Pokémon: The Hour Before Dawn Trilogy | A Sinnoh Fanfiction

Chapter 16: The Mine Badge

None of Byron's rugged Gym Trainers wanted to admit that they were terrified of Darkrai. There was actually no need to be so afraid of it. It was years since it last battled and back then, battles were different. Most of its attacks missed. Its weak points were easy to exploit. Asato revived and healed it after every battle to send it out in the next one. If he gave up, Darkrai would feel hurt.

The Gym's puzzle was a maze of rusty, rotating pipes. Asato was covered in flaking rust. The stench of metal was firmly ingrained in his nostrils, to linger for days, by the time he reached Byron. He wasn't sure which was worse: metal or lavender.

Byron desperately tried not to show it, but he was as afraid of Darkrai as anyone else. His laughter came out as another nervous chuckle.

'Gwahaha... well, young Trainer. I, Byron, will take your challenge!'

'Go, Darkrai!'

That wiped any shadow of a smile off Byron's face, though only momentarily. His Bronzong's cry seemed muffled when it fell from its Poké Ball. Even his Pokémon were frightened.

'Show them, Darkrai! Dark Pulse!'

The darkness emanating from Darkrai missed Bronzong. Byron held up his shovel so it didn't hit him in the face instead. Bronzong locked eyes with Darkrai and sent it to sleep with Hypnosis. While Asato sprayed one of the Full Heals he bought that morning, Byron withdrew Bronzong and sent out Steelix.

'Darkrai, use Dark Pulse!'

Darkrai seemed surprised by its own strength when Steelix crashed to the trembling floor. It was too sturdy to be knocked out in one hit. It curled up and rolled at Darkrai, crushing it under Gyro Ball. Darkrai fainted. Asato sent out Infernape. He wanted to ensure Darkrai felt welcome, but he also wanted to share the Gym battle with his first Pokémon. Infernape beat Steelix in Close Combat until it fainted. Byron sent Bronzong back out. Infernape cloaked itself in flames and charged. Flare Blitz left Bronzong burned. Infernape dodged Hypnosis and charged at Bronzong again. It fainted. Byron sent out Magnezone. Its steel body was dented by the beating from Close Combat, but its Sturdy Ability allowed it to take the hit. It paralysed Infernape with Thunder Wave. Then, as it struggled to move, Magnezone let loose screeching Supersonic that confused it. Infernape punched itself in the face. Magnezone zapped it with Thunderbolt until it fainted.

Asato sent out Staraptor. Magnezone was barely conscious, so although Aerial Ace was ineffective, it took it out. Byron sent out his last Pokémon, Bastiodon.

'Oh, I see! You've got me down to my last Pokémon! But we're not done yet. This is where we make a comeback!'

Staraptor battered Bastiodon from all angles in Close Combat. Despite Byron's proclamation, it was only protected from a one-hit KO by Sturdy. It hurled rocks at Staraptor, knocking it to the floor. Byron sprayed a Max Potion. Sturdy was restored to protect Bastiodon from another one-hit KO, but it didn't help. Staraptor only knocked it out on the next turn.

'My sturdy Pokémon, defeated... but we can still say we defeated a mythical Pokémon! Gwahahahaha! I must say, though, that I owe Darkrai an apology. It was wrong of me to fear it! It's a Pokémon, just like mine. And I can see it's already your friend! In recognition of your power and as thanks for waking Canalave City up from its nightmare, I give you this: the Mine Badge!'

Asato grinned as he held it up so the fluorescent light strips brought out its blue and bronze gleam.

'Thanks! And thanks for apologising to Darkrai! They are a Pokémon, after all. And you must love Pokémon as much as I do to be a Gym Leader.'

'I do, but I also love seeing tough new Trainers cropping up to challenge everything we adults think we know. I hope you'll accept a challenge from my son, Roark, one day!'