Pokémon Adventures: GAMER PATH

Chapter 134: Lake of Rage

~Third POV~

[Johto Region, Route 43 – Lake of Rage]

*Fwp*

Azure Sky inhaled the crisp Johto air, the wind whipping through his raven hair as Skarmory gracefully descended towards the Lake of Rage. From above, the lake seemed like a festering wound on the landscape, its waters a disturbing crimson.

He tightened his grip on Skarmory's metallic feathers, a shiver running down his spine despite the warm sunlight. Azure said, patting the Steel/Flying type, "Thanks, Skarmory. You can relax now. I'll call you if I need a quick escape."

Skarmory let out a metallic cry and perched itself on a rocky outcrop overlooking the lake, its keen eyes scanning the surroundings. Azure dismounted, Pikachu hopping off his shoulder to land nimbly on the ground.

Eevee and Celebi, nestled in Azure's backpack, poked their heads out, feeling the wind in the breeze. Azure muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for the Poké Balls clipped to his belt, "This place feels… off."

Pikachu, ever sensitive to his trainer's emotions, crackled with a small burst of electricity, its cheeks glowing a reassuring yellow. Eevee whimpered softly, burying its head back into the backpack.

Azure had heard whispers in Mahogany Town, hushed rumors of a Gyarados unlike any other. A Gyarados that shone with an unnatural, crimson hue.

A Shiny Gyarados, enraged and thrashing in the waters of the Lake of Rage. The stories painted a picture of a creature fueled by an unknown power, a force that tainted the lake and drove the local Magikarp to violent evolution.

He had come to the Lake of Rage with a single, burning purpose: to capture this rare and powerful Pokémon. Not for fame or fortune, but to capture it for being a Shiny and, if possible, to alleviate its rage.

Azure helplessly shakes his head as he mumbles to himself shamelessly, "Sigh... this was Silver's Shiny Gyarados... but my Shiny Hunter Instincts refuses to hand it over so... sorry Silver. You snooze and you lose."

He scanned the turbulent water, his eyes adjusting to the unnatural crimson. Pupitar, Misdreavus, Quagsire, Houndoom, Ampharos, and Skarmory.

All powerful Pokémon, carefully chosen for their unique abilities and their unwavering loyalty to him. He knew capturing Gyarados wouldn't be easy, and he'd need every advantage he could get.

*SPLASH*

Suddenly, a colossal form erupted from the surface of the lake, sending a spray of crimson water high into the air. The Shiny Gyarados.

It was even more magnificent and terrifying than the rumors suggested. Its scales shimmered with an unsettling crimson gloss, its eyes burned with a furious, almost sentient rage.

The air crackled with an unnatural energy that made Azure's skin prickle. Azure shouted, his voice barely audible above the creature's earth-shattering roar, "Gyarados! I challenge you!"

The Gyarados fixed its fiery gaze on Azure, its massive body coiling and writhing in the water, creating whirlpools that threatened to swallow the landscape. It didn't respond with words, but with a guttural growl that echoed across the lake, a clear declaration of war, "Gr… GYARAAAA!!!!"

Azure yelled, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He reached for a Poké Ball, hurling it out as he yelled, "Alright, let's do this! Houndoom, I choose you!"

*Pop*

The ball burst open, releasing the sleek, black Houndoom into the fray. Its fiery eyes glowed with anticipation, its fangs bared in a menacing snarl.

Azure commanded, "Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"

*Sssss*

Houndoom unleashed a torrent of searing flames, the orange inferno clashing against the crimson backdrop of the lake. The flames struck Gyarados head-on, momentarily obscuring the creature in a cloud of smoke.

But Gyarados was unfazed. It emerged from the smoke, its crimson scales barely singed. With a deafening roar, it retaliated with a Hydro Pump, a concentrated jet of water that slammed into Houndoom with tremendous force.

*SPLASH*

Houndoom was sent hurtling backward, landing heavily on the rocky shore. Azure called out, concern etched on his face, "Houndoom, are you alright?"

Houndoom struggled to its feet, shaking its head to clear its daze. It looked back at Azure, its eyes filled with determination.

Azure nodded as his eyes narrowed at the Shiny Gyarados as he commanded, "Okay, Houndoom, let's try a different approach! Use Dark Pulse!"

*PEW*

Houndoom unleashed a wave of dark energy, a swirling vortex of shadows that crashed against Gyarados's body. The Dark Pulse seemed to have a greater effect, causing Gyarados to wince and lash out in pain, "GRRR!!!"

But the Gyarados' rage was a powerful shield. It shook off the effects of the Dark Pulse and retaliated with a Dragon Breath, a blast of draconic energy.

Azure reacted quickly as he ordered, "Houndoom, dodge it!"

*Wooosh*

Houndoom narrowly avoided the Dragon Breath, but the chilling air around it was unmistakable. Azure realized that he couldn't rely on direct attacks alone.

This Gyarados was too powerful, too enraged to be defeated by brute force. He needed to exploit its weaknesses, to find a way to break through its fury.

Azure shouted, throwing another Poké Ball, "Quagsire, I need your help!"

*Pop*

Quagsire emerged from the ball with a cheerful, "Quag!"

Its serene expression was a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around them. Azure instructed, "Quagsire, use Agile Style! Mud Shot!"

*Splat*

Quagsire launched a barrage of mud shots at Gyarados, aiming for its eyes. The mud splattered against the Gyarados's face, momentarily blinding it.

Azure, shifting his attention to Houndoom, commanded, "Now, Houndoom, use another Dark Pulse!"

*PEW*

With Gyarados momentarily blinded, Houndoom unleashed another Dark Pulse, striking the creature with full force. This time, the attack seemed to have a more significant impact...

Gyarados roared in pain, thrashing wildly in the water, "GYARR!!!"

Azure knew he had to capitalize on this opportunity. He couldn't let Gyarados regain its composure. Azure shouted, releasing his Electric-type Pokémon, "Ampharos, let's go! Use Thunderbolt!"

*Pop*

*Zzzzz*

Ampharos unleashed a massive bolt of electricity, the raw power of the Thunderbolt attack illuminating the crimson lake. The lightning struck Gyarados directly, sending a surge of electricity coursing through its body.

Gyarados roared in agony, its crimson scales crackling with electricity. It thrashed violently, its rage reaching a fever pitch.

Azure knew he was pushing Gyarados to its limit. But he also knew that he couldn't afford to hold back.

This was his only chance. Azure yelled, releasing his Rock/Ground type, "Pupitar, use Rock Slide!"

*Pop*

Pupitar summoned a shower of large rocks, sending them crashing down on the already weakened Gyarados. The rocks pummeled the creature, further eroding its defenses.

*SMACK*

*THUD*

*SMACK*

Gyarados was reeling, its movements becoming sluggish and erratic. Its eyes, once burning with rage, now flickered with confusion and pain.

Azure knew he was close. He could feel it. Azure commanded, releasing his Ghost-type Pokémon, "Misdreavus, use Shadow Ball!"

*Pop*

Misdreavus unleashed a sphere of dark energy, a swirling vortex of shadows that slammed into Gyarados's body. The Shadow Ball seemed to penetrate Gyarados's very being, disrupting its energy flow.

Gyarados let out a final, agonizing roar. It thrashed one last time, its body convulsing, before finally collapsing into the crimson water.

*SPLASH*

The lake fell silent after Gyarados fell. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore.

Azure held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He watched intently, waiting for any sign of movement.

After what felt like an eternity, the Gyarados slowly began to rise to the surface. Its crimson scales were dulled, its eyes were no longer burning with rage.

It looked… exhausted. Azure knew this was his moment.

He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt, his hand trembling slightly. He yelled out loud, "Go, Poké Ball!"

*Wooosh*

*Smack*

He hurled the ball towards the Gyarados. The ball struck the creature squarely on the head, engulfing it in a red light. The ball fell into the water, wobbling once, twice, three times. Then, it clicked.

*BON*

The Poké Ball lay still in the crimson water, a silent testament to Azure's victory. Azure let out a sigh of relief, his legs suddenly feeling weak.

He stumbled forward, picking up the Poké Ball. He had done it. He had captured the Shiny Gyarados.

But as he held the Poké Ball in his hand, he couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. He knew that capturing Gyarados was only the first step.

He looked back at the crimson lake, its waters still churning with an unnatural energy. He knew that the mystery of the Lake of Rage was far from solved.

He pulled out his Arc Phone and checked on the Shiny Gyarados info. He wasn't disappointed in the slightest by capturing such a Pokémon.

[Gyarados the Atrocious Pokémon. The process of Evolution causes a change in its brain structure that is believed to cause its violent nature. Gyarados's fangs can crush stones, and its scales are harder than steel. Gyarados is feared for its fierce temper and wanton destructive tendencies since ancient times.

In some regions, Gyarados is called the "deity of destruction" because of this. It appears in times of conflict and destroys the surrounding area. Its rampages have been known to last a month at a time. These rampages can occur even during a harsh storm.

A Gyarados's rage won't stop completely until everything is destroyed. Some believed any human settlement is fated to be destroyed should a Gyarados appear. Gyarados lives in both fresh and salty waters.

Both Gyarados and its Mega form have demonstrated that they can leap huge distances, both from the water and from the ground, usually several times their body length. However, Gyarados is rarely seen in the wild. The move Hyper Beam is often associated with Gyarados due to it being powerful enough to instantly destroy everything it hits.]

|Name: Gyarados (S) (Atrocious Pokémon)

|Type: Water/Flying

|Level: 30

|Gender: Male

|Held Item: None

|Ability: Intimidate

|Nature: Sassy

|Moves: Thrash, Twister, Ice Fang, Brine, Scary Face, Rain Dance, Dragon Breath, Dive (HM), Surf (HM), Waterfall (HM), Whirlpool (HM), Crunch (IM), Dragon Rage (IM), Hydro Pump (IM), Hyper Beam (IM), Splash (IM) (9 Moves to learn)

Azure blinked using his Viridian Force to soothe the Red Gyarados as he said, "Well, aren't you a tough one. I'm glad to have you onboard. Sorry, Silver, but… It's Shiny. My inner Shiny Hunter couldn't just ignore this."

The Red Gyarados fully submitted to Azure's control. It lost the battle following the rule of the strong, following the stronger, along with the Viridian Force calming its destructive urges, making it calm and at ease.

He recalled Skarmory to its ball, and then he recalled all his other team members with a gentle smile as he said happily, "You all did amazing! Now, let's get going!!"

With Pikachu perched on his shoulder and Eevee still nestled in his backpack, Azure began his journey back to Mahogany Town, the Poké Ball containing the Shiny Gyarados safely secured to his belt. He had a long road ahead of him, but he was determined to help the Gyarados find the peace it so desperately deserved.

The Johto region had certainly proven to be more challenging than he had anticipated, but he was ready for whatever mysteries it held. As he traveled down the path, he pondered asking Celebi, who floated near him, "Say, Celebi… do you think you can help Pryce with a long-lasting issue of his?"

Celebi blinked, baffled by his words, suddenly asking about Pryce. Azure, on the other hand, mentally grinned as an idea came to him to avoid the whole battle with Ho-Oh and Lugia at the Indigo Plateau, where he wanted to challenge the strongest around.

What he thought and was gonna derail the Johto Pokémon Adventures Arc was out of control. Changing the outcome of the fates of many by doing this next step, heading to the outskirts of Mahogany Town…

... heading straight towards Pryce Gym.

/////

A/N: Reach 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!