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[Pokemon] Chapter 45: VS Kabu - Part 1
🕑 Added 2024-09-06 17:22:09 +0000 UTCSeveral days had passed since they departed from the Paldea region. As they continued their journey, Jin trained with his Pokémon, including Annihilape, perfecting strategies using Terastallization. Along with that, he assisted with Roy's training while the Rising Volt Tacklers finally arrived near their destination, Motostoke in the Galar region.
Traveling on the Brave Olivine was too conspicuous, and to avoid being tracked by the Explorers, Friede suggested they travel by land. The plan was to take a train from here to an ancient castle near Hammerlocke, where they suspected Diana was located.
However...
"It looks like the train is out of service for maintenance..."
Once again, an unexpected situation left Jin and the others stuck in one place.
(Again? This isn't the Explorers' doing, is it?)
After their experience in Paldea, Jin had grown a little more cautious. However, they had thoroughly checked the Brave Olivine and confirmed that there were no tracking devices on board. It seemed this time, it really was just a regular mishap.
"Well, there’s no helping it. Everyone, you can do whatever you like today."
"In that case, I’m going to look for ship parts!"
As soon as she heard that they had a day of free time, Orla wasted no time. She hopped onto Metagross and headed out into Motostoke to search for parts.
"What should we do?"
"Hmm..."
Since this was Liko and Roy's first time in the city and they had no plans, they seemed unsure of how to spend their time. Seeing this, Murdock made a suggestion.
"Liko, Roy, Jin! If you have time, would you mind helping me with the shopping? I want to check out Galar's local ingredients."
"Sure, of course!"
"I’m in!"
Liko and Roy, who had no particular plans, immediately agreed to Murdock's proposal.
But, Jin...
"Sorry, but I have somewhere else I want to go. Could you two handle the shopping?"
"Huh? Sure, but... where are you going?"
"Since we’re here in Motostoke, I’m going to check out the Gym."
"Gym battle? If you’re going, I want to come too!"
Ever since witnessing Jin’s serious battles against Nemona and Iono back in Paldea, Liko had been eager to see Jin in battle up close again and wanted to tag along.
"No, not this time. I’m not even sure if they’ll let me take the challenge."
In Galar, the Gyms had a set order in which challengers had to battle. Trainers could only participate if they had recommendations from Gym Leaders, Champions, or League officials. At the moment, Jin didn’t meet any of these conditions. No matter how skilled he was, there was no guarantee that they would allow him to challenge the Gym.
"...So, there's a chance I might be wasting my time. I’ll go alone for now. I’m counting on you two to handle the shopping."
After explaining Galar’s Gym Challenge rules, Jin released Salamence from its Poké Ball and mounted its back. Immediately, Salamence took off into the sky.
"Jin! Wait..."
Liko tried to stop him, but her words trailed off. Seeing Jin, who usually acted so mature, now having fun like a child his age, she realized that nothing she said would stop him. Intuitively, she knew that Jin was completely set on his course of action.
"I’ll contact you later, so make sure to meet up, okay?"
"Got it. See you later. Salamence, let's go!"
With those final words, Salamence, carrying Jin, flew off toward Motostoke.
"Um… Liko, are you sure this is okay?"
Watching Jin grow smaller in the sky as he flew away with Salamence, Roy cautiously asked Liko, who had been staring after him.
"Yeah, it’s fine… I don’t want to get in Jin’s way."
She knew that there was little chance of being attacked by the Explorers here. Even so, as long as she was with him, Jin would never fully let his guard down. After seeing how excited Jin was about the Gym battle, Liko couldn’t bring herself to ask to go with him.
"And besides… no, it’s nothing."
"Huh?"
When they had first decided to head to the Galar region, Liko had done her own research about the area. She’d looked into the ancient castle where Diana was believed to be, as well as any battle-related facilities that might interest Jin. She discovered something important.
(...The Gym Leader in this city isn’t a girl, after all.)
---
When Jin arrived in Motostoke, he found the large gears and steam engines of the city quite intriguing, but he didn’t spare them a second glance. He made his way directly to the Motostoke Stadium, where the city's Gym was located.
"It’s huge..."
That was Jin’s first thought as he looked at the massive stadium before him. He had seen many Gyms in his time, but never one of this size. The imposing appearance of the Gym made it feel almost as if he were preparing to challenge a fortress.
There was no point in standing around admiring it forever, so Jin walked through the automatic doors of the Motostoke Stadium and approached the receptionist to inquire about a battle with the Gym Leader, Kabu.
"I’m sorry, but you must meet certain conditions to challenge this Gym. Without meeting those, we cannot allow a Gym battle," the receptionist replied, just as Jin had expected.
But Jin wasn’t about to back down; doing so would make his trip here pointless. After all, he didn’t have time to challenge the Gyms in the designated order.
"I understand, and I don’t need a badge, regardless of the outcome. I just want the chance to battle Kabu."
"But…"
"Please. At least ask him if he’d consider it."
"...Very well, please wait a moment."
Eventually, seemingly swayed by Jin’s determination, the receptionist left her desk and headed into a staff-only room.
Five anxious minutes passed before she returned to deliver the verdict.
"Thank you for waiting. Jin from the Hoenn region, Gym Leader Kabu has accepted your challenge. He is already waiting for you on the field. Shall I escort you there when you're ready?"
"Of course, I’m ready to go right now!"
Without hesitation, Jin responded, and the receptionist led him to the battlefield. Despite the imposing exterior of the Gym, the battlefield itself wasn’t much different from the usual.
However, what stood out was the large number of spectator seats, far more than any Gym Jin had seen in Hoenn. It was clear how much Gym battles were treated as a form of entertainment here in Galar.
"I’ve been waiting for you."
At the center of the battlefield stood an older man with graying hair and sharp eyes, dressed in a red uniform. This man could only be Kabu, the Gym Leader.
"Thank you for accepting my battle request."
"Don’t mention it. In fact, I’m truly glad that you came to challenge me."
Kabu gazed at Jin, a pleased expression spreading across his face.
"You know who I am?"
"Of course! You’re Jin, the champion of the Ever Grande Conference, right?"
"...You know a lot."
"I’m from the Hoenn region too, you see. I keep an eye on Trainers who make waves back home."
Hearing Kabu’s answer, Jin nodded in understanding. Even if a Trainer won a Pokémon League, it was rare for people in other regions to know much about it. But if it’s from your home region, it’s a different story.
"Ever since I saw your battle at the Conference, I’ve wanted to face you myself someday."
There was a fire in Kabu’s eyes as he spoke. Even though the battle hadn’t started yet, Jin could feel the intensity. It was clear that Kabu had been eagerly awaiting this moment.
"I’d love to jump straight into the battle, but first, would you mind if I briefly explained the rules for this one?"
Gyms with unique battle rules weren’t uncommon—some specialized in double battles, while others had their own quirks. Jin had no objections and assured Kabu that he was fine with any setup.
"It’s nothing too complicated, just a few things to confirm."
Kabu explained the situation. In Galar, Trainers normally had to pass a Gym Challenge before facing the Gym Leader. However, since this was an unofficial battle, there would be no challenge beforehand; they would jump straight into the battle.
"In exchange, even if you win, I can’t award you a badge. The only thing you’ll gain from this is the battle experience. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course! Let’s do it!"
Jin hadn’t expected to receive a badge even if he won, and with the battle happening immediately, there would be no audience to spread information. This was an ideal situation for him.
"Good. Now, about the battle rules. How about we each use five Pokémon, and switching is allowed freely?"
"Understood!"
After confirming the rules, Jin and Kabu moved to their respective sides of the field.
Five Pokémon, with free switching—this was clearly going to be an all-out battle. Kabu, known as one of the most experienced and powerful Gym Leaders in Galar, and considered a gatekeeper for serious challengers, was about to go all in.
Jin’s excitement surged to its peak.
"Jin... Usually, I stand as a wall for many challengers as a Gym Leader. But today is different! Today, as a fellow Pokémon Trainer, I’ll face you with everything I’ve got!"
"That’s exactly what I want... I have my own reasons for not being able to lose easily!"
"Ah, I can see that in your eyes. Calm on the surface, yet your gaze burns with an intense fire before this battle, filled with a strong resolve. It’s unmistakable."
With those words, Kabu slapped both of his cheeks with a loud smack, the sound resonating even across the field to where Jin stood, showing just how much energy Kabu was putting into this battle.
"Are you ready?"
Kabu took a Poké Ball from his waist and held it up. Jin followed suit, grabbing his own Poké Ball.
"Jin! Let’s make this an unforgettable battle!"
With that, both Jin and Kabu simultaneously threw their Poké Balls towards the center of the field.
"Go! Torkoal!"
"I’m counting on you, Milotic!"
Kabu sent out Torkoal, a Pokémon with a dark shell and a reddish-brown body resembling a land turtle. It was a familiar Pokémon to Jin, having seen many in the Hoenn region. In response, Jin sent out Milotic, a Water-type Pokémon that had a clear type advantage.
"Milotic, huh... Torkoal’s at a disadvantage."
Indeed, from a type standpoint, Milotic had the upper hand. Yet, Jin’s expression remained serious. He noticed the temperature in the room rise sharply as soon as Torkoal entered the battlefield.
(Its Ability is Drought...)
Drought creates harsh sunlight, making Fire-type moves stronger and weakening Water-type moves. This was a problem for Jin.
(If I let it stay too long, it’ll be troublesome...)
"Let’s finish this quickly! Milotic, use Hydro Pump!"
"Torkoal, Flamethrower!"
Both Pokémon unleashed their attacks towards the center of the field, with Milotic’s Hydro Pump and Torkoal’s Flamethrower colliding in a heated struggle. After a few seconds, Hydro Pump overpowered Flamethrower, landing a direct hit on Torkoal.
"Urgh... Even with the reduced power, it’s still this strong?"
Thanks to Drought, Milotic’s Water-type move was weakened. However, it still had enough power to overpower Torkoal’s attack.
But...
"Torkoal, you took that well! You’re still good to go, right?"
"Torkoooal!"
Though Torkoal had taken considerable damage, it wasn’t knocked out. Normally, Hydro Pump would have been enough to take down Torkoal in one hit, but Drought had tipped the scales in Torkoal’s favor.
"Torkoal, use Stealth Rock!"
Torkoal summoned floating rocks around Jin’s side of the field—just like Aggron had used in Jin’s battle with Iono. Now, every time Jin switched his Pokémon, they would take damage from the rocks. After setting the trap, Kabu recalled Torkoal to its Poké Ball.
"Next up! Go, Ninetales!"
Kabu sent out a Ninetales, with golden fur, nine tails, and red eyes.
(I see...)
As soon as Ninetales appeared, Jin realized what Kabu’s next move would be. He was aiming to fire off a Solar Beam under the Drought conditions, which would hit immediately without charging. If it landed, it would deal significant damage to Milotic, being a Water-type.
"...Milotic, return."
After some consideration, Jin decided to withdraw Milotic. He was aware that his next Pokémon would take damage from Stealth Rock, but he couldn’t afford to lose his only Water-type this early against Kabu.
"Are you sure about this? Your next Pokémon will take damage."
"I'm prepared for that."
Jin put away Milotic's Poké Ball and pulled out a new one.
"Sorry to throw you into this right away... but I'm counting on you, Annihilape!"
Jin’s next choice was Annihilape. He had some concerns about sending it out in this situation, but considering how much Annihilape had grown over the past few days and its excellent condition, Jin believed the odds were still in his favor.
"Boogyah!"
As soon as Annihilape hit the field, the Stealth Rocks floating above attacked it. In the past, this damage might have sent Annihilape into a rage, but thanks to their recent training, it had learned to control its emotions.
"Ninetales, use Flamethrower!"
"Not happening! Annihilape, Shadow Punch!"
Before Ninetales could unleash its Flamethrower, Annihilape landed a Shadow Punch squarely on its face, disrupting the attack.
"Then use Fire Spin!"
"Annihilape, jump!"
Ninetales quickly recovered and tried to trap Annihilape in a vortex of fire, but Annihilape leaped high into the air to dodge. Ninetales wasn’t going to let that go easily, though—it adjusted its aim, trying to ensnare Annihilape with Fire Spin again.
"Annihilape! Aim for the Stealth Rocks with Close Combat!"
In mid-air, Annihilape struck at the floating Stealth Rocks with a flurry of punches and kicks, sending shards of rock flying downward. The fragments shattered the Fire Spin and rained down on Ninetales, striking it directly.
"What?!"
Even Kabu, with his years of experience, hadn’t expected Jin to turn Torkoal’s Stealth Rocks into a weapon.
"Let’s finish this! Drain Punch!"
As soon as Annihilape landed, it charged at the stunned Ninetales and delivered a powerful right hook. The Drain Punch not only inflicted heavy damage but also restored some of Annihilape's health. Ninetales was sent flying back several meters.
"Ninetales?!"
Kabu rushed to check on Ninetales, only to find it lying on the ground, knocked out with its eyes spinning.
The unofficial battle at the Motostoke Gym, hidden from public view, had begun with Jin seizing the early advantage.
// END
After thinking it over, I decided to have Jin face Kabu alone, separating him from Liko and the others for this battle. If they went to the café together, it wouldn’t leave room to introduce any new Pokémon, and it would just end up repeating the events from the original story. So, I think this approach works better.
---
