Bridging The Gap; The Final Records In Unova: An Autobiography

Poison On The Stage

Where's Courtney? I wondered, looking around as I moved through the thick, frozen crowd. And June. We gotta get out of this place. This Gym is a madhouse full of animals.

"That kid's got some genuine rocker attitude!" I heard Billy Jo say through her microphone.

"Yeah! I know what ya mean, Billy Jo," Roxie giggled. "Hey, Gary! Wait a sec!"

I stopped and turned to her, the serious look on my face being amplified by the two huge screens high on the wall. What do you want?

"I don't usually do this, but you've taken me by surprise by your determination," Roxie smirked smugly, the screen on the right now on her face while the left screen stayed on mine. "I like you. I'll battle you this one time, two-on-two, for the Toxic Badge. But, if you lose, our next battles will have to be by my rules. That clear?"

My face lost its serious stance and turned to shock. "Really?" I called up to her.

"Take it or leave it," Roxie winked. "This is your only opportunity. Challengers rarely beat me. When they lose to me, they often times don't return again. But I've never had a challenger so strong in their beliefs that they're willing to pass up on a Badge like you! It's so punk!"

"Thanks...?" I replied uncertainly.

"Well, get on up here!" Roxie urged excitedly.

Instead of moving towards the stage, I jumped in surprise as the crowd around me erupted into loud cheers and chanting.

"GA-RY! GA-RY! GA-RY! GA-RY! GA-RY! GA-RY! GA-RY!" The entire crowd then swarmed at me and gripped me tightly with their hands, hoisting me into the air.

"Hey! Come on! I can walk!" I was crowd surfing my way to the stage, and in the next moment, I was tossed, landing on my back a few feet away from Roxie. Standing up, I dusted off my clothes and shot the cheering crowd a dirty look.

"Garbodor, come back!" Roxie returned her Pokemon. "I'm gonna go with this one for the start of our battle, Gary! Go! BANG! ZOOM!" She threw her Poke Ball.

"Amoooooonguss!!" The Pokemon bounced on the ground, taking up the right screen.

"She has an Amoonguss," I whispered. I looked up at Roxie and nodded, backing away from her to my position on the battlefield. A Grass and Poison type, I reminded myself. Excadrill would be great for this match. He can resist Poison type moves. Elgyem's also a great pick, with his Psychic types moves, but is he strong enough to take on her Pokemon? Dugtrio's also got a type advantage, but is he my best choice? Roxie just completely embarrassed Courtney with one Pokemon. I'm gonna need the very best Pokemon I own. The most durable. The hardest hitters.

"Yo, dude!" Roxie called impatiently. "Are you gonna choose a Pokemon or what?"

"Maybe the Kanto kid isn't as punk as I thought," Billy Jo smiled snottily at me.

"I'm just thinking!" I yelled at them. "Geez!" I looked down at my belt. Unfezant... Or... I furrowed my eyebrows and quickly grabbed a Poke Ball and enlarged it. "Alright! Let's get it started! Excadrill, I choose you!" I threw his Poke Ball.

"Excadriiiiiilllll!!" Excadrill exclaimed, raising his claws into the air. "Drill? Excadrill!" Excadrill looked around in surprise at the cheering crowd before him. "Excadrill?" He turned to Amoonguss but noticed his body on the left screen and blinked at himself with a couple of wide-eyed blinks before returning to Amoonguss and giving it a serious glare, extending his claws at it threateningly. "Driiiiiiiiiill!!"

"A Steel type, huh? Ha! You think you're gonna beat me by using a type that's immune to Poison moves?"

"I expect you to be more than able to defend yourself adequately, Roxie," I snapped, not liking her attitude.