A Pokemon Tale, Part II: The Rise of Team Rocket

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Charizard

 

Saffron City-

            The air was still inside the Dome of Saffron City.  Across the rooftop, Red tried to catch Green’s eye but all he got back was a strange blank stare.  Red’s green mantis, Scyther, stood in a stance with sword arms raised in preparation for any movement to come from Green’s orange winged lizard.

Charizard, Red began to read from his Pokedex, the Flame Pokémon.  It possesses a savage strength as well as elite speed to demolish its foes.  The fire it breaths is hot enough to melt solid rock.  Red felt a bead of sweat on his temple. 

Charizard flapped its wings lightly from across the roof, and Red could feel the air rush past him.  Scyther crouched down ready to spring.

“It ends here,” said Green.  “Go.” 

In an instant, Charizard flew at Scyther and snapped its fierce jaws.  Scyther leapt and hovered away, but the orange dragon turned its head and sprayed a blast of fire which narrowly missed Red’s Pokémon.  The green mantis dove back down, spinning its arms ferociously.  Charizard stood unflinching, and caught the bug Pokémon’s sword arms in its three-clawed hands. 

Scyther was completely out of its league, it couldn’t hover away from the monster.  A glint of satisfaction could be seen in Charizard’s eyes as it slammed Scyther onto the rooftop.  Charizard took to the sky as Scyther lay shaking, struggling to move on the ground.  The lizard let out a terrible roar and reared its head back.  The gigantic river of flame coming from its mouth seemed was enough to make Red cover his face from fifty feet away, the heat alone was unbearable. 

Scyther was a quick learner, though.  Even if it had not practiced the technique, it was able to emulate Venomoth’s Double-team technique, if only to make one copy.   Red peered through his fingers just in time to see the real Scyther escape the flames, while the illusion was lost to the blinding light and heat of the flame.

A smoke pillar drifted upwards towards the top of the dome, and visibility was limited.  Charizard dropped out of the sky and landed on is large legs with a crash that shook the rooftop.  It beat its wings, gusting up a wind that cleared the smoke away, it grunted in a rage as it realized its target had escaped the inferno. 

“NOW, SCYTHER!” Red yelled as Charizard scanned the area, looking for the Mantis Pokémon.  It was too late, and Scyther plunged headfirst out of the smoke pillar and slashed at Charizard’s wings.  Green’s Pokémon turned to find it at the last second however, and only the right wing was struck.  The blow was enough to make the frail wing go limp, and Scyther planted its sword arm on the ground and kicked at Charizard’s belly to regain some distance.  The flame on the dragon’s tail blazed even larger now, and its eyes seemed a fire.

“A poor move,” Green said, still in the strange monotone voice.  “Charizard was just playing before, but now you’ve woken the dragon.”

Red couldn’t believe how fast Charizard moved after that.  Even without its wings, the sheer power in its legs was enough to propel the dragon towards Scyther at a speed that Red’s eyes couldn’t even see.  Scyther tried to leap over its head, but Charizard caught its foot in its mouth and clamped down. 

Scyther shrieked as the dragon shook the green mantis from side to side, like a dog with its favorite chew toy.  Charizard tossed Scyther, limp as a rag doll, straight up in the air and barbecued it with a bright Flamethrower attack that seemed to make the Dome around Saffron City darker.  A charred, blacked Scyther was caught by the sword arm by Charizard, who threw it back at Red’s feet.  It snorted a puff of smoke from its snout.