedge just long enough they can’t see to dodge Onix putting three more points on the board!
The audience erupts, I can see both Dawn and May looking our way with spite.
“What a Hit, that gorgeous Onix might smash the record for first mosh knockouts!”
I nudge Jane with my elbow, “Those older gals look pissed.”
Her eyes are wide, “I didn’t think that’d work!”
Of course it would, “oh shit!” I point.
Grace’s Mightyena just leaped for Floette on top of Marble. But that’s the whole point isn’t it.
Delphi’s fairy wind stalls the dark pokemon mid air long enough for Onix to whip her tail for the Smack Down.
Another collective groan from the audience as Mightena gets sent bouncing away.
“Damn it Kurt!” yells grace from the stage forgetting she’s supposed to be singing.
Hey I’m not even in this battle anymore.
The announcer keeps the show going, “You have your badge winners folks but who will be the last pokemon standing!"
Naomi barely lets out a cheer before the announcer continues, "Look at that Tyrunt go!
Once more that evasive little shit made it up Marble and completely blindsided Floette just as Marble slams into the slow floating Metang.
Naomi yelps, "Delphi!"
“Floette and Metang are out, Grovyle is caught by Electrike and Luxio!”
Just as Grovyle was looking to follow up the Tyrunt and take advantage of the distracted onix, she gets blindsided by the electric duo.
Three more Pokemon return to their balls.
Naomi clutches her pokeball before yelling into the arena, "Get'em Marble!"
Shimmering in pearl white and viens of gold under dozens of spotlights, Marble enters a rage and is only getting faster from each Head Smash. Finally the Tyrunt can’t keep up the pace. A Bulldoze sends it flying while Marble just turns towards the gymleader’s pokemon. But those two are full electric types and no amount of biting from pokemon their size will stop an Onix even if Marble is still young.
The music comes to a stall as Kirk lays off the guitar, “We’re calling it here, that’s one rockin Onix.”
More fireworks blast off, “The Winner is Jane from LaRousse City! Setting an Impressive Opening Mosh takedown record with Twelve knockouts and two concedes, that's Half the field folks! Even if her teammate was counted.”
Marble roars in victory as the final opponents are returned to their balls. Laughter and cheers fill the arena.
Grace and the girls on stage cheer, “Great Fight Jane!”
Naomi is hopping up and down with Jane's arm but the Redhead herself is in shock, mouth wide open. The lights move to her and I quickly tap her jaw shut.
She looks my way, “Is this real?”
“Hah!” I raise a brow at the kid, “Ya know, life doesn’t always suck, sometimes you win big. I think you got more than you realized out of that treasure hoard.”
Marble has slid over and is preening at the attention in front of her trainer. Jane gets a goofy smile and runs out to hug her pokemon. The audience gets to laugh at the silly girl trying to tackle a rock.
I wave back to Lacy and text her how to meet us downstairs.
Part of the center floor lifts as Kirk and Shawn walk out with a case of badges.
The announcer calls out, “Let's hear it again for our five badge winners; Naomi, Alloy, Crystal, Vermilya and Jane!”
Five girls step up and wave to the crowd. Shawn hands each of them a badge, pausing to ruffle Naomi's hair.
When they get to Jane, Kirk takes off the guitar on his back and presents it to her. It’s ruby red and lightning blue and I bet she has no idea how to play but the girl looks like the rock queen of Hoenn wearing it.
Naomi is holding her head high and looking towards the box seats where her family sits.
I glance at Tesla’s ball in my hand, “Guess I’ll have to come back for round two.”