As the dark bluish-purple attack collided with Golem, Jared saw that the hastily created brown energy surrounding the Golem didn't seem to impede the attack whatsoever.

'If it doesn't stop attacks, then what does it do? Does it make him stronger defensively?' wondered Jared.

With the final whisp of dragon energy used up, Fearow inspected the damage from above, while Davos did the same.

While his rocky shell was cracked, and his left arm was burned by elemental energy, the large Golem appeared otherwise fine.

Testing the waters, Bannock ordered, "Golem, rock throw!"

In response, Davos just crossed his arms while watching the show with a casual smile.

Smashing another rock, Golem charged himself with energy but found he couldn't even take aim.

Meanwhile, in his blind spot, Fearow was cackling.

"What's that coward waiting for," Jessica asked

"He's waiting for the rock energy built up around Golem to fade," answered Eliotock patiently.

'So that's what this was about' Jared noted.

After a minute, the shimmering rock energy coating Golem faded.

Then, Davos sent out a new order, "Twister."

.

Continuing to stall for time, the same events played out for over fifteen minutes.

Circling above, Fearow was winded after firing off so many twisters. He was extreamly annoyed at how sturdy his foe was, and angry at himself for not being able to end the fight after so long.

While the weak twisters from the Fearow weren't much alone, with so many attacks, the immobile Golem was bleeding heavily, while exhaling heavy breaths.

Bannock reasoned, 'This should be long enough for Onix to recover somewhat...' then he spoke, "I use my second return!"

.

Jared noticed Bannock whispering to his Pokeball before throwing it. He now realized that either the trainers loved to talk to themselves, or the pokemon could listen through the ball.

While still covered in blue burns, the enormous Onix appeared with a roar.

Executing a prior order, the massive stone snake began creating small balls of brown energy and then launched them into the air right above himself.

As if by magic, the balls of energy actually stayed up there without falling.

Not letting his opponent do whatever he wanted, Davos ordered, "Fearow, drill peck!"

Remembering how quickly Onix defeated Kingler, Jared was afraid to see Fearow get in so close. By comparison to the massive Onix, Fearow looked like a little bird charging to his death. Wouldn't a single slap, end that bird's whole career?

"Onix, continue making stealth rocks, but use your tail to slap Fearow away if he gets too close!"

With less than ten meters between them, Onix slowed his energy gathering to lob his lower segments in the way of the approaching Fearow. Easily avoiding the tail like a fly dodging a slow fly swatter, Fearow's eyes curled up with glee. This was too easy!

Onix naturally swiveled his massive body to try again from another angle, but he roared in pain when he felt his mid-segment burning. Like a mosquito successfully sticking its prey, Fearow quickly flew away.

"Good, drill peck again!"

The stealth rocks in the air now numbered over twenty

Coming in at another angle, Fearow's next drill peck struck true, but the angry bird found it was getting harder to maneuver.

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After two more drill pecks, the stealth rock count had reached forty!

Davos suddenly decided to use his third swap, "Fearow, return!"

With Fearow was back in his ball, Davos threw out another!

"Flareon, Fire blast!"

The crowd was wowed by what happened next.

Like a match on dry kindling, the fiery cat's tail and mane lit up with a raging fire!

Flareon began gathering the ferocious fire energy in his mouth.

Meanwhile, Bannock ordered, "Onix, Onix dig!"

Jared thought this was smart. Onix was in bad shape, to expect it to charge forward against a fresh foe was asking for trouble.

This was too slow, however. With only half his long body in the ground, a sound similar to a gunshot was heard!

Feeling the fire energy in his mouth had become almost uncontrable, Flareon pulled his head back before jerking his head forward, and the concentrated mass of fire energy along with it.

Like a missile, the small mass struck one of Onix's tail segments before engulfing the rest of the uncovered segments.

Writhing like an injured snake, Onix began digging in with greater fury.

As he got deeper underground, his ground-covered segments snuffed out the open flame.

Davos then reminded Bannock by pulling out a candle, and lighting it. The tool used to light the cadle looked to be a tiny metal rod with a wispy red stone embedded at the end of it.

Onix couldn't remain underground for more than five minutes in total!

As the ground rumbled below, Flareon had his ears to the ground.

When he sensed the approaching foe from underground, he would run in another direction before repeating the same action.

After three minutes and forty seconds had elapsed, Davos shouted, "Flareon, slowly charge up fire blast!"

.

Twenty seconds later, Onix exploded in the center of the arena, prompting Davos to snuff out what little remained of the five-minute candle.

Davos saw this, but there was nothing he could do. His pokemon wouldn't be able to hear him down there.

Twenty seconds later, Onix erupted from the center of the arena, when he heard his trainer's voice,

"Onix, evade!"

But it was useless.

Impacting the second segment from the head, Onix once again lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Onix, shake it off and rock throw!"

Onix heard the orders, but he was in too much pain to respond. It has been more than twenty years since he had been injured, let alone hurt this badly!

As the massive stone snake writhed around trying to extinguish the fire in vain, he was hit with yet another fire blast.

Knowing that it was pointless to continue, Bannock called onix's defeat.

Having only two choices left, Bannock chose Golem again.

Golem was still injured, but he was happy to see an opponent he could fight!

As soon as the ball released it's contents, Davos already ordered.

"Flareon, flame charge out of there!"

"Earthquake!"

Appearing fifty feet above the fleeing Flareon, the egg-shaped dinosaur began glowing with ground element as he fell!

Glowing in flames, the four-legged fire cat charged away with immense speed, but then Golem finally hit the ground with a boom.

Like a round asteroid, the ground was like water, as it rippled outwards!

However, thanks to the timely flare charge, the surprise attack was all for nought.

Gritting his teeth, Bannock returned Golem to his pokeball.

Even without his last pokemon sent out, defeat was certain now, and he wasn't willing to get toyed with until the very end.

Without announcing the switches intention, this had been the same as announcing his defeat.

Bannock had built up a reputation as a good man, and a giving teacher. Most people in Pewter city didn't wish to see him lose in such a manner.

Davos' laughed heartily before the dispirited crowd.

Bannock's face sank as he sighed inwardly, 'I really am old.'

"Davos, I will leave this matter to you, but I hope the boy will be judged fairly."

"Sure, but aren't you forgetting something?"

The old man narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

Bannock jumped into the arena, as he walked toward his opponent with an outstretched hand.

"You are the acting gym leader, and I have defeated you, where is my badge?"

"As I thought, in the end, this is what that scoundrel was aiming for..." Cursed bannock, under his breath.

"I am merely a retired old man standing in for his son, and this battle was only to decide who would handle the matter of a thief. As an official trainer, do you truly wish to earn this badge in such a dishonest manner?"

With fast speed, Davos was already standing right before Bannock. With the height difference, it looked like a large man was picking on a child, "No, even if the real gym leader is not here, you are still acting in the capacity as one. I've defeated you in a fair fight, so I am well within my rights to take what is rightfully mine."

The crowd began to boo, but Davos' laughed it off, as he held out his hand out anyways.

Closing his eyes, Bannock reached into his robes, "Very well... but for this dishonorable action, you will not step foot in the city again."

Some in the crowd began chanting, "Get out, get out, get out"

With the chants of the crowd, and the shiny metal badge in his hand, Davos collected Jared by slinging him over his shoulder.

Even if they were angry, nobody had moved to stop him except one girl who stood in his way.

With crossed arms, Jessica spoke, " You don't deserve that badge! Stay here and fight my father fair and square!"

When he tried to go around, she then went to block his way but was stopped in her tracks when Flareon's body lit up in a blaze of fire with an accompanying snarl. The fiery cat didn't like the woman's disrespectful words at all!

"A coward like you will never make it to the elite four!"

Walking around her, Davos laughed, "Who knows if I'll make it to the elite four, but today I'm one step closer."

As people came up to talk to, and congratulate him, he just waved them off. He wasn't there to make friends, and he didn't plan on returning to Pewter City in the future. Even if he did, perhaps the day he returned they would have to welcome him as a hero of the elite four!