I Sting (Pokemon Poison Type Specialist)

Chapter 104

Virah watched in both worry and hope as Grene entered the arena, the announcer called her name, giving out her specialty and the last win she managed to eek out against Warly.

It was professional and the martial artist was introduced to the stage in a fitting display of hype and fervor that seeped into the crowd as they started to cheer.

The excitement was palpable, and Virah felt the atmosphere thicken as people talked about a Fighting Type mirror match.

Then, everything erupted once Chuck came into the stage, the man had a large gut, though that was more of an indication to the fact that he's a weight lifter than any proper body builder, and in a test of strength, Virah didn't doubt that Chuck would be the one to come out on top.

The introduction for the gym leader had the same intense and fervorous tone as Grene's but it was in the crowd that made the true difference.

The people went wild at Chuck's arrival and stomping started to echo across the stadium.

Right next to her, Whitney giggled nervously as she pressed at the floor of the stands with her foot, "I- will this thing hold?"

"It should if people are this carefree at stomping on it," Virah nodded glumly, they were probably going to be fine even if the stage fell, being Aura users and all.

'Probably,' Virah thought in paranoia as she started to circulate her Aura.

As it turns out, her worries were pointless as the thumping soon died down. Up front, Chuck reached out towards Grene, a PokeBall between his palms, the gym leader had positioned himself like a sumo wrestler, with his legs spread wide and his stance low.

"You think your fighting prowess is better than mine little girl?" Chuck challenged.

Grene, met it head on, she did a simple pose where she raised one leg high in the air, from Virah's standpoint, she was able to see that the heel of her friend's foot was at the exact same spot as Chuck's forehead.

"Taekwando?" Someone from behind Virah asked, "she's good,"

"Mhmm." Another said, "look at where her foot is, it's in the exact same height as Chuck's head,"

A chuckle, "yeah, but our gym leader has his stance lowered, that's not really a big deal,"

Virah thought that retort made sense and she decided to tune them both out to watch between Grene and Chuck unfold.

The announcer called the battle to start and Grene slammed her foot down, she used the momentum for speed as she guided her body to move into a toss.

Like a jolt of electricity running through copper strands, the momentum and strength from her slam moved upward from her legs to her hips as she tilted them rightward, it moved up to her shoulders as they loosened and tensed, nudging the traveling momentum to her arms that sprung upward like a catapult, throwing the Pokeball high in the air and releasing Hollie.

The Machop roared her name as she manifested into the field, her muscles bulging as she flexed them.

Chuck laughed and threw the Pokeball in his hand, sending out a Mankey that started bouncing up and down in furious ferocity.

The two Fighting Types faced each other down, one scowling in calm fury, like the ocean before the storm, the other a face full of anger, fuming like a tornado that has unleashed itself on a town.

"What do you think Chuck's other Pokemon are?" Virah asked Whitney as she watched a stalemate form between Chuck and Grene.

"Probably a Machop if he has one, maybe a Primeape as his ace?" Whitney shrugged, "it's not like he has a lot of choices when it comes to his type of choice,"

'Making him predictable,' Virah thought in conclusion as she focused back on the fight.

The battle finally started once Grene called out to Hollie, ordering her to use Rock Tomb, which the Machop did with too much glee.

Hollie slammed her foot on the ground, tossing a small boulder from the ground, she caught the large rock by slamming both her hands on either side of its circular shape, once it was firmly within her grasp, her body glowed a thick brown.

The boulder, now pumped with Rock Type energy, started to grow, once it was eight times the size of Virah's head, the Machop raised both her hands high and with a grunt, tossed it high into the air.

'3 seconds to execute the move,' Virah mentally noted for her future encounter with Chuck's own Machop, who would undoubtedly have a coverage move for Flying Types.

Jet had Aerial Ace, and if she mixed that move with Quick Attack, she would be able to land a hit on the Machop way before it could use Rock Tomb.

The boulder that Hollie threw traveled halfway across the arena, after that it split into several dozen pieces that on top of or around the Mankey, who itself was using Inner Focus in response to Hollie's Rock Tomb.

Physical obstacles in the form of boulders landed on the Mankey's side of the arena, hindering it from moving around as much as it did moments prior.

It allowed Hollie to close in to the Mankey, who, with a screeched, met her Brick Break with its own.

A large shockwave erupted from the force of their palms' collision, it caused the ground beneath their feet to crack and the boulders around them to gain fractures.

The crowd loved it.

"Hollie! Mach Punch!" Grene swiftly ordered.

Both her Pokemon as well as her opponent heard her call and they reacted accordingly, Chuck ordered his Mankey to use Iron Tail to meet the attack head on while Hollie's body turned red, the color shifting around her skin like a Staryu's camouflage before condensing on one of her arms.

Hollie's punch was fast enough to become nothing more than a blurry line that went from her shoulder and down to the Mankey's face.

Hollie pulled her arm back as reality registered, sending the Mankey flying back first towards a boulder, shattering it.

The Mankey got up and wiped the blood off its nose, it sat still, glaring at Hollie.

"So that's what the Inner Focus was for," Virah thoughtfully said, "interesting,"

"And also pointless," Whitney added as the two of them watched the next exchange unfold.

The Mankey charged forward, its agility allowing it to jump from boulder to boulder as though they were the branches its species were so fond of traversing.

"Iron Tail," Chuck ordered, his voice calm.

"Brick Break!" Grene energetically called out.

The two Pokemon clashed with their respective moves, Hollie's palm shot upward to meet the glowing tail that the Mankey was planning on slamming to her head.

Their respective limbs met, and the one that broke was expectedly the one infused with Steel Type Energy.

The Mankey did a backflip with its tail pushing it backward from Hollie's palm, in an expected turn of events, the Mankey was now slowly limping, a growl emanating from its throat.

Hollie did a stance, challenging it, and the Mankey, enraged, bellowed out a roar and dashed forward with all four limbs.

"Mach Punch." Grene serenely ordered, the martial artist knew that there was no way the Mankey could win now, everyone did.

For one last time, Hollie and her opponent exchanged blows, she punched the Mankey with a fist powered by Mach Punch for the second time and sent him flying again, this time however, he didn't get up.

Chuck recalled his Pokemon with a smile, he whispered something to its PokeBall before looking at Grene with a serious look, "so it seems you're actually up for the Challenge,"

Chuck grabbed another Pokeball from the pedestal next to him, "this is my remaining Pokemon for this particular battle, and it is the reason why the tier you chose is considered a "challenge"," Chuck pulled his hand back, "get ready!"

A serious look crossed Grene's face, it kept up even as the Primeape materialized on Chuck's side of the arena.

The crowd started stomping once more, and the noise seemed to have pissed the Fighting Type off because it started screeching and slamming its hand on the floor, it bellowed out a powerful roar while pummeling its chest.

Virah raised an eyebrow, "a full evolution?" She asked out loud, "is that allowed?"

"It's weaker than normal," Whitney explained, "it probably has the same power as only a third badge Pokemon,"

Virah chuckled, "well then, that seems… doable," she replied as she eyed the glaring monkey, "Primeape huh?.."