Chapter 4
Battling Brawly
"We're almost there," he said to his sister.
When the boat docked, Andrew jumped off and ran to the gym.
"Andrew!" his sister called, "wait up!" By the time she had caught up to him, he had already beaten several trainers in Dewford Town Gym, and was moving on to the Leader, Brawly. "Andrew, don't you think you might be taking this a little too…well, fast?"
"Nah," Andrew replied. "I want to fight him as soon as possible!"
"Andrew! You only have a Poochyena, which is weak against Dark Pokémon, a Torchic who was hardly battled at all, and a Treecko! You only have one Pokémon that can do reasonably well!" Julia exclaimed.
"Look, I want to fight this guy now. I know I'm strong enough to win," Andrew responded.
"No you're not," Julia corrected. "I have the only Pokémon that can beat him: a Taillow. Now, if I were you, I would try to train a little before you take him on. Especially your Torchic. I mean, he can learn Flying attacks."
"True…" said Andrew. "Well, I suppose I might be able to use it. I can't keep beating gym leaders without training in-between."
"There's a cave near here. We should go there to see what Pokémon we could either catch or battle."
"Or both."
Andrew and Julia left the Gym, healed their Pokémon, and then left for the cave.
Several hours later, they returned, but with no new Pokémon. However, they did get some training in.
"Hey, Julia," Andrew said after they healed their Pokémon again, "why don't we battle each other? It'll be good experience."
"Only a two-on-two," Julia replied. "Remember, I only have Taillow and Mudkip."'
"True," Andrew remarked. They stepped outside. "I got my two Pokémon ready. Do you want to send out first?"
"You may do the honors."
"All right." Before Andrew sent out his Pokémon, he thought about his choice. If I send out Torchic, he thought, she'll just use Mudkip. If I send out Treecko, then she'll use Taillow. Crap, I am really stuck right now. Well, I guess I have no choice… "Poochyena, go!"
"Mudkip, go! Mud-Slap attack!" Mudkip came out and kicked sand and dirt into Poochyena's face.
"Poochyena, Tackle!" Poochyena charged at Mudkip, but missed-Mud-Slap had lowered his accuracy. "Then try Bite!" Poochyena hopped back up, and then chomped down on Mudkip, badly damaging her.
"Mudkip," Julia started, "Water Gun, now!" Mudkip fired a stream of water at Poochyena, knocking him down. Before he could fully stand, Mudkip used Tackle, knocking him out.
"Nice work," Andrew congratulated Julia. "But you have messed up this time. Treecko, come out and use Bullet Seed!" The repeated attack knocked out Mudkip.
"I think it is you, brother, who has messed up this time. Taillow, come out and use Wing Attack!" Julia's Taillow came out and whacked Andrew's Treecko with its wings, doing a considerable amount of damage.
"Dammit," Andrew cursed. "I don't think I can win this one." He commanded his Treecko to counter-attack with Quick Attack, but it did little. It wouldn't have mattered whether it did a lot or not anyway, since Taillow took Treecko down with another Wing Attack. Andrew had just lost to his own sister. "I lost to someone…not even as good as I am…"
"What did you say?" Julia inquired. She recalled her Pokémon.
"Nothing," Andrew replied.
They went back to the Pokécenter. Andrew, while he was waiting for his Pokémon to be healed, contemplated the last battle. How could I have lost? She can't be half as good as me…maybe it's just the different Pokémon we have. Maybe…maybe I can't even beat Brawly.
"Ready to go to the Gym?" Julia asked her brother. She handed him his Pokéballs.
"Oh, er, yeah, sure."
They walked into the Gym and approached the leader. Julia volunteered to battle first.
"Then," said Brawly, "send out your Pokémon."
"You first," Julia retorted.
"Feisty. All right, then…Machop, go!"
"Go Mudkip!"
Mudkip? Andrew thought. Why isn't she using Taillow?
Julia's Mudkip shot water at Machop, doing mediocre damage. Machop retaliated with Karate Chop, doing about the same.
"Enough of this! Machop, Low Kick!" Brawly commanded. This attack did a little more, but not much.
"Mudkip, Mud Shot!" A stream of mud hit Machop's face, nearly knocking him out. Machop returned damage with a Mega Punch, knocking out Julia's first Pokémon. "Not too bad, Mudkip. Return. Now I'll use Taillow! Wing Attack!" Taillow slapped Machop with its wings, knocking him out.
"Breloom, attack! Bulk-Up!" Brawly's second Pokémon powered-up, while Taillow struck him with Wing Attack. "Gah! I forgot! Flying-type attacks do double-damage against Breloom!" Before Brawly could tell his Pokémon to attack again, he was knocked out. Julia earned the Knuckle Badge.
"Okay, it's my turn now," Andrew said. "Treecko, go!"
"All right," said Brawly. "Makuhita, come out and use Mega Punch!" The round Fighting Pokémon punched Treecko, severely hurting him. Andrew's Pokémon hopped back up, and returned the favor with Leaf Blade.
"Great job, Treecko. Now, Quick Attack!" Andrew instructed. Treecko charged at the enemy Makuhita, and rammed into his torso.
"Makuhita, Low Kick!" Makuhita tripped up Treecko, making him fall flat on his face. Treecko didn't get up.
"Torchic, come out! Use your Peck attack!" Andrew told his weakest Pokémon. The minimal-damage attack was enough to bring down Makuhita.
"Don't get too excited," Brawly remarked. "Because here comes Meditite! Confusion!" Torchic was struck by the Psychic attack.
"Torchic, another Peck!" The battle was neck-in-neck; both attacks did mediocre damage. However, Meditite's High Jump Kick put an end to the match-Andrew was defeated.