Uncontained

Soul gave us the key to the gym and disappeared like a wraith. "We should tell Blaine what happened," Spirit said. "That would be the right choice."

We unlocked the gym and were instantly blasted with a wave of heat. It was so humid I almost couldn't breathe. After a few moments of testing my lungs with a silly magikarp expression on my face trying to breathe, we walked to the arena.

The ground was covered in red sand and torches lined the sides. I automatically sweated from the heat. "Blaine!" I called. "I got the key to your gym!"

"Oh goody!" An old, sprightly man with a cane wobbled into the open from a side door. I thought he was just looney, but when he held up the act I realized he was serious. "About time I got a challenger! Everyone keeps dying on me!"

"About that," I started.

"What's that, sonny?" Blaine swiped a hand to his ear. "Can't mumble to me!"

"There's something you need to know about the mansion," I said louder.

"What? I'm four times older than you! Gotta speak up!"

"There's this gang that-"

"Oho! Maybe I can hear better if you start battling me!"

I scowled. Spirit chuckled beside me. "Rose would be a good pick," she commented. "He's obviously got fire Pokemon."

"And fire douses water," I said. Ahead of me, Blaine assumed his position at the gym leader's square. I wasn't sure about sending Rose out; I'd never battled with her in a gym battle before. But as soon as she heard her name she went barreling into the arena like an overgrown toddler. "Wait!" I blurted.

Let's do it! she yelped.

"Oh boy." I sighed.

Blaine cackled, and with a youthful swing, Blaine sent out his first Pokemon. Through the streak of white light a blonde, quadrupedal Pokemon with crimson eyes came dancing out. Nine luminous tails swirled around it, and Spirit gasped at it's beauty. I was awed as well, but I knew I had to fight it. "Rose, since you're out there, let's see you use those cannons!" I shouted.

With a sharp click, Rose aimed them at the foe.

"Alright, quick attack!" Blaine yowled.

The creature took off in a streak of dazzling light and slammed into Rose. I almost cried out, but Rose was thicker and sturdier than the foe Pokemon could ever be. Rose turned her guns and water blasted out of the barrel with the force of a fire hose. The Pokemon shrieked and hit the wall hard. "Hit it again, ninetales!" Blaine called.

The Pokemon was weakened, all its fur clinging to its body, but it took off and hit her again. Rose grabbed it by the midsection and hurled it away, and right then, she blasted it with water. The ninetales collapsed onto the hot ground. It couldn't get up. "Oho!" Blaine said and returned it. "Nice and chipper, aren't we?"

I didn't know what to say, so I let him send out another Pokemon. This one whinnied out of the Pokeball and flames surged from its body. I was stunned. I was around Uriah all the time, but I never expected flames to come out of other Pokemon's bodies. This was a quadrupedal Pokemon with long white legs with hooves at the end, and a piercing horn protruded from its forehead. "Rapidash, stomp!" Blaine yelled.

And that fucker jumped. It scaled practically to the top of the gym and slammed its hooves on Rose's shell. Rose crashed down and cried out. "Rose!" I blurted, but right as the rapidash leaped off her, she aimed a cannon, and blasted it with water. With a high-pitched scream, the rapidash hit the wall and collapsed onto the ground.

Blaine returned it. "Rose, are you okay?" I asked.

She got to her feet and shook herself out. With that rock-solid shell, she must've been near-invincible, but she was still a baby. She wiped away a few tears. It's okay! I can keep going!

My paternal instinct kicked in. "Rose, come back here right now! I'm sending out Isaac." But then, Blaine sent out his last Pokemon.

This thing came out in a whirlwind of fire and a deafening roar. All the hairs on my body stood up at an end and Florence gripped my hair. Rose snapped her head around. In the midst of swirling flames was an arcanine. A massive, near-legendary Pokemon with awesome power. I'd never seen one in real life.

And flames shot from its mouth.

Rose didn't get a chance to react. Flames engulfed her in an inferno and I screamed her name. My Pokemon nearly lunged into the arena. Spirit grabbed onto my hand. Then, the arcanine closed its mouth and the flames slowly petered out.

All that was left of Rose was a shell.

"Rose!" I screamed. Spirit grappled onto me to keep me from sprinting forward. "That fucker burnt her to a crisp!"

But then, Rose's head and limbs emerged from the shell. She got to her feet and smiled.

"Oh my God," I gasped.

And with one fierce blast of water, we'd won.