Pokemon Gray - Chpt 28 - The Volcano Island

[synderfin]

As the speed-boat made landfall at Cinnabar Island, our well-rested heroes were ready to return to their gym challenge. A giant, flaming volcano loomed over the town, providing for a dreadful site.

"Wow, that thing looks like it's about to blow," spoke Gray, "Looks like this town is done-for. We should challenge the gym quick so I don't miss out on my badge."

"That's Cinnabar Volcano Gray," Yob informed him, "It's been like that for a while. The fire-type gym leader keeps the lava at bay with the powers of his mighty Pokemon. I fear this infernal inferno is at odds with my peaceful forest-force. I dare not allow my forest to be ablaze."

"You should get your forest checked out," Tene mused, "I want to challenge the gym as much as you Gray but first there's somewhere I want to visit."

As she spoke, she began to walk towards a building with a sign labelled 'Fossil Lab.'

"Eww, fossils are gross," responded Gray, "They're like dried raisins but rather than for old people they are old people. Very old and gross people. Not to be confused with Prof. 1ce."

"You take that back!" Yob decried.

"They're also old Pokemon," Tene interjected before removing a rock from her backpack. It was the fossil Parmanan had given her back in Mt. Moon. She entered the building while Gray and Yob argued out front.

"Professor 1ce is the wisest man blessed to this sweet earth," Yob passionately campaigned, "His research on the psychedelic Parasect shroom is the reason we humans live in harmony to this day."

As Yob wailed on, tears of passion blocking his vision, Gray got bored and wandered off. He searched the island looking for something to do before stumbling across a craggy outpost near the volcano. Before he continued his stroll, he heard a hoof-beat from behind. He turned around and saw a flaming horse Pokemon curiously starring at him. He immediately used his Pokedex and identified the Pokemon as Ponyta. Before he could speak, the Ponyta made a yelping nay before galloping off in a swift blaze. Gray was left speechless, partly because he didn't know that many words.

***

"So, I hear your latest technology may be able to bring this fossil back to life," Tene questioned a scientist within the laboratory.

"Why of course, my life's work wasn't designing the perfect raisin cookie recipe," he replied before offering Tene a bowl of cookies.

"Of course, it's raisins," Tene mumbled to herself.

"The cookie recipe comes close but my true masterpiece is this machine. If I may take your fossil there, you will witness the new age of science!"

The man took Tene's fossil and placed it in his machine. With the pull of a lever a bright light began to be emitted from the tank above. Before long the machine powered down and a small, round Pokemon remained.

"Perfect for my upcoming gym battle," Tene mused before taking the Kabuto. She had researched her Dome fossil in preparation for her arrival at Cinnabar and learnt all about the rock/water Pokemon of long ago.

Yob came into the room and spoke, "Tene, have you seen Gray? I was informing him on the supreme calibre of the noble Professor 1cec0ld and he fled my truth."

"Ah, 1ce," the scientist interrupted, "he's a raid partner of mine in League of Legends. A good friend and pupil who's taken advantage of my invention himself for his research. If you see him, tell him x_Griffin_x says hi."

"We'll probably forget," replied Tene, "Anyway, thank you for help. Onto the gym it is."

As Yob and Tene left the lab they met up with Gray who didn't mention the Ponyta as he had been more focused on finding his way back after getting lost again. The three finally made their way towards the gym and entered. Inside the walls were a deep red and lava flow ran along the sides of the room. Tene admired the foreboding look while Yob felt uneasy. The trio were met by Slime who let them into the course.

The gym interior went deep underground into a dark cavern. The only source of light was the flaming lava rivers surrounding them and the flame from Gray's lighter that he was apparently holding for some reason.

"I found this on the beach. I need to keep it on forever as it took way too many tries to get it to start. It lit my thumb on fire a few times."

"No!" Yob yelped before smacking Gray's hand and sending the lighter flying into the lava.

"Ow, my thumb!"

"Not today sinner! That dreadful devise has been used many a times to cinder a beautiful forest. It now returns to the flames whence it came."

Yob's unease at the fiery den was not lost on his companions but they continued forward before reaching a series of quiz machines connected to gates. Tene distracted Gray with a shiny rock she had looted from the fossil lab so that he didn't interfere with the answers and make their challenge more difficult. Tene progressed through each of the gates without a single wrong answer, avoiding whatever penalty that may have incurred.

Gray's focus returned for a brief moment to speak, "I don't know why you're bothering with all these course obstacles Tene. I've been thinking, if we just pretend to get stuck in the course and take too long, the leader will be forced to go home and pay us a penalty charge for cancelling. This is a really lucrative scheme."

Eventually the trio made it to an empty room with a platform and a small fence around it. All three stepped on it and closed the small gate behind them. All of a sudden, the roof opened up and the platform flew up into the air at rocket speed, while Gray squealed, before arising at the summit of Cinnabar Volcano, the great lava pool in front of them and beyond the dreaded leader of the hell-bound gym.

"I think I peed a little," whispered Gray.

"Welcome challengers!" the leader spoke, "I see you know your Pokemon knowledge. Too bad it won't save you in a gym battle against me. The mighty fire lord Victini998!"

Tene stepped forward onto the lava island battlefield, the fire in her eyes matching her opponent's. Victini's maniacal laughter matched the passion of his first Pokemon; Growlithe, which battled Tene's Gengar. However, as the heated hound lunged forward with a take down, Gengar faded into the floor before reappearing from behind. Gengar continued this trick a number of times before Growlithe accidentally overcommitted and went flying into the lava.

"That's one baked dog," Tene mused before Victini withdrew his Pokemon with blazing anger. It was fire resistant but not enough to stay conscious in lava. Next, he sent out Ponyta. Gray would have recognised the mon if he wasn't still distracted by his shiny rock. Gengar tried the same trick but Ponyta illuminated the battlefield with embers causing Gengar to withdraw from its disguise and wince in pain at the flames. Ponyta sent a fire spin to trap the distracted Pokemon before using bounce and launching itself far up into the air above. Gengar could see its opponent's descent but could do nothing to escape the tight fiery vortex and took the attack full-on, causing it to faint.

A smirk on her face at the impressive play, Tene sent out her Spinarak, who was able to land a clutch sling-shot around Pontya's legs, causing it to crash to the ground while charging. The bug Pokemon then administered enough bites to faint the opponent, the experience from which allowed it to evolve into Ariados, to Tene's wicked delight. However, it was no match for Victini's Rapidash, who far surpassed the power of its prevolution and was able to knock out Ariados with a single fire blast. Tene countered by sending out her Hypno, which used confuse ray to send Rapidash into a dizzied frenzy, that led the Pokemon to accidentally gallop into the lava.

Tene's smiled turned as she saw Victini laughing across the battlefield. How could she make such an elementary mistake? Rapidash returned confidently to the field, it's powers amplified by its flash fire ability. Before Tene could react, her Hypno was struck with a powerful fire blast that was enough to knock it out. Tene responded by sending out her trusted ace, Umbreon. Rapidash's fire blasts may have been powerful but they were unable to land on the swift Umbreon, who dodged the attacks before returning with powerful foul plays. While Umbreon was able to weaken their opponent tremendously they got overconfident, like their trainer, and got hit with a fire blast that almost knocked it out. However, it persevered and applied one final strike that fainted the flaming horse. Victini released his final Pokemon, an Arcanine.

While Umbreon was able to land a swift night shade it was soon met with an onslaught. Arcanine used its overbearing fire attacks to force Umbreon closer and closer to the lava, to where Tene was forced to withdraw her not-so fire-resistant partner to save its life.

"You fool!" Tene declared, "You risk the death of your opponent's Pokemon?"

"If you can take advantage of the lava, why can't I," Victini remarked with a smirk.

Tene, ruffled but a little impressed at the determination of her opponent, sent out her final Pokemon, Kabuto. Victini laughed at the tiny specimen but became serious after it was able to hit Arcanine with a deadly rock throw. Arcanine let off a powerful Roar that sent Kabuto flying off towards the lava. Tene was ready to recall it but the crafty mon used its claws to grab onto a rock protruding from the lava. It tore a chunk of the rock off and flung it at the unsuspecting Arcanine who became dazed at the attack. Kabuto launched forward onto the battlefield and, on Tene's command, sent out a flurry of razor shells that were enough to defeat Victini's ace.

Victini was flaming with fury but eventually accepted his defeat and provided Tene with the Volcano badge. Next, he fought Gray and Yob but also met defeat. Tene had trained them well and Gray was able to overwhelm with his Blastoise, while Yob stalled with his Clefairy and Chansey, who managed to evolve into Blissey thanks to Yob's overabundant praise.

Once all was done and badges acquired, Gray was met again by the Ponyta from before.

"Look guys! I know this one. It's Ponyta!"

"Yeah, we know Gray. We just fought one. You did too..." Tene replied.

A now calmer Victini spoke, "This one has been looking for a trainer to join since its owner passed. Since you were able to defeat me, I'm sure any of you three would be noble enough to tame such a proud Pokemon."

"Whoa, noblest coming through," Gray interjected before slinging an ultraball at Ponyta's face and catching it.

Sighing at their companion, the trio left the gym. Yob was now more comfortable with the fiery environment he had faced head-on but was happy to heal up and try some psychedelic shroom poffins back at the Pokemon Centre.