Chapter 5 - Gary Saves The Day

My eyes were barely open, but I made out a large dog-like figure jumping in front of us. Arcanine? The fire-type Pokemon let out a rediculous amount of flames from its mouth.

All the Beedrill scampered away like butterflies.

When all the smoke from the fire cleared up, there was a bit of fire on the ground, burning the grass. The Arcanine quickly stomped it out before it could get bad.

What the hell was an Arcanine doing in Viridian Forest?

A whimpering sound distracted me & I saw Charmander laying there, extremely weak, & suffering from the numerous Beedrill stings he recieved. "No! Charmander!" I ran to him & scooped him up in my arms. "Char..." Even with being incredibly weak, he smirked at me. "I know... You did an amazing job Charmander! You showed those Beedrill's who's boss!" I praised him. "Charmander," he smiled at me & nodded his head weakly.

I wanted to cry, just seeing the condition he was in. "He needs a Pokemon Center immediatley," a male voice that did not belong to Brandon suddenly spoke. I turned to see...

Gary?

"Gary?" I choked. Arcanine walked up to him & Gary pet the giant creature. "What are you doing here?" Brandon asked. "Saving you two from a swarm of Beedrill, what's it look like? Come on, I've been through this forest many times, I know the way out," he motioned for us to follow. & of course we did.

Within ten minutes we were out of there & in Pewter City. Gary went with us to the Pokemon Center, where we healed our Pokemon. "What was your Charmander thinking? Trying to beat all of those Beedrill himself?" Gary questioned.

"I... I don't know... He's very stubborn... Just like Brandon." Brandon rolled his eyes at me,"I'm not." "Sure you aren't," I spit sarcastically. Gary watched us with amusement.

"What were you doing in the Viridian Forest?" I asked him. "Picking up a package, for my grandfather, Professor Oak," he told me. "Why didn't you just drive your fancy Porsche?" Brandon spat rudely. I elbowed him & shot him a mean look, but he continued to gaze unamusingly as Gary.

"I wanted to travel on foot, I only use my car in Pallet Town, to go to the store & back & such. I don't want it to be destroyed by Pokemon," Gary explained, but Brandon wasn't even listening.

After getting our Pokemon back from the nurse at the Pokemon Center, Gary followed us outside. "You ever ridden in a sports car before?" Gary smacked his gum & looked me over. "No," I answered shyly. "Oh, it's amazing. The power you feel, how fast the car goes-"

"We're going to challenge the gym leader here, so you can leave now," Brandon rolled his eyes.

"Well the gym leader here is fairly easy for me, so I doubt that it should take long for you two to defeat him," Gary shrugged. "& what? Are you like a Pokemon Master now?" Brandon raised his voice & took a step towards Gary.

"No, but I have competed in the Pokemon League, & ranked in the top 25, so I'm pretty good. I'm actually the Viridian City gym lea-" Gary began to smirk but was interupted, of course.

"Really? I suppose you won't mind battling me & proving it then?" Brandon asked him angrily. "Brandon," I frowned, knowing that Gary would tear him to pieces. He was a rookie, Gary had placed top 25 in the Pokemon League! & he said he was Vidirian City's gym something... Was he the gym leader? Or perhaps he was like the back up gym leader, in case the real one wasn't there, who knew?

"Sure," Gary smiled evily & walked a good distance backwards so they'd have enough space for a battle. "Brandon, he's competed in the Pokemon League-" "I don't care." Brandon said coldly & pulled out a Pokeball. Why did he have to be so stubborn?! He knew he couldn't win, so why was he doing this?!

"Arcanine," Gary called out his huge & strong Arcanine. Brandon smirked & changed the Pokeball in his hand. He let out Squirtle.

I suppose he thought that having a type advantage meant he'd win. Boy was he wrong. Arcanine used Flamethrower to start off. "Bubble!" Squirtle used Bubble, but even if water was stronger than fire, Arcanine's Flamethrower blasted through the bubbles as it they were leaves. & although fire-type moves weren't very affective to water-types, Squirtle was very injured by the Pokemon's Flamethrower.

"Water Gun!" Squirtle obeyed Brandon & used the move. Arcanine dodged it easily. "Take Down!" Arcanine began moving at fast speeds towards Squirtle. Brandon tensed up. "Use Water Gun to stop that Take Down!" Squirtle tried his best, letting out the strongest Water Gun he could, but it didn't stop Arcanine the slightest bit.

His Take Down knocked out Squirtle the instant it hit. Brandon retreated him. "You did great." He whispered at Squirtle's Pokeball. "Growlithe!" Growlithe cried as he was let out of his Pokeball. Arcanine looked over at the tiny dog Pokemon. Growlithe took a few steps back, obviously intimidated by the huge Pokemon.

"Use Crunch, Arcanine," Gary spoke calmly. Arcanine didn't fail to bite down on Growlithe with it's huge & sharp teeth. The speed of it was incredible! "Growlithe! Use Bite!" After whimpering from being crushed nt Arcanine's powerful jaws, Growlithe jumped onto Arcanine's tail & bit down on it, causing Arcanine to whimper like a puppy.

"Shake it off." Arcanine just couldn't seem to shake off Growlithe. "Use Flame Wheel to shake it off." Arcanine curled up into a ball of flames & rolled around, finally shaking off Growlithe.

"Use Take Down, Arcanine." "Stay put, Growlithe." What was Brandon doing? Arcanine came closer & closer. Just as I thought Growlithe would be hit, Brandon yelled,"Jump up outta the way, Growlithe!" Suprisingly quickly, Growlithe jumped in the air, avoiding Take Down.

"Flamethrower." Gary's Arcanine quickly turned around & hit Growlithe with a powerful Flamethrower.

Flamethrower?

But wasn't Brandon's Growlithe's ability Flash Fire? I realized at this time that Gary was going easy on Brandon. He even powered up his Growlithe's fire attacks!

"Fire Fang on Arcanine's face!" Brandon called out. Growlithe used the move on Arcanine's face & it seemed to do a good amount of damage, as I heard Arcanine whimper like a puppy again.

"Use Flamethrower to get him off." Flames burst from Arcanine's mouth & Growlithe stumbled backwards, not hurt my the flames, but pushed backwards by the strength & intensity of them. "Crunch." Before Brandon could do anything Arcanine preformed its move & Growlithe wasn't able to battle anymore.

"Good job," Brandon praised him, & returned him. "That's one hell of a Growlithe," Gary complimented, petting his Arcanine, who licked him adoringly. Brandon was too upset to speak. "Well, I should get going. I'll see you two around," he walked away from us.

Brandon was destroyed. His first loss was really heavy on him. He healed his Pokemon, & then said he was heading to the gym. "Without training?" I asked. "I need to challenge Brock already. "Can't it wait?" I huffed.

"No."

"Brandon-"

"No."

"But-"

"I said no Katrina!" He yelled so loud I'm suprised I didn't lose my ability to hear. He dragged me to the gym & challenged Brock.

Just like his battle with Gary, Brandon was pummeled badly. Growlithe was no good against rock types, & Squirtle put up a pretty good fight, but it wasn't good enough. A simple Rock Throw took out both of Brandon's Pokemon, & at the emd of the battle, Brock's Geodude was hardly harmed.

Brandon was destroyed at being beaten so badly two times in one day. I did my best to comfort him, but he was highly upset. Nothing seemed to work. He wouldn't speak to me, so I eventually gave up & fell asleep.

In the morning, Brandon was nowhere to be found. After searching, I found him on the outskirts of town, training his Pokemon.

I smiled. He looked so dedicated. His Squirtle was practicing its Bubble attack, since, if I do say so myself, needed work. Squirtle's accuracy was fine, but he spit the bubbles out awfully slowly. I walked behind Brandon, & he turned to look at me, as if he already knew I had been watching him.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. "Training." His eyes turned away & didn't even turn to look at me again, he was focused on his training. "Can I train with you?" I asked in a small voice. He stopped & faced me, then smiled pretty wide. "Of course."