Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 58: Pastoria Gym, Crasher Wake

"Crasher Wake was a hardened man. Hardened by years at sea, and years wrestling in the ring as a masked wrestler. No one ever saw his face—and anyone who ever had in his youth couldn't remember what it looked like. Many were convinced Crasher Wake didn't have a face, and he wore the mask as a permanent part of his skin, or that the mask covered disfigurements, and his real face had been ruined in a fight years ago. Some others even believed that Crasher Wake had sewn the mask to his face and promised to never rip it off until he had tasted defeat in the ring. Whatever the truth was, Crasher Wake wore a mask, and he was tough—those two are the only truths in the sea of fables."

Sam and Wake squared off.

They had skipped the formalities before the battle. Crasher Wake didn't say much. He was quiet, cunning, and watched his opponents' every move.

He preferred to wait, and counter strike against whatever his enemy threw at him.

Sam figured he would battle the same way he fought in the ring.

Sam had only been at this Gym for five minutes—the battle had already started not too long ago—but things were taken slowly here.

Sam and Wake stared at each other.

Their Pokémon, Sam's Luxray and Wake's Gyarados, also stared at each other.

Gyarados, half submerged in the water like some massive sea dragon. While Luxray waited, perched atop the tiled pieces of dry land scattered across the Gym.

Then, suddenly, Crasher Wake called out. "Gyarados! Waterfall!"

Sam was not prepared for the torrent of water Gyarados sprayed as it charged towards Luxray. Waterfall was faster than Sam had expected—no doubt Crasher Wake had trained Gyarados to move faster than most Pokémon normally did.

But Sam wasn't backing down just yet.

"Luxray, stand your ground!" cried Sam, "Hold!"

Niya looked at Alyssandra. "What the hell is he thinking?"

Alyssandra shrugged. "That's a new one to me," replied Alyssandra, who had trained with Sam on their way into the city. "Whatever Sam's planning though, he's probably got an ace up his sleeve. He would never leave his Pokémon in danger like that."

Niya nodded. "Yeah, you're right I suppose. I just hope he knows what he's doing."

"Come on, this is Sam we're talking about," laughed Jeremy, "You should know better than that."

"I know...I just worry," sighed Niya, "If he beats Crasher Wake that means he's going to challenge my Aunt Fantina next. She's going to spend that entire battle scrutinizing not just Sam, but me, because I taught Sam. She's going to spend the whole battle nit-picking every little mistake I made while training him."

"You make it sound like you'll be fighting Fantina," noted Alyssandra.

"In a way, I will be," replied Niya with a shrug.

Jeremy smirked. "You worry too much. Sam's not totally talentless, you know. Have some faith in him—and in yourself!"

Meanwhile, Sam had dealt with his Gyarados problem. As the giant Pokémon neared Luxray, Luxray jumped and landed on Gyarados's back, and latched its teeth down onto the Pokémon's spine.

Gyarados let out a roar as it rampaged across the stadium.

Sam merely had Luxray unleash a devastating Thunder Fang which instantly caused the Gyarados to howl and thrash louder.