Chapter 18: Enter Brawly and the Knuckle Badge

The next day, after a lot of training, the rest of yesterday and early this morning. We all step foot into Brawly's gym. Seeing a man who has sky blue hair, blue eyes, some red shorts on, an orange and white shirt, and some sandals.

{?} 'Welcome, to my gym! I am the gym leader Brawly. Who shall you two be?'

{Natalie} 'I'm Natalie.'

"And I'm Brady."

{Brawly} 'Welcome, are you both challengers?'

{Natalie} 'No, only Brady.'

{Brawly} 'That's pretty gnarly dudes.'

Natalie looks at me confused.

I shrug.

{Brawly} 'Alright my dude, you ready?'

"Yeah, I'm ready." I step onto the challengers side of the battlefield.

{Referee} 'The gym battle between Brady the challenger and Brawly the gym leader is about to get underway, only the challenger is allowed to substitute pokemon. Now, select your pokémon!'

{Brawly} 'Alright, Machop I choose you, my dude!' He sends out a pokémon with gray skin, and three brown ridges on top of its head, along with large red eyes, and a relatively flat face. On either side of its chest would be three thin, rib-like stripes. Its feet have no toes, while its hands have five fingers. It has a short, stubby tail, and muscles spread all over its body.

"Hm..a Machop.." I grab my pokédex.

{Pokédex} 'Machop, the Superpower Pokémon. Machop have muscles that never tire, no matter how much they exercise. Machop have enough strength to throw 100 average-sized adults.'

"Alright." I grab a pokeball. "Taillow, standby for battle!" I send out Taillow.

{Taillow} 'Taillow!' Taillow flies up into the air, and flies back down to the ground in a tight spiral.

{Brawly} 'That's one amazing Taillow!'

"Thanks!"

{Referee} 'Battle begin!' She yells.

"Taillow, use Quick Attack!"

Taillow speeds up, charging in towards Machop.

Brawly smirks.

Machop avoids the attack, as if it was just a wave when surfing.

{Natalie} 'What? Why?'

{Professor Birch} 'It's just like surfing to them, Machop's avoiding attacks like how it would move to avoid getting knocked down by a wave. Brawly's pokémon are focused right now.'

{Brawly} 'Machop, Cross Chop, lets go!'

Machop jumps at Taillow.

I smirk. "Thank you for coming to us! Taillow use Wing Attack!"

Taillow's wings glow, and hits Machop as it was in midair.

{Brawly} 'Machop!'

Machop does a backwards somersault, regaining balance on its feet.

{Brawly} 'Good job, Machop! Now, use Seismic Toss!'

Machop grabs Taillow, jumping into the air, and going into a midair somersault.

"Taillow, use Peck!"

Taillow begins pecking at Machop.

{Brawly} 'Machop, don't give in!'

Machop's grip loosens.

"Now, fly out of Machop's arms and turn back around with Wing Attack!"

Taillow bursts out of Machop's loosened arms, and its wings glow.

{Brawly} 'Machop, no!'

Taillow's wings slice across Machop's body.

{Machop} 'Machop!!' Machop falls towards the ground.

"Wrap this up with Quick Attack!"

Taillow charges towards Machop, slamming Machop into the ground.

Taillow flies back up, flapping its wings.

{Referee} 'Machop is unable to battle, Taillow wins!'

Natalie smiles.

{Natalie} 'He did it!'

{Professor Birch} 'True, but Brawly still has one pokemon left.'

{Natalie} 'But, Brady has two..'

{Professor Birch} 'True, but look at Taillow.'

She looks at Taillow, seeing it exhausted.

{Natalie} 'Taillow's tired..'

Professor Birch nods.

{Brawly} 'You fought well Machop, return and take a nice long rest.' Machop returns to its pokeball.

{Brawly} 'Now, Hariyama I choose you!'

He sends out a large, bulky pokemon. With narrow eyes, rounded ears. The pokémon has a triangular crest on its head, dark blue hair grows across the top of its eyes around the head crest, that extends down its back to form a long ponytail. The upper half of its body is a cream color, while the other half dark blue.

I grab my pokédex again.

{Pokédex} 'Hariyama, the Arm Thrust Pokémon. Hariyama is the evolved form of Makuhita. When tensing its body, its muscles become hard as stone.'

{Brawly} 'Hariyama, use Arm Thrust!'

"Taillow, use Quick Attack!"

Both of their attacks collide, exploding into a bunch of smoke.

Taillow flies out the top of the thick smoke.

{Brawly} 'Hariyama, use Seismic Toss!'

Hariyama grabs Taillow, squeezing Taillow tightly into its arms and leaping into the air, doing a midair somersault. It comes towards the ground, slamming Taillow down into the ground. Hariyama then jumps back, in front of Brawly.

{Referee} 'Taillow is unable to battle! Hariyama wins!'

I grab Taillow's pokeball, returning it. "Thank you, you put up a great fight, Taillow. Now, leave this to me." I rest Taillow's pokeball back onto my belt, then look at Elekid.

"Elekid, standby for battle!"

Elekid hops off my shoulder, ready to go.

{Natalie} 'Elekid, you got this!'

{Professor Birch} 'Hm..'

{Brawly} 'Sorry, Brady. But, you're going to have to wait to get your badge some other time!'

"We'll see about that."

{Brawly} 'Alright, if you say so. Hariyama, use Force Palm!'

"Elekid, wait for it.."

Hariyama, reaches back one hand, revealing part of its body.

"Now! Elekid, use Thunder Punch!"

Elekid acts quickly, punching Hariyama's uncovered stomach, with electricity surrounding his arm.

Hariyama stumbles back.

{Brawly} 'Huh, not as bad as I thought you'd be. Now, Hariyama use Seismic Toss!'

Hariyama grabs Elekid, putting him into a tight grip, and jumping in the air, going into a somersault.

"Elekid!"

Hariyama dives down towards the ground, slamming Elekid into it.

Hariyama jumps back towards Brawly.

"Elekid!"

Elekid struggles to get up, but manages to.

{Professor Birch} 'I don't think Elekid can take much more.'

{Natalie} 'But, Elekid wants to keep going..'

{Professor Birch} 'Yeah, all Brady's pokemon have that fire in their eyes..'

"Elekid, you alright?"

He glances back, nodding.

"You good to keep going?"

He nods once again.

{Brawly} 'Impressive, not many pokémon get back up after a Seismic Toss from my Hariyama.'

"Well, we're not done yet!"

{Brawly} 'Hariyama, let's finish this! Use Knock Off!'

"Elekid, use Brick Break on Hariyama's knees!"

Elekid jumps towards Hariyama.

{Brawly} 'Bringing him right to us! Now Hariyama!' Hariyama thrusts the palms of its hands at Elekid.

"Do it Elekid!"

Elekid dodges, hitting one of Hariyama's knees, then jumping to the other side, and hitting the other knee.

Elekid jumps back towards me.

Hariyama, takes one step forward. Then both his knees collapse onto the floor.

{Brawly} 'Hariyama!!'

"Good! Now, Elekid, use Thunder Punch over and over again!!"

Elekid's arms immediately surround with electricity, as he jumps towards Hariyama.

{Brawly} 'Hariyama, quick use Force Palm!'

Hariyama forcefully thrusts the palms of his hands towards Elekid.

Elekid jumps above his hands, landing directly behind Hariyama.

"Now!"

Elekid delivers a series of Thunder Punches.

"Elekid, lets wrap this up with Brick Break!"

Elekid jumps in front of Hariyama, and delivers the Brick Break attack, diagonally down its stomach.

Hariyama collapses onto the ground, on its back.

{Brawly} 'Hariyama!'

{Natalie} 'He did it!'

{Professor Birch} 'He sure did.'

{Brawly} 'Hm..' He returns Hariyama to its pokeball. 'Hariyama, take a nice long rest, you deserve it my dude.' He walks over to a counter, grabbing something off of it, he finally walks over to me.

{Brawly} 'Here, you earned this fair and square.' He opens his hand up to the palm of his hand, where a small like blue boxing glove, with a small orange circle. 'The Knuckle Badge is all yours, my dude.'

"Thank you." I pick up the Knuckle Badge from the palm of his hand. I grab my badge case from my backpack, placing the badge in the second spot of it, next to the Stone Badge.

Natalie and Professor Birch walk over.

{Natalie} 'Good job, Brady.'

"Thank you, Natalie." I smile.

She smiles, back.

{Professor Birch} 'Had me worried there, Brady. But, you and Elekid pulled through, Congrats."

{Brawly} 'Good luck with your other gym battles.' He grabs a surf board. 'Time to go catch some gnarly waves, my dude!' He runs out the door.

"Uh..?" I look at Natalie.

{Natalie} 'Anyone know who says "gnarly" anymore?'

"I mean, you just did. So.." I wink at her.

{Natalie} 'Oh, shush.' She chuckles.

"So, where's the next gym located?" I ask as we exit the Dewford gym.

{Natalie} 'We can check in the pokémon center?'

"Sure."

{Professor Birch} 'The next gym is in Mauville City, but I heard there's a pokémon contest in Slateport City. In case one of you is interested in that.'

Natalie looks at me.

{Natalie} 'Can we..?'

"Of course, the gyms aren't going anywhere." I smile.

{Natalie} 'Thank you.' She smiles, back.

"You're welcome."

{Natalie} 'Where's Slateport City?' She looks at Professor Birch.

{Professor Birch} 'Before Mauville City. I can take you two there if you want?'

{Natalie} 'Sure.'

"What about Alex?"

{Natalie} 'He'll catch up when he'd ready, don't worry we're not ditching him.'

"Alright, just one minute." I run over to the pokémon center, then later come back out with my Taillow and Elekid fully healed.

"I'm ready."

We get onto Professor Birch's boat, Natalie and I find our way towards the back of the boat again, somehow sitting closer than normal. Our hands find their way to each other's.

"Sorry.." I pull my hand away.

{Natalie} 'Hey..it's alright. I don't mind, I promise.' She smiles.

"You sure?"

{Natalie} 'Yes, I'm sure.' She smiles, again.

"Alright." I smile, back, and take carefully move my hand back, holding her hand.

We soon start heading to Slateport City.