Man of my Word (Pokémon Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

"It... Can't be..." I backed up a bit "The Fossil Guy?!"

The brown haired man chuckled, "That's right. When I met you in Pewter City..." She stepped into the light, his emerald green gaze hardly staring at me, "I was the Viridian Gym Leader." He chuckled again, his evil smirk widening just a tad, "From now on, you can call me Giovanni! You've clashed with Team Rocket many times. Now you have the honor of meeting its Leader!"

My hand flew to my Pokéballs, "So that time before... You were testing me?!" I yelled.

Giovanni snorted, "Something like that."

I took another step back, 'Ok. Gotta stay calm... My opponent is the Leader of the most evil organization in the world! I can't let my guard down for a second!' I glanced around the room, 'Are we the only two in the Gym?! Nah... He's got to have his underlings somewhere around here! So do I strike first? Or is that suicide?'

Then Giovanni spoke, "I see you are wondering how many of your enemies are in the building. You're trying to assess how powerful I am..."

'How did he know?!' I thought.

"And you're debating wether it would be wise to strike first." Giovanni turned his back to me, "Don't worry. There's no one here but you and me. I have no reason to lie. And not only that..." He scattered his Pokéballs on the ground behind him, catching me by surprise.

"I'm even unarmed... You have me at quite a disadvantage... Heh." He glanced back at me, "Now. Come and get me with all you've got."

I tightened my fists and growled, "You..." I grabbed a Pokéball, "... Wouldn't happen to be making fun of me, would you?!" My Poliwrath sprang of the Pokéball and sent a DynamicPunch attack at Giovanni, but he disappeared! His figure was replaced by a Cloyster, who shot Poliwrath with ice beam, flinging him backwards!

"What... Just... Happened...?!" I said.

Then I heard Giovanni's voice behind me, "It took one second for you to grab your Pokéball."

I turned around to face Giovanni, who continued, "By the time you thew it, another second had passed." He returned his Cloyster to its Pokéball, "Three seconds had elapsed by the time Poliwrath had left the ball and began attacking. It was more than enough time to reach the Pokéballs on the floor and launch a counter-attack... For me, at least." He chuckled, "Most people seem to think that the mark of good trainers is simply their commands of Pokémon. But the trainer's own Power, Skill, and Speed is just as essential." He sighed, "It's a shame Red... It really is."

I growled, "You dissn' me?"

"Don't miss understand." He chuckled.

"Huh?" I tilted my head. What was Giovanni playing at?

"There was nothing shameful about your attack. What's a shame is that you're not on MY side. I could use a trainer with your stubbornness, your explosive energy, your empathy for Pokémon..." He shook his head, "I heard about your battles with my captains. At first I thought nothing of them. But when I kept hearing of the same young man scoring victory after victory..." He trailed off with a chuckle.

I stepped back a bit, "You think I'd actually join YOU?!" I exclaimed.

Giovanni shook his head again, "No. I actually don't. Your independence and honor are among the traits I admire in you. So... How about a bet?"

I perked an eyebrow, "I'm listening."

"As you can see, my Pokémon are on the floor and far away from me. It would take six seconds for me to seize one and attack." He gestured at the Pokéballs on the floor, "On the other hand, you have five Pokémon still at your side. If you can win under these conditions, I won't pressure you. I'll accept your decision. However if I win, you will spend the rest of your life battling for me at my side."

I was silent.

"Well? Does your silence signify assent? Or are you just afraid?" He taunted me.

That got on my nerves, "Afraid?!! I don't think so! I accept your challenge, but only if it's a fair fight!" I growled, scattering my Pokéballs on the ground in front of me.

Giovanni chuckled slyly, "That's what I look for in a Lieutenant! A fair fight means.. My best against your best!" He sent out his Nidoqueen, and I sent out my Snorlax.

"MegaPunch!" I yelled, "I beat you Giovanni!"

Snorlax punched at Nidoqueen, only to get thrown across the room!

"What the-?!" I gasped.

"Red. You're fast alright. But a great trainer knows when to let his opponent strike first, so as to use his speed against him." Giovanni sent out his Golem, "I beat you with my speed before- now I'll bet you with your own! Pay attention! Learn something!" The Golem started bouncing around the room like a PingPong Ball, smashing into me a couple times!

"Gaah!" I yelled.

Giovanni let out a sinister sounding laugh, "What's your next move Red?"

"Sh-Shoot!" I yelled as the Rock Pokémon smashed into Poliwrath.

'Dont panic! Think!!' I yelled at myself mentally, 'Golem is like some kind if projectile ball! It keeps bouncing like a PingPong Ball, trying to hone in on the spot where my next Pokémon's gonna appear! What if I don't send out another Pokémon?!'

Giovanni's patience was running short, I could tell, "Golem! Attack!" He yelled.

"If I just let it keep on bouncing, Golem's gonna get sick of searching... And was for the hole in the wall!" I grinned, "An the second It does- Snorlax!" The giant Pokémon stood up, "HeadButt!" I commanded.

He nodded and rammed his head into the bouncing Golem, causing it to crack a little, "How's that for a hard head?!" I taunted Giovanni.

But Giovanni was calm, "How sad. Golem's crumbling. Too bad. It's best attack involves shattering!" Large chunks of rock came off of Golem.

I gasped, "Snorlax! Look out for the-"

Too late!

"Rock Throw!" Giovanni commanded.

"N-No!" I stuttered.

"And now..." Giovanni pointed to the sky, "Explosion!"

The Golem blew up, knocking out Snorlax.

"S-Snorlax!" I exclaimed.

Then I felt something sharp poke at my neck, "Too late Red. It's over. One move and Beedrill drills you." Giovanni had his Beedrill out, it's sword like arm up against my throat.

"The moment you picked Snorlax, I chose Explosion for my final attack. But Explosion can't be used indoors. Which is why I let the fight move outside. I told you youse learn from me!" Giovanni's smirk grew bigger, "Now... Don't you think it's about time to give up?" He backed me up against a wall, "Well Red?"

I felt something under my foot and put a little weight on it. I guess it was a Pokéball, since Aerodactyl was sent out behind me, "It's time for YOU to give in!" I yelled at the ancient Pokémon lifted me int the air, away from Beedrill, "This battle's not over yet! HyperBeam!" I yelled.

The Fossil Pokémon blasted Beedrill with HyperBeam, causing smoke to go up.

"Did we win?" I questioned myself.

But when the smoke cleared, they were gone, a hole replacing where my enemy had been standing!

"No way!" I exclaimed. We landed on the ground, when everything started to shake, "EarthQuake! The Gym's gonna collapse!" I yelled. Then I noticed that a huge piece of the ceiling was gonna fall on Poliwrath, "No! P-Poli-" I jumped over his fainted body, getting hit with the falling rubble! Sheer pain shot through my back, and I howled in agony! But I managed to drag us out of the collapsed building.

Blood covered my body, and I ached all over. I swear there wasn't a part of me at the time that wasn't ether cut or bruised!

A shadow cast over us, and I looked up at Giovanni, "You did well Red. But you lost."

I tried to stand up, but I collapsed on the ground, and passed out!