X-locke (a Pokemon X nuzlocke)

Chapter 15

Rachel just stared at the gym.

"What am I looking at?" Katie asked, paws pointing to the skating rink.
Yong then popped out of his pokeball and explained. "Gyms have different shapes. I used to come here to visit my friend, Courage."

"Hey, we know him! Maybe you guys can talk after the battle," Rachel told the Sawk. They then strode confidently into the gym. Yong and Gemmeni took out the gym trainers since they weren't weak to Fighting-type moves. Rachel and Katie then walked to the gym center, a gold pokeball ring. Korrina arrived and skated in circles.

"Welcome to my gym Rachel, I hope you're ready for a showdown!" she shouted, calling out her first pokemon, Mienfoo.

"Go, Aura! Be very careful!" Rachel added, calling her Meowstic, aware of fighting type's ability to use dark type moves. Rachel then pulled out a small plushie.
"Hopefully my good luck charm works," Rachel muttered. The plushie was a snow-white Eevee with a red band on its left front paw.

Aura fired a one shot Psychic at the kung fu Unovan pokemon, which then went back into it's pokeball in an instant. Rachel noticed the next pokemon was one she had seen on the way to Geosenge town, a flying bird with a masked face and red markings.
"That's a Hawlucha, it's Fighting-Flying and packs a mean Flying Press!" Aura chimed in before returning to her pokeball.

"OK then. Go Shelly!" Rachel summoned her Blastoise, who landed with a bang.

"That Wartortle evolved? Nice job! Oh, Hawlucha, use Flying Press!" Korrina commanded her pokemon, jumped on Shelly's back, making her wince. The water-blasting turtle then yanked him off her back.

"Shelly, use Water Pledge!" Rachel told Shelly, who slashed the Luchador bird at point-blank range.

"Hawlucha, use Low Sweep!" Korrina yelled. Hawlucha then kicked Shelly's leg, making her fall. Rachel called her back before Shelly hit the ground.
"How come you did that Rach? Shelly's the highest leveled Pokemon on the team," Katie asked, prodding Rachel's side.

"She would've been really hurt if she fell. Better safe than sorry," Rachel told Katie, patting the cat's head. She then called out Gemmeni. His eyes glittered with excitement.

"Gemmeni, use Dazzling Gleam!" Rachel told Gemmeni. "Ghost or Dark won't work at all, so please?" she added, giving kitten eyes to the Sableye, who nodded and hit the Hawlucha mid-flight. It immediately fainted.

"Alright Hawlucha, return! Go Courage!" Korrina called out her Lucario, who grinned as he saw his next opponent.

"Do you have what it takes, young grasshopper?" Courage asked his foe.

"Oh, yeah, make fun of the Grass/Fighting type, real funny," Hardy whined, his tail swishing back and forth.

"Use Focus Blast, Hardy!" Rachel told her starter, who fired the blue pulse and blasted a one-shot to Courage, Korrina called him back and then sighed.

"Good job, Rachel! By the way, can I see you on the top of the Tower of Mastery?" She asked Rachel, handing her the badge.

"Sure! And nice Hawlucha! Wait, Yong said you had a Machoke," Rachel told Korrina.

"Well you're a special case, and I didn't know Yong got himself a trainer. He's a solitary pokemon, though he used to be one of the Gym's."

"How come he left?" Rachel asked, eyes curious. But Korrina didn't answer and left.
"We'll find out at the Tower, I guess," Katie mewed.

The walk was short. Rachel hummed a song as she entered the tower. She noticed the gate to the top was open and she went in. While walking up the staircases she noticed some pictures on the wall, but sped right up to the top. Korrina was waiting on the balcony, Courage and her other Lucario there as well. Yong came out of his pokeball and sighed.

"You're going to tell her my backstory, right?" Yong asked Korrina, who turned around.
"Yes, well - you didn't ever want a trainer after..." she then trailed off and turned to Rachel.

"It's a long story," Korrina began.

---------------------------(Exposition line alert! Recap at end of line don't worry)----------------------------

"It all began several months ago," Yong continued, looking out at the sky and sea.

Yong was a powerful pokemon at the gym. His best friend was a Riolu named Ruby, who loved all kinds of gems, and enjoyed collecting stones. One day Yong and Ruby were stone hunting and Ruby found an odd stone. Suddenly, trainers with orange suits came and demanded the stone, which was a mega stone for Gyarados. Yong and Ruby refused to hand it over, not trusting the strangers. One of the trainers called out a Murkrow. Ruby fired a thunder punch but then the Murkrow tore his side open, Ruby's blood red like his namesake. Yong dropped the stone and took Ruby to the pokemon center. Ruby died four days later. Yong had brought some of Ruby's stones with him for him to play with and Ruby's spirit went into the stones, leaving his body behind. Ruby then became a Sableye. The first thing Ruby asked was Yong's name. Yong realized that Ruby's memories were gone, but he still cared for Ruby. Yong then asked to leave the gym so he could protect Ruby, even though his friend's memories were gone. Ruby changed his name and Yong lived in the cave. He often visited, but Ruby never came. Yong told us Ruby's new name was Gemmeni, and promised that he would try to bring Ruby's memories back. He hoped to someday find a trainer for himself and Gemmeni and make sure the Murkrow and his trainer would pay.

--------------------------------(Backstory end of Exposition people)----------------------------------------------

"So Yong was a gym pokemon with his Riolu friend Ruby, who died due to a orange-suit-wearing person and his Murkrow, became Gemmeni, and left?" Rachel repeated the story, aghast.

"It's a sad tale, but we wanted to let you know," Courage told Rachel. Then Lily popped out of her pokeball.
"Orange wearing... That must be Team Flare!" Lily exclaimed. Everyone nodded, recognizing the identity of the perpetrators of Ruby's death at long last.

"Rachel, it may be a lot to ask, but next time you see Team Flare... crush them," Yong demanded.

"Hang on, what else did you want to do on the roof? Flashback time isn't fun," Katie complained, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Courage has sensed a good aura in you. He stayed at my gym because he had a vision that he'd find a trainer who'd lead him to his destiny, and that was you Rachel," Korrina explained. Katie and Lily's jaw opened, Yong's eyes went wide, Rachel then started stuttering.

"Me? But I'm just one more anonymous trainer from another region!" Rachel gasped, eyes wide.
"It is not of origin or rank, but spirit. Please allow me to help you on your journey and find my true purpose," Courage explained to Rachel, who nodded.

"Ok then, welcome to the team for now Courage. I'll do my best to live up to your expectations," Rachel told the Lucario, who then held his pokeball, handed it to Rachel, and returned to it.

"Have fun Courage, good luck!" Korrina added and her other Lucario waved.

"Bye Korrina!" Rachel and Katie waved back. It seems Courage's destiny was traveling with Rachel and her team. But for how long?