Underdog (Pokémon Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

               I faced Falkner with a cold stare. I wasn’t afraid of him anymore- just furious at what he’d become. I clenched my fist. “I don’t care anymore, Falkner. I’m not stupid enough to think you’ll actually ask mom and dad to forgive me. And I doubt you’ll reveal yourself to the world, either. But I’m going to fight you anyways.”

               “Oh, you are, are you?” Falkner chuckled. “Let me guess- you’re going to beat me and vanquish the evil? Listen, little brother. It doesn’t work that way in the real world. If you beat me in a Pokémon battle, the only thing that’ll be wounded is my pride. If you kill me, there are plenty of others to take my place.”

               I smirked. “What happened to being so self-important?”

               Falkner chuckled. “I’m not here just for the power. I’m here to be someone who is cared about, even temporarily.”

               I didn’t bother to decipher what that meant. “Well, I’m not here to ‘vanquish the evil.’ I can’t take on Team Rocket by myself. I’m just going to prove that it can be done. If a fifteen year old brat can beat you, who’s to say the rest of the world working together can’t get rid of Team Rocket?”

               “What if I silence you to prevent that from happening?”

               “You won’t.”

               Falkner smirked, almost as if he was pleased. “It’s a shame you aren’t on our side. As much I despise you, I praise your bravery.” He released his prized Pidgeot from the Pokéball.

               “I’ll take that as a compliment.” I studied the Pidgeot. “One on one battle. Gigi versus your Pidgeot. If I win, you leave me the hell alone for the rest of my life. If I lose, count me a part of Team Rocket.”

               “A heavy bet there, little brother.” Falkner tilted his head. “And what happened to not trusting me to keep my promises?”

               I stared at him evenly. “You won’t go back on this one. I know you.”

               “Fair deal.” Falkner nodded at the Pidgeot. “Use gust!”

               Gigi glanced at me and leapt into the air, hardly being buffeted by the attack, and hit the bird across the head with a pound attack. Squawking, Falkner’s Pidgeot did a nose dive to avoid being hit again as Gigi fell from the air, landing perfectly. When did my Pokémon become a ninja?

               “Wing attack,” Falkner said calmly. The Pidgeot changed course in the air, veering back up and slashing Gigi with its wings. I took a deep breath. There was no going back now.

               “Sing!”

  *

               The battle was a blur. Gigi swung, the Pidgeot flew at her, and they attacked. I hardly had to order moves; Gigi could practically read my mind. It wasn’t like before, when she would go at her opponent without command just to annoy me. This time she was in sync with me, and we were winning because of it. The little normal type shouldn’t have been able to beat Falkner’s well-trained Pidgeot of ten years, but she did. “Gigi, finish this up with copycat!”

               Narrowing her eyes, Gigi replicated Falkner’s last move- peck. It looked hilarious as usual, but I didn’t laugh. I simply watched while my Igglybuff used the attack on Pidgeot.