Chapter Seven: Battle at Castlerock (Rock vs. Water: Raquel vs. Andy)

The chaos with Tyranitar had been averted. Andy showed off his genius skills and intelligence of Pokémon behavior and feelings. Gym Leader Racquel finally understands by Tyranitar was so angry with her, but the big question is now. Will the Castlerock Gym finally be open for trainers?

Racquel was thankful to Andy for his help with Tyranitar and welcome everyone to her gym. With help from P.J and others who worked at the gym, the practice field was cleaned up from Turanitar's rampage.

"Thank you, all of you for all of your hard work. Without you I don't think I was going to ever be able to open the gym back up." Raquel think our heroes for their help.

"There's no need to think us. We're glad to help out. After hearing about Tyranitar's behavior change I figured I had to give what I knew about them a try. Not to mention I had some help from Squirtle. Right buddy?" Andy looked over to Squirtle who was sitting on Tyranitar's head.

"Squirt--Squirtle!!"

Everyone started to laugh. Squirtle really is a happy little Pokémon. Nothing seemed to bother him, not even seeing and angry Tyranitar starting down at his trainer. Once the practice field was all cleaned up, Raquel called back Tyranitar and took him to the Pokémon Center to heal him of any injuries he may have taken from his rampage. While Tyranitar was at the Pokémon Center, Raquel took in upon herself to thank our heroes properly. Taking them to another room of the gym for something to eat while they waited.

"I would like to thank you all again for your by guys help with fixing the practice field and thanks to you Andy I have my old friend back. I think you deserve this. Racquel held out her hand towards Andy. Sitting in the palm of her hand was the Rock Badge. The badge trainers earn at the Castlerock Gym. Andy stared that the badge that sat in Raquel's hand in shock, but he knew that he could except it. He didn't feel like he earned it the proper way.

"Thank you Raquel. I'm honored that you think I earned this, but I can't take it," Everyone looked at Andy in shock of not excepting the Rock Badge. "I came here to face you in a gym battle to earn my first Soko gym badge and that's the only way I'll except it from you."

Raquel looked at Andy in shock, but she understood what any was coming from. She would say the same thing if it was her in his position.

"I understand. If that's the case, once Tyranitar is all healed up you'll be my first opponent. After that it's all up to you three who goes next!"

Tyraintar's healing went quickly at the Pokémon Center. Raquel, P.J and our group of heroes made their way up to the battle arena on top of the gym. The ballerina that's pretty much like the practice field except it was a little bigger and there were more giant rocks to use for hiding behind. Raquel took her place on her side of the battlefield while Andy took his. P.J stood on the side to be the referee.

"Alright! This is a battle against Andy the challenger and Racquel the Gym Leader! Each side will have the use of two Pokémon and the battle will be over when either sides Pokémon are unable to battle. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon!" P.J announced.

"I hope you're in for a token good time Andy! Let's go, Onix!" Raquel threw out her first Pokéball to release her Onix.

"An Onix, huh?" Andy held out his wrist to see what his Pokédex had to say about the Rock-type.

"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon:
By twisting its long and powerful body. Onix can quickly bore through the ground at fifty miles per hour."

"That digging could become a problem is we're not careful. Ready to start the battle, Squirtle?"

"Squirt---Squirtle!!" Squirtle jumped down from Andy's shoulder and ran onto the field to face Onix.

"Alright! Battle.... begin!" P.J announced, starting the battle.

"I'll get the ball rolling. Onix, use dig!"

Onix followed his trainer's orders and dive underground, hiding himself from his opponent. Squirtle looked around frantically to see where Onix was going to pop up next.

"Stay calm Squirtle! Feel where Onix is by feeling the vibrations with your feet! You can do it Squirtle! Just stay calm!" Andy tried to calm Squritle down. Squirtle quickly calmed himself down like Andy said. Once calmed Squirtle closed his eyes and started to focus on the vibrations on the ground with his feet. Feeling, listening, waiting for Onix to come out from underneath the ground.

When Onix finally came up from the ground Onix went in for the attack on the small turtle Pokémon.

"Quick Squirtle, dodge Onix and then use Water Gun!"

Squirtle quickly dodged Onix before he could attack him. Jumping up into the air Squirtle then let out a powerful Water Gun in Onix's face. Onix then let out a loud roar in pain from the powerful water-type move.

"Wow! Look at how well Andy and Squirtle are working together in battle! It's amazing, seeing how Squirtle wasn't even Andy's Pokémon in the first place." Zoë awed at Andy's and Squirtle's teamwork.

"That's Andy for you. He's always been had the talent for strategy and understanding Pokémon and their feelings. He's been like that since the first day I met him. There was once a time I had gotten myself lost in Magnolia Forest after running away from home because I got into a fight with my dad. I was crying so much that I wasn't paying attention and ran right I to a mother Primeape and some young Mankey. The mother Primeape thought I was there to harm her babies bright when Primeape was about to attack me, Andy showed up. I watched in amazement as Andy calmly talked to her, explaining that I wasn't there to hurt her young. When Primeape calmed down she took her babies and left me and Andy unharmed. Andy then helped me out of Magnolia Forest. Since that day the two of us have been best friends."

"That's an amazing story Richie." Ash awed.

"Why didn't the two of you ever tell me that story!?!? Richie, you big meanie! You and Andy both!" Zoë suddenly trapped Richie in a headlock and started to strangle him.

"I'm sorry.... I'm sorry! Let me go Zo-Zo! Richie apologized in between strangles.

I told you not to call me Zo-Zo!" Zoë yelled at Richie and strangled him even harder. After hearing Richie apologize and apologize again and again Zoë finally let go of Richie.

"But there is one thing to be worried about."

"What's that Richie?" Zoë asked as she, Ash, Gary and Luna looked over to him.

"It's true that Andy has a type advantage with both his Pokémon, being water types that is, but both his Pokémon are still at the beginning stages of their level while Raquel's obviously has more experience then they do. Let's hope Squirtle, Naida and Andy can hold their own against Raquel and her more experience Rock-types."

Squirtle was battling hard against Onix for being his first Gym Battle. Dodging Onix time after time while getting in a few attacks of his own on Onix. But The battle was dragging out too long. Squirtle was starting to get tired and losing stamina.

"What's wrong Andy?! Looks like your energetic Squirtle of yours is running low on energy!" Raquel evilly teased.

"Don't you worry about us! We still have some fight left in us! But she's right. Squirtle is running low on energy nag this rate he may not last to the second round. I have Naida, but she's more agile in the water. I need to get the field ready for her if I need to call her out. Okay, here goes noting." Andy closed his eyes and slowly took in a deep breath. When Richie saw this, he knew it was happening. Andy was coming up with a plan."

"Here he goes." Richie mumbled to himself, but it was still loud enough for the rest to hear.

When Andy opened his eyes again there was something quite different about them. There was something there, something lingering just below the surface. "Now Squirtle, use Rapid Spin on the ground!"

Squirtle looked back and confessed for a moment, but when he saw the look in Andy's eyes Squirtle knew that his trainer knew what he was doing. Squirtle jumped up and pulled its limbs into its shell and started to spin around, hitting the ground like Andy told him to. Sqirtle continued to hit the ground like Andy side. Creating a giant hole in the middle of the field.

"What is Andy doing?! All his having Squirtle do is make a giant circle in the middle of the field using Rapid Spin. I don't get it." Zoë was puzzled at what Andy was doing.

Richie looked carefully as Squirtle continued to go around in a circle. He too was a bit confused of to way Andy was doing something so odd. "What is Andy doing? He has that look in his eye, but I have no idea what he's thinking right now. Andy, what are you planning?" Richie continued to wonder what it was that Andy was doing. What possible plan did his old friend have?

"Alright Squritle that's enough!" Andy finally gave Squirtle the command to stop his Rapid Spin. "The stage has been set for the next round."

"The stage is set? What is Andy talking about?" Ash asked confused. Looking from one side of him to the other.

"If I remember correctly. Richie, did you say that Andy's starter Pokémon that he received from Professor Aspen was a Naida? I'm a right?" Luna looked to Richie and to Zoë.

"Yeah. Andy at the moment has two water type Pokémon. Squirtle and Naida."

"Well, from what I know, Naida doesn't do well on dry land. They spend most of their time in the water. Andy is obviously getting the field ready for Naida." Luna looked back to the field to see if the others would see what she sees.

"Getting the field ready, huh?" Richie whispered to himself under his breath. That's when he realized what it was Alina was talking about. "Andy's making a pool for Naida! By having Squirtle use Rapid Spin over and over again on the field, he's forming a pool for Naida to go into when Andy calls him out! It's a brilliant idea! I would never have had thought of doing something like that. Andy really is amazing!"

Andy's plan had been realized and our group of heroes weren't the only ones that had realized this. Raquel had come to the same conclusion after seeing what it was that Squirtle had made.

"That's your plan, huh Andy? Making a pool for your water types to have an advantage against my rock types is a smart move, but.... if you can't fill the pool with water then it your plan would be all for not. Now Onix, use Bind and stop Squirtle before he can fill the hole with water!"

Onix quickly rushed towards Squirtle, wrapping him up in Onix's Rock snake body. Squirtle was trapped and had no energy to fight back against Onix.

"Squirtle! Try to get away! Use Water Gun!" Andy panically commanded Squirtle. Andy had lost the look in his eyes that he would have when he had a plan. Now, his eyes were filled with worry.

"Great job Onix! If we keep them from fill up that hole with water they won't get the advantage against us!"

Onix held on tightly to Squritle. Not letting the small Pokémon use any of his attacks. Andy was scrambling any idea together in his mind to try to help Squirtle. He had to get him loose from Onix's Bind.

"Squirtle! I know you're tired and your trying to get free from Onix's grip, but please, I know you can pull through! Use Water Gun!" Andy somewhat pleaded to Squirtle.

Squirtle continued to struggle to free himself from Onix, but to no prevail. Andy didn't know what do now what else to do for Squirtle.

"Alright Onix, let's end this. Use Slam!"

Onix lifted up the part of his body that He had Squirtle wrapped up in everything seemed to go in slow motion as Andy watched as Squirtle being thrown down to the grown.

"SQUIRTLE!!!"

To Be Continued....