//------------------------------//
// 29. A Blazing Gym Battle 
// Story: Diamond's Pokémon Adventure 
// by Brian Sheil 
//------------------------------//

In our previous chapter, Diamond and her friends unlocked the doors to the Cinnabar Gym, and find themselves in what looks like a game show studio. Diamond Tiara was invited to participate in a quiz by the quiz master: Blaine. After correctly answering her questions, Diamond is now ready to face Blaine in an official Gym Battle. The audience including Diamond's friends, Silver Spoon and Babs Seed, are watching with interest.
In another area outside of Cinnabar, Holly Prema watches the battle. After calming down, her straitjacket was removed by Jet Set and Upper Crust.
"I still can't believe I'm in better company than my former leader." Holly said to herself. "Time to see how Diamond fares against Blaine."
Back in Cinnabar Island, Diamond was ready to face her opponent with Eevee by her side.
"Are you ready, Diamond Tiara?" Blaine asked.
"I sure am." Diamond replied.
"Then, here comes my first Pokémon. Go, Ninetales!"
When Blaine's Ninetales came out, Diamond already knows who she'll summon. "Let's go, Golem!"
Golem came out and shook the stage as it landed. 
"A rock type, huh?" Blaine said with interest. "Ninetales, use Flamethrower!"
Ninetales blew fire on Golem. Being a rock type, Golem was not infected that much.
"Now, it's my turn." Diamond announced. "Golem, use Rock Slide!"
As Golem made rocks appear tomcrush Ninetales, Blaine countered the move. "Ninetales, use Quick Attack to avoid those rocks!"
Ninetales quickly avoided the rocks, but Diamond took advantage of this. "Okay, Golem. Use ROLLOUT!"
Golem soon rooled at high speed to run into Ninetales. The Fox Pokémon soon fainted.
"Ninetales is unable to battle." The announcer, Brian, said to the crowd. "Golem wins!"
"Ninetales, return." Blaine said. He was impressed with Diamond's move. "Using Rock Slide as a distraction was a clever idea."
"Thanks, Blaine." Diamond said.
"Let's see what you can do with my second Pokémon. Go, Rapidash!"
Out comes a beautiful horse with a blazing mane and tail. Another noticeable feature is the horn on it's head. Diamond's Pokédex comes alive. Rapidash, the Fire Horse Pokémon and the evolved form of Ponyta. It can run fast. When it dies, it's mane blazes.
"That won't stop us." Diamond said. "Golem, use Rollout!"
As soon as Golem rolls, Blaine is ready. "Here's my solution to Rock types. Rapidash, use Double Kick!"
Rapidash soon kicked Golem twice, stopping the Rollout this got Diamond scared. "Uh oh."
"Turn up the heat, Rapidash!" Blaine called out. "Fire Blast!"
Rapidash blew a five point fire star at Golem. Because it was weakened by Double Kick, the Megaton Pokémon fainted.
"Golem is unable to battle." Brian announced. "Rapidash wins."
"Golem, return." Diamond sadly said. "Nice try. Time to rest." She then made her next choice. "Let's go, Omanyte!"
When Omanyte appeared, Blaine was shocked. "An Omanyte? How did you get that prehistoric Pokémon?"
"I was given a Helix Fossil in Mt. Moon." Diamond explained. "I took it to the lab here. And, that's how I got Omanyte."
"I'll still beat it. Ponyta, use Flamethrower!'
Ponyta blew fire at Omanyte. Diamond reacted quickly. "Omanyte, use Mud Shot."
Omanyte shot out some mud at Rapidash. Blaine got concerned. "Oh no. Ground type moves work against fire types as well as it effects electrical types."
"Now, finish it up with Hydro Pump!"
Omanyte blasts Rapidash with a strong stream of water. Soon, Rapidash fainted.
"Rapidash is unable to battle." Brian announced. "Omanyte wins."
"Great work, Omanyte!" Diamond cheered.
Suddenly, Omanyte started to glow. That means it's evolution time. Seconds later Omanyte grew a bit bigger and have spikes on it's shell.
"This is a great moment." Blaine praised. "Your Omanyte evolved into an Omastar!"
Diamond pulls out her Pokédex. "So, that's an Omastar, huh?"
Omastar, the Spiral Pokémon and the evolved form of Omanyte. Said the Pokédex. With it's many tentacles, many believe that Omastar is an ancestor of Octillery.
Everybody in the audience were pleasantly surprised. Babs and Silver were happy for this moment. Blaine recalled Rapidash and made his next choice. "Here's a Pokémon I talked about earlier. Go, Magmar!"
A red and yellow fire creature came out. Diamond nervously pulls out her Pokédex. "So, that's a Magmar."
Magmar, the Spitfire Pokémon. The Pokédex said. Magmar are often seen at volcanoes soaking in lava.
Thinking about what Magmar is capable of , Diamond recalls Omastar and made her next choice. "Let's go, Dugtrio!"
Dugtrio popped out, ready for action. But, Blaine was quick. "Magmar, Fire Punch!"
Magmar covered it's fist with fire, and quickly punched Dugtrio. This panicked Diamond as Blaine followed it up. "Use Fire Blast!"
Magmar blew a five point fire star. Diamond reacted quickly. "Dugtrio, use Dig to avoid that Fire Blast!"
Dugtrio zipped down into the ground as the firey star blew by. Magmar looked to see where Dugtrio would pop out. Just then, Dugtrio appeared and damaged Magmar. Diamond followed up that attack. "Okay, Dugtrio. Use Earthquake!"
The Mole Pokémon shook the ground so much, Magmar quickly fainted.
"Magmar is unable to battle." Brian announced. "Dugtrio wins."
"Magmar, return." Blaine said. "Good try, my friend." He then turned to his opponent. "It's been a while since anybody brought me down to my last Pokémon."
"Bring it on, Blaine." Diamond said to him. "I'm ready."
"Not for this, you're not. Go, Arcanine!"
Out pops a bigger version of Growlithe with fur on it's head and a bigger tail. Diamond pulls out her Pokédex to learn of this Pokémon. "So, this is what Growlithe evolves into."
 Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon and the evolved form of Growlithe. The Pokédex said. This Pokémon uses the fire within it's body to fuel speed.
"Time for your Dugtrio to be run over." Blaine told her. "Arcanine, use Extreme Speed!"
Arcanine moved so fast, Diamond didn't have time to give a command. The impact caused Dugtrio to faint.
"Dugtrio is unable to battle." Brian announced. "Arcanine wins."
"Dugtrio, return." Diamond said. 
"I hope she can recover from this." Silver said with worry.
Diamond soon made another decision. "Back to action, Omastar!"
Omastar came back out. Diamond struck first. "Omastar, Spike Cannon, FIRE!"
The Spiral Pokémon fired a bunch of darts at Arcanine. They struck it hard. Diamond followed it up. "Omastar, wrap it up with Hydro Pump!"
Just as Omastar used Hydro Pump, Blaine unleashed a surprise. "Arcanine, use Thunder Fang on that water!"
With a mouth full of electricity, Arcanine bit on the water. The electricity traveled through the Hydro Pump and strike at Omastar. Soon, the prehistoric Pokémon fainted.
"Omastar is unable to battle." Brian announced. "Arcanine wins."
As Diamond recalls Omastar, Blaine told her his strategy. "Figuring somebody would use water types, I trained Magmar and Arcanine to use electric attacks as perfect counters. So, who will be your final Pokémon?"
Diamond soon pointed at Arcanine and Eevee rushed ahead. Blaine is amused. "This will be too easy. Arcanine, Fire Blast!"
As Arcanine energized it's fire attack, Diamond quickly acted. "Eevee, use Quick Attack to avoid that Fire!"
Eevee sped away from the fire attack. Diamond followed it up with a surprise of her own. "Eevee, use Swift!"
Eevee fired a barrage of stars at Arcanine. Being tired from battling Dugtrio and Omastar, this powerful Pokémon soon slowly fainted.
"I don't believe it!" Brian gasped. "But, it's true. Arcanine is unable to battle. Eevee wins. The winner of this Gym Battle is Diamond Tiara! Congratulations!"
Eevee happily jumped into Diamond's arms as she cheered for her victory. After recalling Arcanine, Blaine approached her. "That was quite a battle, Miss Tiara. That Eevee is quite the powerhouse."
"Thank you, Blaine." Diamond said happily.
"Now, here's another question. What's red on the outside, dark pink on the inside, and is not hot despite it's appearance?"
This question got Diamond stumped. "Okay, Blaine. I give up. What is it?"
Blaine soon pulls out a badge with the description he gave in his question. "The answer is a Volcano Badge. And, you have truly earned it."
Diamond accepted the badge as Silver and Babs went up to be with her.
"With this badge," Diamond said proudly, "I just need one more to enter the Pokémon League."
Outside the Gym, the mystery man in blue is on his phone. "Holly, you finally picked up. Where the Dickens are you?"
He soon heard a female voice. "Sorry, sir. I'm afraid Miss Prema is unavailable right now. You won't influence her anymore."
"Upper Crust?" The mysterious man gasped. When he heard the phone hung up, he got nervous. "Uh oh."


End of Chapter 29






 DIAMOND TIARA 
Eevee
Pidgeot 
Pikachu 
Golem
Dugtrio 
Omastar

At Oak's Lab 
Venusaur 
Hypno
Ninetales 
Alolan Ninetales 
Snorlax
Starmie

BABS SEED 
Charizard 
Fearow
Kadabra
Lapras

 SILVER SPOON 
Blastoise 
Venomoth 
Rhyhorn 
Porygon 
Aerodactyl