Icy woke up bright and early.  The room was dark still.  Sara was sleeping on a bench across from him.  Pokéballs were scattered over the walls on other benches.  Icy looked at the clock above the door.  “6:30 AM”  He hopped down from his spot and called up to Sara.  She sighed softly as she opened her eyes.  Icy collected his belongings and Sara followed him into the main foyer.
    Nurse Joy was half-awake at the front desk when Icy jumped up in front of her.  She yawned then greeted him, “Good morning.  Did you two sleep well?  Can I interest you in some breakfast before you go?”
    “Yes to both,” Icy said.  He was very energetic this morning.  Sara, on the other hand, looked like she had seen better days as she almost fell asleep again.
    “I have something that will wake you both up.  How about a nice, warm breakfast of pancakes.”  She led the two pikachus into the diner next to the pokécenter.  Some Chanseys brought them two entrees of pancakes.  Icy and Sara ate their breakfast and thanked Nurse Joy for her hospitality.
    “Oh it’s nothing.  You’re always welcome here.  By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, where are you headed today?”
    “I’m going to try for Blaine’s Volcano Badge.  We’re going to the gym after this.”
    “Oh.  Good luck then.  Blaine’s a tough trainer.”
    Icy and Sara left the pokécenter and headed for the gym.  The gym was located inside the main chamber of the volcano.  Blaine’s original gym had collapsed a few years back when he abandoned it.  So many tourists had invaded the island that trainers were a rare site.  Fortunately, Icy was aware of the relocated gym site.  “Is... is... is that the gym?”
    “I think so.  C’mon, let’s go in.”  They entered the volcano through an entrance carved into the rock.  The temperature inside was very high.  Sweat dripped down their faces.
    “It’s so hot in here.  Why did we come here anyway?”
    “In order for me to get the Volcano Badge, I have to defeat the gym leader here.”
    “Oh.  Do you think you’ll win?”
    “I hope so.”  They entered the main chamber.  Blaine was standing in one corner tending to a shadowy pokémon.  “Blaine, I challenge you to a pokémon battle for the Volcano Badge.”  No matter the odds, Icy always stayed confident.  Sara stayed to the side.
    “Very well.  If you want the Volcano Badge, you must best me in a two on two match.”  The dark pokémon Blaine was working with was gone now.  Blain fussed a bit with his hair then readied his pokéball.  His glassed glimmered as he threw the ball into the field.  “Go Ninetails!”  The golden, nine tailed fox appeared on the field.  Its fur glimmered like the lava below it.  “Well, what pokémon shall my Ninetails defeat?”
    “Defeat?  Grrr...  Ready to fight, come in sight!  Icy calls, Hocus!”  Hocus appeared ready for action.  He studied his foxy opponent.
    “Let the match begin!  Ninetails, take the Abra out with a fire spin.”  Ninetails fired a large ring of flames at Hocus.  He teleported out of the way just in time to avoid being burned.
    “That was close.  Hang in there Hocus.  Counter back with your confusion attack.”  Hocus quickly emitted confusion waves at Ninetails but the fire pokémon was just too strong to be affected.  “Hocus, psybeam quick!”  The psybeam managed to hurt Ninetails slightly, but still not enough.
    “Sorry little pikachu, but those small attacks won’t win it.  Ninetails, finish it off.  Flamethrower!”  Ninetails charged up its flamethrower attack while Icy psychically told Hocus to be prepared to teleport.  “Ninetails, double play fire now!”  Ninetails fired a small fireball at Hocus causing him to teleport.  Unfortunately, it was a trick.  Ninetails was waiting for Hocus to reappear before it blasted him with a full-power flamethrower.
    Icy was in shock.  “How could Hocus lose.  Uhh...  Hocus, return!”  He took his second pokéball and expanded it.  “Ready to fight, come in sight!  Icy calls, Buttercup!”  The small, green butterfree fluttered overhead.  “Sleep powder now!”  Buttercup quickly poured sleep powder on Ninetails.
    “Fight it off.  Stay awake!”  Ninetails tried to stay awake but finally gave in and fell asleep.  “Hmm.  Maybe I’ve underestimated your skill.  But your butterfree is no match for my second pokémon.”  The gym lights faded.  Suddenly, the lava began glowing.  Something climbed out from the crater onto the field.  The lights came back on, slightly dimmer.
    “What type of pokémon is that?” Icy said as he looked at the brightly colored pokémon.
    “This is a Magmar.  Its entire body is made out of lava.  It can even live in lava without being hurt.  And now, Magmar, give the pikachu a demonstration of your awesome power.  Fire blast that butterfree!”  Magmar spit a large fireball directly at Buttercup.  She managed to dodge most of it but her left wing was burnt.
    “Aghh!  Buttercup!  Are you ok?” Icy screamed franticly.  He was about to recall Buttercup while she shook her head no.  “Alright Buttercup, but be careful.  Watch for the flame attack.  Use your psybeam!”  Buttercup prepared to use her psybeam while Magmar got ready to fire another fireball.
    “Magmar, wait for it...”  Buttercup fired her psybeam.  “Now Magmar!”  Magmar shot out a massive ball of flames at Buttercup.  It was so strong it broke right through her psybeam and completely engulfed her.  She fell to the ground crying in pain as the flames continued burning her.
    “NOOOO!!!  BUTTERCUP!!!  STOP!!! Please!!!  I give up!  Neptune go!  Help Buttercup quick!”  Neptune put out the flames on Buttercup.  Magmar returned to the lava.
    “Here Icy.  Take this burn heal.  It should help ease the pain for your butterfree.  Better luck next time.”  Blaine tossed the healer to Icy.  It fell just in front of him.  Blaine looked back.  He noticed Icy didn’t take to healer.  He left the gym and headed for his personal training area.
    “Icy...” Sara said softly.  Icy didn’t respond.  She picked up the burn heal and applied some of it to Buttercup’s burn wounds.  Icy’s eyes were filled with tears as he looked at Buttercup’s charred body.  Losing the match was one thing, but watching his friend suffer like this was another.  Tears rolled down his cheeks as he cried.  Sara put her paw on his back.  “She’ll be ok.  Maybe we should take her to that place they heal pokémon at.  That lady who served us breakfast might be able to help.”
    Icy nodded slowly.  He lifted Buttercup into his arms and Sara carried Neptune.  Buttercup looked at her master’s watery eyes.  Pain seared through every part of her body.  She continued to cry as Icy carried her out of the gym.  Sara had Neptune spray Buttercup with water every few minutes as they walked to the pokécenter.
    They walked through the automatic doors.  “Someone help me!  Please, my butterfree’s burnt badly.  Oh please, someone help her!”  Icy cried as he looked for someone who would help Buttercup.  Nurse Joy rushed over to them along with a few chanseys.
    “I’ll treat her right away!”  She reached for Buttercup, but Icy could let go of his friend.  Sara put arms around Icy and told him Buttercup would be fine.  He handed Buttercup over to Nurse Joy and she took her into the ER.  Sara led Icy over to a bench in the waiting room.  Icy was still completely in tears.  Sara wept softly too.  Buttercup was the only thing on Icy’s mind at the moment...