As the sky started to darken over Viridian city, we all started making our way to Karen's Gym. Surprisingly, her Gym hours were mostly at night instead of during the day, though that might just be because she specializes in dark type pokemon. And everyone knew dark type pokemon preferred the dark.
Accompanying us was, of course, Vulpix, despite the fact that she just gave the girls some minor frostbite after they swarmed her back at the Pokemon Center.
"Here Vulpix~! Have a nice Pokeblock~!" May cooed as she tried to entice Vulpix with one of her specially made Pokeblocks.
"..."
The haughty little fox just ignored her though, and stayed close to my side as we walked down the street.
"Whyyyyyy?" May wailed pitifully.
"Let me try." I said while taking the Pokeblock from her. I then channeled the power of Articuno through my hand, freezing the Pokeblock, before knealing to offer it to Vulpix.
"Do you want it now, Vulpix?" I asked the fox.
"Vul?"
This time Vulpix appeared interested in the Pokeblock, sniffing it curiously for a second.
"Vul~!" She declared, before happily gobbling the frozen block.
"See? We just need to make sure her food is cold." I told May, who began writing that down in a notebook she pulled from somewhere.
"Or maybe she'll only eat food from Ace~?" Dawn suggested with a smirk.
"Vulpix vul~!" The little fox trilled, in what sounded suspiciously like confirmation.
"Why...?" I asked, though the little pokemon gave me no answer.
The main reason I had Vulpix out and about with us right now was to try and form a bond with her, mainly to ensure she would cooperate when we train and during battle.
All of the pokemon I've gotten from other people until now were either all too young or didn't spend enough time with their previous trainers to form serious bonds, like Sceptile as a Treeko, or the pokemon I got from trades on the SS. Anne, or they had bad experiences that helped them bond with me through kindness and my aura.
Vulpix was different though.
She came from a loving home where she was well-cared for, and was only given up when the elderly couple passed away. Then she belonged to a sanctuary where she was still taken care of and had numerous other pokemon to play with. So my assumption was that Vulpix may not even like me at first, and that we may need to spend some time bonding.
Apparently I was wrong.
Maybe it was the blessing I got from Articuno that made her more accepting of me? Who knows.
Either way, we quickly made our way to the Gym, identifiable through the brown roof, and hurried inside.
Even without taking how late it was into account, it was dark inside the Gym with only low lights illuminating the way as we arrived at the arena. There the darkness almost felt oppressive around us, a feeling not helped by what seemed to be numerous grave stones scattered around, while Karen was busy dealing with her current challenger.
"Machoke, use Dual Chop!"
"CHOOOOKE!"
The fighting type pokemon rushed forward in a tackle that would have made any football player terrified while holding both of it's hands up, each one amassing a concentration of draconic type energy.
"Shadow Sneak." Karen ordered own pokemon calmly, a Sableye.
In an instant the dark/ghost type appeared directly behind Machoke, faster than it could react, where it attacked the fighting type with enough strength to send it to the ground.
"Now finish this. Dazzling Gleam."
"Sableye!"
With a shrill cry, the Darkness pokemon began to emit a brilliant light from the gems within it's body, which engulfed Machoke completely as the Superpower pokemon cried out in pain.
"Machoke!" The trainer cried out worriedly, as the light faded to reveal his Machoke, unconscious in the middle of the arena.
"Machoke is unable to battle, and challenger Tristan is out of usable pokemon! Sableye and Karen win!" A girl announced, making his defeat official as the guy recalled his pokemon.
"..."
Though under his breath, I heard him praise his pokemon before he put the ball in his pocket, right as Karen recalled her own pokemon and walked across the arena to approach him.
"You did well, but remember that overwhelming strength means nothing if it doesn't connect. A single tricky opponent can bring your entire team down if you can't find ways to deal with them." Karen told him in a tone as if she were giving a lecture.
"I understand. Thank you for the lesson." Tristan stated respectfully, before turning and leaving to presumably go and get his pokemon looked at.
It was only then that Karen turned and looked at us, her smile widening.
"Hello Ace Ketchum. Its been a while."
"Celadon city, almost a month ago." I said back to her, and Karen's smile widened.
"I'm pleased you remember me. Then again, we did have quite the first impression." Karen replied, reminding me of the first time I saw her, while I was balls deep in Leaf at the hospital.
"Clear the rest of my appointments for the night." Karen said while turning towards the girl that had been officiating the previous match.
"Yes ma'am." The girl replied, while Karen made her way back to the other end of the arena.
"Now then, how many am I battling?" She asked while looking back at our entire group.
"Four altogether." I answered, as Misty, May and Dawn all stepped forward to show themselves.
"Alright then. I'll take you three on first in a one-on-one each before taking Ace. I don't mind the order though, so just come at me however you like." The Gym Leader stated, before tossing out a pokeball.
"DOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" Howled it's occupant, a large Houndoom that radiated intense heat just by standng there.
"I will warn you all though. Despite only JUST becoming a Gym Leader, I'm also in the running to become a member of the Elite Four once Agatha retires. Now then, show me what you're all capable of~!" Karen declared, while the three girls traded looks.
Though none of them said anything, I could see some kind of silent conversation passing between them before one stepped forward. Misty.
"I'll take you on first! And I choose you, Poliwrath!"
"Wraaaaath!"
Poliwrath growled as it faced it's opponent, who growled back as they both waited for the signal to start battling.
"This will be a one-on-one match between Misty and her Poliwrath, versus Gym Leader Karen and her Houndoom! No substitutions! Begin!"
"Mud Shot!" Misty immediately began to the battle.
"Poliiiiiii...WRATH!"
As it yelled, Poliwrath sent a massive glob of mud directly at Houndoom.
Of course, the Dark pokemon wasn't just going to stand there and take the hit head on.
Houndoom shot forward at Poliwrath suddenly while deftly evading the Mud Shot, moving so fast that neither Misty nor Poliwrath seemed to be able to react until it was right in front of Tadpole pokemon.
"Foul Play." Karen ordered clearly and calmly.
"HOUND!"
The Dark pokemon howled as it amassed dark type power and attacked Poliwrath.
Though not too effective against fighting type pokemon like Poliwrath, Foul Play was a move that turned the opponents own strength against them, doing more damage the stronger they were.
"POLI!"
"Poliwrath!" Misty cried as her pokemon took the hit, before I felt her aura sharpen. "Now use Dynamic Punch!"
"!!!"
"Poliwrath!"
Before either Karen or Houndoom could react, Poliwrath slammed it's fist into the Dark pokemon's face, doing significant damage while sending it flying across the arena.
"Using the close proximity of Houndoom's own attack to land your own? Outstanding!" Karen praised Misty. But the tomboy mermaid wasn't through yet.
"Now use Surf!" Misty ordered, prompting Poliwrath to summon a large wave of water that swept over the arena.
"Houndoom, leap up and evade!" Karen ordered. But houndoom didn't listen.
"D-doom?"
Houndoom looked around instead of following her command, it's eyes unfocused before it suddenly lunged at one of the headstones around it.
"Houndoom!" It roared as flames cloaked it's body, using the move Flame Charge, before hurting itself as it tackled the headstone. And then immediately after it was swallowed by the wave.
"What's wrong with Houndoom?" Lillie asked as we watched from the seats on the sidelines.
"Dynamic Punch may be a move with a low chance of actually connecting, but if it does not only does it deal a significant amount of damage, but it also confuses the pokemon it hit. Every time." I explained to her, as well as Chloe and Joy, even as Houndoom struggled against the Surf.
"Vuuul..." Vulpix cooed with interest as she watched the battle, while also curled up in my lap.
Despite the situation her pokemon was in though, Karen was still calm as she called out to Houndoom, "Use Thunder Fang!"
Though confused, Houndoom could still hear. And while it didn't listen to her before, it did this time as it's jaws suddenly began to crackle with electric power.
"!!!"
"Not bad~!" I whistled in realization of what Karen was doing, right as ALL of the water in the arena was suddenly electrocuted.
Though this move would undoubtedly rebound onto Houndoom, it also did the job of attacking Poliwrath as the Tadpole pokemon swiftly swam at it's opponent.
However, neither it nor Misty were daunted in the slightest.
"Fight through the pain Poliwrath, and use WATERFALL!"
"POLIWRATH!"
Doing it's best to ignore the electric current, Poliwrath shot through the water right at Houndoom while it still couldn't get it's bearings.
*BOOM!*
The two pokemon collided, and a waterlogged pokemon was sent flying before crashing right beside Karen, unconscious.
"Houndoom is unable to battle! Misty and Poliwrath win!" The officiator announced.
"We did it Poliwrath!" Misty cried out with happiness as her pokemon returned to her side.
"Poli..." Poliwrath replied, obviously tired and battered, especially with that last electric attack, but sounding pleased.
"Well done." Karen said as she approached the duo, while also taking care not to get her feet wet.
"I'm pleased to grant the two of you this, the Midnight Badge." She added, passing the aforementioned Badge to Misty.
"Thank you!" Misty stated as she accepted the Badge, though I noted that she had the widest of smiles on her face as she did so. With this, she had ALL eight Badges that one could get from Kanto.
"Now then, who's next?" Karen asked while turning towards May and Dawn, before tossing out her next pokeball.
"Weaviiiiiiiile~!" Cried the second pokemon she'd sent out, a Weavile that started turning the remaining water on the arena floor into ice around it.
"I'll go." May stated dramatically as she took Misty's place, who was still admiring her final Badge.
"I choose you, Blaziken!"
"BLAAAZE!"
In contrast to Weavile's chill, Blaziken began to heat up the arena as tempered flames blazed around it's wrists and ankles.
"This battle will be a one-on-one between Gym Leader Karen with Weavile, and challenger May with Blaziken. No substitutions! Begin!"
"Use Dig." Karen immediately ordered, prompting her Weavile to dive under ground as if it were swimming.
"Blaziken, use Flamethrower in the hole!" May immediately countered.
"Blaze!" Blaziken roared as it shot forward, and fired a powerful blast of fire directly into the hole that Weavile made.
*Whoosh!*
A pillar of flames suddenly shot up from in front of one of the gravestones, making Karen smirk noticeably.
"Surprise~! Weavile, use Fling!"
"Vile~!"
Faster than Blaziken could react, something flew from the shadows and struck it in the leg, sticking there for us all to see.
"A Poison Barb?" I muttered, even as Blaziken suddenly dropped to it's knee.
"What is it?" Joy asked worriedly.
"A Poison Barb is an item that can make a pokemon's poison type moves more effective. But it also has another use for direct battle. When a pokemon that's holding it uses Fling, then it severely poisons the one it hits." I explained.
"Blaziken!" May cried out worriedly.
"Now use Thief!" Karen ordered without faltering.
I saw a blur as the Poison Barb in Blaziken's leg suddenly disappeared, before Weavile showed itself as it perched atop one of the gravestones.
"It'll take more than a bit of poison to stop Blaziken!" May declared passionately.
"Blaze!" Blaziken stated with equal passion.
"Use Flame Charge!"
"BLAZE!"
At May's command, Blaziken seemed to ignore the pain in it's leg as it launched itself at Weavile, fire cloaking it's entire body as it did so.
"Too slow." Karen taunted as Weavile seemingly vanished from the gravestone it was perched on, only for dozens to appear throughout the arena around Blaziken.
"Which is the real one?" Karen continued, before she commanded, "Weavile, use Aerial Ace!"
"VILE~!"
Given the command, Weavile unleashed dozens of attacks at once onto Blaziken.
"Continue using Flame Charge!" May commanded, and Blaziken turned into a flaming bullet as it shot around the arena to both try to avoid the flying type attacks, and take out the Weavile clones.
"Not a bad strategy." I mused while realizing what May was after.
"What strategy?" Chloe asked this time.
"Every time a pokemon uses the Flame Charge, it gets a temorary speed boost afterwards. May is having Blaziken use Flame Charge over and over again, not just because fire type attacks work well against the ice type Weavile, but also because it will increase Blaziken's speed to match Weavile's. Hopefully."
Even as I spoke we watched the Weavile clones being taken out one by one by an increasingly speedy comet. But at the same time, Blaziken took several Aerial Aces on top of the damage being inflicted by the toxins from the Poison Barb.
But then...
"BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZE!"
Suddenly the flames coating Blaziken became significantly more powerful, radiating heat all the way over here.
"And there's Blaze." I said, recalling the signature ability of all fire type starters.
"Blaze? Like Chimchar's back in Celadon city?" Lillie asked.
"Yes and no. The same principle applies, but Infernape's Blaze is far stronger than normal. This is what it typically looks like."
As I said that , the last of the Weavile clones was destroyed, leaving only the original as Blaziken chased it down on it's powerful legs. The flames were so intense by this point, that each step Blaziken took was leaving behind patches of fire in the arena floor.
Watching all of this, I couldn't help but to recall a certain song from my past life.
"So light 'em up, up, up. Light 'em up, up, up. Light 'em up, up, up. I'm on fire~!"
I stopped when I noticed I was getting looks, but I still tapped my foot to the beat of song from back then. And yet again, I prayed to Arceus.
'Dear divine alpaca... I've been a good indentured servant, so please hook me up with some proper tunes!'
"..."
As always, I was met with silence. But I'll wear him down one day.
Back to the battle...
By this point entire sections of the arena were on fire, and Weavile had taken several hits from the errant flames. But Blaziken was also on the verge of collapse, until finally....
"B-blaze...."
Blaziken groaned as it dropped to one knee.
"All out of juice?" Karen asked, still appearing cool as a cucumber. Though I could see even she had been slightly worried for a moment.
"Is that all you got?" Lucario suddenly called out to Blaziken from beside me.
"!?!"
"I expected more."
"!!!"
That seemed to do it, as Blaziken's head was up in an instant as it looked directly at Weavile.
"Vile?" It groaned. I was sure it too was exhausted, from having to constantly outrun Blaziken while the arena was swelteringly hot by this point.
But then, Blaziken launched forward.
"Blaziken...?" I heard May utter, concern in her voice as flames engulfed her starter pokemon.
"BLAZE....I....KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"
Blaziken roared as it bombarded Weavile with a powerful fire type attack, blasting it and the entire area around it with intense flames.
"Wea.....vile....."
Weavile groaned once, before collapsing as it fell unconscious amongst the flames.
"Weavile is unable to battle! May and Blaziken win!"
"We did it?" May uttered, this time in disbelief.
"We did it! YOU did it Blaziken!" May cried as she ran out to her pokemon.
"Blaze....." Blaziken groaned, before collapsing from all of the damage it took, as well as exhaustion.
"That wasn't a Flame Charge." Lucario said to me while May worried over Blaziken, and Karen gave her her new Badge.
"It wasn't... Maybe Flare Blitz...?" I suggested, which was quite possible.
Flare Blitz, while powerful, was also a double edged sword to use in combat.
It would deal a devestating amount of damage to the opponent when it hits, but it was also guarenteed to hurt the user by quite a lot as well. One needed to have proper planning to pull that move off.
"Dangerous, but powerful if mastered." Lucario stated while keeping an eye on Blaziken.
"It did well."
I smirked as he paid it a compliment, which was rare considering how much he regarded Blaziken, as well as Emploeon, as trouble.
Speaking of...
"Alright. Dawn right? Its your turn." Karen called over to us, and Dawn stepped forward.
"Show them the terrors of the night, Honchkrow!" Karen declared, and a large dark bird appeared in the arena.
"Honchkrow huh?" Dawn said as she reached for a pokeball. "Then I'll use-"
"POLEON!"
"Huh?!"
Before Dawn could choose the pokemon she wnted to use, Empoleon appeared in the arena by it's own will.
"Someone's eager." Lucario remarked.
"Or maybe it just heard you pay Blaziken a compliment?" I said with a smirk.
"Vulpix vul~!" Vulpix trilled in agreement from my lap.
"This match will be Empoleon and Dawn versus Honchkrow and Gym Leader Karen! No substitutions! Begin!"
"Not a bad choice, Dawn~! Honchkrow, use Tailwind!" Karen began the battle.
"Honch!"
In an instant there was a wind in the arena that filled Honchkrow's wings, increasing it's speed significantly.
"Humph! Empoleon, use Swagger."
"Empoleon~."
In response to her command, Empoleon immediately started off by severely pissing Honchkrow off as it used Swagger. Not only would this increase Honchkrow's strength temporarily, but it also severely confuses it.
"Hooooooonch!"
With a cry, Honchkrow immediately flew to the side as it tried to use Wing Attack. Only, there was nothing for it to hit as it went in the completely wrong direction.
"Honchkrow, snap out of it!" Karen ordered her pokemon, but to no avail. And during this Dawn and Empoleon were preparing their next attack.
"Now, use Hydro Pump!" Dawn immediately jumped right to one of Empoleon's strongest moves, now that Honchkrow was in no shape to either defend or evade.
"Look out!" Karen ordered, but it was hopeless as Honchkrow looked in her direction due to it's confusion, and was blasted by the powerful torrent of water.
"Now use Ice Beam!" Dawn cried out, and Empoleon did just that.
The water from the Hydro Pump that was covering Honchkrow immediately began to freeze, covering it in ice before it's entire body was encased.
"If Honchkrow cannot break free of the ice, then it will be regarded as being unable to battle!" The official declared, and a countdown began.
The seconds sticked by torturously slowly, before a soft bell dinged when they finally hit zero.
"Honckrow is unable to battle! Dawn and Empoleon win!" The official declared.
"We won~!" Dawn yelled as she leapt up into the air, prompting Empoleon to do the same as the duo celebrated together.
"Tch. And here I thought I would make things difficult for you." Karen said while audibly clicking her tongue. But she didn't argue her loss as as she readily passed Dawn her newest Badge.
"My turn." I said as I stood up, before making my way out onto the arena with Vulpix and Lucario walking beside me.
"Come here a moment Ace." Karen called out to me from the middle, making me curious as to what she wanted.
"What's up? You're not getting cold feet are you?" I asked her jokingly.
"Not at all." Karen said with a laugh, before she smirked at me.
"Ever since we met in Celadon city, I've been catching up on the type of person our new Champion's oldest son was. Most importantly, I've been researching how to BEAT you."
I cocked my head curiously, wondeirng where she was going with this when Karen suddenly clapped her hands.
*Clap Clap!*
Immediately numerous girls filed into the arena, each one dressed scantily in erotic wear as they approached me. At the same time, Karen proceed to immediately peel her top off and toss her shirt behind her, revealing her naked chest before me.
"Oh my." I said, my gaze going right to her lovely headlights.
"You like~?" She asked in a sultry voice, before promptly unbuttoning her pants and hauling them down to her ankles, along with her tight little thong before she kicked both off. Now Karen was standing before me, dressed ONLY in her heels as we preared to battle.
At the same time, several hands began to sensually run along my body as the girls from earlier reached me, making their way even under my shirt, and into my pants to rub my rapidly hardening cock.
"Try not to lose your concentration too much." Karen said with a smirk, before she turned around and bent over to pick up her discarded clothes.
Of course she only did so with one hand, while the other reached back to spread her lovely cheeks to give me a perfect view of her puffy lips and brown eye.
"This match will be a five on five between challenger Ace Ketchum, and the Gym Leader Karen! Only the challenger may substitute pokemon!" The official declared as the girls began pulling me back to my side, where a chair was waiting for me.
"This is going to be interesting..."