The Gate of the Elite Four

The audience seats are full as usual... Pokemon Leagues are really a popular thing. People of all ages watch from all around the region----and even from other regions----just to watch an entertaining and a very heated battle between pokemon trainers.

Most especially if it's the last day of the Indigo League.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the challenger's trial of the Indigo League! An all-awaited event where the winner of yesterday's tournament will be battling the Elite Four and, who knows, the Champion!"

The crowd roared. I felt the ground and the air shake.

Aaaah, my heart's beating too fast... You're going to escape from my ribs you know?

"Now, without further ado!" The announcer raised his arm and points at my direction, "This year's challenger, Nathaniel Crowne!"

Uwaaaa...

I can't bear this nervousness... I'm not really great dealing with an audience... I just barely got through it this past few days.

The challenger's trial has typically two formats, one is where the challenger would fight the Elite Four in an order stated by the Association while the other is where the challenger, that is me, would choose the order himself.

The Indigo League belongs to the former.

"The first trial! The impenetrable fortress! The heavy battering ram! The immovable! Within him flows the very blood of Pewter and was tempered in Olivine!" With every sentence, a loud cheer ensued...

After a brief pause for suspense, the announcer shouted the name of my first opponent of the day...

"Deussel!"

***

"What do you think of the first match-up, mr. John?"

"Deussel is a pokemon trainer who specializes in using his pokemon's weight against them. For two years in a row, no one has able to breakthrough this gigantic gate called Deussel!"

"Hm... I see. What about this year's challenger? Do you think he'll be granted a passage?"

"I... I don't think so."

"Woah! Why do you think mr. John?"

"Actually, I'm not so sure since I never really saw his matches... Hahaha."

"Oh... ahaha..."

"But if the challenger, uh what's his name? Oh, Nathaniel... But if Mr. Nathaniel wants to pass, he should find a way to break through that Deussel's defenses."

"I see... Thank you for sharing your view, Mr. John. Oh, it seems like the referee is in place now! Everyone, let's witness the first trial! The challenger, Nathaniel Crowne, versus the Elite Four's Deussel in a 3KO-match!"

... So the commentators have said.

I'm looking at you, John Doe... A journalist and reporter working for the League Press. I'll let you see how to pass this gate of yours...

My eyes meet Deussel's steel-colored eyes. A muscular giant whose height is a about a head taller than me. He wears a uniform of the Indigo League with the region crest on his chest. His brown hair is neatly trimmed and he kept a stern look in his square-ish face.

3KO-rule. Most official matches follows a 3KO-rule. Each competing trainer must have 5 pokemons in their roster. The trainer whose 3 pokemons have been knocked out or fainted will be the one that loses the match.

"Your first pokemon, please." The referee said.

The both of us reached for the pokeball in our belts. With the press of the button at its center, its size grew.

We hurled the pokeball in our hands and after it opens mid-air, a flash of light hit the ground.

Deussel let out a metagross while mine is...

"A fire-type right off the bat..." Deussel smirks while keeping a stern look in his eyes.

It was as if he knew this from the start...

"Metagross versus Arcanine!" The referee chops the air with an open palm.

I'll take the initiative!

"Ninee, Howl!"

"Iron defense."

The both of us used a power boosting move, but it seems like Metagross' defense has went further from Arcanine's offensive strength.

Deussel smirked.

"Magnet rise and zen headbutt!"

What?!

Metagross retracted its 4 beldum-like arms and it looked like an X from above... Its head shimmers and gleamed an ominous light----

"Agility!"

If I was a second late, it would've been a clean hit... I clench my fist as metagross slams its head on the ground.

"Fire fang!"

Arcanine vanished mid-air----no, it pounced so fast I wasn't able to see it.

It locked its jaw into one of metagross' arms... Slowly, heat gathers in arcanine's fangs and it burst into flames.

A clean hit!

But Deussel was not surprised by this at all...

"Trainers tend to use fire types to battle against my pokemon. As the gate of the Elite Four, I must steel myself and not be shaken by this type of trickery."

Eh?

"Metagross, spin!"

His pokemon started to spin rapidly! Is it trying to throw off arcanine?

"Ninee, keep using fire fang!"

What's that move? Is it rapid spin? No, a gyro spin? No, it feels like it's not... What is he doing?

"With the help of magnet rise, metagross can levitate using magnetism. By manipulating the magnetic field with its latent psychic abilities, my metagross can perform a more deadly attack."

What is he saying? I was filled with uneasiness...

"Witness the power of an Elite Four," Deussel smirks, brimming with confidence, "Metagross, Meteor Mash!"

"Ninee, let----"

*BOOM!

It sounded like an eruption...

My vision is clouded with dust and smoke...

A strange light with metagross' figure illuminated from the cloud... A psychic-like energy dispersed the dust with a spin...

"Arcanine is unable to battle!"

This is...

"Listen, challenger, the gates to the Hall of Fame starts with me but sadly, it's tightly shut."

... going to be fun.