Story Notes:
Standard Disclaimer: I own the character Jack as well as the plot of this story, Pokemon and other known characters are their respective owners. This story contains sexually explicit content. Go away if you're offended or too young to read such revolting literature.
Chapter 12
"Quick like a fox and sharp as an arrow. Don't try to catch me cause I am a..."
"Spearow," answered Jack.
"Good, good. But how bout this one?"
"Mr. B. I'm really hungry. Could we stop for a few minutes to eat?" asked Jack as politely as he could. He had been answering riddles and questions and Pokémon trivia all day long, and now that the sun was setting he was getting really tired of them. He honestly didn't know just how many riddles one man could keep in his brain, but this old man had hundreds. No, more than hundreds. Hundreds of thousands!
"Well of course! All you had to do was ask!" said the talkative Mr. B. He was only half finished his trail mix stew that Jack had thrown together with a few of the ingredients in his pack when Mr. B. piped up again. "Well would you look at that. Bet you mainlanders don't get to see a sun like that so often do you? That's a sight we locals like to keep to ourselves. And ole Smokey here." He always seemed to refer to Mount Fire as ole Smokey, which despite the obvious familiarity to the mountain that the old man had seemed just odd considering the history behind the thing.
Mount Fire was supposedly the birth place of the Legendary Pokémon Moltres. There wasn't a trainer alive who didn't know of it. The three legendary birds, and their partners, three legendary dogs. And an even more recent discovery, three ancient golems found deep beneath some of the oldest mountains and historical sites in the world. Every area had it's own legacy, and Mount Fire was part of that. Jack, despite his growing fondness of Mr. B. just couldn't call the mountain except by its name.
"So Jack, you never did tell me why you want to climb the volcano. Now seems as good a time as any, since we won't make any more progress tonight."
Mr. B. took a seat he had made out of a rock, really he had just claimed the rock as his own and sat on it, but Jack let him have his way. Jack too put down his bowl as he gathered his thoughts and closed his eyes for a moment as if trying to phrase his response.
"Well, mostly it has to do with this girl I know."
Mr. B. chuckled to himself, "Girl trouble eh? Can't say I've had a whole lot of that kind of excitement lately." The Riolu, who had taken to the old man's friendly nature barked and scratched at his legs. Mr. B. picked up the little dog Pokémon and after stretching her out on his legs scratched her tummy and got another wild set of happy yelps.
Jack only smiled cautiously. "She's got attitude and she's strong-willed and sometimes even a little belligerent. She said I'd never be able to climb the mountain, just like I'd never be a real Pokémon Master."
"And you're gonna prove her wrong, are you?"
"It must sound stupid sounding like that."
"Jack, people have climbed this mountain and lost their lives doing so for far more stupid reasons. If climbing this mountain is all she wants you to do to earn her respect then I'd say you got off pretty easy as women go. At least she's not after you for your money, am I right? Ha!"
Jack could almost join in on the old man's mirth, but then he stopped laughing for a moment and regarded the suddenly shut down teenager.
"That's not the only reason is it?" said Mr. B. more seriously.
"I have to prove to her that I will be the best in the League. Not only that, the Champion."
"Pride then? You watch yourself kiddo. Pride is a mighty dangerous thing to chase after, especially so high up. She'll drag you right to the edge and then tempt you right over."
Jack held his head in both hands, elbows resting on his knees as he sat facing the ground. "Then how can I make her understand? What more can I do for her?"
"Sounds to me like she's not the one that needs convincing anymore," said Mr. B., standing up. "Sounds like she's tipped you just far enough into doubt that you're not really sure what you're capable of any more. You showed me your badges. That means nothing? I said it before, didn't I kiddo? It's no small feat. And here you are, halfway up a mountain. Tell me that's nothing?"
"You're here though, aren't you?"
"Ha!" the old man laughed. "Unlike you, I've still got my freshman's six pack. What've you got under that shirt of yours eh? Kiddo I've been up and down this mountain so many times it'd make your eyes roll back. She's family to me, and I to her. We've got an understanding."
"And that is?"
"I treat her right, and she'll know, and she'll keep me safe along the way. Just like with Pokémon. You can't just do everything yourself. Nor can they do it all for you. There's a balance between trainer and Pokémon, between trainer and master, and master and Pokémon. Each one's different, and each one you'll have to discover by yourself. There's no school for that. And crawling up this mountain ain't gonna make you a better trainer."
There was another long pause before the old man started to speak again. This time his tone was a little softer. "It may be none of my business, but this girl you're talking about. She's a Pokémon, isn't she?"
Jack took one look at him and could only nod.
Mr. B. smiled knowingly and stepped back, taking his seat again. "So. When is a door not a door?"
Jack looked at him skeptically. "What?"
"Another riddle." He threw up his hands and smiled widely. "I love riddles, so sue me. Last one and I'll let you get to sleep." The sun was indeed setting, and the stew was not only cold, but a thick layer of crust was forming over it. "When is a door not a door?"
Jack thought about it only for a moment before dumping the rest of the stew behind a sparse bush; perhaps some Pokémon would come by and have a nice meal later that night.
"I don't know. When?"
"You'll just have to think about it and tell me the answer later then. G'night kiddo. See you in the morning."
Jack regarded the old man as he rolled a sleeping back from his backpack and just slept atop it. He kept the sunglasses on too, Jack noted, and added it to a list of things this old man would do that were crazy.
Jack finished cleaning up and then he too unrolled his sleeping bag and went to sleep. Unlike Mr. B. however, he slept under the roll.
That turned out to be a mistake though, for in the morning Jack woke up in a sweat and had to peel himself out of his soaking sleeping bag like a Butterfree coming out of its Cocoon.
"Ha! Should have warned you. It gets awfully hot up here at night. Best to sleep outside your covers. That won't come out at the wash, let me tell you." Mr. B. was already awake and stretching. The sun had just risen and was peeking at them from behind a high rising cliff face along the eastern edge of the mountain. Jack was still in shadow and wondered for a moment why he was so warm until he put his first hand on solid ground and felt the heat emanating from the rock beneath him. It was a volcano after all, he said to himself.
"How much longer to the top?" he asked.
"We'll be there by afternoon if we leave now. But you may want a bit of water to get going or you'll be awfully thirsty before long."
Jack looked at his own water sac, which was empty from the previous day and called out Maya, who stood up and stretched wide in the morning rays. She got on her hands and knees for Riolu, who happily greeted the water Pokémon and they each beeped each other's nose and giggled playfully before Jack smiled and knelt down in front of her.
"Hey there Maya."
"Good morning Jack. Goodness you look soaked. Where are we?"
"We're about halfway up Mount Fire, see?" Jack pointed out over the edge of the plateau they had camped on and watched as Vaporeon's expression changed from wonder to amazement to one of anxiety.
"Wow, we're really high up, aren't we? Jack, you know you don't really have to do this climb, right? I'm sure she was just joking." Mr. B. smiled to himself knowingly.
"I'm as good as my word. And I said I would climb Mount Fire, so that's what I'm going to do. And it's gonna be rough, so I kinda need a refill of water. Would you?" he bashfully held up his empty water sac and she gracefully took it and filled it up for him.
"I can fill yours up too sir, if you need it," she said to the old man.
"Well don't mind if I do young lady. Any chance to share an indirect kiss with such a beauty."
Maya blushed heavily at that and Jack whispered in her ear, "Don't take him too seriously Maya, he's just a little off."
"My hearing's not though kiddo. Ha! Thank you darling. Maya was it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon enough. Just don't be too bashful on your next visit, you hear?"
"Yes, sir." She bowed and motioned that she could be sent back into her Pokéball. But before Jack took her back she said to the old man, "See him safely to the top sir. It would mean a lot to all of us."
The old man smiled a toothy smile at Maya. "Don't you worry darling. He'll be right as rain at the top. You can bet on it. Not that I've seen much rain here though, ha!"
Maya smiled and then waved to Jack as she disappeared into her Pokéball.
"Sweet kid, that one. You're a lucky man. And this water's as fresh as I've ever tasted. We'll make it safe and sound and you can go into the arms of that one by the evening if you want. Lucky son-of-a-gun."
Jack only smiled at the man and led the way for a while before the path forked upwards in two directions and Mr. B. took over instead. They walked for several hours and stopped only to rest and take something to eat. By this time they had wound themselves up the side of the mountain on all sides through a trail that wove its way through steep canyons, perilous drops and thin mountain trails that scaled up sheer walls of rock. But they never stopped the trek, and Jack even felt himself getting more and more invigorated by the climb, watching as the town below got smaller and smaller and the sight of the sea stretching out farther and farther seemed to become deeper and bluer than he could ever have imagined.
When finally they reached the top, or at least as high as Mr. B. pointed out they could go, Jack stopped and took one last swig of his water and gasped, pouring a bit over his burning skin and wiping his face with it.
"And here we are kiddo. The top of Mount Fire." Mr. B. pointed out over the side of the path they had just walked up and smiled at the sight. The town was but a spec of buildings sparsely spread apart on an otherwise unremarkable landscape from so high up. And despite the lack of clouds, the perpetual ring of smoke around the mountain cut off some of the view of the sky. Then Jack turned the other way and saw something he didn't expect. A ring was carved into the rock of the plateau, and two boxes were carved in at either end of the ring. It was a Pokémon battle ground and a sign was set up, leaning to one side, with red fiery letters etched into its wooden frame. "Cinnabar Gym."
"This is the gym? The Cinnabar Gym? I'm here? But what about?"
"The town? Ha! That one burned down ages ago. Some accident with a Pokémon exploding or something. Either way, I'd be very interested in seeing you battle Jack. And I accept your challenge, as Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island."
Jack's mouth hung agape and his eyes wide with surprise. "Then you're?"
"Blaine's the name. Yep, that's me kiddo. I told you I come up here often didn't I? I've got a sharp memory if I do recall. Ha! You're more surprised than normal, but I guess that's expected. You didn't really connect the whole volcano climbing test with a Gym battle did you? Well just how was I gonna weed out the nincompoops that challenged me back at the old building? Nah. The real Gym is right here, right where I originally intended it to be. Back in my prime Pokémon trainers from all over took this challenge just to face me to wear my badge. And only a few were able to do it. But ever since that darned Pokétech Company started giving out HMs to trainers for free, they all just flew up the mountain and defeated the whole purpose. No, I come up here to remind myself of what a true Pokémon Trainer went through to earn my badge. And you Jack, are the first in a long while that had come for it."
Jack was still stunned by both the revelation and the explanation. Then Blaine took his spot at one end of the ring and waved for Jack to take his. In a stupor, Jack moved himself into position as Blaine explained the terms of this contest.
"I don't play by standard rules of the League, Jack. I like single combat and so to earn my badge, you choose only a single Pokémon to fight. If you can't best my Pokémon in one-on-one combat, then you will never become the trainer your Pokémon wants you to be. So now, make your choice. Infernape. Show yourself!"
Blaine cast his Pokémon into the ring and out stood a spindly ape Pokémon with blazing fire for hair and red and white armor on its legs and hands. Jack knew exactly how to do this, but as he reached for Maya's Pokéball he remembered Blaine telling her that he'd see her again soon and moved his hand away from her Pokéball. Blaine expected him to take the easy win, but with a Pokémon like Infernape, he was likely prepared for the sight of a water Pokémon, as such a blatant weakness to water would likely warrant.
"Laura, come out!" called Jack, his Lopunny forming on the ring and stretching upwards on her tip toes and flipping her long fluffy ears out behind her, taking a fighting pose.
"Well, that I did not expect Jack. Let's see just how well your Pokémon can fight an old man like me. Begin!"
With that both Pokémon took off at each other, locking gazes and hands in a classic wrestling pose to start, sizing each other up. To her credit and type disadvantage against a fighting Pokémon, Laura held her ground like a pro, but predictably, she was tossed away by the other Pokémon's mightier strength. She skidded to a halt and then the orders came at her.
"Laura, you need to use Defense Curl, now!" and in an instant she backed into a tightly defensive posture and deflected an incoming fighting attack harmlessly away from her gut. She stepped out and twirled on her opponent, taking a quick kick as she darted away at the Infernape's side, clipping it but dealing no significant damage.
"Infernape, flamethrower. Finish her!"
The fire Pokémon wound itself up and Jack yelled out, "Magic Coat, Laura! Quick!"
She used the defensive move just as the wave of searing heat enveloped her body. It passed right by her though and instead of dissipating on the rock behind her she swept her hands out to both sides and thrust them forward, engulfing Infernape's body in it's own move, scoring a critical blow.
"Now Laura, while it's stunned! Bounce!" The Lopunny understood and for a moment paused, storing up an immense amount of kinetic energy before releasing it all at once, shattering the ground under her feet and taking off high into the sky. When she reached her peak, she turned herself face down at the ground and began to fall, straight for the Infernape. But Blaine was the quicker, and told his Pokémon to launch its Sky Uppercut. A fighting move not guaranteed to hit, but to knock out Jack's defenseless Pokémon if it did. The two rushed at each other closer and closer in the air and Jack, out of earshot of his Pokémon couldn't even look with the sun in his eye and blinding him. Then came a sudden crash, and both Pokémon landed on the rocks fainted. Both attacks had connected and by the readings on Jack's Pokédex neither had any strength left for battle. It was a draw. But did that count for his badge? Was it all for nothing?
Then a stir from the battlefield, as the dust settled. One of the Pokémon was moving. It hadn't completely given up yet. When Jack could see again, Laura was standing up and very gently, very slowly, brushing crushed rock out of her fur. She was walking crooked, and her ears were flat against her head instead of perky like usual, but she stood, and her opponent did not.
"Laura!" yelled Jack, rushing to his Pokémon's side, scooping her up in his arms and holding her tightly to his chest. "How did you? The attack connected on both of you didn't it?"
"Silly Jack. I wouldn't let that stop me. I'd do anything for you. I would stand in front of a hundred Machokes if it was for you. She wasn't so tough." She coughed then, and spit up a few bits of gravel.
When Jack turned to regard the fallen Infernape it was already gone, back into Blaine's Pokéball even as the man himself was walking solemnly forward towards him. When Blaine stood an arm's length away from Jack he smiled and removed his sun glasses, revealing a pair of fire red eyes both full of youth and intensity.
"That was a brilliant fight Jack. I'm glad you sought me out. And to reward you not only for winning your fight against me, but also for braving and overcoming the Mount Fire Challenge, I award you with this, the Volcano Badge." Blaine dropped the shining red and yellow badge into Lopunny's hand, who then held it up for him and smiled weakly.
"You showed the dog who's boss, didn't you Jack?" Laura smiled. "Now she won't leave like she said. And everything will be okay again. Hey Jack, I'm really tired. Can I go back now?"
Jack was almost in tears as his darling Lopunny disappeared from sight and his new badge fell into his palm. He clasped it tight and stepped back from Blaine.
"Thank you, sir."
"Now now, none of that sir stuff. I gave up Pokémon Mastery a long time ago. You call me Mr. B., just like everyone else does."
Jack smiled a tearful happy smile and nodded. "Sure."
"Well kiddo. I think you've got a view to show someone, don't you think. I want to see the look on her face if I could, right when you tell her." Blaine was leaning on his walking stick again, feigning old age. When Jack took a step back he almost followed, but Jack held up a hand and picked out Lucario's Pokéball and tossed it to the ground. Out came the blue dog Pokémon who looked at Jack and then at the view behind him. She marveled for a moment and moved to the side to look down at the town below. She was almost overcome and then turned around and saw Blaine standing there and suddenly her eyes narrowed dangerously and she bared her teeth with a sharp growl.
"You."
"Well imagine seeing you again. Is that you Jill? Little Jillian from so long ago?"
"You have no right to call me that you monster!"
Jack could only stand there in utter shock at her reaction and turned to regard the both of them in turn. Blaine, who had taken on a more threatening stance to ward off Lucario's dangerously violent one.
"Spearow," answered Jack.
"Good, good. But how bout this one?"
"Mr. B. I'm really hungry. Could we stop for a few minutes to eat?" asked Jack as politely as he could. He had been answering riddles and questions and Pokémon trivia all day long, and now that the sun was setting he was getting really tired of them. He honestly didn't know just how many riddles one man could keep in his brain, but this old man had hundreds. No, more than hundreds. Hundreds of thousands!
"Well of course! All you had to do was ask!" said the talkative Mr. B. He was only half finished his trail mix stew that Jack had thrown together with a few of the ingredients in his pack when Mr. B. piped up again. "Well would you look at that. Bet you mainlanders don't get to see a sun like that so often do you? That's a sight we locals like to keep to ourselves. And ole Smokey here." He always seemed to refer to Mount Fire as ole Smokey, which despite the obvious familiarity to the mountain that the old man had seemed just odd considering the history behind the thing.
Mount Fire was supposedly the birth place of the Legendary Pokémon Moltres. There wasn't a trainer alive who didn't know of it. The three legendary birds, and their partners, three legendary dogs. And an even more recent discovery, three ancient golems found deep beneath some of the oldest mountains and historical sites in the world. Every area had it's own legacy, and Mount Fire was part of that. Jack, despite his growing fondness of Mr. B. just couldn't call the mountain except by its name.
"So Jack, you never did tell me why you want to climb the volcano. Now seems as good a time as any, since we won't make any more progress tonight."
Mr. B. took a seat he had made out of a rock, really he had just claimed the rock as his own and sat on it, but Jack let him have his way. Jack too put down his bowl as he gathered his thoughts and closed his eyes for a moment as if trying to phrase his response.
"Well, mostly it has to do with this girl I know."
Mr. B. chuckled to himself, "Girl trouble eh? Can't say I've had a whole lot of that kind of excitement lately." The Riolu, who had taken to the old man's friendly nature barked and scratched at his legs. Mr. B. picked up the little dog Pokémon and after stretching her out on his legs scratched her tummy and got another wild set of happy yelps.
Jack only smiled cautiously. "She's got attitude and she's strong-willed and sometimes even a little belligerent. She said I'd never be able to climb the mountain, just like I'd never be a real Pokémon Master."
"And you're gonna prove her wrong, are you?"
"It must sound stupid sounding like that."
"Jack, people have climbed this mountain and lost their lives doing so for far more stupid reasons. If climbing this mountain is all she wants you to do to earn her respect then I'd say you got off pretty easy as women go. At least she's not after you for your money, am I right? Ha!"
Jack could almost join in on the old man's mirth, but then he stopped laughing for a moment and regarded the suddenly shut down teenager.
"That's not the only reason is it?" said Mr. B. more seriously.
"I have to prove to her that I will be the best in the League. Not only that, the Champion."
"Pride then? You watch yourself kiddo. Pride is a mighty dangerous thing to chase after, especially so high up. She'll drag you right to the edge and then tempt you right over."
Jack held his head in both hands, elbows resting on his knees as he sat facing the ground. "Then how can I make her understand? What more can I do for her?"
"Sounds to me like she's not the one that needs convincing anymore," said Mr. B., standing up. "Sounds like she's tipped you just far enough into doubt that you're not really sure what you're capable of any more. You showed me your badges. That means nothing? I said it before, didn't I kiddo? It's no small feat. And here you are, halfway up a mountain. Tell me that's nothing?"
"You're here though, aren't you?"
"Ha!" the old man laughed. "Unlike you, I've still got my freshman's six pack. What've you got under that shirt of yours eh? Kiddo I've been up and down this mountain so many times it'd make your eyes roll back. She's family to me, and I to her. We've got an understanding."
"And that is?"
"I treat her right, and she'll know, and she'll keep me safe along the way. Just like with Pokémon. You can't just do everything yourself. Nor can they do it all for you. There's a balance between trainer and Pokémon, between trainer and master, and master and Pokémon. Each one's different, and each one you'll have to discover by yourself. There's no school for that. And crawling up this mountain ain't gonna make you a better trainer."
There was another long pause before the old man started to speak again. This time his tone was a little softer. "It may be none of my business, but this girl you're talking about. She's a Pokémon, isn't she?"
Jack took one look at him and could only nod.
Mr. B. smiled knowingly and stepped back, taking his seat again. "So. When is a door not a door?"
Jack looked at him skeptically. "What?"
"Another riddle." He threw up his hands and smiled widely. "I love riddles, so sue me. Last one and I'll let you get to sleep." The sun was indeed setting, and the stew was not only cold, but a thick layer of crust was forming over it. "When is a door not a door?"
Jack thought about it only for a moment before dumping the rest of the stew behind a sparse bush; perhaps some Pokémon would come by and have a nice meal later that night.
"I don't know. When?"
"You'll just have to think about it and tell me the answer later then. G'night kiddo. See you in the morning."
Jack regarded the old man as he rolled a sleeping back from his backpack and just slept atop it. He kept the sunglasses on too, Jack noted, and added it to a list of things this old man would do that were crazy.
Jack finished cleaning up and then he too unrolled his sleeping bag and went to sleep. Unlike Mr. B. however, he slept under the roll.
That turned out to be a mistake though, for in the morning Jack woke up in a sweat and had to peel himself out of his soaking sleeping bag like a Butterfree coming out of its Cocoon.
"Ha! Should have warned you. It gets awfully hot up here at night. Best to sleep outside your covers. That won't come out at the wash, let me tell you." Mr. B. was already awake and stretching. The sun had just risen and was peeking at them from behind a high rising cliff face along the eastern edge of the mountain. Jack was still in shadow and wondered for a moment why he was so warm until he put his first hand on solid ground and felt the heat emanating from the rock beneath him. It was a volcano after all, he said to himself.
"How much longer to the top?" he asked.
"We'll be there by afternoon if we leave now. But you may want a bit of water to get going or you'll be awfully thirsty before long."
Jack looked at his own water sac, which was empty from the previous day and called out Maya, who stood up and stretched wide in the morning rays. She got on her hands and knees for Riolu, who happily greeted the water Pokémon and they each beeped each other's nose and giggled playfully before Jack smiled and knelt down in front of her.
"Hey there Maya."
"Good morning Jack. Goodness you look soaked. Where are we?"
"We're about halfway up Mount Fire, see?" Jack pointed out over the edge of the plateau they had camped on and watched as Vaporeon's expression changed from wonder to amazement to one of anxiety.
"Wow, we're really high up, aren't we? Jack, you know you don't really have to do this climb, right? I'm sure she was just joking." Mr. B. smiled to himself knowingly.
"I'm as good as my word. And I said I would climb Mount Fire, so that's what I'm going to do. And it's gonna be rough, so I kinda need a refill of water. Would you?" he bashfully held up his empty water sac and she gracefully took it and filled it up for him.
"I can fill yours up too sir, if you need it," she said to the old man.
"Well don't mind if I do young lady. Any chance to share an indirect kiss with such a beauty."
Maya blushed heavily at that and Jack whispered in her ear, "Don't take him too seriously Maya, he's just a little off."
"My hearing's not though kiddo. Ha! Thank you darling. Maya was it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon enough. Just don't be too bashful on your next visit, you hear?"
"Yes, sir." She bowed and motioned that she could be sent back into her Pokéball. But before Jack took her back she said to the old man, "See him safely to the top sir. It would mean a lot to all of us."
The old man smiled a toothy smile at Maya. "Don't you worry darling. He'll be right as rain at the top. You can bet on it. Not that I've seen much rain here though, ha!"
Maya smiled and then waved to Jack as she disappeared into her Pokéball.
"Sweet kid, that one. You're a lucky man. And this water's as fresh as I've ever tasted. We'll make it safe and sound and you can go into the arms of that one by the evening if you want. Lucky son-of-a-gun."
Jack only smiled at the man and led the way for a while before the path forked upwards in two directions and Mr. B. took over instead. They walked for several hours and stopped only to rest and take something to eat. By this time they had wound themselves up the side of the mountain on all sides through a trail that wove its way through steep canyons, perilous drops and thin mountain trails that scaled up sheer walls of rock. But they never stopped the trek, and Jack even felt himself getting more and more invigorated by the climb, watching as the town below got smaller and smaller and the sight of the sea stretching out farther and farther seemed to become deeper and bluer than he could ever have imagined.
When finally they reached the top, or at least as high as Mr. B. pointed out they could go, Jack stopped and took one last swig of his water and gasped, pouring a bit over his burning skin and wiping his face with it.
"And here we are kiddo. The top of Mount Fire." Mr. B. pointed out over the side of the path they had just walked up and smiled at the sight. The town was but a spec of buildings sparsely spread apart on an otherwise unremarkable landscape from so high up. And despite the lack of clouds, the perpetual ring of smoke around the mountain cut off some of the view of the sky. Then Jack turned the other way and saw something he didn't expect. A ring was carved into the rock of the plateau, and two boxes were carved in at either end of the ring. It was a Pokémon battle ground and a sign was set up, leaning to one side, with red fiery letters etched into its wooden frame. "Cinnabar Gym."
"This is the gym? The Cinnabar Gym? I'm here? But what about?"
"The town? Ha! That one burned down ages ago. Some accident with a Pokémon exploding or something. Either way, I'd be very interested in seeing you battle Jack. And I accept your challenge, as Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island."
Jack's mouth hung agape and his eyes wide with surprise. "Then you're?"
"Blaine's the name. Yep, that's me kiddo. I told you I come up here often didn't I? I've got a sharp memory if I do recall. Ha! You're more surprised than normal, but I guess that's expected. You didn't really connect the whole volcano climbing test with a Gym battle did you? Well just how was I gonna weed out the nincompoops that challenged me back at the old building? Nah. The real Gym is right here, right where I originally intended it to be. Back in my prime Pokémon trainers from all over took this challenge just to face me to wear my badge. And only a few were able to do it. But ever since that darned Pokétech Company started giving out HMs to trainers for free, they all just flew up the mountain and defeated the whole purpose. No, I come up here to remind myself of what a true Pokémon Trainer went through to earn my badge. And you Jack, are the first in a long while that had come for it."
Jack was still stunned by both the revelation and the explanation. Then Blaine took his spot at one end of the ring and waved for Jack to take his. In a stupor, Jack moved himself into position as Blaine explained the terms of this contest.
"I don't play by standard rules of the League, Jack. I like single combat and so to earn my badge, you choose only a single Pokémon to fight. If you can't best my Pokémon in one-on-one combat, then you will never become the trainer your Pokémon wants you to be. So now, make your choice. Infernape. Show yourself!"
Blaine cast his Pokémon into the ring and out stood a spindly ape Pokémon with blazing fire for hair and red and white armor on its legs and hands. Jack knew exactly how to do this, but as he reached for Maya's Pokéball he remembered Blaine telling her that he'd see her again soon and moved his hand away from her Pokéball. Blaine expected him to take the easy win, but with a Pokémon like Infernape, he was likely prepared for the sight of a water Pokémon, as such a blatant weakness to water would likely warrant.
"Laura, come out!" called Jack, his Lopunny forming on the ring and stretching upwards on her tip toes and flipping her long fluffy ears out behind her, taking a fighting pose.
"Well, that I did not expect Jack. Let's see just how well your Pokémon can fight an old man like me. Begin!"
With that both Pokémon took off at each other, locking gazes and hands in a classic wrestling pose to start, sizing each other up. To her credit and type disadvantage against a fighting Pokémon, Laura held her ground like a pro, but predictably, she was tossed away by the other Pokémon's mightier strength. She skidded to a halt and then the orders came at her.
"Laura, you need to use Defense Curl, now!" and in an instant she backed into a tightly defensive posture and deflected an incoming fighting attack harmlessly away from her gut. She stepped out and twirled on her opponent, taking a quick kick as she darted away at the Infernape's side, clipping it but dealing no significant damage.
"Infernape, flamethrower. Finish her!"
The fire Pokémon wound itself up and Jack yelled out, "Magic Coat, Laura! Quick!"
She used the defensive move just as the wave of searing heat enveloped her body. It passed right by her though and instead of dissipating on the rock behind her she swept her hands out to both sides and thrust them forward, engulfing Infernape's body in it's own move, scoring a critical blow.
"Now Laura, while it's stunned! Bounce!" The Lopunny understood and for a moment paused, storing up an immense amount of kinetic energy before releasing it all at once, shattering the ground under her feet and taking off high into the sky. When she reached her peak, she turned herself face down at the ground and began to fall, straight for the Infernape. But Blaine was the quicker, and told his Pokémon to launch its Sky Uppercut. A fighting move not guaranteed to hit, but to knock out Jack's defenseless Pokémon if it did. The two rushed at each other closer and closer in the air and Jack, out of earshot of his Pokémon couldn't even look with the sun in his eye and blinding him. Then came a sudden crash, and both Pokémon landed on the rocks fainted. Both attacks had connected and by the readings on Jack's Pokédex neither had any strength left for battle. It was a draw. But did that count for his badge? Was it all for nothing?
Then a stir from the battlefield, as the dust settled. One of the Pokémon was moving. It hadn't completely given up yet. When Jack could see again, Laura was standing up and very gently, very slowly, brushing crushed rock out of her fur. She was walking crooked, and her ears were flat against her head instead of perky like usual, but she stood, and her opponent did not.
"Laura!" yelled Jack, rushing to his Pokémon's side, scooping her up in his arms and holding her tightly to his chest. "How did you? The attack connected on both of you didn't it?"
"Silly Jack. I wouldn't let that stop me. I'd do anything for you. I would stand in front of a hundred Machokes if it was for you. She wasn't so tough." She coughed then, and spit up a few bits of gravel.
When Jack turned to regard the fallen Infernape it was already gone, back into Blaine's Pokéball even as the man himself was walking solemnly forward towards him. When Blaine stood an arm's length away from Jack he smiled and removed his sun glasses, revealing a pair of fire red eyes both full of youth and intensity.
"That was a brilliant fight Jack. I'm glad you sought me out. And to reward you not only for winning your fight against me, but also for braving and overcoming the Mount Fire Challenge, I award you with this, the Volcano Badge." Blaine dropped the shining red and yellow badge into Lopunny's hand, who then held it up for him and smiled weakly.
"You showed the dog who's boss, didn't you Jack?" Laura smiled. "Now she won't leave like she said. And everything will be okay again. Hey Jack, I'm really tired. Can I go back now?"
Jack was almost in tears as his darling Lopunny disappeared from sight and his new badge fell into his palm. He clasped it tight and stepped back from Blaine.
"Thank you, sir."
"Now now, none of that sir stuff. I gave up Pokémon Mastery a long time ago. You call me Mr. B., just like everyone else does."
Jack smiled a tearful happy smile and nodded. "Sure."
"Well kiddo. I think you've got a view to show someone, don't you think. I want to see the look on her face if I could, right when you tell her." Blaine was leaning on his walking stick again, feigning old age. When Jack took a step back he almost followed, but Jack held up a hand and picked out Lucario's Pokéball and tossed it to the ground. Out came the blue dog Pokémon who looked at Jack and then at the view behind him. She marveled for a moment and moved to the side to look down at the town below. She was almost overcome and then turned around and saw Blaine standing there and suddenly her eyes narrowed dangerously and she bared her teeth with a sharp growl.
"You."
"Well imagine seeing you again. Is that you Jill? Little Jillian from so long ago?"
"You have no right to call me that you monster!"
Jack could only stand there in utter shock at her reaction and turned to regard the both of them in turn. Blaine, who had taken on a more threatening stance to ward off Lucario's dangerously violent one.