FSE

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PART TWENTY SEVEN.

The morning went by swiftly if somewhat awkwardly with Blaze still nursing her grudge at the Lucario, and Oni creeping everyone out with her cruel evil smile every time she looked at Toph who in turn still looked at their trainer as if he had caught some kind of S.T.D. by breeding with what a female she considered below his standards.

If anything only Bunny seemed to be the only one in good spirits in the group to which Jack was grateful for as he shed his grumpiness with a nice long shower, there was no Audino harassing him this time.

In fact he didn't seen any of them until the allocated time set down for breakfast, he had himself a hearty meal in the dismal company of his team but once they too had something nice delicious in their stomachs the tension swiftly dissipated as it normally did with his team.

He was a little concerned with the absence of Nurse Joy as was a majority of the other Trainers present in the dining hall but the team of Audino did their best to ease peoples concern miming her with having a bad case of exhaustion.

Toph was amused at how good a job they had managed to lie with such straight faces, having gulped her food down something that irritated her greatly, she hated to rush in anything.

She made her way to nurse joys office finding her crying and shaking in distress and self-loathing or at least she had been until the small Espeon and a slight gathering of other psychic types who had gone to investigate performed a little joint memory alteration and Joy was soon up and about with her normal happy cheerful smile about her face once more if a little bemused as to why she had even been crying in the first place.

It was late morning by the time jack and his team had arrived at the Grass Vale Pokémon Gym, its semi-cylindrical shape resemble din some ways to an old psychedelic aircraft hangar.

The sun was beating down but a soft cool breeze made the heat tolerable as the sense of anticipation began to build up deep inside of Jack's stomach as he looked up at the large colourful sign that spelt out Flutter Bug Gym.

Taking a step backwards then a second he found himself starting to contemplate just waiting until tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow when he felt a talon like hand against the back of his left shoulder and a small fluffy paw on his right as Blaze and Bunny kept him from taking a third step that would most likely have him turning around and walking away from his upcoming challenge against the Gym Leader.

"It's okay jack!"

His Lopunny whispers softly.

"We have your back!"

Came Blazes stern aggressive rumbling voice but her eyes and grip on his shoulder where soft and reassuring, looking down he could see Oni looking up at him her claw like paws slipping around his as she nods slowly.

"I know you're afraid but we have faith in yourself, we can do this.....as a team!"

The Weavile purrs firmly her eyes gazing so deeply into his that he couldn't help but gulp.

"That and we'll give you a Poképuff if you're good!"

Causing all eyes to fall on Toph seconds before a slight laugh left everyone.

"Thanks Girls!"

Jack smiled feeling his fear dropping away from him, as he takes a few deep breaths and steps forwards towards the front entrance of the Pokémon Gym, he was still nervous but nowhere near as much as he had been.

He felt blessed to have his team no not team his friends, his ear beloved friends around him as he goes for his first proper Gym Badge, his League Badges where more akin to being a licences to even perform his journey or to take part in coordinator contests not to mention tournaments and so forth.

Each had its own series of battles to win but it was mostly all written tests alongside educational exams for reading writing and arithmetic not to mention Science and others things.

It was where he learned how to care for himself and his Pokémon when out and about on his journey.

"Okay here goes!"

He announces stepping up to the double glass doors they slide open automatically allowing him entry into the main lobby where a receptionist sat behind her desk waiting patiently with a radio playing behind her for some back ground noise.

"Can I help you young man?"

The receptionist asked looking up from her cross word with bored expression about her face.

"Uh..erm y..yes I have an um gym batlle?..the n..names Jack Shodan"

Jack gulped nervously taking a few more breaths to try and calm himself down a bit, the woman looked at the trainer and his Pokémon with a smile as if he was fresh meat to be thrown on the fire.

"Ah the Ten O'clock, you're a few minutes early and the Gym Leaders teaching morning class, if you'd like to wait in the challenger's dressing room; it's just down the corridor and on the right please"

Her words where phrased as request but her tone was more of a command something he nodded with a tremble and swiftly followed her instructions as she picked up the phone tapping the Pokémon Centers number.

"Hello Nurse Joy?..just to let you know to expect another victim...Uh..yes sorry I know I shouldn't call them that..okay okay...yes I know...yes...yes ...okay okay...Any way you should be having another Vic...Uh Trainer heading your way in the next half hour"

Putting the phone down the woman rubs her ear from the harsh lecturing she had just received over the phone, down the hallway Bunny's ears twitched.

"We're taking this Gym down!"

She spat coldly with a venomous tone that made even Jack turn to look at her in surprise.

"They think our Jack is some victim that's going to lose and go running like some cry baby running to the Pokémon centre, no way!"

The Lopunny seemed to all most growl as she began to walk rather than hop, it wasn't as if Lopunny's were unable to walk normally they just moved with bounding motions because it wasted less stamina and allowed them to move at a faster pace over a longer distance.

The fact Bunny was doing something so uncharacteristic for her species was a little unsettling, more so was the fire in her eyes, Oni felt a shiver run through her body before giving a razor sharp smile.

"Agreed lets show this Gym Leader how we do things?"

The Weavile purrs, through her head back proudly Blaze remains silent but her eyes betray her agreement to this statement.

"All good and fine, but we just passed the challengers dressing room door"

Jack interjected making the Pokémon stop in their tracks and blush brightly before turning around and dragging their Trainer backwards behind them as they headed back to the door.

"Way to ruin the moment Jack!"

Blaze sighs as Bunny had started to hop once more with her long fluffy ears wrapped around her to hide her embarrassment as they reached the door and walked in to find what looked like a small room with a long bench and a number of hooks on the wall for coats and bag and such.

The walls where barren and painted white as had the floor and ceiling, other than the old wooden bench there was a small square table and a vending machine, looking around Jack couldn't see any window only an extractor fan on the wall turning slowly as it pushed fresh air into the room from a vent.

Beyond that was another door which probably lead into the Gym's arena above which an old box shaped speaker could be seen which he could only surmise was used to let the challenger know to go through the door.

"Okay let's not let this room demoralize or sap our determination, let's use this to formulate a strategy to use against our opponents team, we know exactly what to expect in regards to the Gym Leaders Trump card"

Jack noted taking a seat on the not in the least bit comfortable bench, the four Pokémon knew exactly what he meant when he spoke of their opponents trump card.

The majority of Trainers when taking on a Trainer who uses only Bug type Pokémon stock up on fire type Pokémon for type advantage.

This would normal be a sound move to make where it not the fact for the move Powder which coats a Pokémon in something not to un-similar to gun powder which when exposed to a fire based attack results in some horrific consequences.

This then turns a type advantage in to quite a brutal disadvantage.

"Okay Blaze, we can use Bulk up combined with Sky Uppercut since Blaze Kick and Flame Thrower are most defiantly out of the question.

Bunny, we'll have you use Foresight before utilising Dig was a defence to position yourself for an attack.

Then when the opponents Pokémon is in position we can attack from underground with Bounce to go airborne and Head-Butt for a quick knockout."

Jack noted formalizing their attack strategy like some coach before a big game.

"Oni being melee will put you at a disadvantage with these particular bug types as they spend most of their time in the battle airborne.

So Iron Claw, shadow Claw and Night slash won't be of any use here unless they come in low to attack, so you'll need to move fast and maximize your agility and speed.

So you may need to use Ice beam."

Turning his head to Toph, he could see she had curled up on the table top with barely one eye open as feigned any sort of interest in what was happening.

"Toph I'm sorry but as I have yet to train with you and get to know what you can do I'm afraid you'll need to sit this one out"

The Espeon just yawned and closed her one open eye and went straight to sleep quite content with doing nothing what so ever.