Pokemon - Kali & Den - Going Solo

“Dude, that bike is gonna be the death of you.”

Kalimaru Takasappoto shook his head in disbelief as the object of his outburst wobbled to a stop fifteen metres ahead of him. The tall man broke into an easy jog, catching up to it in a dozen steps. He removed the Baltimore Ravens cap from his head, where it perched backwards more often than not. Running a hand through his long brown hair, he replaced the cap and stared in exasperation at his best friend, who grinned back at him with reckless abandon.

“Maybe, but at least I’ll die doing what I love.” Denryo Rosenhose replied as he dismounted his bike, engaging the kickstand with a flourish that would have made David Copperfield proud.

“What, falling off Kings Park and taking a bunch of people with you?” Kalimaru shook his head again. He was twenty-nine years old, although closer to thirty (as his wife was fond of reminding him). He stood six feet and three inches tall, with broad shoulders and muscular arms, the legacy of a love of weightlifting. His face was dominated by a short beard, kept there out of laziness rather than any cosmetic reason, and sharp blue eyes stared out from his features, nearly silver in the failing light. A large nose rounded out his face, and a sardonic smile that was the hallmark of his relationship with his friend touched his lips.

“Ha. Ha. I forgot how funny you are when you’re making fun of me.”  Denryo flipped the bird at his friend. While not as tall as Kalimaru, he still tipped the measuring tape as six foot one, and his frame was bulky. Deceptive speed and dexterity lurked in his large body, and people often underestimated just how limber Denryo was (his girlfriend did all the time, to hear him tell it). A moon-shaped face was topped with wavy, dirty blonde hair that spoke as much about upkeep as Kalimaru’s did about negligence. Green eyes that crinkled when he smiled dominated his face, which was set in a perpetual expression of mirth. A carefully trimmed beard adorned his chin, longer than his friend’s.

“Dunno why you’d forget,” Kalimaru said with a straight face. “It happens all the time.”

“Just for that, I hope a Charizard burns you to death.”

“Well, that escalated quickly,” Kalimaru grinned, reaching to his belt and withdrawing a small, ornate pokéball. With a flick of his wrist the ball enlarged, taking up his whole palm. “Bring it on. Scyther’s itching for a fight.”

Denryo also smiled. “We’re here to catch, not fight.”

It had been roughly a year since Pokémon, the virtual creatures that had taken the globe by storm many years ago, suddenly appeared in the real world. No one knew why, and when it happened, there were many explanations as the reason of these computer-generated creatures suddenly running amok outside people’s houses. None of the explanations seemed to hold water, though, as soon people were battling to control these creatures, some of which were large and aggressive.

In the end, it was the people who knew Pokémon best that found the way to deal with them. Having grown up with the creatures, thousands of gamers did what came naturally. They caught them. Real-life pokéballs were developed, along with a myriad of objects to aid in the hunting and capturing of the no-longer-virtual threat. Pokémon trainers became real, as did gyms and masters. The government, recognising the need for trainers, legalised it and handed out monetary incentives for trainers who took up the fight. Thousands of trainers existed in Australia alone, and Kalimaru and Denryo were two of them.

The pair of friends did not quit their day jobs. Denryo was a purchasing officer who worked in the CBD. Kalimaru was a teacher with a small family to support. Still, when duty called, they answered. Starting small, they had worked their way up from common Pokémon like Ratatta and Pidgey, slowly getting stronger. As they did, they began to realise that they each held the key to different strengths. Denryo preferred an even spread of Pokémon, taking what he had got and making them stronger. At the moment, he had a well-balanced main team of six, although his roster was fluid as he worked towards catching more.

Kalimaru, however, focused on a particular group of Pokémon. He preferred having a team that did not change, and that he could gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Once his roster was set, it rarely changed. Kalimaru’s singlemindedness coincided perfectly with Denryo’s fluidity and together they had risen quickly, growing in power as trainers.

Still, one did not get stronger by resting on one’s laurels. That was why Kalimaru and Denryo were spending the evening hunting for Pokémon in King’s Park, one of the most heavily infested areas of Perth City.

“Hey, what was that?” Kalimaru pointed to a cluster of bushes off the path they were on. Denryo wasted no time in pulling a flashlight from his belt, flicking it on and sliding the beam towards the bushes. Narrowed eyes were reflected back, along with a formless torso, long legs and three-fingered hands.

“Hitmonlee,” Kalimaru whispered. “Dibs.”

“Go for it, mate,” Denryo said, still holding the flashlight.

As if sensing the upcoming conflict, the Hitmonlee leaped from the shrubs. Being a fighting type, it did not run. Rather, it leaped straight at the two trainers. Yelling its distancing battlecry, the fighting Pokémon twisted in mid-air, sending a long leg hurtling towards Denryo. It did not see Kalimaru drop the pokéball he had been holding, nor the words “Scyther, go.”

Denryo grinned as a flash of light lit up the surrounding area. Hitmonlee’s leg halted with a dull thud, inches from his face. The pokémon’s eyes widened as it stared into the grinning serpentine face of Kalimaru’s Scyther, it’s leg blocked by the flat of the mantis’s bladed forearm. “Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we, Kali?”

“Gotta keep you on your toes,” his friend answered with a smile. Then, to Scyther. “Bug Buzz.”

The mantis immediately unfurled membranous wings and shot towards the Hitmonlee. It swiped at the kicking Pokémon again and again, forcing it back towards the shrubs. The Hitmonlee responded with its own vicious kicks, but the Scyther was too fast. Soon, the wild Pokémon began to tire, its striked becoming slower and slower.

“Scyther, Fury Cutter.” Kalimaru instructed. The mantis immediately brought its blades to bear, rendering the exhausted Hitmonlee immobile and covered in small cuts. Kalimaru wasted no time and withdrew a pokéball from his belt. Engaging it, he lobbed it at the injured Hitmonlee. The ball arced through the air to strike the Pokémon between the eyes. The Hitmonlee was immediately enveloped in light as it was drawn into the ball, which swayed momentarily, before lying prone on the ground.

“Wow. Scyther’s gotten stronger,” Denryo observed.

“Yep. We’ve been training.” Kalimaru pointed the ball at the mantis Pokémon, which disappeared with a fanged smile. He walked over and picked up the Hitmonlee’s ball, minimising it and tucking it into his backpack.

“OK, we’ve got you a Hitmonlee. My turn,” Denryo said and started to mount his bike. As his did, his phone buzzed. He took it and his brow furrowed as he opened up a text message. Kalimaru watched his friend’s expression and sighed.

“Zary again?”

“Yeah,” Denryo replied. “I wish the guy would just get a life and stop harassing me.”

Zary Escamotee was a former friend-turned-enemy. The guy was immature, unpredictable and worst off has got it into his head that Denryo and Kalimaru had wronged him. So, he spent his time sending random text messages to the pair. The interesting thing was that for all the bluster he carried on with in the digital medium, he had yet to carry through on any of it.

“Dude, block his number.” Kalimaru urged. “It’s not as if we’re gonna see him again.”

Suddenly, Denryo smiled. It was a big, wide smile that filled up his face with evil glee. He turned to Kalimaru, saying simply. “He’s here.”

“What?”

“He’s here, at King’s Park. Tonight. Status says so.”

Kalimaru also grinned. “So he can finally put his money where his mouth is.”

It took them half an hour to encounter Zary, near a small café in the centre of King’s Park. Typical for him, he was on his phone, typing furiously. Denryo stopped his bike, dismounted and stepped up behind the shorter man. Keeping his voice as neutral as possible, he spoke. “Hiya. Long time.”

Zary jumped a mile and spun around, seeing the imposing form of Denryo behind him. His head immediately went down and he began to mumble something inconsequential, he went to descend the steps to the street, but stopped when he saw Kalimaru leaning on Denryo’s bike, also smiling at him. Denryo spoke quietly.

“You’ve been saying a lot about us, Zary. Here’s a chance to put this whole matter to bed.” He stepped back and proclaimed loudly. “I challenge you. Name your terms.”

Zary looked around hopelessly. Other trainers had ambled over, excited at the prospect of a battle. To refuse a challenge was considered bad manners and mad imagery, and if it was something that Zary cared greatly about, it was online imagery. His head went down again and he mumbled something about two-on-one being unfair.

“That’s all right,” Kalimaru said cordially. “Though I’m sure you could beat us with all your Pokémon tied behind your back, I’m happy to sit this one out.” To punctuate his statement, the tall trainer sat on Denryo’s bike seat, arms folded.

Seeing no way out, Zary mustered as much bravado as he could. His voice shook as he proclaimed “I accept. One-on-one. One Pokémon each.”

Denryo grinned evilly. “Done. One condition. If I win, you stop contacting me. At all.”

Zary only nodded, and the two trained made their way to the closest arena, consisting of a set of lines drawn on the ground close to the café. Zary, attempting to gain some of his online bravado, spoke first. “You’ve got some nerve challenging me. You’re weak.”

Denryo smiled. “Just throw the damn ball.”

Zary, taken aback, threw his pokéball. There was an explosion of lights, which faded to reveal a large, spiked shell. The shell slowly opened to reveal a grinning mouth and two combative eyes.

“Cloyster,” Kalimaru muttered. “Figures he’d choose a Pokémon that can go into its shell.”

Denryo reached to his belt and unclipped a pokéball. “I haven’t had a chance to use this yet in a real battle.” He smiled. “This is as good an opportunity as any.” He threw the ball.

When the light faded, a large, bipedal figure could be seen. Trunklike legs stepped forward and wings flapped, pounding the battlefield with gusts of wind. A serpentine face fixed two intelligent eyes on the Cloyster as the Dragonite bellowed its challenge. The colour drained from Zary’s face as Denryo pointed at the legendary dragon Pokémon.

“Caught this bad boy as he flew over Bibra Lake. Like him”

Zary’s response was interrupted by the loudspeaker. “Battle, BEGIN!”

“Dragonite! Quck Attack!” Denryo shouted.

The dragon Pokémon instantly became a blur of motion, streaking towards the Cloyster. The first attack happened so quickly that no one even saw it. Cloyster was spun around from the force of the blow, its grin vanishing as it tried to stay upright.

“Withdraw!” Zary yelled and the Cloyster’s heavy shell closed. Dull smacks echoed around the arena as Dragontie attacked again and again, failing to inflict much damage on the shellfish pokémon’s tough outer covering. After a long moment, Denry called for Dragonite to cease its attacks.

“Weak, as I said!” Zary crowed.

Denryo smiled. “I’m not the one hiding in a shell.”

Zary frowned. “Cloyster, Ice Beam!”

The giant shell parted slightly. Cloyster’s giant horn began to glow, misting with cold air as a swirling ball of ice began to form. Then, with a thunderous crack, a beam of super-frozen ice shot towards Denryo’s Dragonite. Denryo shouted for the dragon to evade, and the legendary Pokémon used its superior speed to dodge beam after beam. Zary’s frustration began to get the better of him as he continually directed Cloyster to fire again and again. The beams became increasingly erratic, and trainers began to look around nervously as they struck closer and closer to the edge of the arena.

Kalimaru snatched a pokéball from his belt. Dropping it to the ground, a Golduck appeared in a flash of light. He spoke urgently to the humanoid duck. “Golduck, Psychic. Stop the beams from hitting the crowds.”

The Pokémon nodded and pressed both weebed hands to its forehead. The germ there began to glow, and the wayward Ice Beams began to half in midair, barely two metres from the spectating trainers. Several nodded and began to do the same with their own psychic Pokémon as they watched the battle heat up.

Dragonite weaved this way and that, its speed far outmatching the Cloyster’s aim. Zary became increasingly frustrated, and that was mirrored in his pokémon’s erratic behaviour. He began to yell and scream, trying in vain to order Cloyster to aim truly.

“Dragonite, Dragon Rage,” Denryo ordered.

The legendary dragon slowed, its mouth glowing green as it prepared to launch its attack. However, as it did, an Ice Beam struck its hind leg. The Dragonite howled in pain as it fell from the sky, landing heavily in front of Cloyster, its leg frozen solid. Cloyster grinned even wider and Zary crowed in victory.

“Too slow! You never had a chance!”

“Damn,” one of the spectating trainers spat. “That pr!ck’s gonna win.”

“Hang on,” Kalimaru cut him off. “Watch.”

“Cloyster, Ice Beam!” Zary yelled triumphantly. The horn began to glow again.

“Dragonite,” Denryo ordered. “Open the shell.”

Gasps of surprise sounded around the arena as the dragon lunged forward on one leg, grasping each side of the Cloyster’s shell with a clawed hand. It roared in anger as it forced the partially-opened shell open, revealing Cloysters soft, yielding inner body.

Kalimaru chuckled. “Denryo let Dragonite get hit. It’s the only way to get close enough to get past the shell. Now, he wins”

“Dragonite, Mega Punch.” Denryo said with a smile.

Zary realised what was happening far too late. He tried to order Cloyster to Withdraw, but the shellfish Pokémon was helpless in the grip of the dragon. Dragonite drew back a paw and unleashed a thundering blow, slamming its fist into the soft body of Cloyster. The force of the blow lifted the heavy shellfish off the ground, where is collapsed in a heap in front of its dumbstruck trainer.

“The match is over,” The loudspeaker sang. “The winner is Dragonite!”

Trainers cheered and rushed forward to congratulate Denryo. Kalimaru smiled as he ordered Golduck to return, and wheeled Denryo’s bike over to him. “Nice work, mate. Genius move.”

“I’m more than just a pretty face,” Denryo replied with a grin. He turned towards Zary, who sat dejectedly on his side of the arena. “Speaking of faces…”

Denryo spoke clearly and concisely. “Whatever issues you have with me are over now. Abide by the code and never contact us again. I beat you fair and square. That’s it.”

Razy said nothing, but nodded dumbly. Denryo turned his back on his former adversary and strode away, pausing only to retrieve his bike from Kalimaru. The tall trainer glanced back and followed his friend.

“That Dragonite’s something else, Den,” Kalimaru stated. “You handled that perfectly.”

Denryo smiled. “Yep. Now, whaddaya say we catch some Pokémon?”

Kalimaru grinned back. “You read my mind.”

The two trainers vanished into the brush of King’s Park as dusk gave way to night.

“Man, you’d think that it’d be easy to find a damn electric rat in an open space. It’s bright yellow! How can it still be hiding?”

Kalimaru grinned at his friend as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He reached up and grasped the brim of his omnipresent cap, twisting it on his head so that it sat the right-way around for a change. He shrugged out of his hooded sweatshirt, revealing a sleeveless shirt embossed with a San Antonio Spurs logo. Tying the sweatshirt around his waist, his voice was edged with customary sarcasm.

“Maybe they heard your complaining and decided to make you suffer a bit more.”

“Ha. Ha. And also Ha.” Denryo ran a hand through his own damp hair and flipped the bird at his companion. “Why don’t you help instead of standing there damaging my self-esteem?”

“Man, it’s too hot to help.” Kalimaru replied with a smile.

Denryo laughed out loud. “Dude, winter finished literally two weeks ago. This is the first day the sun’s been shining in ages. It rained yesterday.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that the humidity’s killing me,” Kalimaru stated. “I’m standing in ball soup at the moment…”

“Thanks for the visual,” Denryo shot back, before turning to survey the bare oval before them. The pair had been hunting on the area for the past few hours. Centenary Park, situated near south-east of Perth, was a massive sporting park, used for all sorts of winter and summer activities. Lately, however, it had become disused due to the abundance of Pokemon that frequented the area. Recreation was simply impossible with so many wild creatures. Therefore, the call had been put out for trainers to come and clear the area. Kalimaru and Denryo had answered that call. However, Denryo had ulterior motives besides community service.

“Explain to me again why you need to have a Pikachu?” Kalimaru asked, taking a swig from his canteen.

“Pikachu leads to Raichu, mate,” Denryo replied, jerking a thumb at his own chest. “I always had a Raichu in the games. Now, to own a real one – “ He grinned. “Would be a dream come true.” He smiled mischievously at Kalimaru. “Kind of like you and your dino-chicken.”

“Aerodactyl,” Kalimaru corrected with a frown. “All right, I see your point. One thing I don’t see is a Pikachu.”

“Hmmm…” A light went on in Denryo’s head. He turned to his friend. “Maybe we’re looking at this all wrong.”

“How so?”

“Well, we’ve been traipsing all over the park and seen nothing. Maybe another perspective would find us what we need?” He looked up. “An aerial perspective.”

Kalimaru grinned. “Good idea.” Abruptly, the grin vanished. “You mean me, don’t you?”

Denryo smiled. “”Who else? Enter the dino-chicken.”

“You know that I haven’t had Aerodactyl long,” Kalimaru said nervously. “I haven’t had a chance to train him as thoroughly as the others yet.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Denryo waved a hand dismissively. “Besides, do you have another Pokemon that can carry your weight in the air?”

“Hell no,” Kalimaru shot back. “You think a Fearow could carry a hundred-plus kilograms?”

“So, dino-chicken it is.” Denryo clapped his hands. “Go on, Kali chop-chop.”

Kalimaru sighed and pulled a Poke-ball from his belt. Activating it, he dropped it to the ground. “If he eats you, don’t go blaming me.”

Blinding light shot in all directions as the ball opened. When it subsided, a ghastly screech filled the air. Long leathery wings spread, blotting out the sun and throwing shady patterns across the two trainers. Taloned feet clenched and a toothy mouth closed with a predator’s grin as Kalimaru’s Aerodactyl stared at them with a hunted stare.

Denryo swallowed as he and Kalimaru stepped closer to the prehistoric Pokemon. “See, no problem. He seems fi-“

The dactyl’s head shot forward, long jaws snapping shut inches from his face. He reeled back, almost stumbling, catching an odour of fetid breath. Kalimaru stepped in front of him and swung a meaty arm, catching the Aerodactyl across the snout with a stinging slap that served to startle more than injure. The predator stepped back, surprised, and fixed eyes on its’ master.

Kalimaru returned the Aerodactyl’s stare with one of his own. “No, Aerodactyl,” he whispered fiercely. “We do not eat our friends.”

For a long moment, trainer and Pokemon stared at each other. Finally, the Aerodactyl broke the gaze first, lowering its body to the earth in a gesture of submission. Kalimaru stepped closer and rewarded the prehistoric hunter with a few thorough pats. He smiled wistfully at Denryo. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Wow.” Denryo said, also stepping closer. “I’d heard they were vicious, but man…”

“Not vicious,” Kalimaru corrected gently. “Protective. He’s fine with me. Just needs socialising, I guess.”

“Will you be able to do this?” Denryo sounded worried.

Kalimaru chuckled. “This was your idea, mate. Might as well go through with it.” He scratched Aerodactyl behind the ear and swung a long leg over its’ neck, straddling the flying Pokemon. He pulled his smartphone from his pocket and gestured to Denryo. “Make sure you take my call. It’s hate for you to miss your rat.”

Denryo laughed and nodded. Kalimaru leaned forward and whispered into Aerodactyl’s ear. The prehistoric Pokemon threw its’ head back and screeched. Powerful legs launched it from the earth as wings beat at the air. After a few moments’ struggle against the still conditions, an updraft was caught and both trainer and Pokemon were airborne. Kalimaru’s whoop reached Denryo’s ears as they soared higher and higher.

When they were approximately a hundred metres up, Denryo’s phone rang, swiping at the smartphone, the rushing sounds of wind exploded in his ear, followed by Kalimaru’s excited voice. “This is awesome!”

“Focus, mate,” Denryo said with a smile. “Can you see anything yet?”

He heard nothing but rushing wind for a long moment, before his friend responded. “No Pikachus, but a lot of Pokemon. Mostly Caterpies and Pidgeys.”

“What else is new?” Denryo replied, disappointment starting to gnaw at him.

“Wait,” Kalimaru’s voice sounded. Denryo saw Aerodactyl turn left slightly, soaring towards the small meeting building at the centre of the park. Adrenalin surged through his body when Kalimaru yelled “There! The building, northern corner!”

Denryo sprinted for his bike, mounting it and kicking up the stand in one fluid motion. Tires spun in the dirt as he pedalled for his life. He shot around the park, sticking to the harder surfaces where he could get more speed. Kalimaru’s voice rang in his ear. “It’s running for the bush!”

“Damn it,” Denryo cursed. “I can’t get there in time!” He poured on more leg-speed, urging the bike to travel faster. As the small building became closer and closer, he saw a tiny flash of yellow streaking out from behind it, making for the dense scrub across the park. The trainer knew that if his quarry reached the scrub, there was no chance. “Damn it!” he swore again. He was going to miss the Pikachu by only a hundred metres or so.

“I got this!” Kalimaru’s voice sounded in his ear, moments before a massive shadow shot by overhead. Denryo craned his neck upwards, just in time to see Aerodactyl fold its wings back and hurtle towards the fleeing Pikachu. Kalimaru clung to its back, one hand gripping his phone. The larger Pokemon was on the Pikachu in seconds. Denryo began to shout a warning, but it caught in his mouth as electricity erupted from the small creature. A bolt of lightning flew towards the oncoming Aerodactyl. The very air sizzled and crackled as the Pikachu defended itself the only way it knew how.

Kalimaru’s voice through the phone almost deafened him. Coinciding with its trainers shout, Aerodactyl banked hard left, causing the Pikachu’s thunderbolt to miss by scant inches. Kalimaru pulled Aerodactyl around in a tight loop, sending it in front of the Pikachu. “Whirlwind!” he yelled, pointing directly at the Pikachu.

Aerodactyl’s massive wings beat the air powerfully, sending waves of wind crashing towards the hapless rodent. The Pikachu’s light body never stood a chance against the onslaught, and it was lifted off its feet. It tumbled backwards, right into Denryo’s path. Kalimaru’s voice sounded in his ear. “It’s all yours, mate,” he said, and hung up. Denryo smiled.

He skidded to a halt and dismounted in one fluid motion. He snatched a Poke-ball from his belt and hurled it towards the Pikachu. “Hitmonchan!”

The boxing Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light, barely breaking stride as it moved in on the Pikachu. To the rodent’s credit, it dodged Hitmonchan’s first punch with lightning speed and responded with its own electric attack. However, Hitmonchan was ready for a counter and slipped to the side, gloves raised and ready for an attack of its own. The Pikachu shot thunder again and again, but it was tired from its chase. Hitmochan weaved this way and that, waiting for both an opening and its trainer’s command.

The Pikachu, seeing that it could not win, tried to turn tail and flee once more. Seeing his chance, Denryo yelled a command. “Rocket Punch!”

Hitmonchan raised a gloved fist. It moved so fast it seemed as if it simply disappeared and reappeared in front of the fleeing rodent. The punch caught the Pikachu dead-on in the side, driving the breath from its lungs and sending it to the ground, gasping for air. Denryo wasted no time, snatching a Poke-ball from his belt and hurling it at the Pikachu. The ball bounced off the incapacitated rodent and opened. Within moments, the ball was quivering on the grass, before falling still and silent.

Kalimaru and Aerodactyl landed nearby as Denryo picked up his Poke-ball, a grin spreading across his features. “Finally.”

Patting Aerodactyl’s snout, Kalimaru nodded sarcastically. “No sweat. Nothing to it.” He smiled. “Well, what now?”

Denryo tucked his new Pikachu into his belt and bumped fists with Hitmonchan. “First, to the Pokemon centre to heal Pikachu. Then, home.”

Kalimaru chuckled as he returned Aerodactyl. “Your fiancée worried about you?”

“Probably, but that’s not why,” Denryo replied with a grin. “Home has ice. I think I’ll need it on my legs after that cycling sprint.”

Kalimaru’s chuckled turned into a full-blown laugh, which Denryo joined in.