Blaine Berk and Hark Rense: First Battle!
Ralts Vs Magby...FIGHT
Blaine and Apollo were both just taking in the sights when they noticed a burly looking man walking by. He seems like an interesting fellow. He appeared to have a wire or two protruding from his arm..."Odd." He muttered to himself. He made to approach the man and smiled at him brightly. "Excuse me sir!" He stopped him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't suppose you're a new trainer too?" He looked at him inquisitively.
Hark let out a sigh then looked over at the trainer as he removed the teen's arm with his own mechanical right arm. Turning around to fully face Blaine he replied in a neutral uncaring voice, "I just received a Pokemon." Hark would never call himself a trainer, he hated that title since it implied devoting one's life to raising Pokemon. Being a trainer was a great sin in Hark's mind as they did nothing for humanity, and trainers and the world's obsession with them is what held back progress. Several years ago Hoenn launched the first ship into space to go to the moon. Did anyone care? No, some pokemon championship was on. Now the space program is slowly dying from lack of interest and funding. Snapping his mind back to the world around him Hark looked up at the tall boy awaiting for the enviable challenge.
Blaine was almost taken aback by the man's rather shrewd remark. Almost. He seemed a bit apposed to pokemon training. "Well, so did I." He gestured to the small, red pokemon behind him. "This is Apollo. He's a Magby." Apollo did little more than hide behind his trainer's leg, causing Blaine to laugh a bit. "Don't worry, little man. He seems friendly enough." The one thing about this guy that bothered Blaine was his cold, metallic hand. It was almost...robotic. He looked to the man and gave him a smile. "I'm Blaine. Blaine Berk. Blaine Byron Berk. I'm gonna be the very best trainer in all of Hoenn!" He gave a slightly arrogant grin and crossed his hands behind his head. "So, wanna have a battle with a champion?
"I'm Hark Rense, inventor," replied Hark trying to be somewhat polite to the mindless trainer. He then looked down at Apollo as he pulled a Pokeball out of his pocket with his machine arm. He looked at the Pokeball and said, "And this is my… well no idea what it is." Then the kid challenged him to a battle with a boast included. Hark sighed and said, "I don't care that you might become a champion, and while I'm not normally inclined to waste my time battling. I guess it would be good to see what this thing is and what it can do in a controlled environment. So yes, I will battle you…" As he said this he clicked the button on the Pokeball releasing a Pokemon at his feet. The pokemon had pale white skin and looked much like a toddler. Her green hair was longer on the sides and back, while short enough to almost see her ruby red eyes. Seeing his pokemon for the first time Hark's face twisted into almost terrified look of disappointment. He also seemed to suddenly spaced out as he stared at his Pokemon, yet his eyes seemed to not really be looking at it at the same time.
The Ralt's face and demeanor instantly sunk as well. This was to be her trainer? It seemed like he hated her already. The Ralts wanted to cry, but she fought back her tears. She was raised by a breeder and was told that she would be some lucky trainer's first pokemon. They would have a special bond and would be best friends as they went on a wonderful journey together. Instead she got this part machine person who seemed horrified by her. His emotions of horror, loss, and guilt overwhelmed the small emotion Pokemon. Looking up at her trainer the intelligent Ralts fought through her new trainer's emotions, but she was too weak to figure out why she invoked such sudden and saddening emotions.
The mechanical man seemed to be polite enough, and an inventor nonetheless! He seemed to be completely opposed to pokemon training, however. No matter! A friend is a friend, no matter how small. "Being a trainer isn't as bad as you think, ya know?" He smiled and crossed his hands behind his back. "It brings us closer with pokemon." When Hark released his pokemon, it turned out to be a Ralts. It seemed like a shy, timid creature. Hark's look, however, was not compassionate to his new companion. A small frown crossed Blaine's face. Hopefully Hark would come to know and love his new companion. "Well, let's do this then!"
Blaine ran back about five feet with Apollo on his heels. The Magby seemed to be afraid to go without his trainer to protect him. A small smile crossed Blaine's lips. He's gonna be big and poweful one day, I just know it! He pulled out his PokeDex and scanned Apollo. His only moves were Flame Charge, Smog, and Smokescreen. Ah. A sneaky fighter I bet! "Common' Apollo! Let's show this guy how awesome training is!" He laughed jovially. "You can have first move!"
Hark snapped out of his flashback and said to his Ralts half heartedly, "Ok attack." The Ralts just stared up at him looking a little lost and waiting for an order to use a move. "Come on… you know your abilities better than I do. Just calm your mind and do what you know is best," added Hark as he looked up at the other trainer. Hark had no idea what he was doing, but why should he? If his Pokemon was truly as intelligent as people claimed Pokemon were it would know what its own abilities were.
The Ralts was still confused a little but she did what he said and calmed her mind and focused on summoning up her physic energy. As her mind calmed she began to realize that likely her trainer had no idea what he was doing and had no clue of her abilities. It was going to be up to her to fight for herself. Her horns began to glow with a sky blue aura as she tapped into her inner power.
As his Pokemon used Calm Mind, Hark looked at the boy and spoke with conviction, "Being a trainer is pathetic. It's devoting one's life to improving Pokemon instead of one's self and wasting one's own potential. Humanity's true potential is held back by its obsession with Pokemon. It's a profession of intellectual slothfulness and I find it appalling. I can't stand seeing so much potential wasted, and how much humanity has stagnated due to his sport." Hark no longer cared about being polite as he spewed its opinion out for the world to hear. Flashbacks of his greatest failure had lowered all his defenses and he was just going to speak his mind for now.
Hark seemed not to care in the slightest about pokemon training, battling, or even his pokemon. He ordered her to do her own attacks, although she was nothing more than a baby pokemon. She used Calm Mind to raise her defenses. "You just can't let them do things on their own! Their sentient beings! Just like us!" He began to grow frustrated, but he kept his anger in check. "They can help!" He grunted in frustration.
"Apollo, use Smokescreen!" The Magby looked confused for a moment. "You know, Smokescreen." He made a gesture that one would suggest blowing a flame. Apollo's eyes opened wide and nodded. "Maag!" It looked to his opponent and began to spew forth a thick, black screen of haze. "Now follow up with Flame Charge!" Apollo cloaked itself in flame and charged towards the faint blue outline in the smog.
Hark began to go on in a small tirade about how pokemon training was a waste of time., and how he appalled it so. "I guess I can see where you're coming from..." He pondered his opponent's thought processing. "I guess not, but I won't step on your ideals. Just don't go stepping on others! It's just flat out rude!"
Hark smirked and said, "Yes they are sentient, I'm hoping my Ralts can learn to fight without my help, otherwise it is no use to me."
The Magby slammed into the Ralts burning her as well as tackling her. In a frantic response the Ralts quickly hit the fire type with a burst of Psychic energy, sending him flying off her and back into the smoke. When the Ralts was hit, Hark frowned a little. His Ralts then stood back up and summoned up Psychic energy to attack the Magby whenever he re emerged from the smoke. The Ralts was looking frantic and her focus was being replaced by fear.
"Sorry, Blaine but I'm too set in my beliefs to not step on yours. Call it rude, I do not care," replied Hark coldly. He then added, "I can't help but see you as weak and unwilling to strengthen yourself. Instead you will always rely on others to do the fighting for you."
Apollo was sent back reeling into the smoke, but he had managed to regain his feet. The powerful Psychic attack was good, but it wasn't enough to keep him from backing down, although he did feel a bit more skeptical about his chances. "Use Smokescreen again, but with Smog mixed into it!" The combo would be perfect. The Ralts would be both confused, AND poisoned.
Blaine looked to Hark with a smirk. "I can understand that." Blaine, himself, defended Pokemon Training, using both tooth and nail. It wasn't easy to let go of a passion. "I grew up in Verdanturf, which all on its own is a troublesome thing, with their close-mindedness and what-not, but I didn't let that stop me!" He smirked and flicked a strand of hair from his view. "And say what you will. Everybody's entitled to their own opinion." Something crossed his mind. "You know what? Nothing is worthless!" He forgot all caution. "Apollo, use Flame Charge!" Once again the Magby charged forward, albeit more reluctantly this time around.
The Ralts started to cough uncontrollably and started to back out of the cloud while her eyes watered. She tried to force away the poisonous fumes with her psychic abilities but this left her open to the incoming attack. The Ralts saw the charging Magby coming straight at her a second later, but she had no time to recover her defenses. All she had time to do was brace for the hit that never came. A second before the Magby slammed into the Ralts, Hark recalled the Emotion Pokemon into the safety of its Pokeball. "No reason to extend my Ralt's misery… it isn't going to win this fight," stated Hark as he looked at his Pokemon's ball, he actually looked a little concerned for his Pokemon.
"I best be off to the center to heal my Pokemon before her wounds get worse. Also your wrong there are plenty of worthless people and things in this world," said Hark as he turned around to head to the Pokecenter. He didn't wait for a reply as he walked quickly to the Center. He was trying to not look like he was in a hurry but he was doing a poor job of hiding his urgency.
A small grin came across Blaine's face as he watched the lad return his Ralts to its pokeball. He looked to Apollo, who was running up to him, and grinned. The Magby seemed to be ecstatic and jumped into the air with a fist pump. "MAG!" The two began to do a little dance until Blaine realized that he was still in public. He quickly sobered up and removed a Potion from his bag and used it on his pokemon. The Magby cringed at first, but it was obvious he felt better afterward. "Good job, little man!" He crouched down and held out his hand for a high five. Apollo was confused at first, but after a moment he nodded and slapped his little palm against Blaine's larger one, causing a grin to break out.
Blaine nodded as Hark turned to go to the Pokemon Center. It...actually seemed like he cared. "Alright. It's been nice battling you, Hark." He smiled and gave a wry 'wave of a couple fingers' and turned away. He was going to leave peacefully...until he heard Hark's statement about there being a lot of worthless beings. He turned around and called out, "You know what? You can say whatever you want about me, but you can't say anything about anyone else, okay?" He humphed in anger and looked to Apollo. "He's quite a bitter man, no?" With that, the pair began to walk towards the Jagged Pass, both now filled with hope that they could make it through this journey. After all, Blaine was now undefeated.
As Blaine and Apollo approached the jagged pass, Hark entered the PokeCenter and walked up to the counter and handed the nurse the Ralt's Pokeball. "I think it's been poisoned, and it took a pretty good beating." The nurse took the Pokeball while frowning at Hark, and then stood up and walked off with her patient.
Several minutes later the nurse returned and Hark stood up to take the Pokeball, but the nurse refused to give it to him. Hark looked confused as the nurse said, "Your Pokemon is not an it…She is a female, so the correct term is she. Considering your one of those trainers who doesn't even know what gender your Pokemon is I'm guessing you haven't named her yet."
Hark glared at the bold nurse and with a sigh he said, "No name yet."
The nurse frowned and said, "Before I give this back to you make me a promise. That you will give her a name she likes before the end of the day, so you can stop degrading the poor thing."
"I promise I will give her a name she likes," said Hark as he leaned against the counter.
"Then here… I really shouldn't give you this Pokemon back but she is officially yours and I can't steal her from you," muttered the Nurse handing Hark the Pokeball.
Hark took the ball, and quickly left. He was on his way to the Jagged pass when he opened the Pokeball releasing the Ralts. Looking down at her he said, "Ok I promised to give you a name so what about… Erin?" The Ralts shook her head in response. Hark threw out more common names, but were all rejected by the Ralts. A little frustrated he asked, "Want me to just make up a unique name or something?" To this the Ralts nodded. So Hark made up several dozen names until the name Lannia came up. Hearing this, the Ralts suddenly nodded. With a sigh of relief Hark said, "Ok Lannia it is."
They walked slowly (for the Ralt's sake) for a few minutes toward the pass before Hark spoke again. "Lannia I think I should be honest with you. I'm not a trainer at all, and I never want to be one. I just need your help to protect me while I get my plans underway then you can go free. That being said I need you to think for yourself and fight for yourself since I have other things I need to focus on. I will take care of you and do my best to protect you as well, but don't expect me to be some friendly Pokemon obsessed friend for life trainer. You will have your freedom when I no longer require you."
Lannia was shocked at Hark's bluntness and was a little worried that he would just toss her aside once he didn't see a need for her. Seeing how she preformed earlier she started to fear that time would be sooner rather than later. She had to prove herself to him. She was always called weak, but she knew she was better than everyone said she was, and now she had to really prove it. She had to show Hark he needed to keep her around.