Once again, James and his team were hard at work, preparing for their rematch at the Cianwood Gym. Losing had sparked James right back into action, and he was determined to make amends in the next fight.
“Quilava, Flame Wheel!” A rock near the shore exploded as a burning torpedo slammed into it, sending hot embers flying in all directions. Quilava landed on all fours and smiled, thrilled at his success. “Awesome work, pal! Now, use Dig!” Quilava dove underground, then leaped out a few moments later, twisting in midair before landing again.
“He's really got the hang of things now,” Jen said from a few yards away. She'd offered to help the team practice, but James insisted on working on their new strategy himself. “I still don't think you should use Quilava in the rematch, but it's your call.”
“He's gonna fight this one too. We've both got to redeem ourselves, after all.”
“Quilava's not the one with something to prove. You can't keep sending him into dangerous matches just because he lost before.” James stiffened at this remark, and turned to her.
“Jen, I trust Quilava. He's going to come through for me, I know it. We're gonna use our defeats as motivation to get better the next time.”
“Okay,” Jen sighed, ceding the point. If James wanted to sacrifice victory for motivation, who was she to argue?
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The next morning, Quilava walked alongside the two youngsters as they approached the Cianwood Gym again. James had finished preparing their new strategy, and both trainer and Pokémon were ready to go and win their next badge.
The gym attendant met them in the foyer and smiled.
“Welcome back.” James nodded, and the attendant led them to the main battlefield. “I'll warn you, Chuck has been training nonstop since your first meeting. He's not going to make this match any easier than your last one.”
“I wouldn't want him to,” James answered, looking around for the Cianwood leader. “I'm ready to face anything he can bring.” The attendant walked towards a side corridor, and Jen followed James into the main room.
“You ready for this? It's gonna be a rough ride.”
“I'm always ready for a battle. We're not gonna lose this time, we've worked too hard.”
“Just...” Jen started, but James cut across her immediately.
“Don't get overconfident, I know. I'm not going to make the same mistakes as last time, no way.”
“If you say so,” Jen murmured, and walked over to the stands as James awaited Chuck's arrival.
The rotund Gym Leader emerged a few minutes later, shaking water from his hair and beard.
“Aha, you've returned! I trust you've been training hard?” James grinned and took out a Pokéball. “Excellent! Let's have some fun, then, shall we?” He took out a Pokéball and tossed it lightly in his hand. “Since you've already met Primeape and Machoke, I'll let you take on a couple of different team members this time! Go, Hitmonlee!” A creature that appeared to be mostly torso emerged, swinging a long leg through the air. Its small eyes were narrowed, and each of its feet had three claws. In the stands, Jen took out her Pokédex to check the creature's data.
“Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon. Its legs act just like a spring, and can stretch to double their normal length for high-impact strikes.”
“Gotta watch those legs,” James muttered as he took out his own Pokéball. “Okay, Elekid, go!” The Electric Pokémon grinned widely as he spun his arms, sparks flying as he did so. The gym attendant looked from James to Chuck, then raised his arms.
“Begin!”
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“Elekid, ThunderShock!” Elekid shot a quick burst of electricity at Hitmonlee, who leaped above it. “Alright, step up and use Brick Break!”
“Rolling Kick!” Hitmonlee spun on one leg and slammed Elekid with a roundhouse kick to the torso. Elekid flew away, landing hard on his back. “Okay, get after it and use Double Kick!”
“Brick Break again!” Elekid met the first of the twin attacks with a sharp chop, knocking Hitmonlee back. “Great! Now use ThunderShock!” Elekid's horns sparked, then a more intense electric blast than James expected burst forth. Hitmonlee was surrounded by the raw energy and dropped onto one knee, struggling against the blast. “What was that?”
“Your Elekid's ThunderShock appears to have upgraded to a Thunderbolt, son. It'll do a lot more damage now, but that doesn't matter. Hitmonlee, Jump Kick!”
“Elekid, Brick Break!” Hitmonlee leaped into the air, his foot glowing, while Elekid's fist sparked anew. The attacks met and sent dust flying everywhere. Elekid put his hands on his knees in fatigue, while Hitmonlee looked unfazed. “Okay, now Thunderbolt!”
“We won't fall for that again, son! Hitmonlee, Hi Jump Kick!” This time, Hitmonlee jumped even higher than before, then landed on one leg in front of Elekid. As Elekid's body built its charge, Hitmonlee drove his knee into Elekid's face, knocking him straight into his trainer. James carefully pulled the Electric-type off him, seeing his dazed expression.
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“Elekid cannot battle! Point to Hitmonlee!”
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“No way!” James recalled Elekid and stared at the Kicking Pokémon. “I've never seen speed like that, not even from Bugsy's Scyther.” He looked down at Quilava, who looked like he wanted to jump right out and challenge Hitmonlee. “You up for this, buddy?” Quilava growled an affirmative, and James grinned. “Okay, then you're up! Go get 'em!” Quilava ignited his fire vents as he ran onto the field. Hitmonlee swung his leg around in response.
“Hitmonlee, use Meditate!” Hitmonlee's eyes glowed a pinkish colour, raising his attack power, and Quilava tensed.
“Hammer 'em, buddy! Flamethrower!” Quilava released a stream of fire that struck Hitmonlee full on, but Hitmonlee didn't move. “Okay, now Flame Wheel!” Quilava ran at Hitmonlee, his body surrounded by flames.
“Rolling Kick!” As Hitmonlee started his kicking motion, Quilava crashed into him and sent him stumbling backward.
“Okay, he's off-balance! Flamethrower!” The searing attack hit the Fighting-type again, driving him further backwards.
“Jump Kick, Hitmonlee!” Hitmonlee regained his balance and jumped into the air, preparing to strike his opponent.
“Dig, Quilava!” Quilava dove underground as Hitmonlee hurtled towards him. The Kicking Pokémon crash-landed a few feet away as his target disappeared. Quilava emerged a moment later, slamming into Hitmonlee with tremendous force. “Alright, Flamethrower again!”
“Break that up with Rolling Kick!” Hitmonlee spun into another roundhouse kick, cutting through the flames and leaving Quilava wide open. “Okay, Double Kick!”
“Use Dig again!” Once more, Quilava dug down, then emerged below the Fighting-type, upending him. “Now Flame Wheel!”
“Recover and use Blaze Kick!” Hitmonlee spun upright in midair and stretched again, striking Quilava as his foot caught fire. The Fire-type slid back and tensed for another attack.
“This isn't working,” James murmured. “Quilava, come here!” Quilava darted back to his trainer and growled in confusion. “We're gonna try another approach, buddy. You'll get back out there.” The Volcano Pokémon relaxed as James took out his final Pokéball. “Pidgeotto, let's go!” The bird trilled as she emerged and glared at Hitmonlee.
“Your Flying-type next, eh, son?” Chuck asked. “I hope you don't think you can just fly circles round us!”
“We can sure try! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!” Pidgeotto streaked towards Hitmonlee, hitting it squarely between the eyes.
“Jump Kick!” Hitmonlee leaped through the air and swung his leg down, sending Pidgeotto plummeting towards the ground. “Okay, get after it! Mega Kick!”
“Wing Attack!” Pidgeotto ducked around the attack and slapped Hitmonlee with her outstretched wing. “Now catch it in a Gust!” Pidgeotto whipped up a tornado around Hitmonlee, and the Fighting-type struggled to break from the vortex.
“Hitmonlee, stay tough! Rolling Kick!” Hitmonlee tried to swing his leg around, but couldn't maintain his balance long enough.
“Finish it, Pidgeotto! Quick Attack!” Pidgeotto's attack caught Hitmonlee in the back, sending him crashing to the floor. Hitmonlee struggled to get up, but the accumulated damage was too much for him, and his eyes glazed over.
“Hitmonlee is unable to battle! Point, Pidgeotto!”
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“Yeah! Good work, Pidgeotto!” James breathed a sigh of relief as Pidgeotto trilled in triumph. It would take some more effort, but the badge was in sight again. “Just stay focused! We can win this!”
“An admirable sentiment, son!” Chuck called out as he recalled Hitmonlee. “Confidence is a strong quality in an opponent. But don't let it blind you. You've still got to take down two more of my team!”
“Bring it on, Chuck!”
“Okay, son! Get ready! Poliwrath, go!” The fighting frog emerged and flexed, while Pidgeotto resumed her haughty stare.
“Stay alert, Pidgeotto! Use Gust!” Another tornado kicked up, but Poliwrath stood firm.
“Water Pulse!” Poliwrath generated a shimmering blue orb and threw it at Pidgeotto, who dodged it easily. “Okay, Belly Drum!”
“What?!” James watched in fear as Poliwrath pounded its stomach again, maximizing its attack power. “I can't believe I fell for that again. Pidgeotto, Gust attack!” Pidgeotto's attack howled around Poliwrath, but the frog simply jumped forward with little reaction.
“Alright, Poliwrath, you know what to do! Jump and use Ice Punch!”
“Get out of the way and use Gust!” Pidgeotto dodged the attack, and caught Poliwrath in another vortex. “Stay clear! We can...”
“Use Rock Tomb!” As Pidgeotto turned, a large grey rock materialized right in front of her, and she lost her balance.
“Pidgeotto!” As James cried out, Chuck smiled.
“Time to end this round, Poliwrath! Ice Punch!” Poliwrath slammed a glowing blue fist into Pidgeotto as she fell through the air, and she crashed hard in front of James. Poliwrath dropped into a three-point landing a few seconds later, its eyes relaxing in victory.
“Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Poliwrath wins this round!”
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James recalled Pidgeotto and his breathing sped up again. Each time he'd gone up against Poliwrath, he'd let the frog build itself up and his team had paid the price. He was in a bad spot, and he needed Quilava to bail him out.
“Quilava, you can do this, pal. Go for it.” Quilava ran back out onto the field and vocalized angrily at Poliwrath, whose eyes narrowed again as it flexed. “Okay, Quilava, get after it! Use Quick Attack!”
“Counter with Ice Punch!” The two attacks met, and Quilava shrank back despite the type matchup.
“Dig, now!” Quilava dove down again, but Poliwrath simply stood in place, waiting for the impact. Quilava jumped up behind it, and the frog tensed.
“Water Pulse!” Poliwrath generated another shimmering orb and slammed it down. The resultant wave struck Quilava and drove it away, growling in panic.
“Quilava, stay strong! Use Quick Attack again!”
“Take the hit, Poliwrath!” Poliwrath relaxed its body as the attack hit, and readied a clenched fist. “Alright, it's time to wrap this up! Dynamic Punch!”
“Get out of there!” Quilava pushed off and avoided Poliwrath's glowing red fist by inches. He landed awkwardly, and tripped...just as Poliwrath turned to face him. James opened his mouth to call to the Volcano Pokémon, but Chuck was too quick for him.
“Water Pulse!” Poliwrath's hand clenched around yet another pulse attack and threw it right into Quilava's face. The orb exploded and sprayed water everywhere, and Quilava landed at his master's feet. He fought to get up, but collapsed as he reached his feet, exhausted.
“Quilava is unable to battle! Poliwrath wins, and the win goes once again to Chuck, the Gym Leader!” James dropped to the ground and shook his head. He'd lost again, unable to close the deal against Poliwrath. Quilava growled quietly, and James moved over to him.
“Are you okay, buddy?” He cradled the Fire-type's head in his arms as tears formed in his eyes. “I'm sorry, Quilava. I shouldn't have sent you out there again. It was too much for you.” Quilava growled again, a note of protest in his voice. “I know, you did your best, it's okay. You can rest up next time.” Jen walked over and looked at the two of them, a look of concern on her face.
“I thought you had it this time,” she said simply. James looked at her incredulously, but then calmed down. There was no sense in yelling at Jen; she was just a spectator, she didn't make them lose.
“So did I,” James said quietly. Jen extended a hand to help him up.
“C'mon, let's go back to the Pokémon Centre. All of you need rest after that.” James accepted Jen's helping hand, and he followed Jen out of the battle area, Quilava slinking along at his heels.