Just like the day he'd left for New Bark, James couldn't sleep. Cyndaquil could, though; the echidna was curled up at the foot of the bed. James decided to leave the little Fire-type where he was, and walked silently down the stairs and out into the yard. Pidgey was nowhere to be seen, but Geodude was curled up in a ball, fast asleep. James was glad he'd had the chance to obtain Geodude; a Rock-type would be important against Falkner's Flying-types. Geodude stirred at James' approach, and looked calmly at him with his dark eyes.
"So, you ready to win a badge, Geodude?" James asked the Rock Pokémon, and Geodude gave him a thumbs-up. "Awesome. You keep up...whatever it is you were doing, and I'll come get you when we head over." Geodude rocked back and forth once—James interpreted this as a nod—and curled back into a ball, while James walked slowly back into the house, trying to gather his thoughts before he prepared for battle.
As he entered the house, he looked over at a pair of framed photographs on the wall of the living room. James smiled as he noticed them: these were the pictures his mother had had taken when his brothers left. There, on the left, that was when Darrell left with Totodile; James was no older than four years old at the time, grinning broadly as the small crocodile made itself at home on Darrell's head. Then on the right, the picture Andrea had taken when Shane and Chikorita went off on their short journey, the small Grass-type nuzzling her trainer's cheek. Soon, a third photograph would be hung, this time with James and Cyndaquil front and center.
James turned from the photos and walked into the living room to collapse on the couch. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling and considering everything that had happened so far. Soon, he'd be competing in his first major battle, with Cyndaquil at his side, and his family and best friend behind him. Then he'd be leaving, traveling across Johto...it was too much to think about. He decided that he should go back to sleep for a bit, so he fell asleep on the couch, lost in his thoughts.
After what felt like a few seconds, James woke again to find Cyndaquil perched on the arm of the couch, looking at him with a puzzled expression, his head tilted to one side.
"Oh, hey, buddy," James said, sitting up and stretching his stiff body. "You ready to go challenge the Gym?" Cyndaquil nodded enthusiastically, then jumped onto James' shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes," James said with a chuckle, and walked back out towards the yard. There he found Shane putting out containers of Pokémon food and dodging the occasional errant moves of the Pokémon helping James' Pokémon practice for their gym battle.
"Morning, kiddo," Shane said with a wide grin as he finished opening the last container. "Mom saw you passed out on the couch and decided to let you sleep. All fired up for your battle?"
"Of course!" James said, and Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative. "Hey, Cyndaquil, why not go practice with the others? You need to be prepared too, after all." At this, Cyndaquil jumped down and ran over to Feraligatr and Pidgey, nearly getting drenched by the Big Jaw Pokémon's Hydro Pump. After an indignant look at Feraligatr, Cyndaquil began launching fire bolts at the croc, who shrugged them off like they were nothing.
"Cyndaquil's all fired up, James," Shane told him, watching the Fire Mouse train with the others. "So, are you ready, kid? You know Falkner's not gonna go easy on you."
"I know that," James said with a slight frown. "But like I said before, I don't plan on losing. We may just be starting out, but that doesn't mean we're not going to give this our best shot."
"That's a good mindset to have." Shane smiled. "Come on, let's go eat something before we head to the gym. Bet you I can eat more waffles than you."
"You're on!" James shouted as the two brothers charged for the door, falling over each other in the process.
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An hour later, the entire Enfield family was walking over to the Violet Gym, a towering edifice that overshadowed half the southern side of the city. Along the way, Jen and her parents met up with them, and everyone was in good spirits as they awaited the coming battle.
They reached the gym quickly, and James looked up at the ornate tower, above which he could faintly see a few Flying-types stretching their wings. Cyndaquil's mouth opened upon seeing the tower's height, but he quickly closed it. James shook his head to clear it, set his jaw, and stepped toward the gym's doors.
"My name is James Enfield, and I am here to issue a battle challenge to Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader!" As James' voice echoed through the still air, the door opened, and a tall boy about Darrell's age stepped out, his dark blue hair covering one piercing eye.
"So, you've come to challenge me at last," Falkner said, a smile crossing his face. "Well, you've certainly been patient, that's for sure. It's been a while since a Enfield brother and I battled." He turned to the rest of the group. "Ah, you brought the whole gang, did you? Excellent to see you all again."
"It's been too long, Falkner," Darrell said, grasping hands with his friend.
"Yes, it certainly has. But this is not the time for reminiscing. I believe your younger brother and I have a battle to attend to. If you wish, you may take one the elevators to the left. I will take one with my challenger here."
"Sounds good. We'll see you two up there." Matt told him, and he led his family to another elevator, while the Richards family took a third. Falkner waited for James to enter the elevator, then stepped inside as the doors closed.
"Are you ready for this, James?" he asked, looking his young opponent in the eye. "Your brothers didn't find it easy to defeat me, and I will definitely not go easy on you either."
"Oh, don't worry, I'm ready," James answered, a smile crossing his face. "And we won't be going easy on you either, 'cause we're going to win this!"
"I like your confidence, kid," Falkner smiled. "Well, we're here. Let's get rolling." The doors opened again, and James walked out into the high courtyard, the battlefield spotless and ready to go. "Challenger James Enfield, welcome back to the Violet Gym!"
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It was a spectacular sight. Spearow and Pidgey circled the field, while Falkner's trainees stood shoulder to shoulder, awaiting their master's orders. At Falkner's signal, they recalled the circling Pokémon, and one of them stepped forward and addressed the spectators.
"Attention! The official Johto League battle featuring James the challenger and Falkner, the Violet Gym Leader, will now begin!
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James Enfield
A: ★★
D: ★
S: ★
Falkner
A: ★
D: ★
S: ★★
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At stake is the Zephyr Badge! Each trainer will be permitted to use three Pokémon, and the battle is over when all three on either side are rendered unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger may substitute! Begin the match when ready!"
"I'm ready when you are, Falkner!" James called from the challenger's side. "You won't beat us, count on it!"
"Alright, then, show me what you can do. You've seen me battle against your brothers, now it's time to see how you fare! Go, Hoothoot!" Falkner tossed a Pokéball into the air, which opened and released a brown, rotund owl-like Pokémon in a flash of light. Its reddish eyes were surrounded by black clock-like markings, and only one of its feet was visible.
"Hoothoot, huh?" James said to himself as he took out his Pokédex. He trained it on the owl and waited for its data.
"Hoothoot, the Owl Pokémon. It is capable of determining the exact time of the day, and has a curious habit of only standing on one foot at any given time."
"So that's why I always thought it only had one foot..." James murmured before hardening his expression. "Well, let's hit 'em hard right off! I choose Geodude!" The Rock Pokémon emerged, flexing his arms as it sized up Hoothoot, calmly weighing his options.
"Alright, James, you have the honor! Come at me with everything you've got!"
"Right!" James shouted, feeling a buoyant surge of adrenaline. "Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude pushed off the ground with its muscular arms and slammed face-first into Hoothoot before returning to it's defensive position.
"Not bad, but you won't stop us! Hoothoot, go after that rock with your Peck attack!" Hoothoot dove for Geodude, its sharp beak lightly glowing and pointing right at the Rock-type. Geodude prepared to brace itself, but James wasn't going to let Hoothoot's direct approach go unpunished.
"Geodude, use Defense Curl and then Rollout! Take it out!" Geodude obediently rolled up and bounced off the ground, smashing head-on into Hoothoot, sending the Owl Pokémon hurtling towards the battlefield.
"Hoothoot, don't give up! Give it another try with your Tackle attack, full tilt!" Hoothoot recovered, and rocketed at Geodude, its movements significantly slower; the Rollout had taken a lot out of it.
"Geodude, finish this! Use Rollout again!" Knowing Rollout would keep getting stronger as it continued, James was confident that the Rock-type move, augmented by the earlier Defense Curl, would end this first match. Geodude bounced up again and collided violently with Hoothoot, who didn't even try to recover its composure; it was knocked out before it hit the ground.
"No, Hoothoot!" Falkner shouted, even though he knew it was useless to do so. He hadn't anticipated this from his very young challenger, not a quick, composed victory in the first round of battle. Most challengers found it difficult to get past his first Pokémon, and had to scramble to recover.
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"Hoothoot is unable to battle! Geodude is the winner!" came the shout from the trainee acting as judge. Falkner called Hoothoot back, smiling as he did so.
"You did well against an opponent with an advantage, Hoothoot. Take a nice long rest."
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"Wow, that was amazing!" Jen shouted as she watched Hoothoot go down. "James didn't even give Falkner time to react!" Next to her, Matt Enfield and John Richards were deep in conversation.
"Well, he's certainly not showing any beginner's yips, I'll give him that." Matt was saying. "I didn't expect that kind of thinking on his part."
"He's got a ways to go yet," John answered, his tone grave. "He may have taken down Falkner's first Pokémon, but even so, he can't become complacent. He's got to keep this pace up or collapse and lose if he can't."
"He'll pull it off," Shane chimed in. "He's got confidence and momentum, which is a tough combination to beat."
"Let's hope so," Matt said, as the group refocused on the battle at hand.
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James wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as he prepared to face Falkner's second Pokémon. He raised Geodude's Pokéball and recalled the Rock-type, which drew a raised eyebrow from Falkner. "Geodude, take a break. I'll probably need you later, so rest up until then." James turned to Cyndaquil, who was standing by his right sneaker. "Cyndaquil, let's show Falkner how powerful you are." Cyndaquil nodded and rushed onto the field, squeaking a defiant challenge to the Gym Leader.
"So, a Fire-type next, is it? No problem for my next Pokémon. Go, Spearow!" This time, a fierce-looking bird with a hooked beak and narrowed eyes emerged, its short wings flapping hard to keep it in mid-air.
"Spearow..." James muttered; he knew about the Flying-type's bad temper, and he wanted to extinguish it before it worked up a head of steam. "Alright, Cyndaquil, let's hit it! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil tensed, then raced at Spearow, a white trail following its path.
"Your Cyndaquil's fast, I'll give you that," Falkner said, a small smile crossing his face. "But not fast enough! Spearow, use your Peck attack!" Spearow dived, its sharp beak extended towards Cyndaquil. The two Pokémon collided, and both took damage. While Spearow's feathers just seemed out of place, Cyndaquil appeared to take the worst of the collision, landing awkwardly on its feet; Falkner saw his chance. "Spearow, don't let it go! Use your Fury Attack!" Spearow rushed towards the weakened Fire Mouse, dealing it a series of quick jabs with its beak, then flew back to establish some distance.
"Cyndaquil, stay strong! Ember!" Cyndaquil looked up, and sent a flurry of fire bolts at Spearow. Only a few hit their mark, leaving very minor scorch marks on the Tiny Bird's feathers. James growled under his breath; this was NOT how he'd planned to conduct this battle. He had to pull Cyndaquil before things got out of hand. "Cyndaquil, come here and take a rest!" Cyndaquil turned, nodded, and dashed back to James' side. James took out his last Pokéball and closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. A few deep breaths later, he was ready.
"Alright, let's turn this back around," he whispered, drawing his arm back. "Pidgey, let's go!" The ball snapped open, revealing the brown-feathered bird, who eyed Spearow disdainfully. "Alright Pidgey, Gust attack!" Pidgey whipped up a small tornado that buffeted Spearow as it worked to keep airborne.
"Spearow, you can't let that Pidgey beat you! Peck attack!" Spearow raced at Pidgey, beak extended and eyes narrowed.
"Pidgey, look out!" James called to the Flying-type, hoping she would hear him. Pidgey turned to face the onrushing Spearow and slapped it with her wing, sending the bad-tempered sparrow into a tailspin. "Wait, is that...?"
"Wing Attack," Falkner confirmed, watching in annoyance as Spearow tried to stop its downward momentum and re-enter the fight. "You just don't give up, do you, James? Well, neither do we! Spearow, pull out of that dive and finish this! Fury Attack!"
"Pidgey, hit it with another Wing Attack!" James called out as Spearow flapped its wings furiously to try and attack again. Pidgey flew down and whacked Spearow with her outstretched wing once more, knocking Spearow down and out.
"Spearow is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner!"
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"Two down, one to go!" Jen was so overjoyed she could barely contain herself. Shane was grinning broadly, and even Darrell found himself pumping a fist. Jen's mother was sitting with Andrea Enfield, and both were smiling as well. Only Matt Enfield and John Richards wore serious expressions.
"Dad, why the long face?" Shane asked, his smile fading a little. "James only has to take out one more of Falkner's Pokémon to win!"
"Yes, and it's at this point that a trainer can get overconfident and lose his focus," John told him, and Matt nodded in agreement. "James could just as easily lose this battle through his own impetuousness as much as his inexperience."
"Well, he's not going to lose, Dad!" Jen shouted, annoyance on her face. "He may be a beginner, but that doesn't mean he can't win it!"
"We'll see," her father said, as they turned back to watch as the battle continued.
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"Pidgey, return!" James recalled Pidgey, hoping he wouldn't need her for the last round. He turned back to Cyndaquil. "Ready to finish this, buddy?" he asked, and Cyndaquil nodded before dashing back out onto the battlefield.
"Cyndaquil again? Well, at least this should give my final Pokémon a workout. Go, Pidgeotto!" Falkner's final Pokéball snapped open, revealing a bird-like Pokémon whose feathers resembled Pidgey's. The big difference, besides its being larger than Pidgey, was the red plumage on its head and tail, and its talons were sharp and fierce-looking.
"I knew Pidgeotto was last," James murmured as he took out his Pokédex. He trained it on Pidgeotto to scan its data.
"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgey. Pidgeotto's territory can span up to sixty miles, and it defends this territory fiercely against any intruders." James closed the Pokédex and breathed in deeply.
"Well, I know it's faster and it's a lot stronger than Hoothoot and Spearow. But we've got the momentum! We can't lose!" Cyndaquil heard his master and ignited the flames on his back in a defiant challenge to Pidgeotto.
"Well, let's see how you handle Pidgeotto, James! Pidgeotto, use your Gust attack!" Pidgeotto began to rapidly flap its wings, creating a small tornado that blew Cyndaquil off balance. "Now, Wing Attack!"
"Cyndaquil, use Ember!" Cyndaquil launched fire bolts at Pidgeotto, but the majestic Flying-type was unfazed, and slapped Cyndaquil aside with its wing.
"Alright, Pidgeotto, it's time to end this. Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto raced at Cyndaquil with blinding speed and crashed into the small Fire-type, knocking him backward and out.
"Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!"
"Cyndaquil, no!" James ran over to the Fire Mouse, who squeaked an apology. "Don't be upset, Cyndaquil. You fought really hard, so now it's time for some rest." He carried Cyndaquil over to his trainer's box and set him down on the ground to watch the rest of the match. "Alright, Geodude, let's finish this match!" James threw the ball, and Geodude re-emerged, looking up at Pidgeotto with its usual calm expression. "Alright, Geodude, let's finish this match! Rollout!" Geodude curled up and bounced toward Pidgeotto, who stayed calmly where it was.
"Pidgeotto, Steel Wing!" At this command, the Bird Pokémon's wing glowed white and it smashed it into the onrushing Geodude, who fell back as the super-effective move hit. A closer look indicated that the Rock-type was finished.
"Geodude is unable to battle! Pidgeotto is the winner!"
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The mood in the stands had changed in an instant. Jen looked worriedly over the railing, and Shane and Darrell exchanged glances.
"I was afraid this would happen," John Richards said to no-one in particular, though Matt Enfield nodded in agreement. "He allowed his confidence to get the best of him, and now he's down to his last Pokémon. He'd better get a hold of himself or he'll lose this battle."
"True," Matt answered, looking at his son as he recalled Geodude. "He doesn't seem rattled, but then, no trainer wants to show that the pressure is getting to them. It's a classic sign of weakness, and if James is like many beginners I've met, he doesn't want to lose face in front of an opponent, especially not a Gym Leader. He's not going to let Falkner see any nerves, or Falkner will take him apart."
"Even so, it's just Pidgey left," Darrell added. "It's not going to be easy for James to beat Pidgeotto with its pre-evolved form."
"He won't lose! He can't!" Jen shouted, fervently expressing her confidence in her friend. "He's just got to tough it out, and he'll win this!"
"We'll see," Emma Richards told her, voicing her opinion for the first time. "You believe he can do it, Jennifer. But he has to show that he believes it."
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"Geodude, you did really well. Now get some rest." James bit back the rising wave of frustration that was threatening to consume him, and took out Pidgey's Pokéball, his last. "Pidgey, I'm counting on you. Let's win this battle!" Pidgey emerged once again, and flew up to meet her evolved counterpart. Pidgeotto trilled a challenge, which Pidgey accepted with a look of disdain.
"Well, James, it's the final round. Let's give it everything we've got!"
"You bet! Pidgey, use Quick Attack!" Pidgey rocketed at Pidgeotto, her eyes narrowed.
"Pidgeotto, counter it with your Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto's move collided with Pidgey's, sending them both backward. Pidgeotto's weight gave it an advantage in a head-on matchup, so James had to find a way to circumvent this.
"Alright, Pidgey, try a Wing Attack!" Pidgey flew at her adversary and tried to slap Pidgeotto with her wing, but Pidgeotto shrugged the hit off easily.
"Pidgeotto, show them your Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto's attack struck Pidgey squarely in the face, and she spiraled to the ground. Falkner nodded and looked towards James' side of the field. "It looks like we're about finished, James. I'm afraid your energy and optimism weren't enough this time."
"Not if Pidgey has anything to say about it!" James turned to Pidgey, who had checked her descent just before she hit the ground, and was now swaying dangerously in midair. "Pidgey, let's show that Pidgeotto who's strongest!" Pidgey narrowed her eyes at him, but she rushed back into the air, charging right at Pidgeotto.
"So, looks like it's not over. But it will be soon! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"
"Pidgey, dodge and then use Gust!" Pidgey somersaulted over Pidgeotto's attack and began churning up another whirlwind, catching Pidgeotto in the vortex. "All right, Pidgey! Keep it up and use Quick Attack!" The Tiny Bird rushed into the whirlwind and slammed right into Pidgeotto, leaving it searching blindly for its much smaller pre-evolution.
"Pidgeotto, don't let it get away! Use Steel Wing!" Pidgeotto's wing glowed and it charged in what it thought was the right direction. It had guessed wrong.
"Now, Pidgey, finish this thing up! Wing Attack!" One final slap from Pidgey's wing caused Pidgeotto to crash-land, finally beaten.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner; therefore, the victor is James from Violet City!" James jumped up at this, celebrating his first Gym badge. Pidgey flew to his hand and cooed quietly; she had grown to trust her master a little more after he showed his faith in her. "Pidgey, you were incredible. Thanks a lot." Cyndaquil squeaked at Pidgey as well, and she nodded her head at him.
"James." Falkner's voice broke into the celebrations. "Well, it looks like your optimism paid off. Well done indeed."
"That means a lot, Falkner. Thanks." James answered, looking to see his and Jen's families coming down to congratulate him. "I figured I could do it, but I guess I needed to take the long way to do it."
"I suppose so," Falkner told him, reaching into his pocket. "Here, take this. It's the Zephyr Badge, to prove you won today."
"Thanks, Falkner!" James could barely contain his excitement. He stared at the badge, shaped into a rather accurate depiction of a pair of wings, and then closed his hand around it, savoring the moment. This feeling was interrupted by a small girl wrapping her arms around him.
"James, you did it!" Jen was almost as excited as he was. "You've taken your first step towards the Johto League Championship!"
"Thanks a lot, Jen," James said, as he felt Cyndaquil leap onto his head. "Now all you have to do is win your battle, and we'll be on the same level."
"Right, I almost forgot!" Jen answered, releasing James. "Hey, Falkner, what do you say to a battle with me tomorrow? I want to get my first badge as soon as possible.
"That's fine with me." Falkner replied, a slight grin making its way onto his face. "You'll find it no easier than James did, though, I promise you that."
"I'll be looking forward to it, too." Jen said, and the challenge was set.