“Welcome to the Riddle Inn.” Blaine greeted Misty and I. We had tried to find Ash and Brock throughout the city, to no luck. Pokemon battles weren’t very popular with the tourists I guess.

So we headed to the Inn.

“Blaine, thank you for letting us stay here.” I greeted with a bow that Misty copied.

“Think nothing of it. Come I’ll show you your rooms and where the hot springs are located. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them. Your companions are already planning on doing just that.”

“Ah! So they are here. We weren’t sure.”

“They arrived not long ago, after dealing with some criminals causing trouble. I heard about what happened on the beach.” Blaine said suddenly, his voice changing removing the alolan twang and instead going to his real one. “Thank you for making sure no one else got hurt. An improperly released Gyarados is a danger few of the tourists would be ready for.”

“It’s nothing… I’m more angry it happened at all.” I mumbled fists clenching at the thought of some trainer just… Abandoning their Gyarados. Probably even abusing it considering its reaction to finding people.

Blaine nodded, pulling down his glasses showing his tired eyes. “Which is why we do our best to protect people and Pokemon both.” He offered “Come enjoy the baths, relax.” He said and I nodded, deciding to do just that.

—--

“This is nice.” I muttered. Japanese baths, and more importantly, these were pokemon friendly. Not that everyone wanted to enjoy it.

Dragonite did. She was sighing happily as Milotic hung out behind her. He didn’t have any interest in the hot water, but they were cuddling and being sappy.

Chansey was loving it. Sitting beside me, both of us with a cool towel on our heads just soaking.

Arcanine was resting with her front paws in the water doing little doggy paddles. The heat didn’t bother her at all as she just enjoyed the atmosphere.

Gyarados hadn’t had any interest in the springs either, and since Misty was joining me with her team? I had let my Blue Heart know that I loved him very much through the pokeball, but he had been happy to stay close to me in ball form.

“It’s so nice.” Misty agreed from the other side of Chansey.

“Whoo!” A voice called out and I blinked as there was a splash through the bamboo barrier.

“Hey Ash, don’t do that. This is a hot spring.” Brock’s voice called out just after.

“Sorry Brock.” The boys' voices carried over and I laughed at the noise.

“Ash! Don’t cause trouble! I don’t want to get kicked out because of you!” Misty instantly roared disrupting the peaceful atmosphere.

“Wha-Misty! Hey, you missed it! Team Rocket showed up! We sent them packing and Blaine agreed to a match!” Ash called out and I nodded fully expected. As if Team Rocket wouldn’t be the catalyst for Ash getting what he wanted. It was like clockwork.

“Oh… Well that’s good! When is the match?”

“After dinner!”

Misty nodded at that and settled back in. “I guess you won’t lose your chance to fight Blaine afterall.”

“I was never worried.” I answered calmly, not even opening my eyes. Hotsprings were so relaxing.

“Chanse-chansey chanse.”

“Yeah, this is the life alright. Think we could find some hot springs around home?” I asked jokingly and she tittered.

Ash's match after dinner huh. That should be interesting.

—--

“I surrender!” Ash yelled out clutching Pikachu who had been burned from Blaine's Magmar.

Powerful.

If my pokemon were all physical monsters, that Magmar was a special attack monster. Just its fire body was enough to deflect attacks. The heat alone enough to protect the pokemon from attacks.

Blaine looked to me, and I looked to him.

That pokemon wouldn’t be the only one I would have to face when we battled.

I nodded, and he smirked a bit at that. It seems I would have my battle with the former Champion sooner than I thought.

But before that, we had injured pokemon.

Chansey was released, and her happy cheer startled Ash out of his freakout over Pikachu, and soon enough the mouse was already stirring.

“It seems we still have time for another match.” Blaine called out, and there was a surprise that rippled through everyone but me.

“Ash’ll probably be ready for a rematch before you know it. Are you sure you want to battle now?” I asked. But I knew the answer. I recognized the look of a pokemon trainer ready to rumble.

“Now.”

I nodded. Stepping forward to take Ash’s place, the boy looked shocked before nodding as he and Chansey settled outside the ring next to Misty and Brock.

“Blaine. Let me face your strongest team!” I call out and Blaine stares at me for a while before his lips curve into a smirk.

“Very well, I Blaine, Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island, and holder of the Volcano Badge accept your challenge. Six on six, no returns. Magmar.” He called out and I took a moment to settle into my spot.

This was… Probably the worst possible battlefield arena for me and my team I realized. Lava below a hanging arena. Literally the arena was suspended over a pit of lava. Damn Fire Type trainers being so extra.

Milotic’s dig would be useless. The arena was small. No places to hide… The heat would stop a lot of terrain moves from working. Plus the ceiling was low. This entire arena trapped two pokemon close to each other.

I realized suddenly that was the point. Blaine was an old school Kanto trainer. Where Koga was the kind of guy to do everything to win. No matter how dirty. Blaine was the type for direct overpowering battles. He wanted to pit pokemon head to head, and see who came out on top.

A Kanto ninja and a Kanto Champion. Blaine wanted the direct in your face brawl. If Koga tested a trainers ability to use their pokemon abilities in a wider range. Then Blaine just wanted to know if you had the power to fight back.

A direct head to head face to face battle. An arena that limited tricks.

I looked to Magmar, and grimaced. Its Flame Body was a huge negative to my team. Sure Milotic might actually be a solid choice with his Marvel Scale, but with how hot it was?

I wasn’t sure a water type was the right choice.

No. As always, there was only one choice about what Pokemon starts off the fight. If Blaine wanted to fight like Kanto trainers, I had no choice but to oblige. But I wasn’t sure he was ready for my overwhelming force!

“Arcanine!” I roar releasing her, and she roars along with me.

Blaine and my eyes met.

“Go!”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Defend!”

The white hot image of Protect slammed into place, just keeping Arcanine back, but I noticed instantly it wasn’t a normal protect.

Magmar had raised up its heat haze. If Arcanine had been a normal Pokemon, it definitely would have been burned just touching the protect shield! That was cool!

But Arcanine was immune to fire type attacks, something Blaine should know, even with how rare Arcanine were. Growlithe had Flash Fire too after all.

“Don’t let up!”

“Magmar.” Blaine demanded, and he did something I cringed at.

The arena they were on, was suspended above the lava above a damn Volcano, because Blaine being a fire type trainer was extra like that.

But the lava suddenly surged up splashing up and covering not just Magmar and sending Arcanine away with the force of it. But Magmar seemed to coat himself in the lava.

“Lava Plume.” He informed me, and I grimaced, Lava armor? That was a neat trick.

But Blaine wasn’t ready for Arcanine. This move would be excellent against a Growlithe. Giving extra defense.

Arcanine wasn’t going to be bothered by this level of temperature or defenses.

Yet it wasn’t just an attack on Arcanine. Like all the high end matches. The move didn’t care if it hit me. The heat alone was enough to make me gasp, just to keep breathing, but I was also forced to step back to avoid literally molten lava hitting near me.

Fuck you too Blaine. You bitch!

“Enough playing!” I called out, and Arcanine moved. Arcanine slammed into the fire duck with bone crunching force, completely ignoring the lava armor. Even Blaine looked shocked as Magmar yelped. Dark energy of a Crunch slamming down onto him as Arcanine caught him in her jaws. Magmars heat, which normally blocked attacks from hitting him, was completely penetrated by Arcanine and her dark energy fangs that crunched down into him.

Extreme Speed was still king. Magmar was quickly slammed into the ground once then twice as Arcanine didn’t let up. The duck struggled, blasting fire all around it, but Arcanine ignored it, in fact it only made the flames coating my doggo burn brighter and hotter.

Blaine noticed though. “Cough!” He demanded and I blinked, unable to parse out what was happening, before suddenly Magmar did indeed cough and a surge of purple poison fog burst forth right into Arcanines face.

“Smash him.” I ordered. It was too late to try anything besides just do as much damage as I could.

“Punch!” Blaine ordered.

A lightning covered fist slammed into Arcanine's face and sent her skidding away as Magmar flipped and rolled back to its feet.

“Go!” I called, knowing that speed was still in our court.

Blaine said nothing as Magmar moved. To strike again, its fist still surrounded by lightning.

Arcanine bodied the flame duck slamming him backwards and ignoring the strike that barely hit her flank. Dark energy once more chomping down and crashing into the pokemon causing it to… Honk? It was a cry honk and roar mixed into one.

This time Arcanine didn’t hold on her instincts as always top notch, shaking her head and sending Magmar rolling and sliding across the arena.

But Arcanine was breathing heavily. That lightning punch had been brutal, and the poison was working its ill effect.

Magmar rose up. I swallowed. Really not happy that the pokemon was still up, as it staggered to its feet it looked furious, fire rose up around it like a storm of rage and anger, and it released it all.

But not as fire. In a scream of noise the fire shifted into a whole different type of heat. I leapt to the side cursing as I rolled on the way too hot rock. Hissing as the rock practically burned even through my jeans. Stupid lava arena!

“Thunder Bolt.” He informed us even as our ears were ringing. The blast had been awe inspiring. Something I would expect from a certain mouse behind me rather than a fire type. The lingering power arced over its body, never quite reaching Magmar as the flames flowed over its body.

Blaine I realized was just like me. Only where I had trained for overwhelming physical force, he had gone for special attacks. That one move likely would have overwhelmed anyone on my team if it hit. It was just that powerful. I looked behind me. Where the Thunder Bolt had shot straight across the arena leaving a blasted crater in the rock wall that was still red hot.

“An excellent attemp-” Blaine shut the fuck up right quick when the dust cleared showing a steel sparkling Arcanine.

“Yeah, we’ve trained against electric moves.” I called out rising up and patting myself down. Once again an attack aimed at me.

Yeah okay I get it Blaine. Fuck you too.

“I see.” Blaine offered and that was all he managed when Arcanine moved. The steel type energy that coated her head faded away. She hadn’t taken that blow safely. Arcanine had smashed her face into the ring to Thunder Rod the electricity away, something we had trained over and over again with Dragonite to make it instinct whenever she heard the crackle of lightning.

It still wasn’t perfect. Not that I would tell Blaine that, but Arcanine would definitely be feeling the electricity flowing through her. But it had been severely diminished nonetheless.

Magmar was once more struck as a fur missile, but this time As the crunch slammed down onto it. It was too exhausted to keep fighting. Magmar cried out once again before being flung across the arena and didn’t rise.

“Return.” Blaine called and he looked at me. “For my Magmar’s attacks to be so completely ignored.”

“You talk too much. Send out your next pokemon. You poisoned my Arcanine, remember?” I almost snapped. Not in the mood for the mid battle congratulations. Not after dodging so many attacks. Even Surge hadn’t been this specific about setting his Pokemon in a way to aim attacks at me.

“Of course. Forgive this old man’s musings.” He offered with a nod and flung out another Pokeball.

“Rapidash!” The pokemon cried out as it appeared, and I couldn’t help but gasp. Rapidash! It was a unicorn! I want one!

I shook it off. Focus!

“Begin.” Blaine called out, and Arcanine didn’t wait. She was flagging, but it didn’t matter when speed was still on her side. She slammed into the Rapidash which shrieked at the blow, but it was a well trained monster.

Despite being tackled it stomped out, its hoof catching Arcanine even as her Crunch slammed down, sending her sprawling away, and Rapidash rolling and then quickly slamming back to its feet.

“Arcanine. Do it.”

Once more Rapidash moved, trying to dodge the attack that was coming, but even as one of the fastest pokemon in Kanto, it simply couldn’t keep up.

Maybe if it was a short race and rapidash had time to build up speed, but the arena was small, and Arcanine was queen of both endurance and short burst speed.

The Rapidash was slammed into so hard with Crunch, that it actually went fully out of the arena Arcanine bodying the horse right off the stone arena. It’s hooves just not able to get a grip to save it.

For a moment I thought that was it but instead of a ring out Rapidash whinied and fire burst out.

I had always considered what kind of crazy shit a pokemon that focused on pure special attack power could do compared to my team.

Now I knew.

Rapidash was firing out a torrent of fire from each of its hooves. The four flames surging downward with so much force that it actually raised the Pokemon from over the edge and then it cut out letting it land with a loud clop clop clop of her hooves on the arena.

That… That was fucking cool.

“Whoa.” The audience behind us called out, but I grimaced.

“Arcanine.” I called out and she turned, her mouth was frothy. She was panting, and she looked a little purple.

Our eyes met, but as much as I could see her desire for more. More battle, more action! I watched as her hackles lowered and her head fell. She gave out a rather icky cough and puked up something onto the arena.

“Arcanine withdraws!” I called and Blaine looked pleased. But I didn’t pull out a Pokeball. Arcanine still had some energy and she leapt out of the arena landing next to Chansey who instantly started helping her.

The poison would be cleared out in moments, letting Arcanine at least watch.

“Go!” I called out releasing my next choice.

“Draaaaaa!” Dragonite roared in excitement at being able to battle again.

“Ah. There it is. The rumored Dragonite.” Blaine called out, but while his words were neutral enough, I could sense the hostility in them.

He nodded to me and the battle was on.

“Water!” I called and Dragonite nodded, as she buzzed into Extreme speed just like Arcanine.

I could hear the sigh of irritation from across the arena as Rapidash was once more outsped.

The attack slammed into the fire type that had raised up its flames to block it, but Dragonite Water Tail hit like a truck sending the Rapidash skidding across the arena.

Its hooves just weren’t made for this stone I guess.

“All out!” Blaine demanded, and suddenly the Rapidash that had been floundering turned into an inferno. So bright Dragonite was forced to look away, but that was the one moment she shouldn’t have done that.

In one moment to the next Rapidash went from across the arena to slamming into Dragonites stomach. The noise of the blow echoed around the caldera, sounding like a high speed car wreck.

“Flare Blitz.” Blaine called and that fit because There was just an arc of fire linking the two positions.

But as the flame cleared, it was obvious this wasn’t without cost.

Rapidash fell to the floor.

Dragonite didn’t look like she was doing too great either.

Panting a bit and wincing. That was with Multiscale giving her the first hit protection…

Damn.

My pokemon had physical power that shocked my opponents, but it wasn’t like other pokemon couldn’t get that strong as well…

I shook it off as Blaine called out his next Pokemon.

“Groooowl!” The rather large Growlithe roared out as it took the field, and my eyes narrowed.

Growlithe was a weird matchup for Dragonite.

Blaine and I both nodded at the same time resuming the battle.

“Destroy the dragon!” Blaine called out.

“Overwhelm!” I called back. And instantly Dragonite was across the field. Extreme speed was a move that was simply too much for most pokemon to handle. But this Growlithe might not have evolved, but he was still a champ.

The attack slammed into a protect, and the moment Dragonite was free they both reacted. Dragonite throwing out an Aqua tail, smart enough to know when to switch to that move.

But then Growlithe took the hit and retaliated with something I wasn’t expecting.

“Play Rough!” Blaine called out in excitement as Dragonite yelped at the attack, smoke blocking them both from view and suddenly there were noises of Dragonite taking hits before she was sent flying away.

“So you figured out dragon types' weakness with Fairy. Cool. Dragonite into the sky!” I roared and Dragonite responded bursting from the earth straight into the air. She almost instantly reached the ceiling of the caldera Hovering right at the top. She was on her last leg already. I grimaced as she was panting heavily.

Thankfully the weakness with an attack like Play Rough was it was a close up attack. Not something you can do from range.

Dragonite would be at a weakness at range. Unless..

“Full power!” I yelled and Dragonite howled as her body glowed an overwhelming orange.

When her mouth opened and an orb of pure destruction freed itself, I could see Blaine panic.

“Protect!”

I just snorted and then ran. Quickly jumping up and then behind Chansey and Arcanine.

“Chansey.” She muttered to me a little annoyed but I just shrugged. Ash and co were wondering what the hell was going on.

Bluntly? I was paying Blaine back for all the times he had attacked me.

The orb split, and then rained down. More and more orbs of power rained down and when the first one hit, the entire volcano rocked.

Again and again the force slammed down, and I could hear the poor Growlithe yelping as the arena it was on suddenly began cratering, and rocking violently.

Chansey used Protect to keep a few stray orbs from hitting us, and that had Ash and his friends yelping and diving for cover as well.

Then it was silent.

I poked my head out and Chansey gave me a not entirely kind shove back to where I should be which I hurried over and stood in place.

The whole place felt like it was one moment away from disaster. The arena no longer stretched across the lava, instead one edge had broken loose and was now hanging into the lava.

Blaine I noticed poke his head out from behind a rock on the other side of the arena, and then stood a little too casually, brushed himself off and walked over to retake his place.

“I had to return Growlithe.” He offered simply and I nodded. Looking to the rather precarious arena.

“Now what?”

“Now? The battle is over. This location is no longer safe to continue.” He offered without any real emotion simply continuing to wipe down his shirt from the dust.

“Oh… Yeah, probably don’t want to cause an eruption.” I muttered realizing that might be a bit more than a concern.

“No, no we don’t. Which is why we don’t usually use indiscriminate bombardment attacks inside an enclosed space.” Blaine offered, voice still casual and I got the feeling that had been a bit more pointed.

I just ignored the critique.

“Yeah, only someone really asking for it would keep using area attacks in such a small place and piss off their opponent huh!” I chirped, so sweetly it was almost a toxic attack all on its own.

Blaine watched me for a moment before snorting in amusement.