ã€ŠPok&#xE9;mon Double-J Adventuresã€‹


 1-The Adventure Begins

    The sun rose over the Sprout Tower, casting a pinkish light over Violet City. A flock of Pidgey was flying past the huge pagoda, and the streetlights began to dim as their necessity ended. A faint mist hung in the air, and the grass was lightly coated with dew. Few would dream of being awake at such an hour; in one house on the north side of the city, however, someone was.

    Ten-year-old James Enfield sat on his bed, fully dressed in a red t-shirt and black jeans, unable to contain his excitement. The day had finally come for him to get his first Pok¨¦mon and begin his journey across the Johto region; he had waited impatiently for nearly six years, watching in awe as his two older brothers received their first Pok¨¦mon. Now it was his turn, and he couldn''t sleep, not while his first Pok¨¦mon was waiting for him.

    He looked around the room, his hawk-like blue-gray eyes searching through the dim morning light. His black Pok¨¦gear, a wrist mounted model that his oldest brother Darrell had given him, sat on the nightstand, and his gray pack hung by its shoulder strap on the back of his desk chair, already stocked and ready to go. Books and Pok¨¦mon manuals were stacked on the desk, looking ready to fall at any moment. The generally disorganized room was mainly due to James'' frantic preparations the night before, trying to get everything ready before he went to sleep; if it hadn''t been for his mother''s scolding, he''d never have even thought of going to bed at all.

    Eventually, he decided he''d had enough of sitting around, and put his Pok¨¦gear onto his right wrist, checking to make sure it was tightly secured, then crossed the room and started to swing his bag over his shoulder. Upon looking at the clock, though, he stopped himself; the clock read six thirty, and he knew that his mother would be really annoyed if she found him up this early. He may be energetic, she had said, but that was no excuse for him to be awake at that time of the morning. He put the bag down and sat down on the chair, running a hand through his choppy, dark brown hair and willing time to speed up so he could finally get going.

    A soft knock on the door broke him from his thoughts, and he went and opened it as quietly as he could, revealing his second-oldest brother Shane. Shane was thirteen, and he didn''t look as much like his younger brother, with straight, light brown hair that was already longer than most boys'', and soft emerald green eyes. Like James, he was fully dressed, wearing a white t-shirt under a black and white checked flannel shirt and faded blue jeans. He smiled as he walked in, and sat down on the bed, while James sat back down on the chair.

    "Couldn''t sleep, huh, kiddo?" Shane asked, and James nodded. "Don''t worry, I was just as excited when I got Chikorita. Remember when Mom was yelling at me to go to sleep the night before, even though she knew I wasn''t going to?"

    "Vaguely," James replied, a smile crossing his face. "I was only seven, remember?"

    "True," Shane said, grinning as well. "So, have you decided which Pok¨¦mon you''re going to choose? You''ve been waiting for today since you were four, after all."

    "Yeah, I have," James said, "but I''m not telling anyone yet. It''s going to be a surprise." He knew it wasn''t, though; everyone had pretty much figured out his choice years ago, and he''d simply told everyone who asked exactly what he''d just told Shane. ¡°So are we still teleporting to New Bark Town?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Xatu''s looking forward to it. It''ll be fun to see Professor Elm again, I haven''t seen him in the longest time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± James glanced at his Pok¨¦gear display, then back at Shane. ¡°D''you have any advice on how to get started? Like which Pok¨¦mon I should be aiming to catch?¡±

    ¡°Well, on that front, I can''t really tell you much. It''s really up to you. Every trainer has their own style and preferences, and you''ll be able to discover both.¡± Shane sighed. ¡°I''m also not the best person to offer advice, either. My travels didn''t even last two years.¡±

    ¡°Okay then.¡± James looked toward the window, a little disappointed that Shane couldn''t offer more help. ¡°The sky''s lightening, Shane. We should start getting ready...well, more ready than we are now.¡±

    "Well, d''you want to get Mom up and grab some breakfast before we go?" the older boy asked. "It''s almost seven now, and she wants us to leave by nine, so we''re gonna have to move."

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    "Sounds good to me," James said, and the two brothers left the room, James grabbing his pack as he left. They walked across the hall to their parents'' room, and Shane knocked on the door.

    "Hey Mom," he said, just above a whisper. "We''re up and ready, are you?" The door opened, and Andrea Enfield, a pretty, brown-haired woman, stood in front of them. She had many similar features to Shane''s: light brown hair, emerald eyes, and calm, soft features. Andrea half-smiled as she yawned.

    "Time to get moving already, boys?" she asked, her smile widening as she saw her two younger sons dressed and ready to go. "Well, I''d better whip something up for you two, then. Considering the amount the pair of you eat, it''ll have to be a lot." At the mention of food, the two boys bolted for the stairs, and Andrea sighed. ¡°Those boys never change. Of course, I shouldn''t be surprised, neither of them can go an hour without eating.¡± Thinking about her sons, she looked at a framed picture thoughtfully. ¡°I can''t believe my youngest is going to leave already. The years have just flown by.¡± She laughed a little to herself, then started down herself.

    <hr>

    After a huge breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon, James and Shane raced out the door for the journey to New Bark Town. Andrea followed them, watching as James slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to head out.

    "I''ve contacted Darrell and your father," she said as she kissed her youngest son goodbye. "They''ve both promised to come back home and see your first Pok¨¦mon once you get back."

    "That''ll be great!" James answered, smiling widely. His father Matt had undergone his own travels through the Johto region, and had even won the Johto League Silver Conference title, many years before any of his three sons had been born. "I can''t wait to show them how good I can be. I''ll see you all when I get back home."

    "Take care of yourself," his mother told him, concern filling her emerald eyes. "Stay close to your brother until you get your Pok¨¦mon, then you can start training by yourself. Shane," she said, turning to her older son. "Make sure James keeps out of trouble. Try not to get sidetracked , and be sure to come right home as soon as James is all set to go."

    "Got it, Mom," Shane told her, embracing her warmly. "Now we''d better get going, or we''ll never leave."

    "Go ahead then," Andrea said, releasing Shane and watching the two boys run towards the road. "And be careful!" she called after them, then turned around and headed back inside the house.

    <hr>

    As James and Shane raced down their street, they stopped in front of the house next door. A black-haired girl was standing next to a fence, a small reddish Pok¨¦mon by her side. The girl''s name was Jennifer Richards, and she had moved with her parents from Snowpoint City in the far-off Sinnoh region a few months before. The two boys slowed, and she waved and jumped over the fence to talk to them.

    "Hi, guys!" she said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Like Shane, she had green eyes, but hers were jade rather than emerald. Her hair was cut short, although a few wisps fell down toward her eyes. Her jeans were slightly faded, and her white t-shirt was just a little too big for her.

    "Hey, Jen," James answered, grinning slightly. "How''s it going?"

    "Not too bad." Jen replied with a smile. "My dad and I are about to head over to Professor Elm''s lab. Are you two going to New Bark Town too?" she asked, and James nodded.

    "I''m finally going to get my first Pok¨¦mon," James said, then looked at Jen oddly. "Wait, why are you going to New Bark Town? Don''t you already have two Pok¨¦mon? You''re not getting a third already, are you?"

    "Nope," Jen said, grinning as the aforementioned Pok¨¦mon ran up to her, out of breath. One had a dark red body with a cream-colored belly and a collar-like black ring around its neck. Tiny embers dripped from its mouth, and a little wisp of smoke betrayed its fatigue. Following close behind was a tiny Pok¨¦mon that looked like it had just hatched from an egg. It squealed as it went, and tripped over its own feet when it stopped short behind the other Pok¨¦mon. Jen giggled at the Pok¨¦mon''s antics. "Magby and Togepi are going to come with me to get my own Pok¨¦dex down there. I want to be a breeder, so I''m hoping to learn as much about Pok¨¦mon as I can. And raising two baby Pok¨¦mon is a great way to start."

    "If you say so," James said, raising an eyebrow at the two Pok¨¦mon next to Jen''s right leg. At that moment, a tall, balding man stepped out of the house and shut the door behind him.

    "Jennifer, are you ready to go?" the man called as he locked the door. Jen called an affirmative and John Richards walked towards the fence. He spotted James and Shane, and smiled broadly. ¡°Hello, boys. Busy day ahead?¡±

    ¡°The busiest,¡± James answered. ¡°We''re going down to New Bark Town so I can get my first Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I see. You turned ten before Jennifer did, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± James said. ¡°Her birthday is a month after mine.¡±

    ¡°Fantastic. You two will do well.¡± John looked at his daughter. ¡°So, how are you getting to New Bark Town? I can give you boys a lift if you want.¡± Shane shook his head.

    ¡°We were going to teleport over there. Even in a car, it''s a long way from here.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, why don''t we go with you? That way, we can get these two moving quickly.¡± He indicated James and Jen, and they both nodded. Shane released Xatu, a Flying-type with a round green head and odd patterns formed from its feathers. One by one, the Mystic Pok¨¦mon allowed them to hold onto it and phase out, reappearing in New Bark Town.

 2-James First PokèŒ…mon

    The small hamlet of New Bark Town, home to Professor Elm''s Pok¨¦mon laboratory, was situated right next to the Johto-Kanto border. Outside, James saw the trees being gently blown by the winds, and small flying Pok¨¦mon moving from one tree to the next as their perches were disturbed. The laboratory was perched on a small hillock, surprisingly nondescript for such a prestigious building.

    The group reached the building quickly, and John Richards turned to the three youngsters.

    ¡°Well, this is where I leave you, Jennifer.¡± He hugged his daughter, and shook hands with both James and Shane. ¡°James, good luck. Shane, I''ll see you around.¡± John phased out alongside Xatu, and the Flying-type returned a minute later. Shane recalled it, and the three of them walked into the Elm Pok¨¦mon Lab.

    The laboratory was spacious, with rows of bookshelves and some complicated-looking computer displays. At the back of the main room, though, was what James was most interested in. A large domed machine held three Pok¨¦balls, each containing one of Johto''s starter Pok¨¦mon. As the kids entered, Professor Elm, a thin, bespectacled man of about thirty-five, appeared from behind a computer mainframe.

    "Oh, you''re here already!" the Professor exclaimed, a smile forming on his face. "I wasn''t expecting you for a while yet. How are you, Shane?"

    "Pretty good," Shane said, grinning as well. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it, Professor?"

    "It certainly has," Elm answered, nodding. "It seems like it was only the other day that you left with your first Pok¨¦mon. How''s she doing?"

    "Awesome," Shane said. He took out a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it lightly into the air, causing it to snap open. A medium-sized yellow Pok¨¦mon with a scythe-like leaf on its head emerged, charging down her trainer as soon as she saw him.

    "Bay!" the Pok¨¦mon cried, tackling Shane to the ground and nuzzling his face.

    "Hey, hey, Bayleef!" Shane laughed, trying in vain to get the Grass-type off of him. "It''s good to see you too, girl, but do you have to do this every time you see me?"

    "Well, it seems that she''s still quite affectionate," Professor Elm remarked, watching Shane recall Bayleef. He turned to the younger Enfield brother. "Now, if I remember correctly, you''re James, right?"

    "That''s right," James answered, nodding vigorously.

    "I see. I''m assuming you''re here to get your first Pok¨¦mon?" When James nodded again, the Professor smiled. "Well, your waiting''s over, young man. Come with me." James followed Elm to the domed machine at the back of the room, excitement flooding through him. This was it, the decision most kids his age made as they began their travels. The Professor pressed a button, and the dome retracted, allowing him to reach in, take three Pok¨¦balls out, and reveal the creatures inside.

    The first Pok¨¦ball contained a pale green, quadrupedal Grass-type Pok¨¦mon with a green leaf on its head, similar to Shane''s Bayleef. James identified it as a Chikorita, Bayleef''s pre-evolved form. The next Pok¨¦ball released a small blue crocodilian with red spikes down its back and big red eyes: a Totodile. The final Pok¨¦mon revealed was a small echidna-like creature with bluish fur and a few red spots on its back, which would later be understood to be fire vents: Cyndaquil. Professor Elm smiled as James examined the three Pok¨¦mon.

    "These three Pok¨¦mon¡ªChikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile¡ªare the starters exclusive to our Johto region. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and will be extremely helpful in your quest. Choose whichever you like."

    "I''m pretty sure which one I''m going to take, Professor," James said, looking intently at the echidna. "I''ll take Cyndaquil, if that''s all right."

    "Absolutely," Professor Elm said with a smile, taking the other two Pok¨¦balls and recalling Chikorita and Totodile. He picked up Cyndaquil''s ball and handed it to James, and the boy recalled the Fire-type with a big grin. Almost as soon as the red light summoning Cyndaquil back had dissipated, the ball opened again, and there sat the echidna with an odd look on his face. "Well, that''s interesting." the Professor said, observing the small Pok¨¦mon with a raised eyebrow.

    "What''s interesting, Professor?" James asked, looking worried.

    "Oh, it''s nothing serious," Elm said, the smile returning to his face. "This particular Cyndaquil seems to dislike being confined to its ball. I think he would rather walk along with you, James. You can get to know each other much easier if that''s the case."

    "Is that true, Cyndaquil?" James asked it, and Cyndaquil nodded vigorously. "Well, alright then, you don''t have to stay in your ball if you don''t want to." No sooner had he said this than the Fire-type jumped up on the table and onto James'' left shoulder. "Uh, if you''re gonna ride on my shoulder, Cyndaquil, can you maybe ride on the other one? Since I''m left-handed, I kind of need that shoulder." Cyndaquil nodded again and switched sides, jumping onto James'' head in the process. "That''s better." James said, reaching up to stroke the small Pok¨¦mon.

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    "Cyndaquil likes you already, James," Jen said with a giggle, watching the boy and his Pok¨¦mon. Shane nodded in approval and started towards the door.

    "Leaving already, Shane?" Professor Elm asked as the older boy released Xatu from its Pok¨¦ball and prepared to teleport away.

    "I''m afraid so," Shane said apologetically. "I''ve gotta get home and let Mom know that everything went alright, and I think these two can handle themselves."

    "Very well," the Professor replied, nodding in agreement. "Give your mother my regards."

    "I will," Shane said, and he and Xatu phased out, heading back to Violet. Elm watched him leave, and then turned back to the two ten-year-olds.

    "Now we''ve got the matter of your starter Pok¨¦mon out of the way," he said, "we can move on to other matters. Jennifer, I received a call from your father a few days ago, requesting that I have a Pok¨¦dex unit sent over for you to pick up. Since I knew James was coming too, I ordered two units, one for each of you, so you''ll be able to identify any Pok¨¦mon easily." He walked over to a desk and removed two handheld computer devices from a drawer. One was dark teal and the other powder blue.

    "I''ll take the lighter one," Jen said without hesitation. Elm nodded and handed the powder blue unit to her, and gave the other one to James, who immediately set Cyndaquil down on the ground so he could scan him. Cyndaquil squeaked in indignation, but James ignored his protests and trained the Pok¨¦dex on him.

    "Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pok¨¦mon." a computerized voice announced. "Cyndaquil is usually timid, but will ignite the flame on its back if it feels angry or threatened."

    "Let me try this out," Jen said, releasing her Magby and aiming the scanner at it. The computerized voice began to recite Magby''s data.

    "Magby, the Live Coal Pok¨¦mon. Its vitality is measured by the quality of the flames it spits, and it usually lives in volcanic craters."

    "When did you get yourself a Magby, Jennifer?" Elm asked, as Jen recalled the baby Pok¨¦mon.

    "My parents gave her to me for my tenth birthday," Jen replied, stowing her new Pok¨¦dex in her pocket. "They thought that she would keep me company when we moved away. She''s done that so far, and now we''re gonna take aim at the Johto League!"

    "Well, I wish you both luck in that endeavor," Elm told her, grinning. He motioned Jen and James to a table near the door, and handed each of them five Pok¨¦balls. "Use these Pok¨¦balls to catch different Pok¨¦mon on your journey."

    "We certainly will," James said, accepting the balls. The two ten-year-olds walked out the door and turned to say goodbye to the Professor.

    "Remember, you''ll need your Pok¨¦dex to get your trainer cards and register for the Johto League!" Elm called before the pair bolted.

    "We will. Thanks a lot, Professor!" James shouted as he and Jen ran towards Route 29 and the start of their journey.

    <hr>

    "So what d''you think, Jen?" James asked, as Cyndaquil looked around at his new surroundings with interest. "Should we book it towards Cherrygrove City, or take it slow and maybe see a few Pok¨¦mon on the way?"

    "Can we take it slow? I kinda want to check out the Pok¨¦mon that live here."

    "Alright then," James said, and they started at a moderate pace towards the next city. As they reached a patch of tall grass, they noticed something that piqued both their interests.

    A small bird-like Pok¨¦mon with brown feathers popped out of the grass, and turned its head to survey the newcomers. James felt a rush of excitement as he saw it; this could be his first capture! He whipped out his Pok¨¦dex and aimed it at the small bird.

    "Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pok¨¦mon," the Pok¨¦dex announced. "This Flying-type is considered a good fit for beginners. It usually avoids fighting by kicking up a cloud of sand to blind its enemies."

    "Well, Pidgey, you''re gonna be mine in a few seconds!" James shouted as he took out a Pok¨¦ball. He cocked his left arm and was about to throw the ball, but Jen caught him before he hurled it at the bird. "What?" he asked Jen, a confused look making its way onto his face.

    "James, didn''t your brothers tell you anything about catching Pok¨¦mon?" Jen asked him. "You can''t just throw the ball at it; you''ve got to battle it first and weaken it, remember?"

    "Oh, right," James said, embarrassed at his reckless behavior. "Y-yeah, I knew that. Of course." He turned to Cyndaquil, who was tensed up on his shoulder. "You ready to catch us a Pidgey, Cyndaquil?" The Fire Mouse jumped onto the ground in response, and flames exploded from its back. "I''ll take that as a yes. Now, let''s see what moves you''ve got..." He consulted the Pok¨¦dex and read Cyndaquil''s moves, then stowed it in his bag and looked at Cyndaquil. "Let''s move, buddy! Tackle that Pidgey!"

    Cyndaquil leaped at the bird, slamming its body into its opponent. Pidgey was knocked back, but recovered and began to flap its wings at the ground, creating a cloud of sand. "Don''t let the sand blind you, Cyndaquil! Ember!" Cyndaquil reared back and launched a flurry of small fire bolts that hit Pidgey and dropped it to the ground, small scorch marks scoring its wings. Pidgey quickly pushed itself up and slammed into Cyndaquil, sending the Fire-type flying with a squeal.

    ¡°That''s some speed! Alright, Cyndaquil, hit it with another Ember!¡± Cyndaquil sent more fire bolts at Pidgey, but it swooped in a short arc to avoid them. ¡°Look out! Hit it with another Tackle!¡± The next impact knocked Pidgey to the ground, breathing heavily as it fought to stay in the fight.

    "I think it''s tired out! Throw the ball, quick!" Jen shouted.

    "Right!" James yelled back, and he reared back and threw a strike that hit the bird right on the head. The Pok¨¦ball opened, and Pidgey was sucked inside in a flash of red light. The ball closed, and a red light appeared on the button in the middle as it began to shake. James clenched his fists in anticipation as the ball shook once, then twice. Cyndaquil''s back was still ablaze, ready to attack if the target escaped. After a third and fourth shake, the red light on the button disappeared, and a tone sounded: Pidgey had been caught. "YES!" James shouted, leaping in the air with his fist raised. "We did it, Cyndaquil! We got Pidgey!" Cyndaquil still looked unconvinced, walking over and poking the ball with his snout, trying to make sure that it wouldn''t open as soon as James went for it.

    "Relax, Cyndaquil," Jen said soothingly, trying to calm it down. "Pidgey won''t leave that ball unless James lets it out." Relieved, Cyndaquil ran back to his trainer and leaped on his shoulder, watching from his perch as James picked up the ball and slipped it into his bag.

    "So, now that that''s over with...you want to get moving again?"

    "Let''s go," Jen answered, and they continued down the route towards Cherrygrove City.

 3-A Rivalry Begins

    Route 29 was fairly quiet. James and Jen practiced by the roadside in the early hours of the day, and did the bulk of their walking in the late afternoon and evening. Pidgey, whom the Pok¨¦dex had identified as a female, spent most of her time in the trees when they weren''t training, and appeared to have a huffy, superior disposition. James tried to get her to interact with Cyndaquil, but she was having none of it, and often refused to look at either of them in company.

    Jen, meanwhile, spent her training hours trying to get Togepi up to speed. Magby''s Ember attack was the only offensive move either of her Pok¨¦mon had, and they''d need to develop some attacking ability before they reached the Violet City Gym. None of the Pok¨¦mon along the route appealed much to her, either, even though James kept pointing out that most Gym battles involved three Pok¨¦mon per side.

    ¡°That''s fine, but I''m not keen on anything here,¡± Jen argued. ¡°I''ll find the right fit eventually, just not now.¡± She looked at Pidgey, who was resting above their heads, and Cyndaquil, who was napping nearby. ¡°And you''d better start thinking about your next catch too. You''re not interested in anything else here either.¡±

    ¡°I haven''t even thought about what to catch next,¡± James answered. ¡°Sentret and Rattata don''t fit the way I want to battle.¡±

    ¡°You already have a way you want to battle?¡± Jen asked, surprised.

    ¡°Of course I do. I want to go on the attack, and not let up. The best defense is a strong offense, as my dad might put it.¡± Jen considered.

    ¡°Huh. I''d better start thinking about the way I want to battle too, then.¡±

    <hr>

    After a fortnight or so, Cherrygrove City hove into view. The evening air cooled off considerably as James, Jen and Cyndaquil entered. The small town was quiet, and the wind rustled the trees, giving Cherrygrove a peaceful air. James turned to Jen, being careful not to wake Cyndaquil, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

    "Where should we head first?" he asked her, adjusting the strap on his pack.

    "Well, let''s see. Where would someone go to register for the Johto League?" Jen asked, looking around. She spotted a large building with a huge red "P" on its domed roof and pointed. "There, the Pok¨¦mon Centre! We can rest our Pok¨¦mon there, and then register for the League."

    "Sounds good to me," James said, and they hurried through the sliding doors into the lobby. Nurse Joy, one of the countless identical nurses that ran Pok¨¦mon Centres around the world, greeted them warmly.

    "Good evening, and welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Centre!" she said cheerfully, bowing to them. "How may I help you today?"

    "We''re here to rest our Pok¨¦mon and register for the Johto League." Jen told her, as James looked distractedly at a poster advertising the competition. Each of them put their Pok¨¦balls on a tray, and a recently-awoken Cyndaquil hopped onto James'' tray and sat next to Pidgey''s ball, still refusing to go back into his own. Joy gave the trays to a Chansey standing nearby, and the Happiness Pok¨¦mon carried them away.

    "Now, you said you were registering for the Johto League?" Joy asked them, and when they nodded she punched a few buttons on her computer and called up the registration program. Two slots opened on the reception desk. "All you need to do is insert your Pok¨¦dex into the slot, and it will automatically scan your information and enter you into the League''s database. You will also receive your trainer card, which is one of your forms of ID, the other being your Pok¨¦dex." James and Jen placed their Pok¨¦dex units in the slots, and after a few seconds a chime sounded, followed by a pair of small cards appearing in a small receptacle below the slots. "There we go, you''re all set!" Joy said. The two youngsters thanked her and headed for the waiting area.

    <hr>

    "So, are you excited for everyone else to see your first Pok¨¦mon, James?" Jen asked as they collected their Pok¨¦mon five minutes later and headed for the battlefield, where they would do some training before heading out. James nodded emphatically.

    "Absolutely. My main goal is to show my dad and my brothers that I''m just as good as they are," he said, grinning at Cyndaquil, who was poking around the trees and jumping back every time anything moved. "Hey, Cyndaquil, what do you say we get some more training in before we turn in?" Cyndaquil turned away from the bush he was examining and nodded vigorously, rushing towards the field. James let Pidgey out of her ball, and she looked at him with narrowed eyes.

    "Well, Pidgey, it''s time to start training for the Violet Gym. We may have a ways to go before we get home, but we have to train hard to battle at a Gym Leader''s level." James told her, and she nodded slowly before rocketing after Cyndaquil. "Hey, what''re you doing? I didn''t tell you to do anything yet!" Pidgey ignored him, slamming into Cyndaquil before the Fire-type could react. Cyndaquil squeaked in annoyance and surprise before loosing a flurry of fire bolts at Pidgey, who dodged all of them. James looked at Jen, wide-eyed, and she shrugged.

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    "She''s fast," she said simply, taking out her own Pok¨¦balls. "That''s all I''ve got." Jen released Magby and Togepi, while James shook his head and ran towards Pidgey and Cyndaquil.

    "Hey, you two, cut it out! I haven''t told either of you to do anything yet, so knock it off right now!"

    "Looks like someone needs to get control of his Pok¨¦mon," said another voice. A boy about James'' age stepped out onto the field, looking amused at the bird and echidna. He had short, rust-brown hair and coal-black eyes, which bore into James'' icy blue ones. He wore a dark grey t-shirt and dark jeans, and his cobalt blue backpack hung loosely off one shoulder.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" James shouted back, trying in vain to wrestle Cyndaquil away from Pidgey.

    "Exactly what I said. You''ve got no control of your Pok¨¦mon," the other boy said, taking out a Pok¨¦ball. "Wheras I have a very well-behaved Pok¨¦mon. Let''s move!" He threw the ball, and upon snapping open it revealed a bluish, quadripedal creature with a large green bulb on its back. Its large red eyes examined James and Cyndaquil calmly. James'' eyes widened again, and he took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    "Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokemon. Bulbasaur is a Grass-type Pok¨¦mon native to the Kanto region. The bulb on its back makes it difficult to determine whether Bulbasaur is primarily a plant or an animal."

    "Wait, if you''ve got a Kanto Pok¨¦mon..." Jen said, walking over to see what was happening, "then you''re not from Johto, are you?"

    "You''ve got a mind like a steel trap, sister," the boy said with a smirk. "The name''s Hunter Scott, and I''m from Fuchsia City in Kanto. My goal is to become a defensive specialist and win the Pok¨¦mon League." Jen gave Hunter Scott a friendly smile.

    "I''m Jennifer Richards, but you can call me Jen. And this is my friend James Enfield."

    "Hi," James said shortly, still trying to contain his annoyance at Hunter''s comments. "You want to be a defensive specialist?" he asked incredulously. "Everyone knows that defense is a simple way of saying ''sit back and watch your Pok¨¦mon get pummelled!''"

    "That''s not true!" Hunter shot back, his black eyes narrowed. "Defense is what you build a battle strategy on. If you can''t take any punishment, what good is anything else?"

    "It''s better than letting your Pok¨¦mon get hurt!" James answered, his own eyes becoming stormy. "And I''ll prove it to you right now! Let''s have a battle! Your Bulbasaur against my Cyndaquil!"

    "Fine," Hunter said, relaxing a little. "But don''t think you''ll win just because you have an advantage. A good defense always makes type matchups irrelevant."

    "Says you!" James shouted, and they headed for the battlefield.

    <hr>

    Jen offered to referee the match, and both James and Hunter agreed to the arrangement. Hunter had recalled Bulbasaur for the time being, and Cyndaquil sat on James'' shoulder, ready to fight. Jen called out the rules for the match: one Pok¨¦mon each, no substitutes, and the first Pok¨¦mon to knock out the other would be declared the winner.

    "That''s fine with me! Cyndaquil, let''s go!" James shouted, and Cyndaquil hopped off his shoulder onto the field, his back ablaze. Hunter tossed out his own ball, and out came Bulbasaur, roaring an obvious challenge to the Fire-type.

    "Go!" Jen called, and both trainers jumped into action.

    "Cyndaquil, Tackle attack!" Cyndaquil raced at Bulbasaur, but as he rushed onwards, he picked up speed, and a white trail of light followed him as he charged the Grass-type. "Whoa! What''s going on?" James asked, not knowing what was happening.

    "Your Cyndaquil appears to have learned a new move," Hunter said offhandedly from across the field. "That move happens to be Quick Attack. Not that it matters. Bulbasaur, stand firm and use Vine Whip!" Two vines sprang from underneath the bulb on the Seed Pok¨¦mon''s back, and shot at Cyndaquil with tremendous force. The vines caught Cyndaquil before he could make contact, and Bulbasaur lifted the Fire Mouse off the ground.

    "Get out of there, Cyndaquil! Ember!" Cyndaquil launched another flurry of fire bolts at the Seed Pok¨¦mon, whose grip loosened as the super-effective attack hit its mark. Cyndaquil leaped away as soon as the vines slackened, and dashed away to a safe distance.

    "Not bad, James," Hunter said quietly, watching the Fire-type escape. "But that won''t help you! Bulbasaur, hold your ground! Use Vine Whip if it gets close!"

    "If he''s just gonna sit there, then we''ll take him down from long range!" James called to Cyndaquil. "Use Ember!" Bulbasaur shrank back a little from the Fire-type move, but stood firm. "Now, Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil dashed at Bulbasaur, trying to take advantage of its opponent''s distraction.

    "Bulbasaur, Tackle! Take it out!" Hunter called. Bulbasaur and Cyndaquil slammed into one another, and each flew backward. The adversaries struggled to their feet, neither wanting to fall first. James and Hunter glared at each other, the tension building. Eventually, Bulbasaur''s legs shook, and it fell forward, its eyes glazed over. Jen looked over and nodded before confirming the Grass-type''s defeat.

    "Bulbasaur is unable to continue! The winners are James and Cyndaquil!"

    "We did it, Cyndaquil!" James shouted, running to his Pok¨¦mon. Cyndaquil leaped into James'' arms and James hugged him tightly, overjoyed at his victory. He looked over to where Hunter was kneeling next to Bulbasaur, and his smile faded a little.

    "Bulbasaur, are you alright?" Hunter asked, concern on his face. Bulbasaur nodded weakly, disappointed at its loss. "No worries, you stood firm like I told you; those Fire attacks made the difference. We''ll get them next time, so return and take a rest." Hunter recalled his Grass-type and turned to James. "Looks like you won this one."

    "Looks like," James said, nodding. His grin returned to his face. "I''ll tell ya, the way Bulbasaur was able to handle all those hits was pretty impressive. I was wrong to say all that stuff earlier. I''m sorry I was such a jerk."

    "I''m sorry, too. We both acted like idiots." Hunter replied, a sheepish look crossing his face. "You know what you''re doing, at least. Bygones?"

    "Bygones." James said, and the two shook hands. Jen smiled at the pair, and stood next to James as Hunter bid them farewell.

    "Looks like you''ve got yourself a rival, James." Jen said, grinning at him.

    "I know we''ll meet again," James answered, watching his new rival disappear. "And I know he''s never gonna make it easy on me. Just more incentive to improve, huh?"

    "Yeah," Jen said, and they headed back into the Pok¨¦mon Centre to heal their Pok¨¦mon and prepare for the next leg of their journey.

 4-The Darkness of the Cave

    By the time James'' battle with Hunter ended, it was too dark to continue training, so James and Jen stayed at the Pok¨¦mon Centre that night. The next morning, they were right back on the road, with James'' Pidgey acting as a scout in case any wild Pok¨¦mon decided to accost them. The northward route between the cities was fairly easy to traverse, although a few steep ledges made the route less than straightforward. Some days later, as the pair noted the eccentric Mr. Pok¨¦mon''s house to the east, they reached the end of Route 30 and stepped onto Route 31, which continued west toward Violet City and home. Jen, however, didn''t want to go home just yet.

    "Hey, James, why don''t we check out that cave over there?" she asked, letting Magby out of her Pok¨¦ball. "I''ll bet there are some really awesome Pok¨¦mon living in there!"

    "Uh, Jen?" James said, looking at her as if she were crazy. "That''s the Dark Cave. And its name fits. Once you go inside there, you can''t see a thing."

    "Don''t worry, Cyndaquil and Magby can light it up for us, right?" Magby nodded, though she looked wary. Cyndaquil, however, seemed thrilled at the prospect of strong opponents to battle, and in his excitement he almost burned an unexpectant James'' shoulder.

    "Jeesh!" James yelled as Cyndaquil''s back burst into flame. "Don''t scare me like that, Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil quickly put out the flames and nuzzled his master''s cheek apologetically. "It''s alright, buddy. But wait until you''re on the ground to do that." Cyndaquil nodded again and jumped to the ground, running as fast as he could towards the cave.

    "Wait for us, Cyndaquil!" Jen shouted, and with Magby and a protesting James in tow, she followed the echidna into the cave.

    <hr>

    "The air''s so much cooler in here than outside," Jen remarked five minutes later, as the two youngsters followed the light cast by Cyndaquil and Magby. James, for his part, was nervously looking around, checking the walls and ceiling for any sign of movement. He knew that all manner of darkness-loving Pok¨¦mon lived in the caverns, and although he wasn''t against catching anything in here, he didn''t want to be swamped by a stampede of grouchy Geodude or Zubat.

    "Wow," James said, his voice higher than normal, "it was really awesome in here, but I think we should go now."

    "Don''t be such a scaredy-Meowth, James," Jen said, a grin barely perceptible on her face. "There''s definitely something worth catching in here. How about over there?" Before James could stop her, she had bolted towards a darkened corner of the cave, and as her footsteps echoed through the near-silent caverns, a rustling sound emerged, and a small cauldron of Zubat flew out of an alcove near her. She shrieked in surprise, and James and the two Fire-types raced towards her.

    "Jen, are you okay?" James asked with concern as Jen watched the Zubat disappear with wide eyes. Jen nodded, already starting to calm down. "You see what I mean? You can''t just sprint through this place, there''s too many Pok¨¦mon that could jump out of nowhere."

    "Are you kidding?" Jen said, a little more quietly than before; despite the shock from the Zubat, she didn''t seem to have lost any of her enthusiasm. "I''m going after those Zubat! Do you know how strong they can get if you train one right? I could definitely raise it into a Golbat, and even a Crobat! I''ve just gotta have one!" With that, she dashed off, with a visibly-exhausted Magby following reluctantly to light her trainer''s way. James shook his head, and then followed with Cyndaquil. He hadn''t gone more than three steps before he tripped over what seemed to be a small rock. To his shock, two arms appeared at the rock''s sides and pushed it out of the ground. It glared at James, who had evidently disturbed its nap, and pointed to Cyndaquil in an obvious challenge. Cyndaquil''s already-blazing flames intensified, and he squeaked at the other Pok¨¦mon in response. James took out his Pok¨¦dex and aimed it at the Rock-type.

    "Geodude, the Rock Pok¨¦mon." the Pok¨¦dex announced. "Geodude usually do not interact with humans, but become disgruntled if travelers trip over or step on them."

    "James? What''re you...oh, wow, a Geodude!" Jen said as she returned to see where her friend had gone. "If you train one enough, it''ll evolve into..."

    "I get it, Jen," James said, and Jen let out a hmph and stepped back, giving James space to maneuver. "Cyndaquil, let''s catch that rock! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil dashed at the rock and bounced off, letting out a squeak of pain. "What''s wrong now?" James asked as Cyndaquil regrouped.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    "James, Cyndaquil''s moves aren''t very effective against Rock-types!" Jen called from behind him. "If you keep this up, you''ll get into a drawn-out fight and might lose!"

    "Well, Pidgey won''t be much more help..." James said, trying to figure his odds of catching the Rock Pok¨¦mon. "Cyndaquil, use your Ember and wear it out! It has to get tired eventually!" Cyndaquil nodded and loosed a cloud of fire bolts that hit Geodude, causing it to shy away in pain and surprise. "Alright, don''t let up. Keep up that Ember!" When Cyndaquil launched the attack, the Geodude glared, and as Cyndaquil paused for breath, the Rock-type erupted in flames.

    "James, it''s been burned! If you''re going to catch it, do it now while it''s recovering!" Jen shouted. Before James could even think about throwing a ball at it, though, Geodude curled up and launched itself at Cyndaquil, sending the Fire-type flying. "Oh no, that''s Rollout! If you don''t hurry, it''ll get more powerful and knock Cyndaquil out!"

    "Right!" James shouted, and took out a Pok¨¦ball. "Okay, here goes nothing..." he muttered as he aimed as best he could in the near-darkness. He let out a yell as he threw the ball, and was almost surprised to see it make contact and open up. The Geodude turned to red energy and was sucked inside, and the ball started shaking as it landed. James watched in anxious anticipation, and Cyndaquil tensed up, still not trusting that the ball would do its job. After three, then four shakes, the light on the ball went out, and the tone signaling a successful catch sounded. James walked up to the ball, illuminated by Cyndaquil''s flame, and picked it up, a grin slowly making its way onto his face.

    "Alright! I caught myself a Geodude!" Cyndaquil nervously hopped onto James'' shoulder and looked at the ball apprehensively, expecting the ball to open again and release its occupant. "Cyndaquil, do you have to do this every time I catch a Pok¨¦mon? The ball''s not going to open unless I want it to, and right now I don''t. So relax, buddy. We''ve got a new friend to travel with us now."

    "You certainly sound confident." Jen remarked, smiling at her friend. "Now, let''s go find those Zubat. I''m going to catch one if it takes all day!" As Jen ran off, Magby squeaked in protest and followed, and James shook his head as he and Cyndaquil did the same.

    <hr>

    "We''re lost. In the Dark Cave. With only five Pok¨¦mon, two of whom are weakened and none of whom are powerful against Rock-types, to protect us if anything dangerous appears." James said half an hour later, watching Jen and Magby search for the Zubat they''d disturbed earlier. "Jen, I know you want to catch one of those Zubat, but can you maybe wait until we find a brighter cave? Maybe after we get home?"

    "Don''t worry so much, James!" Jen responded, straining to try and find some sign of the bat Pok¨¦mon. "Being in a cave like this is awesome! It''s so mysterious and exciting!" James shook his head in resigned exasperation. To him, the cave was a disaster waiting to happen. He couldn''t wait to get out, and neither could Cyndaquil, who was poking Magby with his snout to try and get the Live Coal Pok¨¦mon''s attention. Magby eventually lost patience with him and swung her fist at the echidna; in mid-swing, her fist caught fire, and sent Cyndaquil careening into a wall, letting out an indignant squeak as he bounced off.

    "Was that what I think it was?" James asked, looking at Magby with wide eyes. Magby had already hurried over to Cyndaquil and was squeaking an apology, and Cyndaquil slowly nodded before bolting for the safety of James'' shoulder.

    "That was a Fire Punch." Jen confirmed, and Magby''s shoulders slumped, embarrassed at her mistake. "Don''t be so sad, Magby! You learned a new move, and it''s really going to help us out!" After her trainer had reassured her, Magby responded by using her newly-learned move on the wall...prompting the Zubat cauldron they had disturbed earlier to fly right back out!

    "Not again!" James shouted, throwing himself on the ground as the bats shot out of their alcove, flying out towards the inner cave.

    "Oh, no, you don''t! Magby, Ember!" Magby sent fire bolts at the racing Zubat, knocking one down as it tried to fly away. The bat Pok¨¦mon flew back up and opened its mouth, unleashing an unearthly shriek that shook the cavern and made James'' hair stand on end.

    "Jen, that''s Supersonic! If Magby gets hit, she''ll get confused!"

    "Well, we won''t let that happen, will we? Fire Punch!" Magby leaped at her adversary, swinging its burning fist at the Zubat. As the punch hit, Zubat sank its fangs into Magby''s fist, causing her to squeak in pain. "Oh, no! Magby, use Ember to get away!" As the fire sparks hit Zubat, it fell to the ground, visibly weakened. "Alright, James, you''ve been having all the fun when it comes to catching Pok¨¦mon! Now it''s my turn!" Jen took out a Pok¨¦ball and threw it at the fallen bat, sucking it inside. The ball shook once...twice...three times...and then lay still. "Yeah, alright! We got Zubat!" Jen shouted, giving Magby a hug. She picked up the ball and tossed it lightly, letting the newly-caught Pok¨¦mon out. "Zubat, we need your help. Can you lead us out of here?" Zubat chittered in response before flying slowly towards the exit.

    "Finally!" James shouted as they started out of the cave. Jen responded with a friendly punch on the shoulder and a muttered "scaredy-Meowth" as they left the Dark Cave and returned to Route 31.

    <hr>

    Outside the cave, Jen recalled Zubat and looked west towards the towering pagoda that dominated the Violet skyline.

    "We''re almost home, James. You ready to show everyone how far we''ve come?"

    "Absolutely," said James, and they rushed towards the gatehouse, Violet City, and home.

 5-Return to Violet

    "Violet City: The City of Nostalgic Scents", read a sign at the gatehouse between Route 31 and the city. James read the sign and grinned to himself; he was back home again, and he hoped that his brother and father had come back by now. As he and Jen walked towards their street, they saw the faded paint of the Pok¨¦mon Centre''s roof, and another sign that pointed to the Sprout Tower. They followed a few more signs like it and eventually turned into their street. James'' house stood in the middle of the street, and Jen''s sat one over. Jen hesitated as they approached the front path; all the lights in her house were out.

    ¡°My parents must not be home,¡± Jen said, shrugging.

    "So...you want to come over to my place for a bit?" James asked after about two minutes of standing on the front path with nothing to do. "I''m sure Cyndaquil wants to see where I live, too, and Darrell might be home by now."

    "Alright," Jen said with a smile, and they dashed towards the empty Enfield driveway. The evening twilight cast an ethereal glow over the backyard, and flocks of Pidgey started flying back to their nests. As they hurried into the yard, a gush of cold water sprayed the kids and sent Cyndaquil into a squeaking fury.

    "Who did that?" James asked, a little louder than necessary. Out from behind a tree stepped a gigantic blue crocodile with a big grin on its face. It towered over them, red spikes jutting from its back and tail, and its heavy jaws looked like they could cut anything in two. A telltale drop of water fell from its lower jaw, and James'' question was immediately answered. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex and trained it on the croc.

    "Feraligatr, the Big Jaw Pok¨¦mon," the machine announced. "Feraligatr is the final evolved form of Totodile. Its jaws are capable of biting through reinforced steel, and it uses them to deal severe damage during battle."

    "Hey, what''s going on out here?" came another voice, one that James recognized instantly. A tall, dark-haired teenage boy wearing jeans and a grey sweatshirt walked around the corner, a questioning look on his face. His blue-grey eyes were almost exactly the same as James'', but his hair was cut shorter than his brothers''. He looked at the seven-foot crocodile, who was trying his best to look innocent. "Feraligatr, what''re you up to this...?" The older boy broke off as he noticed James, and grinned broadly. "James, you''re back!"

    "Hey, Darrell," James said as he grinned back, his own eyes hidden by his sopping wet hair. "Feraligatr just used Water Gun on us to say ''welcome back''."

    "Did you, now?" Darrell sternly asked the Big Jaw Pok¨¦mon, who looked back at his master with a sheepish look "Well, I''m glad James is home too, but even so, there''s no reason for you to turn into a living fire hose every time you see him. I think you owe James and his friend an apology, and you might consider apologizing to his Pok¨¦mon, too." Feraligatr growled apologetically at James, who smiled.

    "It''s alright, Feraligatr. I know you were just saying hi." James patted the crocodile''s snout, then looked down towards his shoes. "Now, where''d Cyndaquil go to? I wanted to introduce him to everybody..." The Fire Mouse Pok¨¦mon had dashed up a tree when Feraligatr had sprayed them with Water Gun, getting as far away from the Water-type move as possible. "Cyndaquil, get down from there! Feraligatr isn''t going to soak you again." Cyndaquil leaped from the tree and landed perfectly on James'' right shoulder, squeaking rapidly and indignantly at Feraligatr. "Alright, buddy, that''s enough."

    "I''m not surprised you took Cyndaquil, James," Darrell said, examining the Fire-type. "You always said you wanted us to have a complete set of starter Pok¨¦mon, so after I chose Totodile and Shane picked Chikorita it was inevitable that you would take Cyndaquil..." He became lost in his thoughts for a moment, then returned to reality when he noticed Jen. "Wow, Jennifer, I forgot you were standing right there. How''ve you been?"

    "I''m alright," Jen smiled, as she took out her three Pok¨¦balls. "I was just going to let my Pok¨¦mon run around for a little bit, so they can get used to the place and their fellow Pok¨¦mon.." She released Magby, Togepi and Zubat, who ran towards Cyndaquil and Feraligatr in an attempt to initiate some friendly conversation.

    "You know what, that''s a good idea," James said, releasing Pidgey and Geodude. Pidgey flew into a tree and looked haughtily at the others, while Geodude found a shady spot and folded its arms in meditation.

    "Looks like your Geodude likes its quiet time, James," Jen remarked as she watched the Rock Pok¨¦mon roll away from its compatriots. "And it looks like Cyndaquil and the others are hitting it off fine as well." she added as she noted Magby and Cyndaquil deep in incomprehensible conversation, while Zubat flew around them and Togepi skipped around, tripping over her own feet every so often.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Good thing, too." Darrell said, grinning at his brother. "It took me and Totodile a while to get used to one another, remember?¡±

    ¡°Only what you told me. I was only little when you left.¡± Darrell chuckled, then turned to go inside.

    ¡°Mom and Dad are inside, with Jennifer''s parents. I''ve got to get back inside and deal with some...stuff, so I''ll let them know you''re here.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha. See you later, Darrell.¡± As the oldest Enfield brother went inside the house, James looked towards a large tower-like structure in the distance.

    ¡°What''re you looking at, James?¡± Jen asked, moving next to her friend.

    ¡°You can see the Violet Gym sometimes, if it''s not too cloudy. I''m gonna challenge Falker at the first chance I get.¡±

    ¡°How are you gonna beat him? He''s a Gym Leader, so he''s bound to be pretty tough.¡±

    "Oh, I''m not too worried about Falkner." James said, excited at the mention of a battle. "I''ve watched him battle my brothers before, so I''m pretty sure I know all his moves. He''ll be an easy win."

    "Don''t be so sure," Jen said, looking seriously at him. "Being too confident can be a bad thing. If you''re going to beat him, you''re going to need a strategy."

    "I''ve already got a..." James broke off as he considered this statement. Up to now, he hadn''t had to develop any kind of strategy to defeat an opponent. The only official battle he''d fought had been against Hunter, and even then he''d simply stormed straight ahead and attacked. A Gym Leader like Falkner would know that James had observed him for years, and was almost certainly developing new tricks to unsettle his opponents. To assume anything would be fatal. "You know what, you''re right, Jen. I know Falkner''s gonna pull something unexpected on me, and I''m gonna have to keep my wits about me. But don''t worry," he added, his optimism taking over. "I can''t lose! My Pok¨¦mon will take whatever Falkner throws at us, and dish it out twice as hard!"

    "You certainly sound confident, son," a deep voice said, and both kids jumped. Standing right behind them was a tall, mustachioed man with unruly dark hair and the same blue-gray eyes as James and Darrell. His bomber jacket had a tear in the right sleeve, and his khaki pants were worn and wrinkled; in short, he looked like a seasoned traveler.

    "Dad!" James shouted as he turned to face him. "You''re finally home!"

    "That''s right," Matt Enfield said, a smile crossing his face. "I saw you through the window as you were headed towards John and Emma''s house. I noticed you had a Cyndaquil on your shoulder as well."

    "Oh, yeah, I picked him as my first Pok¨¦mon. You want to meet him?"

    "Of course. I''m sure we''d all like to meet him. Here, he can say hello to my own first Pok¨¦mon." As he said this, Matt released a gigantic dinosaur-like Pok¨¦mon with greenish armor plating. Across its body, triangular gaps in the armor were visible, and its bluish underbelly was exposed in a rhombus-like gap.

    "Wow, it''s been a long time since I saw Tyranitar in person," James said, instinctively backing away from the combination Rock- and Dark-type. "Now, where''s...ah, there he is. Hey, Cyndaquil!" he called, and the echidna perked up at his trainer''s voice. "Come over here and meet everybody! You too, Pidgey and Geodude!" Cyndaquil hurried over and leaped onto James'' right shoulder, Pidgey flew from her perch and flapped above them, and Geodude woke up and rolled towards the group.

    "So, you''ve caught some of the Pok¨¦mon easily found around here, eh?" Matt said, nodding as he inspected the group. "Well, I don''t blame you, son. They can be very strong if raised correctly."

    "That''s what I told him, but he wouldn''t listen!" Jen chimed in, adding her two cents.

    "Oh, Jennifer, I didn''t realize you were here too! You kept James out of trouble?"

    "Well, not exactly...but yeah, I guess you could say that. He kept me out of danger too." Jen smiled, then looked at the sky. "Oh, dear! I''d love to stay and talk, but it''s getting dark, and I expect my parents''ll want me home soon.¡± She smiled at James and his father, then turned to leave. "Let me know when you''re gonna challenge Falkner, I''ll be there to cheer you on. Magby, Togepi and Zubat, it''s time to leave!" The three Pok¨¦mon hurried over to their trainer, and Jen recalled all three for the short walk home. "Well, goodnight, everybody! Thanks for letting me travel home with you, James!" she called as she ran into the darkness, and James flushed slightly as he waved in response.

    <hr>

    "So, a gym challenge, huh?" Darrell said as he took a break in gulping down his soda at dinner that night. "Well, I''ve been buddies with Falkner for a long time, and I know he''s not going to be easy for you to beat. Got a strategy?"

    "Nope," James said, finishing his fifth slice of pizza. "I''m going to play it by ear until I get a grasp on what Falkner''s up to, then build a strategy on the fly."

    "Be careful with that mindset," James'' mother said from the other room, stroking Cyndaquil''s fur; the Fire-type had quickly taken a liking to her. "You need to make sure you''re prepared. I tried winging it in my early coordinating days, but I quickly learned that winning consistently takes a well thought-out strategy."

    "I guess you''re right," James said with a sigh. "But I still won''t lose! I didn''t come all round and back again just to fall flat in my first gym battle!"

    "That''s the spirit," Matt said, coming in from the yard. "You go in with that attitude, you''ll have to try real hard to lose."

    "And there''s something else an aspiring trainer needs," his mother remarked, letting Cyndaquil bolt up the stairs. "Sleep. If you don''t get any, you won''t have the energy to train or battle."

    "Right, Mom," James said, and hurried after Cyndaquil to rest.

 6-Mile High Gym Battle

    Just like the day he''d left for New Bark, James couldn''t sleep. Cyndaquil could, though; the echidna was curled up at the foot of the bed. James decided to leave the little Fire-type where he was, and walked silently down the stairs and out into the yard. Pidgey was nowhere to be seen, but Geodude was curled up in a ball, fast asleep. James was glad he''d had the chance to obtain Geodude; a Rock-type would be important against Falkner''s Flying-types. Geodude stirred at James'' approach, and looked calmly at him with his dark eyes.

    "So, you ready to win a badge, Geodude?" James asked the Rock Pok¨¦mon, and Geodude gave him a thumbs-up. "Awesome. You keep up...whatever it is you were doing, and I''ll come get you when we head over." Geodude rocked back and forth once¡ªJames interpreted this as a nod¡ªand curled back into a ball, while James walked slowly back into the house, trying to gather his thoughts before he prepared for battle.

    As he entered the house, he looked over at a pair of framed photographs on the wall of the living room. James smiled as he noticed them: these were the pictures his mother had had taken when his brothers left. There, on the left, that was when Darrell left with Totodile; James was no older than four years old at the time, grinning broadly as the small crocodile made itself at home on Darrell''s head. Then on the right, the picture Andrea had taken when Shane and Chikorita went off on their short journey, the small Grass-type nuzzling her trainer''s cheek. Soon, a third photograph would be hung, this time with James and Cyndaquil front and center.

    James turned from the photos and walked into the living room to collapse on the couch. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling and considering everything that had happened so far. Soon, he''d be competing in his first major battle, with Cyndaquil at his side, and his family and best friend behind him. Then he''d be leaving, traveling across Johto...it was too much to think about. He decided that he should go back to sleep for a bit, so he fell asleep on the couch, lost in his thoughts.

    After what felt like a few seconds, James woke again to find Cyndaquil perched on the arm of the couch, looking at him with a puzzled expression, his head tilted to one side.

    "Oh, hey, buddy," James said, sitting up and stretching his stiff body. "You ready to go challenge the Gym?" Cyndaquil nodded enthusiastically, then jumped onto James'' shoulder. "I''ll take that as a yes," James said with a chuckle, and walked back out towards the yard. There he found Shane putting out containers of Pok¨¦mon food and dodging the occasional errant moves of the Pok¨¦mon helping James'' Pok¨¦mon practice for their gym battle.

    "Morning, kiddo," Shane said with a wide grin as he finished opening the last container. "Mom saw you passed out on the couch and decided to let you sleep. All fired up for your battle?"

    "Of course!" James said, and Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative. "Hey, Cyndaquil, why not go practice with the others? You need to be prepared too, after all." At this, Cyndaquil jumped down and ran over to Feraligatr and Pidgey, nearly getting drenched by the Big Jaw Pok¨¦mon''s Hydro Pump. After an indignant look at Feraligatr, Cyndaquil began launching fire bolts at the croc, who shrugged them off like they were nothing.

    "Cyndaquil''s all fired up, James," Shane told him, watching the Fire Mouse train with the others. "So, are you ready, kid? You know Falkner''s not gonna go easy on you."

    "I know that," James said with a slight frown. "But like I said before, I don''t plan on losing. We may just be starting out, but that doesn''t mean we''re not going to give this our best shot."

    "That''s a good mindset to have." Shane smiled. "Come on, let''s go eat something before we head to the gym. Bet you I can eat more waffles than you."

    "You''re on!" James shouted as the two brothers charged for the door, falling over each other in the process.

    <hr>

    An hour later, the entire Enfield family was walking over to the Violet Gym, a towering edifice that overshadowed half the southern side of the city. Along the way, Jen and her parents met up with them, and everyone was in good spirits as they awaited the coming battle.

    They reached the gym quickly, and James looked up at the ornate tower, above which he could faintly see a few Flying-types stretching their wings. Cyndaquil''s mouth opened upon seeing the tower''s height, but he quickly closed it. James shook his head to clear it, set his jaw, and stepped toward the gym''s doors.

    "My name is James Enfield, and I am here to issue a battle challenge to Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader!" As James'' voice echoed through the still air, the door opened, and a tall boy about Darrell''s age stepped out, his dark blue hair covering one piercing eye.

    "So, you''ve come to challenge me at last," Falkner said, a smile crossing his face. "Well, you''ve certainly been patient, that''s for sure. It''s been a while since a Enfield brother and I battled." He turned to the rest of the group. "Ah, you brought the whole gang, did you? Excellent to see you all again."

    "It''s been too long, Falkner," Darrell said, grasping hands with his friend.

    "Yes, it certainly has. But this is not the time for reminiscing. I believe your younger brother and I have a battle to attend to. If you wish, you may take one the elevators to the left. I will take one with my challenger here."

    "Sounds good. We''ll see you two up there." Matt told him, and he led his family to another elevator, while the Richards family took a third. Falkner waited for James to enter the elevator, then stepped inside as the doors closed.

    "Are you ready for this, James?" he asked, looking his young opponent in the eye. "Your brothers didn''t find it easy to defeat me, and I will definitely not go easy on you either."

    "Oh, don''t worry, I''m ready," James answered, a smile crossing his face. "And we won''t be going easy on you either, ''cause we''re going to win this!"

    "I like your confidence, kid," Falkner smiled. "Well, we''re here. Let''s get rolling." The doors opened again, and James walked out into the high courtyard, the battlefield spotless and ready to go. "Challenger James Enfield, welcome back to the Violet Gym!"

    <hr>

    It was a spectacular sight. Spearow and Pidgey circled the field, while Falkner''s trainees stood shoulder to shoulder, awaiting their master''s orders. At Falkner''s signal, they recalled the circling Pok¨¦mon, and one of them stepped forward and addressed the spectators.

    "Attention! The official Johto League battle featuring James the challenger and Falkner, the Violet Gym Leader, will now begin!

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    Falkner

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    At stake is the Zephyr Badge! Each trainer will be permitted to use three Pok¨¦mon, and the battle is over when all three on either side are rendered unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger may substitute! Begin the match when ready!"

    "I''m ready when you are, Falkner!" James called from the challenger''s side. "You won''t beat us, count on it!"

    "Alright, then, show me what you can do. You''ve seen me battle against your brothers, now it''s time to see how you fare! Go, Hoothoot!" Falkner tossed a Pok¨¦ball into the air, which opened and released a brown, rotund owl-like Pok¨¦mon in a flash of light. Its reddish eyes were surrounded by black clock-like markings, and only one of its feet was visible.

    "Hoothoot, huh?" James said to himself as he took out his Pok¨¦dex. He trained it on the owl and waited for its data.

    "Hoothoot, the Owl Pok¨¦mon. It is capable of determining the exact time of the day, and has a curious habit of only standing on one foot at any given time."

    "So that''s why I always thought it only had one foot..." James murmured before hardening his expression. "Well, let''s hit ''em hard right off! I choose Geodude!" The Rock Pok¨¦mon emerged, flexing his arms as it sized up Hoothoot, calmly weighing his options.

    "Alright, James, you have the honor! Come at me with everything you''ve got!"

    "Right!" James shouted, feeling a buoyant surge of adrenaline. "Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude pushed off the ground with its muscular arms and slammed face-first into Hoothoot before returning to it''s defensive position.

    "Not bad, but you won''t stop us! Hoothoot, go after that rock with your Peck attack!" Hoothoot dove for Geodude, its sharp beak lightly glowing and pointing right at the Rock-type. Geodude prepared to brace itself, but James wasn''t going to let Hoothoot''s direct approach go unpunished.

    "Geodude, use Defense Curl and then Rollout! Take it out!" Geodude obediently rolled up and bounced off the ground, smashing head-on into Hoothoot, sending the Owl Pok¨¦mon hurtling towards the battlefield.

    "Hoothoot, don''t give up! Give it another try with your Tackle attack, full tilt!" Hoothoot recovered, and rocketed at Geodude, its movements significantly slower; the Rollout had taken a lot out of it.

    "Geodude, finish this! Use Rollout again!" Knowing Rollout would keep getting stronger as it continued, James was confident that the Rock-type move, augmented by the earlier Defense Curl, would end this first match. Geodude bounced up again and collided violently with Hoothoot, who didn''t even try to recover its composure; it was knocked out before it hit the ground.

    "No, Hoothoot!" Falkner shouted, even though he knew it was useless to do so. He hadn''t anticipated this from his very young challenger, not a quick, composed victory in the first round of battle. Most challengers found it difficult to get past his first Pok¨¦mon, and had to scramble to recover.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Hoothoot is unable to battle! Geodude is the winner!" came the shout from the trainee acting as judge. Falkner called Hoothoot back, smiling as he did so.

    "You did well against an opponent with an advantage, Hoothoot. Take a nice long rest."

    <hr>

    "Wow, that was amazing!" Jen shouted as she watched Hoothoot go down. "James didn''t even give Falkner time to react!" Next to her, Matt Enfield and John Richards were deep in conversation.

    "Well, he''s certainly not showing any beginner''s yips, I''ll give him that." Matt was saying. "I didn''t expect that kind of thinking on his part."

    "He''s got a ways to go yet," John answered, his tone grave. "He may have taken down Falkner''s first Pok¨¦mon, but even so, he can''t become complacent. He''s got to keep this pace up or collapse and lose if he can''t."

    "He''ll pull it off," Shane chimed in. "He''s got confidence and momentum, which is a tough combination to beat."

    "Let''s hope so," Matt said, as the group refocused on the battle at hand.

    <hr>

    James wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as he prepared to face Falkner''s second Pok¨¦mon. He raised Geodude''s Pok¨¦ball and recalled the Rock-type, which drew a raised eyebrow from Falkner. "Geodude, take a break. I''ll probably need you later, so rest up until then." James turned to Cyndaquil, who was standing by his right sneaker. "Cyndaquil, let''s show Falkner how powerful you are." Cyndaquil nodded and rushed onto the field, squeaking a defiant challenge to the Gym Leader.

    "So, a Fire-type next, is it? No problem for my next Pok¨¦mon. Go, Spearow!" This time, a fierce-looking bird with a hooked beak and narrowed eyes emerged, its short wings flapping hard to keep it in mid-air.

    "Spearow..." James muttered; he knew about the Flying-type''s bad temper, and he wanted to extinguish it before it worked up a head of steam. "Alright, Cyndaquil, let''s hit it! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil tensed, then raced at Spearow, a white trail following its path.

    "Your Cyndaquil''s fast, I''ll give you that," Falkner said, a small smile crossing his face. "But not fast enough! Spearow, use your Peck attack!" Spearow dived, its sharp beak extended towards Cyndaquil. The two Pok¨¦mon collided, and both took damage. While Spearow''s feathers just seemed out of place, Cyndaquil appeared to take the worst of the collision, landing awkwardly on its feet; Falkner saw his chance. "Spearow, don''t let it go! Use your Fury Attack!" Spearow rushed towards the weakened Fire Mouse, dealing it a series of quick jabs with its beak, then flew back to establish some distance.

    "Cyndaquil, stay strong! Ember!" Cyndaquil looked up, and sent a flurry of fire bolts at Spearow. Only a few hit their mark, leaving very minor scorch marks on the Tiny Bird''s feathers. James growled under his breath; this was NOT how he''d planned to conduct this battle. He had to pull Cyndaquil before things got out of hand. "Cyndaquil, come here and take a rest!" Cyndaquil turned, nodded, and dashed back to James'' side. James took out his last Pok¨¦ball and closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. A few deep breaths later, he was ready.

    "Alright, let''s turn this back around," he whispered, drawing his arm back. "Pidgey, let''s go!" The ball snapped open, revealing the brown-feathered bird, who eyed Spearow disdainfully. "Alright Pidgey, Gust attack!" Pidgey whipped up a small tornado that buffeted Spearow as it worked to keep airborne.

    "Spearow, you can''t let that Pidgey beat you! Peck attack!" Spearow raced at Pidgey, beak extended and eyes narrowed.

    "Pidgey, look out!" James called to the Flying-type, hoping she would hear him. Pidgey turned to face the onrushing Spearow and slapped it with her wing, sending the bad-tempered sparrow into a tailspin. "Wait, is that...?"

    "Wing Attack," Falkner confirmed, watching in annoyance as Spearow tried to stop its downward momentum and re-enter the fight. "You just don''t give up, do you, James? Well, neither do we! Spearow, pull out of that dive and finish this! Fury Attack!"

    "Pidgey, hit it with another Wing Attack!" James called out as Spearow flapped its wings furiously to try and attack again. Pidgey flew down and whacked Spearow with her outstretched wing once more, knocking Spearow down and out.

    "Spearow is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner!"

    <hr>

    "Two down, one to go!" Jen was so overjoyed she could barely contain herself. Shane was grinning broadly, and even Darrell found himself pumping a fist. Jen''s mother was sitting with Andrea Enfield, and both were smiling as well. Only Matt Enfield and John Richards wore serious expressions.

    "Dad, why the long face?" Shane asked, his smile fading a little. "James only has to take out one more of Falkner''s Pok¨¦mon to win!"

    "Yes, and it''s at this point that a trainer can get overconfident and lose his focus," John told him, and Matt nodded in agreement. "James could just as easily lose this battle through his own impetuousness as much as his inexperience."

    "Well, he''s not going to lose, Dad!" Jen shouted, annoyance on her face. "He may be a beginner, but that doesn''t mean he can''t win it!"

    "We''ll see," her father said, as they turned back to watch as the battle continued.

    <hr>

    "Pidgey, return!" James recalled Pidgey, hoping he wouldn''t need her for the last round. He turned back to Cyndaquil. "Ready to finish this, buddy?" he asked, and Cyndaquil nodded before dashing back out onto the battlefield.

    "Cyndaquil again? Well, at least this should give my final Pok¨¦mon a workout. Go, Pidgeotto!" Falkner''s final Pok¨¦ball snapped open, revealing a bird-like Pok¨¦mon whose feathers resembled Pidgey''s. The big difference, besides its being larger than Pidgey, was the red plumage on its head and tail, and its talons were sharp and fierce-looking.

    "I knew Pidgeotto was last," James murmured as he took out his Pok¨¦dex. He trained it on Pidgeotto to scan its data.

    "Pidgeotto, the Bird Pok¨¦mon and the evolved form of Pidgey. Pidgeotto''s territory can span up to sixty miles, and it defends this territory fiercely against any intruders." James closed the Pok¨¦dex and breathed in deeply.

    "Well, I know it''s faster and it''s a lot stronger than Hoothoot and Spearow. But we''ve got the momentum! We can''t lose!" Cyndaquil heard his master and ignited the flames on his back in a defiant challenge to Pidgeotto.

    "Well, let''s see how you handle Pidgeotto, James! Pidgeotto, use your Gust attack!" Pidgeotto began to rapidly flap its wings, creating a small tornado that blew Cyndaquil off balance. "Now, Wing Attack!"

    "Cyndaquil, use Ember!" Cyndaquil launched fire bolts at Pidgeotto, but the majestic Flying-type was unfazed, and slapped Cyndaquil aside with its wing.

    "Alright, Pidgeotto, it''s time to end this. Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto raced at Cyndaquil with blinding speed and crashed into the small Fire-type, knocking him backward and out.

    "Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!"

    "Cyndaquil, no!" James ran over to the Fire Mouse, who squeaked an apology. "Don''t be upset, Cyndaquil. You fought really hard, so now it''s time for some rest." He carried Cyndaquil over to his trainer''s box and set him down on the ground to watch the rest of the match. "Alright, Geodude, let''s finish this match!" James threw the ball, and Geodude re-emerged, looking up at Pidgeotto with its usual calm expression. "Alright, Geodude, let''s finish this match! Rollout!" Geodude curled up and bounced toward Pidgeotto, who stayed calmly where it was.

    "Pidgeotto, Steel Wing!" At this command, the Bird Pok¨¦mon''s wing glowed white and it smashed it into the onrushing Geodude, who fell back as the super-effective move hit. A closer look indicated that the Rock-type was finished.

    "Geodude is unable to battle! Pidgeotto is the winner!"

    <hr>

    The mood in the stands had changed in an instant. Jen looked worriedly over the railing, and Shane and Darrell exchanged glances.

    "I was afraid this would happen," John Richards said to no-one in particular, though Matt Enfield nodded in agreement. "He allowed his confidence to get the best of him, and now he''s down to his last Pok¨¦mon. He''d better get a hold of himself or he''ll lose this battle."

    "True," Matt answered, looking at his son as he recalled Geodude. "He doesn''t seem rattled, but then, no trainer wants to show that the pressure is getting to them. It''s a classic sign of weakness, and if James is like many beginners I''ve met, he doesn''t want to lose face in front of an opponent, especially not a Gym Leader. He''s not going to let Falkner see any nerves, or Falkner will take him apart."

    "Even so, it''s just Pidgey left," Darrell added. "It''s not going to be easy for James to beat Pidgeotto with its pre-evolved form."

    "He won''t lose! He can''t!" Jen shouted, fervently expressing her confidence in her friend. "He''s just got to tough it out, and he''ll win this!"

    "We''ll see," Emma Richards told her, voicing her opinion for the first time. "You believe he can do it, Jennifer. But he has to show that he believes it."

    <hr>

    "Geodude, you did really well. Now get some rest." James bit back the rising wave of frustration that was threatening to consume him, and took out Pidgey''s Pok¨¦ball, his last. "Pidgey, I''m counting on you. Let''s win this battle!" Pidgey emerged once again, and flew up to meet her evolved counterpart. Pidgeotto trilled a challenge, which Pidgey accepted with a look of disdain.

    "Well, James, it''s the final round. Let''s give it everything we''ve got!"

    "You bet! Pidgey, use Quick Attack!" Pidgey rocketed at Pidgeotto, her eyes narrowed.

    "Pidgeotto, counter it with your Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto''s move collided with Pidgey''s, sending them both backward. Pidgeotto''s weight gave it an advantage in a head-on matchup, so James had to find a way to circumvent this.

    "Alright, Pidgey, try a Wing Attack!" Pidgey flew at her adversary and tried to slap Pidgeotto with her wing, but Pidgeotto shrugged the hit off easily.

    "Pidgeotto, show them your Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto''s attack struck Pidgey squarely in the face, and she spiraled to the ground. Falkner nodded and looked towards James'' side of the field. "It looks like we''re about finished, James. I''m afraid your energy and optimism weren''t enough this time."

    "Not if Pidgey has anything to say about it!" James turned to Pidgey, who had checked her descent just before she hit the ground, and was now swaying dangerously in midair. "Pidgey, let''s show that Pidgeotto who''s strongest!" Pidgey narrowed her eyes at him, but she rushed back into the air, charging right at Pidgeotto.

    "So, looks like it''s not over. But it will be soon! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"

    "Pidgey, dodge and then use Gust!" Pidgey somersaulted over Pidgeotto''s attack and began churning up another whirlwind, catching Pidgeotto in the vortex. "All right, Pidgey! Keep it up and use Quick Attack!" The Tiny Bird rushed into the whirlwind and slammed right into Pidgeotto, leaving it searching blindly for its much smaller pre-evolution.

    "Pidgeotto, don''t let it get away! Use Steel Wing!" Pidgeotto''s wing glowed and it charged in what it thought was the right direction. It had guessed wrong.

    "Now, Pidgey, finish this thing up! Wing Attack!" One final slap from Pidgey''s wing caused Pidgeotto to crash-land, finally beaten.

    "Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner; therefore, the victor is James from Violet City!" James jumped up at this, celebrating his first Gym badge. Pidgey flew to his hand and cooed quietly; she had grown to trust her master a little more after he showed his faith in her. "Pidgey, you were incredible. Thanks a lot." Cyndaquil squeaked at Pidgey as well, and she nodded her head at him.

    "James." Falkner''s voice broke into the celebrations. "Well, it looks like your optimism paid off. Well done indeed."

    "That means a lot, Falkner. Thanks." James answered, looking to see his and Jen''s families coming down to congratulate him. "I figured I could do it, but I guess I needed to take the long way to do it."

    "I suppose so," Falkner told him, reaching into his pocket. "Here, take this. It''s the Zephyr Badge, to prove you won today."

    "Thanks, Falkner!" James could barely contain his excitement. He stared at the badge, shaped into a rather accurate depiction of a pair of wings, and then closed his hand around it, savoring the moment. This feeling was interrupted by a small girl wrapping her arms around him.

    "James, you did it!" Jen was almost as excited as he was. "You''ve taken your first step towards the Johto League Championship!"

    "Thanks a lot, Jen," James said, as he felt Cyndaquil leap onto his head. "Now all you have to do is win your battle, and we''ll be on the same level."

    "Right, I almost forgot!" Jen answered, releasing James. "Hey, Falkner, what do you say to a battle with me tomorrow? I want to get my first badge as soon as possible.

    "That''s fine with me." Falkner replied, a slight grin making its way onto his face. "You''ll find it no easier than James did, though, I promise you that."

    "I''ll be looking forward to it, too." Jen said, and the challenge was set.

 7-Jens Aerial Duel

    The scene atop the Violet Gym''s tower was much the same as the day before, only with a different figure in the challenger''s box. Jen, wearing an ice blue shirt, stood ready to battle, while Falkner stood on the other side, his usual in-battle stare on his face.

    "Today''s Johto League battle between the challenger, Jennifer, and the Gym Leader, Falkner, will now begin!

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Falkner

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    The prize is the Zephyr Badge! Each side is allowed three Pok¨¦mon, with only the challenger permitted to substitute her Pok¨¦mon! Begin the match when ready!"

    "I''m ready! Togepi, let''s go!" Jen tossed out her first Pok¨¦ball and released her baby Pok¨¦mon; Togepi skipped in a circle and promptly tripped over. Jen shook her head and giggled slightly, and prepared herself for Falkner''s first choice.

    "Not many challengers send a Pok¨¦mon like Togepi at me. This should be interesting." Falkner mused as he expanded a Pok¨¦ball. "Alright, Spearow, let''s go!" The brown sparrow emerged, loosing a piercing shriek as it eyed up Togepi. Togepi, for her part, simply squealed happily and continued skipping. Jen opened her Pok¨¦dex and pointed it at Spearow, ready to add its information to her database.

    "Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pok¨¦mon. Spearow has a vicious temperament, and will mercilessly attack any adversary. However, it expends a lot of energy simply staying airborne." Jen stowed the Pok¨¦dex and turned her focus to the battlefield.

    "Alright, Togepi, enough playing around. Let''s start out with Charm!" Togepi responded quickly, widening its already enormous smile and directing its gaze at Spearow. The Tiny Bird''s fierce stare faltered a little, and it looked less likely to go after Togepi.

    "Trying to soften us up first, eh? Well, that won''t stop us! Spearow, dive and use Peck!" Spearow hesitated slightly, and then rushed at Togepi, who skipped far enough away to lessen the impact. "Don''t let it dodge you like that! Peck again!" This time Spearow''s attack hit full on, sending Togepi flying with an anguished squeak.

    "Togepi, no!" Jen looked on nervously; Togepi didn''t have that much of an offensive repertoire, having only recently hatched, but she didn''t want to switch too soon and reveal her lineup before she was ready. Switching was logical, but she''d lose her advantage of surprise. She had to make her decision quickly; the pressure was mounting.

    <hr>

    "She''s on the back foot already," Jen''s father remarked, as he watched his daughter battle. "Sending out Togepi to start wasn''t the best move."

    "That''s for sure," Matt Enfield said, also observing Jen''s performance. "I understand that she''s got to work with the tools she''s given, but Togepi only hatched two weeks ago. If she could have caught a more powerful Pok¨¦mon along the way back here, she might be having an easier time of this."

    "Yeah, but you overlooked one thing, Dad," Shane said with a sidelong look at his younger brother, who was watching intently with Cyndaquil on his shoulder. "Jen, like my little brother, does things her own way, and she thinks that using Pok¨¦mon like Togepi is best. She''ll figure something out; James did."

    "She''s going to have to work fast," put in Darrell quietly. "Falkner won''t let her get back into the battle easily. If Jen''s not careful, Spearow will run circles around her Pok¨¦mon."

    <hr>

    "Togepi, keep moving! Try to get a Charm in when Spearow passes you!" Togepi kept skipping about, barely avoiding Spearow''s diving Peck attacks. Jen could sense that Falkner''s Spearow was getting impatient; James had warned her before the battle that Spearow as a species were ill-tempered, and if she strung it along she would let its rage come to a head and make it even more difficult to take down.

    "Spearow, don''t let it evade you! Dive and use Fury Attack!" Spearow rocketed at Togepi and hit her with a series of rapid jabs with its beak. Togepi squealed in pain and tried to skip away, but Spearow had built up a head of steam and refused to let her go. "There''s no escape from my Spearow when it''s worked itself into a rage! It''s too strong to overcome!" Jen watched in despair as Togepi took hit after hit, and eventually pulled out Togepi''s Pok¨¦ball.

    "Togepi, return! Let''s not take any unnecessary risks!" As Togepi disappeared in a flash of red light, Jen took a deep breath and used the pause to recompose herself. "Alright, Falkner''s Spearow''s all worked up. I can''t take it down from below, so I''ll hit him from the skies! Zubat, that means you!" The blue Bat Pok¨¦mon chittered as it was released, using its sonar to locate its opponent. Jen knew it might be at a disadvantage during the day, but she also knew that an aerial battle was the only way to take out Spearow.

    "So, another Flying-type, eh?" Falkner called across the battlefield. "You don''t think you can beat a Flying master like me in the air, do you?"

    "I plan to!" Jen shouted back. "Let''s get going already! Zubat, Supersonic!" Zubat opened its mouth and let out a powerful sonic shriek that pulsed through the air and made everyone, even Falkner, cover their ears.

    "That''s...some Supersonic, kid." Falkner said, watching Spearow to see if it was affected. "But Spearow won''t..." He trailed off as he watched Spearow look wildly around, clearly confused by the sonic blast. "So, you''ve confused my Spearow, have you? We''ll see how long that lasts. Spearow, Peck attack!" Spearow looked at its master with unfocused eyes and promptly dived towards the ground. "Spearow! Snap out of it!"

    ¡°Go after it, Zubat! Bite attack!¡± Zubat fluttered towards the disoriented Spearow and sank its short fangs into the Tiny Bird''s wing. Spearow continued to turn its head every which way, unaware of the bat''s attack.

    ¡°Spearow, you''re stronger than this! Fury Attack!¡± Spearow looked at Jen, not Falkner, and spun hard in midair. ¡°Spearow!¡±

    "Looks like your Spearow''s lost its focus. Time to finish this up. Zubat, go use Bite once more!" Spearow shook its head as Zubat bit its wing again, and started pecking wildly. ¡°Zubat! Dive toward the ground, now!¡± Zubat obeyed, and Spearow followed its adversary, speeding toward the battlefield.

    ¡°Spearow! Use your Peck attack!¡± The Tiny Bird aimed the attack at the back of Zubat''s head, but in its fury it hadn''t noticed how close to the surface it really was. Zubat pulled out of its dive at the last second, and Spearow crashed hard into the ground.

    "Spearow! Don''t give up!" Falkner looked at Spearow as it tried to pick itself up, but it squawked weakly and collapsed, a dazed look in its eyes.

    "Spearow is unable to battle! Zubat is the winner!" Jen smiled as Zubat circled its defeated opponent, which disappeared as Falkner recalled it.

    "Spearow, you performed tremendously. Take a good, long rest." Falkner let a small smile creep onto his face as he looked at his young competitor. She had taken a bad situation and turned it around, but she had revealed two of her Pok¨¦mon already. He would use this knowledge to his advantage.

    <hr>

    "That took longer than it should have," James muttered as he watched Zubat take down Spearow. "She showed too many Pok¨¦mon too early, and gave Falkner the edge." Cyndaquil squeaked its agreement from James'' shoulder.

    "She''ll come through, kid," Shane told his brother. "Jen may be a beginner like you, but she''s got a lot of potential. Her Pok¨¦mon will pull it off."

    "Let''s hope so," John Richards said, looking at his daughter as she prepared for the next battle. "She''s got to keep fighting hard, and keep faith in her Pok¨¦mon."

    "She will," his wife told him, and James'' mother nodded as well. "Our Jennifer has never given up before, and she won''t now."

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    <hr>

    "Well, time for our next battle," Falkner said, taking out a second Pok¨¦ball and tossing it out. "Hoothoot, let''s go!" Jen knew the owl wouldn''t go down as easily as it had to James'' Geodude, but she was confident after putting Spearow away.

    "Zubat, use Supersonic right away!" Zubat loosed the sonic shriek again, but Hoothoot looked unfazed by the assault. "Huh? Why didn''t it work?"

    "You won''t confuse us every time, Jennifer." Falkner said from across the field. "Hoothoot is used to sleeping through loud noises during the day; it''s not as easily susceptible as Spearow might be." Jen wasn''t happy to hear that, and neither was Zubat, who rocketed at Hoothoot with its jaws gaping, revealing its razor-sharp fangs.

    "That''s it, Zubat! Use Bite!" Zubat obediently bit down on Hoothoot''s short wing, prompting the owl to flap its wings frantically, trying to dislodge the blue bat. Now, Leech Life!" Hoothoot began to glow as its energy was drained, but didn''t react very much. "Wait, why isn''t it working?"

    "It''s working, but Bug-type attacks like that won''t have much effect on a Flying-type. Hoothoot, shake it off!" Hoothoot''s rapid wingbeats eventually shook Zubat loose, and the two Flying-types faced each other in midair, priming for another attack. Zubat started waving its wings and launched a blade-like air current at Hoothoot, knocking it off-balance.

    "What kind of move is that?" Jen asked in amazement, as she watched Hoothoot wobble in midair.

    "That is Air Cutter, Jennifer. I must say I''m impressed. Your Zubat is fairly advanced for its evolutionary level. But we''ve got our own tricks! Hoothoot, Confusion attack!"

    "Jen, get Zubat out of there!" Jen heard James shouting from the stand. "A Psychic-type move like that is going to rip through a Poison-type!" Jen, however, stood transfixed as Hoothoot fired a blue beam of energy from its eyes and slammed it into Zubat. Zubat fell out of the air and crash-landed, chittering weakly as it fainted.

    "Zubat is unable to battle! Hoothoot wins!"

    <hr>

    "How come he held that back against me?" James wondered aloud, as Cyndaquil looked on in shocked silence. "Was he hoping that...?"

    "He knew two-thirds of Jen''s lineup," Shane answered, his eyes wide. "If he''d revealed it when he battled you, he would''ve given Jen a chance to find a counter-strategy. Not that you gave him much time to show it, but..."

    Now it''s just Magby and Togepi left," John Richards said to no-one in particular. "Togepi''s banged up from its fight with Spearow, but Magby''s still fresh. Jennifer needs to battle carefully from now on; Falkner''s almost certainly got Pidgeotto in reserve, so she might be in for a defeat if she expends too much energy now."

    <hr>

    "Alright, Togepi, time to come back out!" Togepi reappeared, and Hoothoot readied itself for battle.

    "Hoothoot, don''t let it distract you! Keep a cool head and we''ll blow that Togepi away!"

    "Not on my watch! Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi smiled widely at Hoothoot, who turned away, unimpressed. "Not interested, huh? Alright, Growl!" Jen giggled as Togepi let out what it obviously thought was a growl, but was really another high-pitched squeal.

    "Looks like your moves aren''t doing the job. Hoothoot, Peck attack! Finish it off!" Hoothoot dived towards Togepi, its beak extended, ready to end the battle. In response, Togepi stood stock still and began waving its hand back and forth.

    "What the...that''s Metronome!" Jen was ecstatic; Metronome might be completely random, but it had the potential to pull her a winning move. Togepi stopped its rhythmic hand-waving and stood still again...then squealed as a small yellow bolt of electricity shot from her hand and struck Hoothoot full-on.

    "Metronome may have given you a useful attack, but don''t think a simple ThunderShock is enough to finish Hoothoot! Peck attack, now! End this match!" Hoothoot fought through the bolt and crashed into Togepi hard enough to knock her out, but the Electric attack had taken its toll and Hoothoot was beaten.

    "Both Pok¨¦mon are unable to battle! This round is a draw!"

    "I don''t believe it!" Falkner was so shocked he could barely get the words out. "We''ve trained so hard to resist Electric-type moves, I can''t understand how a mere ThunderShock could beat us." He smiled, realizing that this was part of being a Gym Leader, experiencing new surprises every battle. "Well, my friend, you''ve done well to get past Spearow and Hoothoot, although that ThunderShock couldn''t have been predicted. But you still have one more Pok¨¦mon between you and the Zephyr Badge. I think you know who it is."

    "Bring it, Falkner!" Jen shouted, taking out Magby''s Pok¨¦ball. "We''re not planning on leaving without a badge! Magby, let''s get out there and finish what we started!" The Live Coal Pok¨¦mon emerged, blowing out several glowing embers as she readied for battle.

    "Another baby Pok¨¦mon? It seems to be your calling card. Well, this should be interesting. Pidgeotto, let''s go!" The majestic bird Pok¨¦mon appeared in a flash of light, its red plumage shining in the midmorning sun, and glared at Magby as it got into position.

    "Magby, let''s start off with SmokeScreen!" Magby inhaled deeply and then expelled a huge cloud of black smoke from its mouth, obscuring the entire battlefield. "Alright, now use Ember!" The small Fire-type was well hidden from Pidgeotto by the smoke, but the fire bolts she launched gave her position away. Pidgeotto shrugged off the attack and waited for Falkner''s orders.

    "Pidgeotto, use Gust! Blow that smoke away!" A quick gust of wind did just that, and Magby took the opportunity to send another Ember attack at Pidgeotto. This time, the fire bolts seemed to cause some damage, scorching the Bird Pok¨¦mon''s wings.

    "Alright, Magby! Keep it up!" Magby obliged, and the Ember attack became even more rapid. Pidgeotto was reduced to moving around the sky trying to dodge the attacks, and Falkner eventually lost patience.

    "Pidgeotto, Steel Wing! Take it out!" Pidgeotto''s wings glowed, and it crashed into Magby with tremendous force. The Steel-type move didn''t cause much damage, but was enough to distract Magby from her Ember barrage.

    "Magby, it''s in close! Fire Punch!" Magby''s fist caught fire, and it dealt Pidgeotto a powerful punch to its left wing. Pidgeotto managed to get away, but as it flew back up, it listed badly to one side, and was showing visible effort in keeping its left side airborne.

    "Pidgeotto! Are you alright?" Pidgeotto trilled an affirmative, but then winced as the full force of the Fire Punch kicked in. Its wing was still scored with small scorch marks, and a large red mark appeared at the point of impact. Magby crossed her arms in triumph, which annoyed Pidgeotto even further.

    "Looks like Pidgeotto''s moving a bit slower than usual. Your aerial advantage doesn''t count as much now!" Jen was becoming more confident; she may have gotten off to a slow start, but she was ready to finish off in style. "Magby, use Smog!" Magby sent a cloud of gray smoke at Pidgeotto, and the powerful bird sank even further in the air. "Now, Ember!" The flurry of fire bolts brought Pidgeotto to the ground, where it pulled itself up, but couldn''t get back in the air: its wing was injured to the point that it could hardly move it.

    "Pidgeotto! Try a Gust attack!" Pidgeotto struggled to move its wings, but the damage was too heavy. It was wide open for a final strike.

    "Magby, time to finish this battle! Fire Punch!" Magby charged at Pidgeotto, its fist ablaze. One ferocious blow put Pidgeotto on the ground, finally spent. The judge looked at Pidgeotto, whose dazed eyes became unfocused, and the verdict was clear.

    "Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Magby wins, and so victory goes to the challenger!" Jen ran onto the battlefield and hugged Magby, while Falkner went to tend to his battered friend.

    "Pidgeotto, are you okay?" Pidgeotto trilled weakly, looking disappointed. It tried to get up, but Falkner wouldn''t let it. "Hey, relax, you fought bravely through that injury. Time for you to take a well-earned rest." After recalling Pidgeotto, he motioned to one of his students, whom he instructed to take Pidgeotto and the others to the Pok¨¦mon Centre. The assistant raced off to complete his assignment, and Falkner looked across the battlefield at Jen, who had Magby in a bear hug, and smiled to himself. "The thrill of victory...and the agony of defeat." he murmured. "It''s unfortunate, but that''s how Gym battles go." Jen, meanwhile, met her parents and James'' family at the edge of the field.

    "Well done indeed, Jennifer." Emma Richards said, giving her daughter a hug of her own.

    "You and your Pok¨¦mon were excellent," her father added. "For your first Gym battle, you passed the test with flying colors." James'' family added their congratulations as well. Jen looked at James, who had a big grin on his face. Cyndaquil jumped down from his shoulder and squeaked happily, and Magby animatedly returned his greeting.

    "So we both pulled it off, huh?" Jen said, breaking the silence between her and her friend. "Now we get ready to move on."

    "Guess so," James answered. He looked around quickly, then held out a hand. "Way to go, Jen. You battled really hard, and you deserved this win." Jen responded to the outstretched hand by wrapping James in a hug, and James stiffened in surprise. Cyndaquil cocked his head inquisitively, but before he could inquire further, Jen let James go and turned to face Falkner, who had walked over as this was going on.

    "Jennifer, you and your Pok¨¦mon did a fantastic job today. Many thanks for a great battle."

    "Thanks, Falkner. I hope your Pidgeotto recovers soon." Despite her delight at winning, she was concerned about the injuries the bird had suffered.

    "I thank you for your concern, Jennifer. But don''t worry, Pidgeotto should be fine; he''s taken worse beatings than that. Now, I have something here for you." He took the winged Zephyr Badge from his pocket and held it out in his palm. "Congratulations, Jennifer, you have just won your first Johto League badge." Jen took the badge from Falkner and closed her hand around it.

    "Thanks a lot, Falkner. It means a lot." She jumped into the air, raising the hand that held the badge. "Alright, we just got a Zephyr Badge!" She then turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, what now?"

    "Well, I think we should have some sort of celebration." Emma smiled, looking with pride at her daughter. "Matt, Andrea, what do you think? Shall we all celebrate together?"

    "Sounds fine to me," Matt Enfield answered. "Why don''t we all go home to relax, then we''ll have a small party at our place this evening."

    "Emma, why don''t you and I take care of dinner for everyone tonight?" Andrea asked Jen''s mother. "If all of us are going to be in one place, we''ll need to team up on this one."

    "I would love to, Andrea." Emma said. "Alright, everyone, I think Falkner''s had enough of our company for one day. Let''s go home." The group said their goodbyes to Falkner, and then headed for the exit.

 8-An Unexpected Development

    To James, the hours after Jen''s victory at the Violet Gym felt like an eternity. He spent most of his time collecting whatever he thought he''d need on a long trip; Shane helped him with this, keeping track of what his brother had tossed into a haphazard mess near his desk. All the while, Cyndaquil was poking around the room, but he stopped when one of James'' empty Pok¨¦balls fell from the desk with a BANG, sending the little Fire-type scurrying out of the room in a panic.

    "You really shouldn''t leave those expanded." Shane told his brother as he picked up the ball and touched the small button on its front, shrinking it. "They could break if they fall, or just make a noise. Cyndaquil sure doesn''t like them, I see," he added, smiling. "When they crash like that, it''s no wonder."

    "It''s not my fault Cyndaquil gets spooked by them," James answered, tossing a black hooded sweatshirt onto the mountain of clothes and supplies. "He won''t even stay in his own, and you should''ve seen how he acted when I caught Pidgey and Geodude: he completely freaked out. I''m sure he still thinks they''re gonna break out when he least expects it."

    "Some Pok¨¦mon can''t stand ''em, kid." Shane put down the ball and started sorting through the pile. "Cyndaquil seems like an energetic Pok¨¦mon, which is unusual for his species. Most Cyndaquil are pretty lazy, but yours can''t sit still...kinda like you, as a matter of fact."

    "What do you mean by that?" James asked, annoyance entering his expression now.

    "Well, it''s a point of contention among Pok¨¦mon researchers that domesticated Pok¨¦mon¡ªparticularly a trainer''s first¡ªsometimes reflect the personalities of their trainers. You''ve always been really energetic and a bit restless, even when you were little. The fact that Cyndaquil acts like you do is interesting, is all."

    "Well, it''s kind of a good thing he acts like me," James said, smiling now. "We wouldn''t get along so well if he didn''t."

    <hr>

    Next door, Jen''s situation was much different than James''. Everything she needed was already sorted into neat piles, ready to be packed. Now she was now making sure her essential equipment was separate from the rest: her Pok¨¦dex, Pok¨¦balls and trainer card were on a chair near the door, so she wouldn''t forget them or lose them among everything else. As she finished putting various t-shirts into a pile, her mother walked in.

    "How are you getting along, dear?" she asked as she surveyed the room.

    "Just fine, Mom," Jen said as she put a last shirt, a black one with an ice-blue diagonal stripe across the front, on the pile. "I''m just making sure I''ve got enough stuff to last for a big trip."

    "Well, from the looks of things, you''re just about ready to go." Her mother laughed, and Jen did too. Jen walked away from the piles of clothes and other items on the floor and jumped onto the bed, breathing out loudly as she landed.

    "I''m so excited, Mom. From what James has told me, Johto''s nothing like back in Sinnoh. I can''t wait to see it all!"

    "I''m sure you are, Jennifer. You''ve pleasantly surprised me and your father; we were afraid you wouldn''t be very happy in a new town, let alone a new region. Just the fact that you''ve gotten used to it so quickly makes us happier than you can imagine."

    "I promise, I''ll make you guys so proud of me! Me and my Pok¨¦mon are going to reach the top, no matter what it takes!"

    "I know you will, dear. Now, make sure you''ve double-checked everything, and tell your father to come and inspect when you''re ready. I''m going to head next door and help Andrea¡ªMrs. Enfield to you¡ªprepare dinner for everyone. I''ll let you and your father know when to come over. Alright?"

    "Sure, Mom. I''ll make sure everything''s ready to go."

    "That''s my girl." Emma gave her daughter a hug, and then left the room, while Jen began sifting through the various piles.

    <hr>

    At about 6:30, Jen arrived next door with her father and headed into the yard. James and Shane were tossing a baseball back and forth, while their Pok¨¦mon had found a small corner to themselves, some sleeping, some eating, still others just lying around with nothing much to do. Jen let her Pok¨¦mon out and watched them run over to the group, and then walked towards the three boys.

    "Hey guys! How''re you doing?" she asked as she reached them, a big grin on her face.

    "We''re not too bad, Jennifer. How about you?" Shane answered as he fired the ball to James, who caught it and threw it back so hard that Shane had to take his glove off and shake his hand to dull the sting.

    "I''m okay, just finished packing!" Jen said brightly, casting a glance at Shane''s hand. "Are you going to be alright?"

    "I''ll be fine. James just has a really strong left arm, is all." James flushed a bit at the half-praise, and then walked over to his brother.

    "Dad and Shane have been saying I should try out for the Electabuzz someday. They have this crazy idea that I could somehow turn them around." All three Enfield boys were big Electabuzz fans, appropriate for baseball-mad eastern Johto. "I think I''d have more success training Pok¨¦mon, to be honest."

    "Well, we''ll find out soon," Jen said with a cheeky smile. "We''re both setting off tomorrow, and I just hope I can consistently battle the same way I did against Falkner. Without the early knockouts, that is," she added with a giggle. "My Pok¨¦mon learned a lot in that battle, and they''ve been growing a lot too. I''m hoping to find a lot of opponents along the way, so that they can grow as strong as they possibly can." At that moment, Darrell came out of the house carrying eight folding chairs at once, followed by his father with two tables under his arms.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "You want some help with those, bro?" Shane called to Darrell, who ignored him and continued to walk over to the edge of the yard. The eldest Enfield brother set the chairs down, then looked over at Shane with a cocky grin. "Okay, point taken," Shane muttered as he jogged over to help unfold the tables his father had brought out. James and Jen started to move the chairs as soon as the tables were set up, and almost instantly both their mothers started to bring out the food they''d prepared for everyone. Andrea Enfield had made a gigantic bowl of spaghetti with her signature Tamato Berry sauce, while Emma Richards produced a freshly made salad and home-baked rolls. Everyone sat down and began to help themselves to the food, and Shane set out food for the Pok¨¦mon before sitting down himself.

    <hr>

    "This was fantastic, Andrea," John Richards said between mouthfuls of spaghetti, removing spots of spicy red sauce from the corners of him mouth. "You and Emma have truly outdone yourselves tonight."

    "Thank you very much, John," Andrea replied, taking another bite of salad. "My grandmother used to make this same sauce when I was little, and the recipe''s passed through three generations so far."

    "Well, it''s the best I''ve had in a long time," Jen piped up, finishing off her own plate. "Thanks so much, Mrs. Enfield, it was terrific."

    "You''re very welcome, Jennifer," James'' mother told her, then got up and walking towards the house. She returned with two containers of ice cream and a stack of bowls, which she set on the table and opened the first. Everyone took a bowl and got some of the frozen dessert, before sitting down again. Once everybody had finished, they all helped clear the dishes away; James attempted to show off by trying to carry a table in by himself, but unfortunately, he could barely lift it. His father spared him by taking both tables in, leaving James to slump down on the grass in embarrasment.

    "Don''t worry about it, James," Shane said consolingly. "I couldn''t lift that thing either."

    <hr>

    Everyone sat down in the living room after everything was cleared away; Andrea decided to leave the washing-up until the next day. Emma had made a pot of tea, and the conversation changed topic several times. James was fiddling with a loose thread in his shirt before his father spoke up.

    "Everyone, I think we need to discuss James and Jennifer''s imminent departure," Matt Enfield said, looking meaningfully at his wife before turning to the two ten-year-olds. "I trust both of you are ready to go?" Both of them were taken aback by the abruptness of the question, but Jen nodded, while James muttered, barely audibly, "Yeah, Dad."

    "Excellent, because we have some news for the two of you." Jen''s mother told them, which caught both of their attentions. "As you probably remember, we haven''t been in Johto long."

    "Right," James said, looking uneasily at his parents. This wasn''t news to him at all.

    "That means that we don''t know the region very well, which affects Jennifer in particular." Emma continued, emphasizing the point. "So we have been talking with your parents about an idea that will benefit everyone, especially the both of you."

    "And?" Jen didn''t understand the sudden turn either. "What''s your point, Mom?"

    "The point is," Andrea said, deciding to get the news out sooner than later, "that we want you two to travel the region together."

    <hr>

    Silence fell after this, and it took a few seconds for either James or Jen to react.

    "You''re...you''re kidding, right?" James couldn''t believe this. "You mean, we''re...we''re going to have to travel alongside one another?"

    "That''s what together means, James," Shane said jokingly, before his mother''s stare shut him up. James, meanwhile, looked at his father, completely blindsided by the news.

    "Mom, Dad, I can''t believe you don''t trust me by myself!" Jen protested; she wasn''t happy about it either. "I can manage!"

    "It''s not a question of that, Jennifer," John told her, trying to keep things calm. "But you know almost nothing about the region, and traveling alongside someone who does will be better for everyone."

    "Trust us, it''s for the best," Matt added, looking at his youngest son and cutting him off before he could say anything else. "James, you are...shall we say a little impetuous? And Jen, as John says, doesn''t know the area well. It would make us feel better if both of you were traveling together, rather than separately. Besides, it''s not like you''re not already used to it, right? You two did travel home together, after all."

    "Well, that was really only a short distance..." James didn''t like where this had gone. He had looked forward to being on his own, being able to travel at his own pace and train with just his Pok¨¦mon with him. At the same time, he wondered whether he should have someone to travel with. Either way, if their parents had made this decision already, there was nothing he could do about it. Arguing would get him nowhere. He sighed and nodded.

    "Alright then, we''ll travel together. Right, Jen?" he asked tentatively, seeing that Jen was as happy about this as he was.

    "Yeah, I guess so," she said finally, slumping her shoulders as she accepted defeat. Just as quickly, her expression brightened a little. "Who knows, we might be better as a team. And we''ll each have someone to train with, too."

    "Excellent!" Jen''s father said, and the tension calmed. "So, shall we all meet up again tomorrow to see these two off?"

    "That''s a fine idea," Matt Enfield said, nodding his approval. "James, you''d better pack your things tonight. Tomorrow will be too late."

    "Fine, Dad," James answered, feeling a sudden fatigue hit him. He needed to get some sleep, too.

    "Very well. We''ll see you all tomorrow, then," The Richards family bade the Enfield family goodbye, and then headed back next door. As soon as they were gone, the Enfield boys ran for the stairs, racing each other back to their bedrooms, each one trying to push the other two out of the way.

    "Calm it down, you three!" Andrea called after them, but couldn''t help letting a smile cross her face. She knew the three boys were incredibly competitive with each other, and that no-one would get hurt, and decided that it was best to leave them to it.

    That night, James tossed himself into bed after packing his last supplies into his bag. He was more tired than he had been in a long time, and knew that it would be a long time before he returned home. As he turned to shut off his desk lamp, his mother walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

    "How are you feeling, James?" she asked, concern filling her face.

    "Alright, I guess," James answered, turning over to face her. "I''m just tired and a bit nervous, is all. I can''t believe I''m heading out tomorrow."

    "Neither can we," Andrea said, smiling at her youngest son. "We knew this day was coming, ever since Darrell left home for the first time. You''ll be just fine. After all, you''ll have a friend with you, and your Cyndaquil seems to be the perfect partner."

    "I know," James said, not really caring if he did. "It''s just...it''s going to be long, and hard. I''m definitely ready for it, but I really want to make you guys proud."

    "You will," his mother said, stroking her youngest son''s unkempt hair. "All you have to do is believe in yourself."

    "Thanks, Mom," James told her as he closed his eyes. Andrea kissed him on the forehead and left him to drift off to sleep, ready for the challenges of the morrow.

 9-A Gastly Encounter

    The next morning, James was once again up early, checking his belongings to make sure he left nothing behind. He had pulled on a blue t-shirt and black shorts, and was now checking that he had stowed his Pok¨¦dex in the pouch on the strap of his bag. Once he had made sure everything was ready to go, he slung the pack over his shoulder and headed downstairs to breakfast.

    His mother had made another specialty, homemade waffles, and all three Enfield brothers tore into them with gusto. Andrea smiled as she watched her sons; it had been a while since they had all been home together, and she had nearly forgotten how much they cared for, and competed with, each other. Darrell had, of course, left home with Totodile six years earlier, and even competed in the Silver Conference two years later. Shane had gone on a journey, too, but decided to return home after a year and a half; traveling just didn''t appeal to him. Instead, he had taken an interest in being a Pok¨¦mon breeder, and though he did train his Pok¨¦mon regularly, to him it was more of a hobby than anything else. James had proven the most ambitious of the three; he had been itching to get going ever since Darrell had left, and was already on his way after his victory at the Violet Gym. It wouldn''t be easy for him, since he had his father and two brothers to compete with, but James didn''t seem to care. All he wanted to do was shoot for the top, and Andrea was happy to see her youngest son live his dreams.

    <hr>

    Jen''s pack was ready downstairs in the Richards'' front hallway, and Jen herself was finishing the remains of her own breakfast when her mother poked her head into the kitchen.

    "Are you almost set to go, Jennifer?" Emma asked, smiling as Jen nodded vigorously. "Good. Finish up there, and then we''ll go out to meet James and his family outside. Your father will be down soon; today of all days, he''s decided to sleep in."

    "Typical Dad," Jen giggled, putting her plate next to the sink. "He always sleeps in on the most important days. I''ll just get my stuff together, and then I''ll be ready to roll."

    "That''s my girl," Emma smiled, and Jen hurried to get her things ready to set out. Emma truly was happy to see Jen so prepared and eager. Moving to a new region at this point could have been a disaster, but they thought the cold of northern Sinnoh would have been hard to deal with as a beginning trainer.

    But Emma knew Jen would be fine. She had her Pok¨¦mon and her friend, and the two kids were a perfect match. Both were enthusiastic and ready to go, and that was the best attitude to have as a youngster. Emma laughed to herself as she walked toward the front door, preparing to head next door to see the pair off.

    <hr>

    Soon, the two families met in front of James'' house, ready to bid farewell to their two aspiring adventurers. Cyndaquil had taken his habitual place on James'' right shoulder, and was squeaking goodbyes to the entire group. Jen hugged her parents and then accepted farewells from the Enfield family, while James said his own goodbyes to his parents, then his brothers.

    "Good luck to you, kiddo," Darrell said, as he ruffled his brother''s hair. "You''ll make us proud, I know it. The only limits on your potential are the ones you put on yourself."

    "And never give up," Shane added. "No matter how tough things get, you have to find a way through them. Don''t let anything stop you, and you''ll be a terrific trainer."

    "Thanks, guys," James said, and the three Enfield boys shared a group hug before James walked over towards Jen, readying himself to leave.

    "Alright, you two, keep it together and have fun out there," Jen''s father told them, smiling warmly at the pair of them.

    "Yes, and be careful," Andrea Enfield added, aiming her gaze right at her youngest son. "Keep in touch, both of you, and stay safe."

    "We will, Mom," James said, trying to reassure his mother. "We''ll be fine."

    "Yeah, please don''t worry about us, Mrs. Enfield," Jen chimed in. "I''ll keep James out of trouble, trust me."

    "Alright, then, you two, get going. You''ve got a long journey ahead of you." James'' father nodded to the pair, and with that they started moving towards the western city gate and the true start of their adventure.

    <hr>

    As James and Jen left their street, the first thing they saw was the Sprout Tower, impossible to miss due to its sheer height. They moved towards the entrance, wanting to take a closer look, and as they reached the gate they noticed a man wearing dark blue robes walk toward them.

    "I judge by your attire and your eager demeanour that you are Pok¨¦mon trainers?" the middle-aged man asked, looking intently at both of them.

    "That''s right," James said, a little unnerved. He''d heard about these monks before; they were a mysterious lot, and were regarded as a little odd by many outsiders.

    "Excellent! My name is Chow, and I am one of the Sages of the Sprout Tower. May I ask yours?"

    "My name''s Jennifer, and this is my friend James." Jen answered, giving the Sage a friendly smile.

    "An alliterative pair, interesting... And again, pardon my incessant questioning, but may I inquire which Pok¨¦mon you are carrying?"

    "Uh, I have a Cyndaquil, Pidgey and Geodude." James told the Sage, still unsure where this was going.

    "And I''ve got a Magby, a Togepi and a Zubat." Jen added, sharing a quick glance with James afterward. His expression was clear: what does he want with us?

    "Fire, Rock, Flying, Normal...all strong types, but ones that can take some time to train properly." Chow pondered this for a minute, leaving the two ten-year-olds to look at each other in confusion. "Ah, perfect! I have a suggestion for the pair of you."

    "What''s that?" James asked, still badly confused.

    "Well, why not come train with the Sages for the day? It will help our younger dedicates to get some practice in, and you will benefit from the training as well. Are you up for it?" James considered this for a minute; they hadn''t even gotten out of Violet yet, but it could be beneficial to learn from the Sages. Eventually, a grin crossed his face.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "You''re on, Chow. We are beginners, after all, and we''re going to have to get used to hard training. What do you say, Jen?"

    "Let''s do it!" was Jen''s only reply.

    "Excellent! Please, follow me, and we shall begin the training." The two youngsters followed Chow inside, ready to experience the training methods of the Sprout Tower Sages.

    <hr>

    The entrance hall was full of robed monks going about their daily business. Not all of them wore the same colored robes as Chow; some wore grey, while others wore red or yellow. As Chow led James and Jen to the training chamber, he explained that the colors represented one''s rank within the order. His own blue robes symbolized a mid-level rank, while the yellow was for new dedicates. As James tried to square the colors and meanings in his head, they reached the training chamber, which was full of mostly red-robed monks practicing their battle techniques.

    "This, of course, will just be one part of your training today," Chow told them. "These Sages you see here are monks of the First Rank, and are just high enough above you in skill to test you. In keeping with the Order''s code, all trainees will use a Bellsprout or an evolution thereof. This will be a good chance to gain experience battling Grass-types, and our first-rank dedicates will learn how to counter types with an advantage, such as James'' Fire-type Cyndaquil. Let us begin." Chow turned and beckoned towards a small knot of monks. "Dedicate Cheng, if you will?" A tall young man stepped forward, drawing a Pok¨¦ball from within his robes.

    "My Bellsprout and I proudly take on all opponents, advantage or no! You will not defeat me! Which of you will oppose me first?" James and Jen looked at one another, and James motioned toward the young monk.

    "He''s all yours, Jen," he told her, and Jen smiled at him before stepping onto the battlefield. Chow looked from the girl to the monk and then raised his arms.

    "Very well, let this match begin!"

    <hr>

    The entire day was one long, hard training session. The monks were firm but helpful opponents, and both youngsters learned different things about their Pok¨¦mon and their unique abilities. James, in particular, learned the hard way that his direct approach was not always best.

    "In many fights, being straightforward is often the most useful way," Chow had told him. "But sometimes, you must learn to outwit and confuse your opponent if attacking directly does not work. A Pok¨¦mon trainer must learn to adapt his strategy to whatever the opponent offers, for it is flexibility, among other attributes, that separates a run-of-the-mill trainer from a Pok¨¦mon Master." Both James and Jen took his words to heart, but Jen proved the better at outsmarting her opponents. Though her Pok¨¦mon were not the strongest attackers, she learned that she could use their moves to harass her opponents and gain a psychological advantage.

    Not all the training was related to battles, though. The monks also underwent stringent physical and mental training in order to perform at their peak at all times. James proved adept at most of the appropriate physical training, outperforming many of the new dedicates in agility and endurance challenges. Jen performed well in the awareness tests, learning to anticipate moves and look for even the slightest movement; according to the monk overseeing the tests, these subtle movements could be the difference between avoiding a strike or being hit by one. Chow was impressed by what he saw, and he congratulated the pair on their accomplishment.

    "You should be proud of yourselves, young ones," he said after they finished their final tests. "Not many outsiders are up to the challenge of our training, but you have persisted and now your training here is complete. Well done to you both."

    <hr>

    After the pair joined the monks for their evening meal, they got ready to say goodbye to Chow and the Sages, tired but glad to have taken up the training for the day. The Sprout Tower was almost empty when they walked with Chow towards the exit; most of the monks had either retired to their chambers or gone to tend to the order''s evening rituals. As they entered the second floor hall, James noticed a small disturbance in the air, and stopped short to look for it.

    "Is something wrong, young man?" Chow asked, as James scanned the room looking for whatever had caused the disturbance.

    "Nothing''s wrong, sensei," James answered, still looking for whatever was there. "I just saw something strange in the air, that''s all."

    "Ah, I see your anticipation training has paid off," Chow said with a wry smile. "I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but the tower often plays host to some wayward Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon at night. The disturbance you mentioned might just be a wild Gastly. Try to find it. You might even be able to capture it." James nodded, and kept scanning the room. Cyndaquil did the same, its nose following what it thought was the potential Ghost. Eventually, he squeaked frantically and fired a quick Ember attack to James'' left, and a black Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon appeared. The spectral creature was surrounded by a cloud of purple gas, and its mouth had two pointed fangs bared.

    "It is a Gastly!" James cried, and quickly drew out his Pok¨¦dex to scan it before it fled.

    "Gastly, the Gas Pok¨¦mon." came the recording. "This near-invisible Pok¨¦mon can surround its target and put it to sleep in mere seconds."

    "James, quickly!" Jen interrupted, as James made to stow the device. Gastly was trying to escape through a window.

    "Not if I can help it! Cyndaquil, use Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil darted at Gastly, but found itself crashing into a wall. "Hey, what gives? That should''ve knocked it back!"

    "Normal attacks have no effect on Ghosts," Chow said in a matter-of-fact voice. "I suggest you find a new strategy before it gets away."

    "Alright, so direct attacks won''t work this time..." James thought hurriedly, trying to devise a plan to trap the ghost. "Okay, here we go! Cyndaquil, use SmokeScreen quick!" The Fire Mouse recovered from its headfirst collision with the wall and engulfed Gastly with a cloud of black smoke. The next thing Cyndaquil saw was a dark purple ball of light hit it squarely in the face. As the Gastly left the smoke cloud, Cyndaquil looked around with a dazed expression, thoroughly confused. James groaned and called for Cyndaquil to come back, which it did after banging into another wall. "So, if we can''t win this way, we''ll find another! Pidgey, come on out!" The Tiny Bird flew into the air above Gastly as she was released, staring around with her sharp eyes.

    "Come on, Pidgey!" Jen called, watching closely for the Gas Pok¨¦mon. James looked and saw that the smoke was spreading through the room, dissipating quickly. He needed to find Gastly fast, or he''d lose the capture.

    "Pidgey, if you see Gastly move, hit it with Wing Attack!" Pidgey trilled as she continued glaring at the smoke cloud, and then dived at the ground, wings outstretched. James heard Gastly cry out as the Wing Attack hit its mark, and then saw Pidgey pull out of her dive, ready to strike again. He knew he had to be careful. A wind attack would blow Gastly away and cause havoc in the building, but he needed to get rid of the smoke in order to get a clear shot. "Pidgey, fly in a circle around the smoke! That should get rid of it!" Pidgey obeyed instantly, flying rapidly around Gastly''s position, causing the smoke to dissipate and leave it vulnerable. Pidgey delivered another Wing Attack, and Gastly looked tired.

    "Alright, Gastly, you''re mine!" James drew a Pok¨¦ball and threw it as hard as he could at the Ghost-type. The ball hit the ghost between the eyes, and to James'' relief sucked it inside, a red light appearing on the ball''s front. One shake...two shakes...three shakes...then the capture tone and silence.

    "You did it!" Jen cheered as she ran over to him. "Looks like our day with the monks paid off, huh?"

    "Yeah," James murmured, staring at the Pok¨¦ball in his hand. The day had been long and hard, but the training had indeed helped. "So that''s another addition to the team. Awesome."

    "You sound less than ecstatic, young one," Chow said, walking over to the two youngsters.

    "Oh, I''m ecstatic, all right," James answered, trying to stifle a huge yawn. "I''m just really worn out. I think it''s time for us to get going."

    "Thanks for everything, sensei," Jen chimed in. "We''ll never forget the lessons we learned here today."

    "We will remember the lessons you have taught us as well. Though we Sages claim to be the enlightened ones, knowledge is never restricted only to one group. Everyone has something to teach others, and everyone has something to learn, too. Take care as you continue your journey."

    "Thanks, Chow," James said, and both youngsters bowed before moving for the exit.

 10-Return of the Hunter

    Days after their training with the Sprout Tower Sages, James and Jen were beginning to make headway towards Azalea Town. They had moved through the small cutout near the southwestern edge of Violet and past the gatehouse for the Ruins of Alph. The two youngsters looked at the information board near the ruins for a minute, then continued on; they wanted to reach a good place to camp before it got too dark to travel anymore. James and Jen walked on in silence for a while, then Jen finally spoke.

    "So, what kind of Pok¨¦mon does the Azalea Town Gym Leader use, James?" she asked, slowing a little. James thought for a minute, then responded.

    "I''m pretty sure he uses Bug-types. If that''s true, we''ll both be in good shape, since each of us have Pok¨¦mon with an advantage over bugs. We shouldn''t be too confident, though. Any Gym Leader is a cut above most trainers, especially beginners like us." After this exchange, the tired silence returned. The darkness was starting to close in, and the two youngsters picked up their pace. As they rounded a group of boulders, they noticed a small blue Pok¨¦mon with purple antenna-like protrusions on its large, round head. It looked like it was running from something, but neither James nor Jen could understand why. Jen drew her Pok¨¦dex and scanned the fleeing Pok¨¦mon as it looked around frantically.

    "Wooper, the Water Fish Pok¨¦mon. This combination Water- and Ground-type lives in very cold water, and is coated in a slimy, toxic film. It ventures from the water when the air temperature drops."

    "So that''s a Wooper. I''ve never seen one before. Someone or something must be tracking it, if it''s that spooked." Jen said quietly, watching the small Pok¨¦mon try to escape into the grass. No sooner had it turned around that a flurry of scything leaves cut through the air, slashing the Water Fish and knocking it to the ground, where it whimpered in pain. Out from behind a nearby boulder leaped a Bulbasaur, growling in triumph as it looked on its prey.

    "Hey, what gives?¡± James shouted, all traces of fatigue gone for the moment as he searched for the source of the disturbance. ¡°Wait, what''s a Bulbasaur doing out here in the first place? Hold on..."

    "Stop right there!" came a familiar voice, and following the Bulbasaur came Hunter, who had obviously been chasing the Wooper through the grass. "Bulbasaur, hold it down with Vine Whip!" As the vines caught Wooper near its antennae, it tried to fire a jet of water at Bulbasaur, but the Seed Pok¨¦mon stood firm.

    "Hunter, what are you doing out here?" Jen cried, a little upset at seeing Wooper being held down, unable to defend itself; she couldn''t bear to see a Pok¨¦mon suffer like that. "It''s nearly dark, no-one in their right mind would be out this late! And what are you doing to that poor Wooper? Can''t you see it''s scared out of its mind?"

    "I''m trying to catch this Wooper, if you must know!" Hunter shouted back, drawing a Pok¨¦ball and aiming carefully. "It''s got strong defensive statistics, so it''s a perfect addition to my team! Only problem is, I''ve been tracking it for two hours, and it won''t stay still long enough for me to catch it. Alright, here we go!" He threw the ball and watched it hit the Water-type squarely in the forehead. The Wooper was converted to red energy and sucked into the ball, and all three kids watched as it shook several times and then stopped, the capture tone echoing through the night. As James and Jen watched, Hunter walked over to the ball and picked it up, retracting it before he stowed it on his belt. He turned to Bulbasaur and gave it a congratulatory scratch behind the ears. "Solid work, Bulbasaur. We''ve got a new teammate now, so you''ll be able to share your workload. We''re going to need to catch another one before we battle Falkner, though..." Hunter recalled Bulbasaur and then turned to the two Violet trainers.

    "So, fancy running into you two again, huh?" he said, a grin finally crossing his face. "I''m trying to build up my team so I can take on the Violet Gym. Did you two battle there yet?"

    "Yeah, we both beat Falkner and won a Zephyr Badge." Jen answered, opening her badge case so Hunter could see. "We were on our way to Azalea Town when you showed up."

    "Well, it looks like I''ve got a bit of catching up to do," Hunter said with a laugh. The trio started walking along before he continued. "I will catch you guys, though, don''t even think about doubting that. I just need one more Pok¨¦mon before I head back to Violet."

    "Any particular Pok¨¦mon you''re considering?" James asked, stifling a yawn as they neared an open spot near the side of the road. It looked like a perfect place to set up a campsite.

    "Oh, I''ve got an idea," Hunter answered with a knowing smile. "I''m just not going to tell you. We may be friends, James, but we''re rivals too. I''m not going to let you get the edge that easily."

    "If you say so." James tried in vain to hold back another yawn, but fatigue had truly set in now. Cyndaquil was already asleep, but James shook him awake as they stopped to pitch their tents. As they did so, they saw two heavyset men wearing desert camoflauge pants and black shirts walk past. Jen stared after them as they left.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "What''s with those guys? They were dressed kind of funny." she asked the others. James shrugged, not really registering much due to sleepiness, and Hunter simply raised an eyebrow. The kids put up their tents and opened up some instant travel meals that James'' mother had recommended they pack. Once they''d eaten, they each went into their own tent and went to sleep.

    <hr>

    The next morning, the three youngsters discussed their future plans over breakfast, then got ready to do some training. They released their Pok¨¦mon and watched as they ran around and got warmed up for the training session. About five minutes in, Hunter turned to James.

    "Hey, James, why don''t we have a battle? I want to see how much better I''ve gotten, and I also want to see how my rival stacks up. You up for it?"

    "Of course!" James answered, and turned to pick one of his Pok¨¦mon. "Hey, Pidgey, come here! We''re going to battle!" Pidgey flew over and landed on his hand, her gaze as stern as usual.

    "Interesting." Hunter mused, looking at Pidgey thoughtfully. "Alright, then, I''ll go with Wooper. I''d like to see how my new Pok¨¦mon fares in battle." The two walked to the small battlefield and sent their Pok¨¦mon out, readying themselves for battle.

    "All right, I''ll start! Pidgey, use Gust!" Pidgey flapped her wings hard, creating a miniature tornado. Wooper stood its ground, refusing to be blown away. Hunter looked impressed; his focus on defense would be well-served with this kind of endurance.

    "Wooper, stand firm and use Water Gun!" The Water Fish Pok¨¦mon let fly with a stream of water that forced Pidgey to fly away and get out of range. "Don''t let up! Keep up that Water Gun!"

    "Pidgey, Sand-Attack!" James wanted to distract Wooper long enough to get a hit in. The strategy wasn''t his style, but it would have to do. The resultant cloud of sand was quickly turned to mud, which flew back at Pidgey in sticky globs. The Tiny Bird tried to get out of the way, but she couldn''t evade it all and was weighed down by several clumps that stuck to her wings.

    "We''ve got that Pidgey right where we want it! Move closer, and don''t stop that Water Gun!" Still firing the attack, Wooper moved in towards its target, ready to try and finish off the battle.

    "Not so fast! Pidgey, use Gust one more time!" Pidgey struggled at first, but eventually blew the mud off her wings by concentrating the tornado around herself. She glared at Wooper, who was staring back with a fierce smile on its face. Neither opponent would go down without a fight. James noticed that Wooper was moving closer, therefore closing down any maneuvering space. It wanted to get in a close-range hit, but James intended to use this strategy to his advantage. "Now, Quick Attack! Let''s knock it out!" Pidgey raced at Wooper at full speed, crashing into her target and causing Wooper to break off its attacks and recover its balance.

    "Way to endure that, Wooper! Don''t let Pidgey of your sight!" Hunter was becoming more and more impressed by the Water- and Ground-type''s endurance and refusal to go down. Wooper as a species had strong vitality and defensive ability, and he had scanned it before tracking it, finding it to have higher than normal defensive statistics. The fact that it could stand up to a fast, agile Pok¨¦mon like Pidgey gave him hope that he could take down the Violet Gym later on.

    "Pidgey, keep moving and get ready to finish Wooper off!" James was getting worried. Any attempt to disrupt Wooper''s line of sight would surely be cancelled out, and a direct attack would be met with similar results. He opted for the latter, hoping that Wooper would go down. "Quick Attack!"

    "Stay strong and take the hit!" Hunter called as Pidgey raced towards her opponent. The attack hit home, but Pidgey stalled after the strike; Wooper was standing like a brick wall, stopping the Quick Attack cold. "Now we''ve got Pidgey where we want her! Water Gun!"

    "No!" James cried, realizing how vulnerable Pidgey actually was. "Get out of there, now!" It was no use. Wooper unleashed a fresh blast of water, sending Pidgey crashing to the ground. As she struggled to get back in the air, Wooper ran up to her and blasted her again, ensuring that she was beaten.

    <hr>

    "Looks like this one''s over." Hunter said, a triumphant smile crossing his face. "Way to go, Wooper, you were terrific." After recalling the Water Fish, he walked over to where James was checking on his defeated Pidgey. "Is she alright?"

    "She''ll be okay," James told him, disappointment in his voice. "I''ll give her some medicine, and that should get her back to full health. Your Wooper was something else. I''ve never seen a Pok¨¦mon take hits like that before."

    "It certainly impressed me," Jen added, walking over to the two combatants. "You two are quite the pair of opposites. I guess this time, defense won the battle."

    "Maybe," James mused. "So, that''s that done. What''re we going to do now?"

    "Well, you should give your Pidgey treatment right away. You''ll need her at full fitness to be effective." Hunter answered. "I''m going to keep going toward the Union Cave after I heal Wooper. There should be some good Pok¨¦mon in there, and that''ll bring my team up to three. How about you guys?"

    "I think we should go to the Ruins of Alph." Jen said, causing both James and Hunter to look at her in confusion. "Well, we might not get to see them again until we come back from the Pok¨¦mon League. This is a perfect time to go."

    "Alright, the Ruins it is," James conceded. "Azalea Town won''t run away before we get there, so we might as well."

    "I''ve heard there''s some pretty cool stuff there," Hunter added. "I''ve got to go back to Violet after I catch my third Pok¨¦mon, and I wouldn''t mind seeing the Ruins either, so I''ll visit them on my way back."

    "How are you going to get there?¡± Jen asked. ¡°The Union Cave''s at least a day away from here if you don''t stop, and Violet''s nearly a week in the other direction.¡±

    ¡°I''ll find a way. Maybe somebody can give me a lift back.¡±

    ¡°Good luck.¡± James told him, and the three of them continued to train and prepare for the days ahead.

 11-Triassic Trouble

    The next morning, James and Jen started towards the Ruins of Alph, while Hunter continued south toward the Union Cave. Many of the Pok¨¦mon that lived in the area were active, but neither youngster wanted to delay their visit to the Ruins with a drawn-out capture attempt. Cyndaquil was disappointed by this; he wasn''t happy about not battling Hunter the day before, and was becoming restless. James let the Fire-type run through the grass along the way, which allowed him to release his pent-up energy.

    As the Ruins hove into view, Cyndaquil returned to James'' shoulder, and they walked through the entrance gate to see a set of stone buildings, each with strange symbols marking their entrances. Neither James nor Jen could make sense of the ancient script, though.

    ¡°What do you think it says?¡± James asked. Jen shrugged.

    ¡°You''re guess is as good as mine.¡± she answered. She spotted a bystander walking their way, and she waved to him. ¡°Um, sorry to bother you, sir, but do you know anyone who can read these symbols?¡±

    "Unfortunately, I don''t," the man said. "I think some of the scientists here know how, but I don''t know if the research building has opened for the day yet."

    "Okay. Thanks anyway," Jen replied, and she turned to James. "What now?"

    "Well, we can''t just stand around here all day. Let''s go into this building here, it can''t hurt." Jen nodded, and the pair entered the nearest building.

    Inside, a small table sat in the center of a small chamber, with what looked like a sliding puzzle on it. Next to it, a small plaque bore a description of a round-shaped Pok¨¦mon that had only been found as a fossil. The two youngsters looked at each other, perplexed, then James spoke at last.

    "Go for it, Jen. I think visitors are supposed to try and solve the puzzle." Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative, and Jen turned to the puzzle, trying to place the tiles in the correct slots. James and Cyndaquil looked on, occasionally trying to help. After about ten minutes, the puzzle was finished. The finished picture looked something like a horseshoe crab with claw-like legs poking out from the front end of its shell. Before James could get his Pok¨¦dex out to scan the picture, there ground shuddered, and then, incredibly, the floor dropped into a dark alcove below the building. Both youngsters shouted in surprise, and the now-platform crashed down into what looked like a series of hallways. Fortunately, both of them were unhurt, but neither spoke, too frightened to do so.

    "What in the world was that?" Jen asked after about a minute, her voice shaking. "If I''d known the puzzle would do that, I''d have left it where it was!"

    "I think the completed puzzle triggered some kind of booby trap," James answered, checking to see if Cyndaquil was alright. Thankfully, the echidna had also escaped harm, but his back was aflame and his posture defensive. "The real question is, where are we now?"

    "I don''t know, but it looks like the walls have similar symbols to the one on that building we just got dropped out of. I can''t make heads or tails of it."

    "Maybe it''s a secret code?" James asked, examining the walls himself. The symbols had the look of a character system in some archaic language. As he tried to make sense of them, he heard Jen scream behind him. "Jen! What happened?"

    "One of the symbols just moved!" Jen shouted, backing away in fear. "James, I think we have to get out of here!"

    "Yeah, but which way is out?" James was starting to panic. First the floor dropped out from under them, then moving symbols, what next? As he tried to figure out a plan, he saw a dark shape move towards Jen.

    "Hey! Get away from her!" Cyndaquil was off James'' shoulder in an instant, and he launched a single fire bolt in Jen''s general direction. Jen ducked, and the bolt made contact, knocking the shape backward. All around them, symbols were detaching from the walls and forming a ring around the youngster. Cyndaquil fired his Ember attack at the floating symbols, sending them backward and eventually dispersing them. As they faded into the darkness, James heard a voice calling from the far end of the hallway.

    "Hey! Are you kids alright?" Two men were running down the hallway towards them. James recognized one of them as the tourist they had spoken to earlier. The other was a young-looking man in a lab coat, his face framed with concern.

    "We''re fine, now," Jen answered, getting up from the floor. The whole experience had scared her more than she was willing to admit. "How did you know we were down here?"

    "We heard shouts from the first puzzle building. This hallway is the main part of the Ruins; the puzzle structure must be connected to this building."

    "Yeah, we figured that out as well," James told him, wary of anything coming out of the darkness. "Thanks for coming to find us."

    "Not a problem; it''s part of our job to make sure exploration of the Ruins is safe for everyone. Why don''t you come back to the research station so we can find out exactly what''s happened here?"

    "Sounds good. The sooner we get out of here, the happier I''ll be." Jen''s answer was enough for the researcher, and they followed him out of the building.

    <hr>

    "So, you say the symbols moved when you landed in that hallway?" the researcher asked, writing down the relevant details on a notepad.

    "Yes. We couldn''t read them, but they seemed to form an alphabet of sorts," James answered. "Jen was the first to notice that they were moving, and then they started coming out of the walls."

    "They didn''t try to hurt us, though," Jen added, calmer now that they were out of danger. "They just formed a circle around us, and then Cyndaquil drove them off."

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "I think you kids stumbled upon a big discovery without knowing it," the researcher told them. "I have reasons to believe that those ancient symbols are actually based off a very old Pok¨¦mon. Have you two ever heard of Unown?"

    "Once." James said. "My grandfather used to be a fossil hunter, and he saw them in a cave while he was digging one time."

    "Well, this Pok¨¦mon apparently comes in many forms, and I believe that they are the basis for our current writing system. But unless we capture one, we won''t get any more data on them."

    "We should''ve tried to scan one down there, Jen," James said, but knew this was simply an attempt to push aside their panic. At that point, the research building door opened, and another scientist poked his head inside.

    "Uh, Tom, there are a couple of strangely-dressed men out here who say they want to talk to you."

    "If you need to talk to them, we can go. Thanks for getting us out of that place," Jen said to Tom, who had begun moving papers around on the desk.

    "Oh, not a problem at all. Have fun exploring the rest of the Ruins, and if you make anymore inadvertent discoveries, you know where I am."

    "We will!" James called back. As they left, they saw a group of men dressed exactly like the people they''d seen at the Pok¨¦mon Centre the night before. Each had the same desert camouflage trousers and black shirts, but one of them wore a grey jacket with a strange insignia on it. It looked like a bird''s foot, but more angular and with three toes. The men disappeared inside, and the two youngsters moved to explore the rest of the Ruins.

    <hr>

    The men in the strange uniforms were all over the place, examining every structure and noting certain areas. James was beginning to get suspicious, but held back from confronting any of them. Jen also kept her silence, preferring to explore the Ruins in peace. Eventually, though, James lost patience, and wanted to find out who these people actually were.

    "Who are you guys, anyway? And what''re you doing here?" he asked a nearby uniformed man. "Is there something here you''re looking for?"

    "It''s none of your business who we are, kid," the man replied in a low, grunting voice. "We''re just exploring the Ruins like you, that''s all. Now get lost." James'' temper spiked, but Jen put a calming hand on his shoulder.

    "James, it''s not worth it. Let''s head back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, we''ve seen just about everything we can here." Just as she said this, the three men from earlier exited the research building, and the man in the grey jacket called out to the others.

    "Team Triassic, we have found what we''re looking for! These Ruins are the first step in our plan to rearrange the world! There is enough ancient research to allow us to initiate the next step of our master plan! We will achieve our goal!

    James heard the man''s words, and his temper rose.

    "You''re crazy! What do you think you''re doing, trying to rearrange the world? And how are you going to do that, anyway?"

    "Administrator, ignore this kid," the grunt James had spoken to earlier said. "He''s just a troublemaker."

    "No." The Administrator''s voice was condescending and arrogant. "I''ll enlighten him about our mission. He is a mere child, and no threat to us."

    "No threat, huh?" James challenged, but Cade ignored him and went on.

    "Perhaps you know something of prehistoric Pok¨¦mon?" James nodded, and the Admin smiled wickedly. "Good. They are the underpinnings of our entire operation. It is our mission to find a way to revert the world to how it was when prehistoric Pok¨¦mon still lived. These Ruins had information we needed; that is why we are here. Soon, we will change the world."

    "You''re not changing anything!" James shouted, and Cyndaquil squeaked at the Admin in an obvious challenge. "I''ll stop you myself if I have to!"

    "Is that so? But then, talk is common. Why not back up your words? You can take on my Pok¨¦mon, and then consider whether you are strong enough to stop us."

    "You''re on! Cyndaquil, let''s show this guy we mean business!" Cyndaquil ignited the flames on his back, ready to take on anything that came his way.

    "A Fire-type, how underwhelming. Now, see what a truly powerful Pok¨¦mon looks like! Kabutops, combat situation!" The Admin''s Pok¨¦ball snapped open, and the flash of light gave way to a bipedal Pok¨¦mon with brown armor and a head shaped like a wider version of the horseshoe crab in the puzzle. Two sharp, curved blades extended from its arms, making it look even more fearsome. Jen gasped; this Pok¨¦mon didn''t look like one to mess with. James, meanwhile, was taken by surprise.

    "What is that?" He took out his Pok¨¦dex and aimed it at the dangerous-looking creature.

    "Kabutops, the Shellfish Pok¨¦mon." the machine recited. "This prehistoric Pok¨¦mon has only ever been found as a fossil. It is a very fast swimmer, and its claws are extremely sharp and dangerous."

    "So this thing''s a fossil, huh? Makes sense, and it''s probably too old and slow to beat us. Cyndaquil, let''s take it down! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil raced at Kabutops, but the attack didn''t do anything significant. "Don''t let up! Keep up the Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil kept hitting Kabutops, but the attacks had little effect.

    "How predictable, a direct attacker. Not like I''ve battled any of those before. Kabutops, knock it away!" One swipe of Kabutops'' bladed foreclaw sent Cyndaquil flying with little effort. Cyndaquil struggled to regain his feet, then squeaked angrily at the Shellfish Pok¨¦mon.

    "Cyndaquil, don''t give up! Ember!" The resultant flurry of fire bolts had about as much effect as the Quick Attack, and Kabutops just stared straight ahead, not even feeling the impacts.

    "I''m assuming by your feeble attacks that you don''t know Kabutops'' type. Allow me to educate you, then. It is a combination Rock- and Water-type, which means your Fire-type moves are utterly worthless. Use Aqua Jet!" Kabutops dove at Cyndaquil, its body surrounded by water. The super-effective move made contact, knocking the Fire Mouse to the ground. "Now, Slash!" Cyndaquil could barely move as Kabutops'' sharp blades cut him again and again, and when the Rock- and Water-type jumped away, he lay unmoving, having been dealt heavy damage by the rapid attack.

    "Cyndaquil, no!" James tried to run towards his friend, but Cyndaquil struggled to his feet and squeaked defiantly, refusing to let Kabutops beat him. "That''s the spirit, buddy! Don''t let that old fossil beat you!"

    "Predictable enthusiasm and optimism. It''s almost a shame to beat you this easily. But, it must be done. Mud Shot!" Kabutops fired a blob of mud that caught Cyndaquil square in the face, sending him flying into James'' arms, beaten.

    "No!" Jen cried, watching as James desperately checked his starter for injuries. "Cyndaquil, hold on!"

    "It''s over, Jen." James'' voice shook with anger; Kabutops had utterly outclassed Cyndaquil, and left him wounded. "He beat us. He''s won this round."

    "Yes, I have. And we are done with this place. Team Triassic, move out!" The uniformed men formed a column behind their Admin and followed him out of the Ruins. James glared after them, a tear falling down his cheek.

    "Something tells me we haven''t seen the last of those guys." He looked down; Cyndaquil''s breathing was shallow, and he had numerous cuts on his body from Kabutops'' attack. "It happened so quickly, I didn''t have time to react. I should never have challenged him, or his Kabutops. Now we''ve made ourselves an enemy."

    "Don''t worry about them right now. We have to get Cyndaquil to a Pok¨¦mon Centre, and fast. Forget that Kabutops."

    ¡°She''s right.¡± The tourist they''d been speaking to earlier had appeared. ¡°Your Cyndaquil needs medical attention. My Kadabra can teleport you to the Union Cave Pok¨¦mon Centre; it''s the only one for miles.¡± Jen nodded to him.

    ¡°We would appreciate that. Thank you so much.¡± The man let the Psychic-type out, and after he told it their destination, the group disappeared in a flash of violet light.

 12-Union Blues

    James looked through the transparent window to the treatment room in the Pok¨¦mon Centre, watching as Nurse Joy and her Chansey tended to Cyndaquil. Jen stood next to him, shifting her gaze between the Fire-type and his trainer, her face full of concern for both. Cyndaquil''s injuries from his battle with Kabutops at the Ruins of Alph were bad, but she was worried about James; he had been visibly shaken by the defeat, and his strong bond with Cyndaquil had made it worse. She knew he needed to calm down before they did anything else, and she was willing to stay with him until he did.

    Nurse Joy left the treatment room, the automatic door closing behind her as she did so. She walked over to the two youngsters and smiled warmly.

    "You have nothing to worry about, James. Your Cyndaquil is going to be fine. However, since his injuries were fairly serious, I''m afraid he''s going to have to stay in the treatment room overnight. Don''t worry." she added as James looked even more concerned. "We''ll monitor his condition the entire time, and he should be good as new in the morning. I''ll check you both into a room so you can stay the night here."

    "Thank you, Nurse Joy," James said gratefully. Nurse Joy bowed to them and walked towards the reception area. As she left, he turned to Jen. "So, what do you want to do?"

    "Well, it''s already late afternoon, and we''ve been through a lot today already. Let''s just relax and get something to eat before we make any more plans."

    "Alright, then. If you want to go look around the area, go ahead. I''m going to stay here and keep an eye on Cyndaquil."

    "Okay. I''ll meet you downstairs later." Jen walked away, leaving James to watch over his friend. James felt his fist clench as he watched the Fire-type sleep.

    "I should never have sent you out there, buddy," he said to himself, bitterness infecting his voice. "I should have known about a Pok¨¦mon like Kabutops, and I should never have gotten involved. You got hurt, all because I couldn''t just leave things as they were...but now, I promise, we''re going to train hard and beat that Kabutops someday. We''re going to become the most powerful Pok¨¦mon and trainer the world has ever seen! We''ll never lose like that again!" Tears began to leak from his eyes, and he turned away, unable to look anymore, crushed by the fact that his impetuousness had gotten his friend hurt. Wiping his eyes, he headed for the reception area to inquire about their room so he could collapse for a while.

    <hr>

    About an hour later, James met Jen in the basement cafeteria, and the pair sat down at a table in a less-trafficked corner. Jen was, by her own admission, burned out by the day''s events, and attacked her food with vigour,. James, for his part, just stared at the table, his mind still on Cyndaquil. Jen sensed this and looked at him with concern.

    "Still worried about Cyndaquil?" she asked, and James nodded sadly. "Don''t worry, Nurse Joy will take good care of him. That''s why she''s here."

    "I''m not worried about him being taken care of, Jen. I shouldn''t have sent him out against that Kabutops. He was completely outmatched, and I feel really bad about it."

    "Don''t. You thought you were doing the right thing, and Cyndaquil was ready to go. You couldn''t know that that guy would pull a move like that. So don''t worry so much. You''re Cyndaquil''s trainer, and you''re also his friend. Don''t dwell on stuff like that, concentrate on the good things that happen." James looked at her, blinked, then a small smile crossed his face.

    "You''re right, Jen. I guess I''ve just been feeling sorry for myself, and I''ve let myself think I don''t deserve to lose. We''re just going to have to learn from our mistakes and move on, huh?"

    "Exactly. You''re not going to get everything right first time out, James, and neither am I. This is why we''re going on this journey, to grow stronger with our Pok¨¦mon. You care a lot about Cyndaquil, and that''s going to strengthen the bond you two share. We''ve only just begun, so let''s make things better from now on, okay?"

    "Okay," James answered, and they proceeded to finish their meals and head back to their room.

    <hr>

    Before they went to bed that night, the two youngsters read over a map of the area and planned their next move.

    "Alright, so the Union Cave is over here, not too far from the Pok¨¦mon Centre." James checked his Pok¨¦gear and marked the location, then turned back to the map. "Then, it''ll probably take us most of the day to get through the cave, and we''ll exit here, at Route 33."

    "Okay, so once we get out of the cave, we should camp nearby, depending on how late it is, then make a push for Azalea." Jen folded the map and stowed it in her bag. "Before we leave, we should have Nurse Joy give our Pok¨¦mon a once-over just to be safe. You''ve got to collect Cyndaquil anyway, so it can''t hurt for her to check the rest of them, right?"

    "Right." James turned off his Pok¨¦gear and then jumped into the lower bunk in the room''s bed; he had let Jen pick which half she wanted, and she''d elected to take the top half. The two youngsters wished each other a good night, then fell asleep, waiting for the next part of their adventure to begin.

    <hr>

    The next morning, James was dressed and ready before Jen even woke up, so he hurried over to the treatment room to check on Cyndaquiil. The little Fire-type was asleep, so James pulled up a chair and sat down, waiting for Nurse Joy to come along and let his friend out. Eventually, she arrived and opened the treatment room, and came out with Cyndaquil right behind her.

    "Cyndaquil is completely back to normal, James. We''ve run every test necessary, and he''s good as new."

    "Thank you so much, Nurse Joy." James smiled as he looked as his starter Pok¨¦mon, who jumped into his arms in response. "Oh, man, it''s great to have you back, buddy!" Cyndaquil nuzzled his cheek affectionately; all was forgiven between trainer and Pok¨¦mon.

    "It looks like Cyndaquil''s happy to see you again." Jen had walked up behind him, and was smiling widely.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Jen? How did you..?"

    "I had a feeling you''d head straight here as soon as you got up. I know you, James, and I figured you were itching to see Cyndaquil again."

    "Well, it''s good to see that Cyndaquil''s got such a caring trainer. I can tell you two share a very strong bond."

    "We do." James answered, and Cyndaquil squeaked in agreement. "Actually, Nurse Joy, can you give our Pok¨¦mon a quick check-up before we go? We''re heading to Union Cave next, and we want to make sure we''re all set to head out."

    "Absolutely. Just give me your Pok¨¦balls and I''ll check on them for you." James and Jen handed over their Pok¨¦mon, and Nurse Joy ran them through the scanner. "All set, you two. Be careful, Union Cave is a long cavern, and there are a lot of strong Pok¨¦mon in there."

    "We will, Nurse Joy. Thanks again for all your help." With that, the two youngsters hurried back to their room to pack and get set to leave.

    <hr>

    To James'' relief, Union Cave was better-lit than Dark Cave, so his nerves were calmed; no grouchy Pok¨¦mon were going to jump out at him unexpectedly this time. Jen, for her part, thought the lighting was too good, since to her, the darkness was part of the cave''s thrill. But they were finally on the move again after their ill-fated trip to the Ruins, and neither could wait to get through to Azalea Town and the next Gym.

    The trek through the cave proved as long as they had thought back at the Pok¨¦mon Centre. The ground was terribly uneven, and it was tough going. To make matters worse, wild Geodude and Onix kept charging after them, causing a few scares; they still didn''t have any Pok¨¦mon that were strong against Rock-types, and Togepi''s Metronome was too unreliable to use against them. At a junction in the path, the two youngsters stopped to rest and figure out how to progress further.

    "Man, I didn''t know traveling through a cave could be this difficult!" James panted, dropping down onto a nearby boulder. "When we said it would take a while, I didn''t think it would be this bad."

    "Well, we''re about a third of the way through the cave. Let''s stop here and regroup, then get moving as soon as we''re ready."

    "Having trouble there, kids?" James jumped, startled by the sound, and looked for the source of the voice. The voice belonged to a large man dressed like a miner or mountain climber. The man had walked over to them during their conversation, and grinned at them through his beard. "It looks like you two don''t have much experience traversing caves, am I right?"

    "We haven''t been through many caves to be honest, sir." Jen answered. "This is only our second time traveling through one, and the first time was just a quick exploration, if you know what I mean."

    "I understand. I had a lot of trouble when I first started exploring caves, but I got used to it eventually. My name''s Russell, by the way. Nice to meet you kids."

    "Back at you." James told him. "I''m James, and this is my traveling partner Jen."

    "Beginning trainers, huh? Well, everyone has to start somewhere, right? Hey, I''ve got an idea. While we''re standing here doing nothing, how about a quick battle? You two look like you''ve got some potential; I''d love to take one of you on."

    "Sounds like a plan. James, do you want to battle?"

    "Actually, Jen, how about you go? I''m still recovering from that battle with Kabutops, and you haven''t gotten to really battle anyone besides Falkner yet."

    "Alright, then, I''ll go, Russell. How many Pok¨¦mon should we use?"

    "I''d say just one. It''s not that big a space, and if we knock out too many of each other''s Pok¨¦mon, it''ll be more difficult to defend ourselves later on."

    "Okay, one Pok¨¦mon each it is. I''ll use Togepi, she needs the battle experience." Jen tossed out a Pok¨¦mon, and the Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon emerged, squealing in delight at being picked to battle.

    "A Togepi, huh? An unusual choice. Alright, go Pok¨¦ball!" A Geodude popped out, clenching its fists in anticipation of the coming fight.

    "Oh, boy, this could be trouble," James muttered under his breath. "Unless Jen''s planning to use Metronome until the right move comes up, Togepi doesn''t have any moves that can stop a Rock-type."

    <hr>

    "Alright, Jen, ladies first!" Russell called, indicating that Jen should take initiative.

    "Gotcha! Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi smiled widely at Geodude, trying to put it off its game. Geodude ignored the look, and simply stood waiting for orders.

    "Alright, Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude crashed into Togepi, who fell backward and skipped away, still as happy as ever. "Now, Defense Curl!"

    "Togepi, Charm again! Keep going!" In response, Togepi tried the move, and then her body shone with a blue glow. A small ring of blue light surrounded her, then dissipated. "Wait, is that a new move?"

    "It sure is. That''s Safeguard, it''ll protect your Pok¨¦mon from any status effects. Not that we''re in a position to inflict any. Now, Geodude, use Rollout!"

    "Togepi, Metronome!" Jen didn''t care that Metronome was random, nor that it wasn''t very reliable. She just needed to blunt the Defense Curl-augmented attack. Togepi waved her finger back and forth, then unleashed a thunderous squeal that shook the cavern. "Wait, Hyper Voice? That''s the move it picked?"

    "Seems like it worked, Jen!" James watched as the rapidly spinning Geodude was thrown back by the shockwave, then rolled hard into a nearby stalagmite. The impact shook the cave floor, and Jen leaped up in surprise.

    ¡°That''s one powerful hit! Okay, Geodude, Rollout again!¡± Geodude curled up and started spinning forward again. This time, the attack hit home and sent Togepi flying through the air.

    ¡°Togepi, hang on!¡± The Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon landed on her side, and got up slowly. ¡°We''ve got to use Geodude''s momentum against it. But if Metronome doesn''t come good, we''re in bad shape.¡± Togepi smiled, and Jen followed suit. ¡°Gotta keep going, though. Metronome!¡±

    ¡°Get back after it, Geodude!¡± The rolling rock stopped quickly, then spun back into action. Jen watched its turn, then laughed.

    ¡°I''ve got it! Geodude''s got such a wide turning circle, it''s vulnerable while it changes direction. Togepi! Jump up and use Metronome when Geodude turns around!¡± Togepi began wagging its fingers and leaped up as Geodude rolled by. ¡°Unless it''s an electric move, it should do something.¡± Togepi glowed briefly, and then shot a rainbow beam at the spinning rock. ¡°Hold on, what...?¡±

    ¡°That''s some kind of Ice-type move, I think. We''re in trouble. Geodude, get back at it!¡± The beam hit the ground just in front of Geodude, and it flipped up and slammed into the cave ceiling.

    ¡°Look out!¡± Jen readied herself to pull Togepi back if the cave collapsed. Russell stood firm, but watched as Geodude hit the ground and struggled to get back up.

    ¡°Geodude! Can you keep going?¡± Geodude didn''t respond, but its eyes became unfocused and dazed. "Well, look at that. Geodude''s finished. Wow." Russell couldn''t believe the ease with which he had lost, then he let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! I''ll tell you, I haven''t battled someone like you in a long time. You''ve got talent, kid, and a lot of it."

    "Thanks, Russell." Jen answered as she recalled Togepi. "Way to go, Togepi, you really battled well."

    "Way to go, Jen." James said as he walked over. "I would try to figure out a different way of winning, though. One of these days Metronome is going to go wrong, and I don''t want to see you lose because of that."

    "Aw, cut her some slack, kiddo. She''s got her own way of battling, just like you''ve got yours and I''ve got mine. If she wants to keep things exciting like that, let her. It''s all part of growing as a trainer."

    "Good advice, Russell, thanks. Could you advise us as to how to get out of this cave? We''re headed for Azalea Town, and we don''t know how to get through here."

    "Of course! Here, I''ll give you one of my maps of the cave. It''s got the best trails marked, so you should be able to get out of here quickly."

    "Thanks a lot, Russell. Good luck with your hiking."

    "And good luck with your training. I get the feeling you two are going to be really great trainers someday."

    "You''re a good guy, Russell. See you around." With that, the two youngsters chose a path and hurried down it, waving goodbye to their new Hiker friend as they left.

 13-Into the Rainstorm

    The rest of the trip through Union Cave took several more hours, even with Russell''s map. Parts of the trail were a bit darker than others, meaning that Cyndaquil and Magby had to light the way for them. Eventually, they reached the other end of the cave, and they stopped to rest before exiting.

    "Man, that took forever!" Jen had found a boulder to use as a temporary chair, and had recalled Magby. "I''m glad we had Russell''s map to guide us, otherwise we''d still be wandering around back there."

    "You said it. I wonder what time it is now; it must be nearly night." James checked his Pok¨¦gear and started: it was nearly six in the evening, the trek through the cave had taken hours! "Alright, it''s early evening now, so we should find a place to camp out until tomorrow. We can move on to Azalea Town in the morning. So let''s go!" Without a second thought, James had bolted from the cave, and reappeared almost as quickly.

    "What''s wrong?" Jen asked, looking at James and recognizing that he was now soaking wet. "And why are your clothes wet?"

    "It''s raining out there. Hard." James shook the water from his hair like a wet Growlithe and laughed slightly. "It doesn''t look like it''s gonna stop, either. I did see a decent spot to put up our tent, so we should head there and then camp for the night. Should we risk it?"

    "Definitely. Beats sleeping in a cave all night." Jen picked her bag up off the floor, and James recalled Cyndaquil to keep him from getting soaked as well. After they each pulled on a sweatshirt to keep relatively dry, the pair hurried out of the cave, being careful not to trip on any stray boulders along the way. The spot James had found wasn''t too far from the cave, and they reached it quickly, breaking out the tent almost as soon as they got there.

    "Alright, why don''t we set this thing up, then eat whatever we have packed inside? That way we can hang out in here until we finally go to sleep."

    "Sounds like a plan," Jen answered, and they got to work.

    <hr>

    Half an hour later, after much frustration and a fiercely thrown rock from James, they got the tent set up. They didn''t stop to admire their handiwork, throwing their packs inside and scrambling out of the rain. Jen pulled out the sandwiches they''d brought from the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and they ate in near silence, listening to the rain pounding the tent. They''d also broken out a canister of Pok¨¦mon food that Jen had brought, and each Pok¨¦mon took turns to receive their share. After they''d finished, Jen broke the silence.

    "So, when we get to Azalea, who''s battling first?"

    "Definitely you, Jen. I got to go first last time, so it''s only fair that you get the first crack at the Gym Leader."

    "Alright. That means I''ve got to come up with a strategy, and with the Pok¨¦mon I''ve got that might not be easy."

    "You did fine against Falkner."

    "Yeah, but that was really difficult too. I had time to prepare, but my Pok¨¦mon weren''t as heavily trained as yours, and it took a lucky shot¡ªdon''t look at me like that, it was a lucky shot¡ªto take out a really powerful Pok¨¦mon. This battle isn''t going to be easy at all."

    "But then, what Gym battle is? That''s their job, right? To test a trainer''s abilities to the absolute limit. If it were easy, then we wouldn''t have to train so hard."

    "I guess..."

    "Trust me, Jen, you''re going to do fine. Your Pok¨¦mon really trust you, and they''ll come good. Just keep your confidence up and you''ll win, no problems."

    "You know what, James, you''re right. It''s funny, didn''t I tell you the same thing yesterday?"

    "You did. I thought it would help for you to take your own advice."

    "You''re a good friend, James. I''m glad our parents made us travel together, otherwise I''d be stuck back in Violet." James grinned, and Jen gave him a playful shove before diving into her sleeping bag. James followed her lead and did the same after he''d shut the tent''s entrance flap, while Cyndaquil leaped on top of him as soon as he''d zipped his own sleeping bag shut. After a quick ''goodnight'', they both drifted off to sleep.

    <hr>

    Before they knew it, the pair were awake and listening to the still-steady rain outside. James shook his head in annoyance, and after a hurried breakfast they took down the tent and started again towards Azalea. While steady, the rain was lighter than the night before, so they didn''t get too wet. Eager to escape the drizzle, they moved as quickly as they could, sparing little time for any wild Pok¨¦mon on the route.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Days later, as they turned a corner they spotted a sign that read Route 33 and pointed out two landmarks: Azalea Town was due west, while Union Cave was to the east. Just as they''d reached the sign, the rain stopped altogether. They hurried past the sign and saw a fork in the road. One path led to what looked like an old well, and the other to the town itself.

    "So, should we head right into town, or check out this well?"

    "I say look at the well. The town''s right there, so we can go in there as soon as we''ve checked this place out."

    "Sounds fine to me." Cyndaquil poked his head out from underneath James'' rain jacket, and the Fire Mouse let out a relieved squeak. "You okay, buddy? I hope you didn''t get too wet in there." Cyndaquil squeaked again, then hopped onto James'' shoulder. The two youngsters headed over to the well and peered inside.

    "There''s a ladder here, but it''s really old-looking. Should we chance it?" Jen was looking apprehensively at the rickety wooden ladder leading to the bottom of the well.

    "Why not?" James carefully eased himself over the edge and placed a foot on the ladder''s top rung. ¡°Okay, here goes. I''ll let you know how I get on.¡±

    <hr>

    It took James nearly five minutes to reach the bottom of the ladder, each step seemingly more wobbly than the last. Cyndaquil had jumped to James'' head to give him a light to see by, and he scampered back up to help Jen. Jen was quicker to descend, and hit the floor with a huge grin on her face.

    ¡°That wasn''t so tough, was it?¡± James just raised an eyebrow at her, and she let Magby out to add some more light to the area. The cavern looked to be a large underground stream, with boulders strewn about the area. Every now and then, a pink hippo-like creature would be slumped over a boulder or sitting absent-mindedly with its tail in the water.

    ¡°Kinda quiet down here,¡± James murmured, looking around nervously. Cyndaquil''s and Magby''s lights didn''t reach very far, and most of the cavern was in shadow. ¡°I can''t imagine what these Pok¨¦mon are doing down here. Come to think of it, I have no idea what they are.¡±

    ¡°Well, why don''t we scan one and find out about them?¡± Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex and trained it on one of the creatures.

    ¡°Slowpoke, the Dopey Pok¨¦mon. This Water- and Psychic-type is extremely slow-witted, and it takes a very long time for its brain to register external stimuli.¡±

    ¡°The Pok¨¦dex is right, they don''t look very bright. They''re just sitting there with their tails in the water.¡±

    ¡°They could be fishing. Although if they''re as slow as the Pok¨¦dex says, it might take them a while to figure out if they caught anything.¡±

    ¡°And they''d have to decide what to do with it.¡± Jen giggled, and Cyndaquil let out several high-pitched squeaks. Magby, however, looked down the cavern and pulled on the leg of Jen''s jeans.

    ¡°What is it, Magby?¡± Magby pointed down the cavern, and a figure materialized from the shadows.

    "HEY! What were you kids doing down here!" An old man with gray hair and wearing a teal kimono was running towards them. He stopped and caught his breath before speaking again. "People aren''t normally supposed to be down the Slowpoke Well, except for research.¡± Jen looked down at her shoes.

    ¡°We saw the ladder and thought we''d take a look. We didn''t know we weren''t allowed down here.¡± Kurt shook his head, but his expression had become less stern.

    ¡°That ladder''s not safe, it''s much too old and unstable for use. I''ve been meaning to replace it for years, but I never seem to find the time. Didn''t you see the sign next to the well?"

    ¡°Sign?¡± James looked at Jen, puzzled. ¡°What sign?¡±

    ¡°Don''t tell me the sign got knocked down! Those darn kids...there''s usually a sign that reads KEEP OUT, but it must''ve gone missing. I really must take better care of these things...¡±

    "We''re sorry, sir." Jen answered, looking sheepish. "We didn''t know it was dangerous, we just arrived here."

    "Out-of-towners, eh? Where are you kids from?"

    "We''re from Violet City. We came to Azalea to challenge the Gym Leader here."

    "Trainers! Well, now I''m not so surprised you tried to go down there. Such boldness is admirable, but it''s important to stay safe as well."

    "That''s true. Who are you, anyway? Are you like a guard or something?"

    "Oh, no, I just try to make sure newcomers don''t get hurt down there. My name is Kurt, and I use Apricorns to make special Pok¨¦balls. Why don''t we teleport out of here, and then head into town? I can introduce you to our Gym Leader, Bugsy."

    "We''d really appreciate that, thank you, Kurt." Kurt released a small, ball-like Pok¨¦mon, and they all teleported out in a flash of light.

    <hr>

    Azalea Town was much smaller and simpler than Violet, with wooden houses amid the more modern buildings like the Pok¨¦mon Centre. Inside the Centre, trainers and residents alike were going about their business. A young man with purple hair stood near the counter, a long-handled net in his hand. Kurt led them over to him and introduced him as the Azalea Town Gym Leader.

    "Hey, it''s good to meet new challengers! My name''s Bugsy, and as Kurt told you, I''m the Leader of the Azalea Gym. You can also probably guess that I specialize in Bug-type Pok¨¦mon. What are your names?"

    "My name''s Jennifer, and this is my friend James. We came from Violet City to challenge the Gym here."

    "Wow, you came all the way here from Violet? That''s a bit of a hike, but it must have been a lot of fun too."

    "It was. We''re looking to go all the way to the Silver Conference tournament."

    "Well, my Gym is the second stop on the route there. Now, there are two of you, so who''s going to challenge me first?"

    "I will." Jen answered. "But can we have the first challenge tomorrow? I think it would be better for us to get used to the city and maybe train a bit before we go at it."

    "Tomorrow sounds fine. I''ll see you both then."

 14-The Bug and the Breeder

    The whole rest of the day was spent training; Jen worked with James to get her Pok¨¦mon ready for the big Gym match. In particular, Magby worked hard on her Fire Punch, since Jen knew that it would have a strong effect against Bug-types. Zubat and Togepi were also looking strong, and the training session was their best yet.

    "So, Jen, any ideas for a strategy?" James had just recalled Geodude and Pidgey, who had been training alongside Jen''s Pok¨¦mon, and had sat down on a bench outside the Pok¨¦mon Centre.

    "Not really, but I''m hoping to not have to rely too much on Magby''s Fire Punch. The trick is to be unpredictable, after all."

    "True. I guess having a powerful Fire-type move is useful, but then isn''t Zubat also really good, since it''s a Flying-type?"

    "Exactly. The fact that Bug-types won''t do much against a combination Poison- and Flying-type means that Zubat can take some of the pressure off of Magby. The one problem I see is with Togepi; she isn''t exactly the best attacker, which means if Zubat and Magby go down, I''m in big trouble."

    "Don''t worry about that. She pulled you a winner last time, right?"

    "Yeah, but relying on Metronome is worse than relying on Fire Punch. At least with Fire Punch, it''s consistent. Metronome''s too unpredictable to trust in this big a match."

    "Relax, I was just trying to help. Just make sure you keep your concentration during the match; Bug-types tend to be tricky to deal with."

    "I''ll do that. Thanks, James." After this exchange, the two youngsters headed inside to eat and rest before the next day''s battle.

    <hr>

    Inside the glass dome of the Azalea Gym, the scenery resembled a miniature forest, with large trees all around the battlefield. It made sense; just as Falkner''s Gym was themed around Flying-types, Bugsy''s Gym was somewhere a Bug-type specialist would feel most at home. Jen was standing in the technical area closer to the door, while Bugsy was at the other end of the field, ready to face his challenger. James was in the stands, Cyndaquil watching intently at his side.

    "I''ve been looking forward to this battle. Are you ready?"

    "Of course!" Jen took out one of her Pok¨¦balls and held it up. "We''re going to win this match and take our second Gym Badge! No way we''re losing!"

    "You''re confident, all right; that''s good. But don''t think I''m giving up that badge easily!"

    "I wouldn''t want you to!" A young man in beige shorts stepped up to the judge''s platform, and began to address the small gathered crowd.

    "This Azalea Town Gym Battle between Jennifer the challenger, from Violet City, and Bugsy, the Azalea Town Gym Leader, is about to begin!

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Bugsy

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    The prize will be a Hive Badge! Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the battle will be over when all three on either side are unable to continue! In addition, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions during battle! Begin when ready!"

    "Alright, Jennifer, it''s time to get going. Here''s my opening Pok¨¦mon! I choose Spinarak!" Bugsy''s Pok¨¦ball opened, releasing a bright green, spider-like Pok¨¦mon. Its legs had dark stripes around the middle, and there were strange black markings on its back. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan the Bug-type.

    "Spinarak, the String Spit Pok¨¦mon. Its web is made of a very fine thread, and it can wait in this web for days when attempting to catch prey." Jen stowed the Pok¨¦dex and hoped that Spinarak''s web-spinning wouldn''t cause problems later.

    "Okay, here''s my Pok¨¦mon! Zubat, get out there!" The purple Bat Pok¨¦mon emerged, chittering as it flew high above the battlefield, ready for battle.

    "Battle begin!" the judge cried out, and the match started.

    <hr>

    "Alright, Zubat, dive and use Supersonic!" Zubat flew towards Spinarak and unleashed the high-frequency screech, trying to confuse its opponent. Unfortunately, Spinarak looked completely unaffected.

    "Spinarak, use String Shot!" Spinarak let fly with a thin white string from its mouth, snaring Zubat as it began its flight out of reach. "Now, Scary Face!" The markings on Spinarak''s back flashed quickly, then contorted into what looked like an angry stare.

    "What''s going on?!" Jen couldn''t believe what was going on; Zubat should''ve been able to escape before Spinarak even got an attack away.

    "Zubat is a very fast Pok¨¦mon, and its type combination makes it hard for Spinarak to deal with it. The combination of String Shot and Scary Face will deal with our speed problem."

    "Well, deal with this! Use Bite, Zubat!" The Bat Pok¨¦mon managed to deal Spinarak a swift nip with its sharp fangs, and flew out of reach. "Now, try Supersonic, once more!" Zubat unleashed another sonic blast, but it was no use. Spinarak just wouldn''t succumb.

    "Now, Spinarak, Night Shade!" Spinarak fired a pair of black-red light beams that caught Zubat in mid-flight, faltering as the move hit. "Okay, spin a Spider Web!" The String Spit Pok¨¦mon fired what looked like multiple String Shot attacks, but they formed into what looked like a web and wrapped around Zubat''s body before fading from view.

    "What''s that?" Jen shouted, watching Zubat fly closer to her technical area.

    "Spider Web will prevent you from making any substitutions by ensnaring your Pok¨¦mon and blocking its escape route. Now, you''re stuck using Zubat until it faints or if you beat Spinarak. Looks like your type advantage isn''t as strong as before."

    <hr>

    James stared as Zubat flitted from one side to the other, trying to make sense of what was happening. Cyndaquil sat near the railing at the edge of the stands, straining to see the action. Jen was in a tight spot, and James was worried. She had to hope that one of Zubat''s moves could knock Spinarak out, or it would be tough to come back.

    <hr>

    "You see, they don''t call me the Walking Bug Pok¨¦mon Encyclop?dia for nothing." Bugsy continued, watching Spinarak move into position. "We''ve trained extensively against opponents with an advantage, and that way we''re prepared when trainers bring in Pok¨¦mon like Zubat. Spinarak isn''t so easy to knock down."

    "Well, we''re not that easy to beat either! Zubat, use Air Cutter!" The current of air slashed at Spinarak and knocked it back, while Zubat flew out of reach again. "Now, dive and use Bite!" Spinarak shied away as Zubat snapped its jaws onto its lower body.

    "Use Night Shade again!" Spinarak generated more black beams and fired them at Zubat, forcing it to release open its jaws and fly away. ¡°Okay, Spinarak, one more Night Shade should do it!¡±

    ¡°Don''t be so sure! Use Air Cutter again!¡± Spinarak''s move met the Air Cutter in mid-flight, but the Flying-type move sliced through the Ghost-type attack and slammed into Spinarak, finally finishing it off. As Spinarak lay dazed on the floor, the Spider Web faded away, freeing Jen to make substitutions once more.

    "Spinarak is unable to battle! Zubat wins!" Bugsy recalled Spinarak and smiled as he looked at the Pok¨¦ball.

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    "Way to tough it out, Spinarak. Get some rest." He took out another Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. "I choose Ledyba!" This time, a red Pok¨¦mon with black spots on its back emerged, and its six legs had white tips that looked like closed fists. Jen decided she''d scan this one too.

    "Ledyba, the Five Star Pok¨¦mon. It is extremely timid on its own, but becomes extremely active when in a group."

    "This Ledyba doesn''t look timid at all." Jen remarked, watching the Bug-type jump around eagerly, ready for battle. "Okay, Zubat, take a break!" She recalled the Bat Pok¨¦mon and then threw another Pok¨¦ball out. "Togepi, let''s go!" Togepi emerged, squealing happily as she landed.

    "What?" James jumped up from his seat in surprise. "She''s using Togepi already? Unless she''s hoping to bet on Metronome, she''s made a big mistake!"

    <hr>

    "Okay, Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi''s disarming smile caused Ledyba to slow its frenetic activity a little. "Now, Safeguard!" A shimmering veil surrounded Togepi before it faded, protecting the Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon from any status effects.

    "Ledyba, Comet Punch!" Ledyba raced at Togepi, then unleashed a barrage of quick jabs. Togepi squealed in pain before skipping away.

    "Togepi, don''t give up! Try a Metronome!" Jen hoped the move would give her a strong attack, but she was disappointed to see just a Growl attack used. Of course, the Growl had little discernable effect, leaving Togepi open to attack.

    "Ledyba, Mach Punch!" Ledyba''s fists glowed white, and it rushed at Togepi, dealing it a powerful blow that sent the Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon hurtling towards Jen''s technical area.

    "Togepi, no!" Jen moved to catch her Pok¨¦mon, who already showed the dazed look signaling a knockout. "Togepi..."

    "Togepi is unable to battle! Ledyba is the winner!"

    <hr>

    "I knew this would happen," James muttered angrily, watching Jen reassure her Pok¨¦mon. "Togepi just isn''t cut out for this yet. Her Metronome may be useful on occasion, but it''s not something you trust in this situation." Cyndaquil squeaked in annoyance. ¡°What?¡± The Fire-type poked his snout in Jen''s direction, and James calmed down a bit. ¡°You''re right. I shouldn''t be so critical, it''s all part of the game.¡± Cyndaquil squeaked again, and they settled down to see the rest of the match.

    <hr>

    "Since when does a Bug-type know a move like that?" Jen was shocked, and she needed to compose herself before continuing. She breathed slowly as she took out her last Pok¨¦ball, and hoped she could keep this match going. "Okay, Magby, here we go!" Magby landed on the battlefield, ready for action.

    "Stay strong, Ledyba!" Bugsy knew that a Fire-type was bad news, but like against Zubat, he''d trained for moments like this. Many trainers came in with Fire-types, thinking it would be an easy victory, but he always tried to prove them wrong. "Don''t think a Fire Pok¨¦mon will make this any easier! We know how to win against them!"

    "Then let''s see how you handle this! Magby, Fire Punch!" Magby''s fist caught fire, and she swung hard at Ledyba, who instinctively jumped out of the way. "Quick, after it! Fire Punch again!"

    "Dodge, Ledyba! Then use Mach Punch!" Ledyba jumped out of the way, then hit Magby with its fists, moving faster than Jen thought possible. "Keep up that Mach Punch, Ledyba!" The punches continued, with Magby trying hard to get out of the way.

    "Smog, Magby, now!" The close-range gray smoke hit its mark, causing Ledyba to slow its attacks, while violet sparks crackled across its body.

    "Ledyba, get out of there!" Bugsy shouted, knowing that his Pok¨¦mon had just been poisoned. The damage would accumulate until it was knocked out, so he had to try and put Magby out quickly. "Mach Punch, now!" Ledyba charged again, hitting its target before shivering in pain as the poison went to work. Jen saw that Magby had taken quite a bit of damage, and so she recalled her for the time being.

    "Take a break, Magby. You''ll need your strength." She took out Zubat''s Pok¨¦ball and threw it, hoping the Poison-type could win this one for her. "Zubat, get ready! We''ve got to deal with Ledyba now!"

    "We''re not going down easily! Comet Punch!" Ledyba jumped up, but missed by an inch; Zubat was just too quick. It was the opening Jen was looking for.

    "Quickly! Air Cutter!" Ledyba was thrown hard to the floor as the move hit, and the poison sparks appeared once again. The Five Star Pok¨¦mon shivered again, fell to the floor, and didn''t move.

    "No! Ledyba, get up!" It was no use; Ledyba was beaten at last.

    "Ledyba is unable to battle! Zubat is the winner!"

    "Way to go, Zubat!" Jen called as Zubat chittered triumphantly. Bugsy smiled as he recalled Ledyba; this battle wasn''t going his way, but going up against a strong competitor made up for it. He took out his last Pok¨¦ball and looked over at Jen.

    "Jennifer, this is my last Pok¨¦mon. It''s also my most powerful, so I suggest you be ready."

    "We''re ready for anything, Bugsy! That Hive Badge is as good as mine!"

    "I like your confidence. But we''re just as confident! Here we go!" He threw the Pok¨¦ball. "I choose Scyther!" The Pok¨¦mon that emerged was green in color, with wickedly curved blades on the end of each forearm. Its wings were white and set back from the rest of its body, while its feet had three claws on the end. James, in the stands, took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    "Scyther, the Mantis Pok¨¦mon. It is a very strong flyer, and its bladed arms are extremely sharp and dangerous."

    "So that''s a Scyther." he muttered, putting his Pok¨¦dex down. Back on the field, Jen watched the powerful Bug-type carefully, knowing it would likely be strong in the air, causing problems for Zubat.

    "Zubat, don''t give in! Use Air Cutter!"

    "Scyther, Swords Dance!" Scyther began spinning like a top, and the blades on its arms flashed briefly. "Now, Fury Cutter!" The blades glowed red, and Scyther slashed at Zubat, hitting hard and fast.

    "Zubat, keep going! Air Cutter, once more!" Zubat launched another sharp air current, but Scyther had already disappeared.

    "Double Team!" Now multiple Scyther surrounded Zubat, causing the Bat Pok¨¦mon to flit around, unable to discern which was the real one.

    "Supersonic, Zubat!" Again Zubat let loose the confusion-inducing soundwaves, and again nothing happened. "Man, it''s just not our day with Supersonic, is it?"

    "Now Scyther! Fury Cutter again!" Scyther hit Zubat again, the attack apparently stronger than before. "You see, Fury Cutter will get stronger every time it''s used, making Scyther more powerful the more it attacks with this move. It may not have much of an effect to start, but used in sequence, it''s devastating."

    "Well, you won''t get another move in! Zubat, Bite attack!" Zubat flew at what it thought was the real Scyther, but missed, and the Mantis Pok¨¦mon moved in behind it.

    "Finish it off! Fury Cutter!" This hit was the final blow, knocking Zubat out of the air and out of the match.

    "Zubat is unable to battle! Scyther wins!" Jen recalled Zubat and smiled sadly.

    "Way to go, Zubat. Get some rest." She took out Magby''s Pok¨¦ball once more and closed her eyes, hoping that Magby could go the distance. "Magby, let''s go! Time to win this!" Magby appeared one final time, ready for battle.

    "Okay, Jennifer, it''s the final battle! Show me what you''ve got!"

    <hr>

    "Magby, Fire Punch, quick!" Magby''s fist blazed as it swung at Scyther, who ducked the blow and zipped around to the side, trying to avoid the super-effective move.

    "Quick, Scyther, hit it with Fury Cutter!" Scyther was hoping to hit side-on, but Magby anticipated the move and turned to face her opponent.

    "Fire Punch, again!" The moves collided, causing a small explosion. Scyther looked shaken, but the move hadn''t done too much damage.

    "Slash attack!" This time, Scyther''s blades glowed white, and it swung wildly at Magby, who dodged most of the blows.

    "Smog attack!" Scyther couldn''t get out of the way of the gray smoke cloud, but no poison affected it. "Now, Fire Punch!"

    "Fury Cutter, quick!" Once again, the moves collided, and again Scyther was knocked back, its moves not overcoming the blazing punches despite its increased attack power. "Now, Slash!"

    "Fire Punch, one more time!" Magby dodged the wildly swinging blades and dealt Scyther a fierce uppercut to the chin, sending it crashing to the Gym floor. It got up, though, and looked ready for one more round.

    "That''s it, Scyther! Fury Cutter!"

    "SmokeScreen, Magby!" Just as the glowing red blades were about to hit, Magby exhaled a huge amount of black smoke, hiding it from view.

    "Scyther, Swords Dance!" Bugsy hoped the rapid rotation of the move would clear the smoke, and Scyther''s attacks would be even more powerful. He didn''t realize that Magby had moved into position quickly despite its fatigue.

    "Finish this with Fire Punch!" Jen cried, pointing at the defenseless Scyther. Magby''s fist blazed again, and it punched Scyther hard in the back. Scyther pitched forward after this hit, beaten at last.

    "Scyther is unable to battle! Magby wins! The victor is Jennifer from Violet City!"

    <hr>

    "You did it, Magby!" Jen hugged her first Pok¨¦mon tightly, noting the smoke that was pouring from her mouth. "We''ve won our second badge, and you helped so much! Awesome job!" She recalled the Live Coal Pok¨¦mon and looked at Bugsy, who was consoling his beaten Scyther.

    "Don''t worry about it, old friend. You really fought hard, and against an opponent with a type advantage, no less. Take a good rest." The Gym Leader turned to Jen. "That was a terrific battle, Jennifer."

    "Thanks, Bugsy! We learned a lot from that match, and we especially learned not to take type advantages for granted."

    "Well, that''s our job as Gym Leaders, I suppose. Here." He reached into his pocket and took out a round badge that looked like the back of Ledyba''s shell. "This is your proof of victory at the Azalea Gym, the Hive Badge." Jen took the badge and shook Bugsy''s hand, then turned to where James had appeared.

    "So James, I''ve got my second badge. I guess it''s your turn tomorrow, huh?"

    "Yeah," James looked at Bugsy and nodded, knowing he''d find it no easier than Jen had. Cyndaquil squeaked in agreement, and Bugsy smiled.

    "Another Fire-type? You guys seem to really know your type matchups. Well, know that I won''t go easy on you."

    "I wouldn''t want you to." Both trainers and the Gym Leader laughed, and the challenge for the next day was set.

 15-Scyther VS Cyndaquil

    That evening, James sat in the pair''s room at the Pok¨¦mon Centre, trying to figure out how he was going to battle the next day. He knew he really had to go with the same lineup as he did against Falkner, since Gastly wasn''t battle-ready yet, but he was at a loss when it came to how he would stop Bugsy''s Scyther. It was much faster than any of his own Pok¨¦mon, and likely even faster than Falkner''s Pidgeotto, which would make it hard to even get a hit in.

    He looked at Cyndaquil, who was napping on the floor near the foot of the bed, and smiled. The echidna had been training hard since they got back, and Pidgey had provided the high-speed target they needed to practice with. But even Pidgey, who was definitely the fastest Pok¨¦mon he had, wasn''t at the level that Scyther was, and that was going to be a problem.

    Jen walked in and shut the door, putting her Pok¨¦balls on the nightstand as she reached the bed.

    "So, got a battle strategy yet?" she asked, sitting next to James on the lower bunk.

    "No, and that''s the problem. I don''t know how we''re going to overcome Scyther''s speed. I''d use Gastly to add some unpredictability, but I don''t think it''s ready for this kind of battle just yet."

    "Well, just stick with what you know, then. You''ve got three Pok¨¦mon with a big advantage against Bug-types, so use that. Play to your strengths, not his."

    "Yeah, but still, that speed''s going to be trouble."

    "Then hit him hard right off the bat. Don''t worry about any intricate tactics, just get up in his face and knock him down. That''ll show him you mean business."

    "I guess you''re right."

    "Have I been wrong before?"

    <hr>

    Morning came more quickly than either youngster thought possible. James stood in the challenger''s box with Cyndaquil at his side, ready to take his shot at Bugsy. The Gym Leader was ready for his young opponent, and Jen watched them intently, wondering how James would hold up.

    "Attention please! This Azalea Gym Battle between James the challenger and Bugsy the Gym Leader is about to begin!

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Bugsy

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the match is over when all three of one trainer''s Pok¨¦mon are unable to battle! Only the challenger is permitted to substitute! Trainers ready?"

    "Yeah!" James called, and he turned to Bugsy. "You ready to kick this off?"

    "Of course. If you''re as talented a trainer as your friend, this should be a terrific match."

    "Alright, battle begin!" the judge called, and Bugsy threw out his first Pok¨¦ball.

    <hr>

    "Let''s start, then! I choose Scyther!" The powerful Mantis Pok¨¦mon burst from the ball, crossing its bladed arms in challenge. James looked on in surprise; he hadn''t expected Bugsy to start with his strongest Pok¨¦mon. He shook his head and laughed, then took out his own Pok¨¦ball.

    "Alright, Pidgey, let''s roll!" The brown-feathered Tiny Bird flew a few yards above the battlefield, looking at Scyther with her usual disdainful stare. Scyther simply pointed a blade at her, and she trilled back with her own challenge. "Okay, Pidgey, Quick Attack!"

    "Scyther, Fury Cutter!" Pidgey was racing straight for the Bug-type, but Scyther ducked the attack and caught her in passing with a red-glowing blade. The Flying-type crashed into the ground; the strike had caught both trainer and Pok¨¦mon off-guard.

    "Pidgey, you''ve gotta get up, quick!" James was shocked at how fast Scyther was; he''d never seen any Pok¨¦mon with that kind of speed. But he wasn''t about to let that stop him. "Wing Attack, Pidgey!"

    "Swords Dance!" Scyther began to spin like a top, and Pidgey''s attack was blocked easily. "Now, Slash attack!" Pidgey crash-landed again after the fierce hit, but got up despite the damage.

    "That''s it, Pidgey! Try a Gust attack!" The resulting tornado caught Scyther in its vortex, but didn''t seem to do much.

    "Swords Dance again!" Scyther''s spin blew away the Gust attack, leaving Pidgey vulnerable. "Now, Slash again!" Once again, Pidgey hit the ground, but this time she didn''t get up again.

    "Pidgey is unable to battle! Scyther wins!"

    <hr>

    "What? How...?" James couldn''t believe it. Pidgey''s type advantage had counted for nothing! "How''d you knock us out so quickly?"

    "Simple. Swords Dance greatly increases Scyther''s attack power, and since Slash is so powerful to begin with, it only takes a small increase in strength to make it almost unstoppable."

    "No way!" James recalled Pidgey, who was looking at him apologetically. "It''s not your fault, Pidgey. You were terrific, so take a long rest. We''ll handle this guy." Biting back a wave of anger, he turned to Cyndaquil. "Ready to go, buddy?" Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative, and jumped out onto the battlefield and ignited the flame on its back.

    "Fire-type? No problem for Scyther. Ready for round two?"

    "You bet! Ember, now!" Cyndaquil''s fire bolts crashed into Scyther, but it didn''t seem to feel the hits.

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    "Slash it, Scyther!" Scyther raced at Cyndaquil, but James had other ideas.

    "Use Quick Attack and dodge!" The Fire Mouse Pok¨¦mon avoided the strike, and rushed up behind the powerful mantis. "Now, Ember!" This time, the super-effective move hit home, and Scyther shied away from the flames. "Don''t let it get away! Ember again!"

    "Quick, Fury Cutter! Get out of there!" Scyther''s attack distracted Cyndaquil enough to allow the mantis to escape, and it crossed its blades as it turned to face its opponent again.

    "Don''t let up! Ember!" More fire bolts, another dodge from the opponent. The two continued this for some time, with Cyndaquil trying in vain to catch Scyther off-guard. Despite the Fire-type ''s obvious advantage, Scyther was moving too fast to have much of an effect. "Quick Attack, full tilt!" As Cyndaquil charged forward, James noticed an orange tinge to the move''s visible trail, which turned into a blaze of flames that surrounded the echidna. "Wait, what''s that?"

    "Flame Wheel!" Jen shouted from the stands. "It''s a really powerful move, so use it to take Scyther down!"

    "You''ve got it! Cyndaquil, hit it!" The move hit hard, and Scyther dropped to one knee as Cyndaquil rebounded and landed a few yards away.

    "Unbelievable! A new move in the middle of a match...but we''ve got a move they haven''t seen either! Scyther, use X-Scissor now!" Scyther crossed its blades, which turned a harsh blue-white, and raced for Cyndaquil, the blades forming a shape not dissimilar to a pair of scissors.

    "Uh-oh." James watched Scyther''s charge, then composed himself. "Cyndaquil, Flame Wheel again!" Cyndaquil was surrounded by flame as it met the attack head-on. Both moves collided and created a cloud of smoke that covered the whole battlefield. As it cleared, both Pok¨¦mon were still standing, but Cyndaquil looked very much the worse for wear.

    "Impressive. Your Cyndaquil is resilient, if nothing else."

    "B-but...that should''ve finished Scyther! How''s it still standing?"

    "Months of hard training, my friend. Scyther could take a dozen Flame Wheels and still keep fighting. I should''ve mentioned this earlier, but Scyther has had more experience battling Fire-types than any other, and has become surprisingly resiliant against their moves. With that in mind, I''d say you''ve got a ways to go in this match." James held back his retort, and instead signalled for Cyndaquil to come back.

    <hr>

    "Take a break, Cyndaquil. I''ll let the third member of our team take care of this. Geodude, you''re up!" The Rock Pok¨¦mon crossed his arms in his serene way, and Scyther eyed it warily.

    "A Geodude? A Rock-type is a good choice here. But it won''t help! Scyther, use X-Scissor!"

    "Defense Curl, then Rollout!" Geodude curled into a ball and bounced hard off the grass floor, crashing hard into Scyther''s attack. The move appeared to work well, as Scyther looked completely exhausted after landing. "Okay, keep going!"

    "Swords Dance!" The rapid rotation caused the Rollout attack to slow and eventually stop. Scyther moved its blades into an attacking stance, and James knew exactly what was happening.

    "Geodude, get out of there, quick!"

    "Not happening. Scyther, use X-Scissor!" Scyther pushed Geodude away, then dived hard and smashed head-on into the Rock-type, who was knocked down and nearly beaten. "Quick, finish it off! X-Scissor again!"

    "Rock Throw! Try to get away!" Geodude threw a heavy rock at the Bug-type, which ducked out of the way, giving it a chance to escape.

    "Use X-Scissor, Scyther! Take it down!"

    "Oh no, you don''t! Rollout!" Once more, the Rock-type move hit home, and this time, Scyther was finally taken out.

    "Scyther is unable to battle! Geodude wins!"

    <hr>

    "All right, Geodude!" Jen had been watching the battle closely from the stands, and was becoming worried about her best friend. James had been visibly shaken by Pidgey''s early defeat, and Cyndaquil and Geodude had had to put far too much effort into knocking Scyther out. She hoped James would turn the match around, but with both of his remaining Pok¨¦mon carrying damage, it didn''t look promising.

    <hr>

    "Way to go, Scyther." Bugsy said as he recalled his star performer. "You stuck it out like a true champion. Take a well-earned rest." He took out a second Pok¨¦ball and looked across at his challenger. "Don''t forget you''ve still got to defeat two more of my Pok¨¦mon! You may have beaten Scyther, but he''s not the only problem you''ve got to deal with!"

    "Let''s do it, then! We''ll see who''s the last trainer standing! Cyndaquil, ready?" Cyndaquil let him know he was up for it, and James smiled. Cyndaquil wasn''t backing off at all.

    "Very well, then. Ledyba, let''s do this!" The Five Star Pok¨¦mon jumped back and forth as it emerged, ready for a scrap.

    "Alright, Geodude, Rollout again!" Geodude curled up and raced at Ledyba, who simply kept jumping. As the move was about to hit, Bugsy made his move.

    "Mach Punch! Take it down!" James shouted a warning as he realized what was happening, but it was no use. The super-effective move smashed into Geodude and knocked it away. As the Rock-type hit the ground, it simply lay there, beaten.

    "Geodude is unable to battle! Ledyba wins!"

    <hr>

    "How did Ledyba beat Geodude in one hit like that?" James was really under pressure now. The battle with Scyther had tested his Pok¨¦mon''s endurance, and it had taken a huge effort just to beat one Pok¨¦mon. Now, with only a tired Cyndaquil left, he had to hope the little Fire-type could overcome Ledyba and whatever Bugsy''s third Pok¨¦mon was. He turned to Cyndaquil, who was looking intently at the battlefield. "Ready to go again?" Cyndaquil nodded and leaped onto the battlefield for a final time, the flames on his back blazing.

    "Alright, it''s the final round! Let''s finish this battle!"

    "It''s not over yet! Cyndaquil, Ember!" The fire bolts barely missed as Ledyba jumped out of the way. "Quick, Flame Wheel!"

    "Mach Punch!" The two moves crashed together, and both Pok¨¦mon hit the floor, with Cyndaquil now looking completely exhausted. "Now, Comet Punch!"

    "Get out of there! Then use Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil rolled away, and raced at Ledyba so fast that it knocked the Bug-type over. "That''s it, buddy! Now, Flame Wheel again!"

    "I don''t think so! Dodge that, Ledyba!" The Five Star Pok¨¦mon obeyed, and sidestepped the powerful Fire-type move.

    "Cyndaquil, turn around, quick!" James'' expression was one of panic as he saw that Cyndaquil was in the danger area.

    "Mach Punch, now!" The Fighting-type move hit home, and Cyndaquil was knocked away, towards his trainer. The echidna got back up, and glared at the bug.

    "Cyndaquil!" James looked relieved as he saw Cyndaquil start to move forward, then his eyes widened as the Fire Mouse collapsed, beaten at last. "No, Cyndaquil!" It was no use.

    "Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Ledyba wins, and the victory goes to the Gym Leader!" James was shocked; it was his second loss already, and his first in a Gym challenge. He stared at the battlefield for a minute before running out to his fallen friend.

    "Hey, Cyndaquil, are you okay?" Cyndaquil squeaked weakly as James picked him up from the ground. "Don''t worry, buddy, it''s not your fault." He saw Jen approaching, and shut his eyes to try and stop from crying.

    "James, it''s okay. You battled really hard, so don''t beat yourself up."

    "It''s not that, Jen. I wasn''t ready for his tactics, and I got caught short. We''re just going to have to train harder until we''re ready for a rematch."

    "And it''s one I''ll be eagerly waiting for." Bugsy had walked over to them. "You battled very well under pressure, James. Your Cyndaquil in particular impressed me; it is a very resilient and determined little Fire-type."

    "Thanks, Bugsy. We''ll be back soon, count on that." With that, the two youngsters turned to take James'' Pok¨¦mon to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and eventually get ready to re-challenge the Azalea Gym.

 16-Rematch Training

    The morning after James'' loss to Bugsy, the young trainer was up early and on the battlefield with his Pok¨¦mon, ready to work on a strategy to take down the Azalea Gym Leader. Jen wasn''t even up yet, and James decided to let her sleep; she didn''t have a rematch to train for, and James wanted to devote the whole day to working with his team. All four of his Pok¨¦mon were up for the challenge, and James talked to them before they started.

    ¡°Alright, guys, we''ve got a lot of work to do. Bugsy''s Scyther really gave us problems in that last battle, and if we''re going to win the rematch, we''ll have to work on countering his Pok¨¦mon''s speed.¡± Cyndaquil squeaked at him, and James nodded. ¡°Yeah, it''s not gonna be easy, but it has to be done. That''s where you come in, Gastly.¡± He looked at the Ghost-type, which looked like it was about to doze off, and shouted its name again. ¡°Gastly! As a Ghost-type, you can evade attacks better than the others, so you''re going to be our target.¡± Gastly stared apprehensively; being used for target practice wasn''t its idea of a good day.

    ¡°So, are we all ready?¡± The team cheered, prepared and motivated to work hard. ¡°Alright, let''s get going!¡±

    <hr>

    James saw his team working as hard as they ever had before, and he was pleased with their improvement. Gastly proved an excellent moving target, disappearing frequently and popping up in unexpected places. Pidgey in particular proved best at anticipating its movements, her sharp eyes tracking even the slightest disturbance. Geodude and Cyndaquil also improved their movement, although Geodude''s preferred method of waiting and countering was proving a strong option as well. Jen came out to see the group taking a rest, and smiled.

    ¡°Looks like you''ve got these guys up and going. How''s their speed training?¡±

    ¡°Getting better!¡± James answered, giving her a thumbs-up. ¡°Gastly''s proving to be a real master of deception; I''ve been using it as a stand-in for Scyther, although its tendency to be unpredictable is actually better. That way, my Pok¨¦mon can anticipate a movement quickly, and know what to look for.¡±

    ¡°Awesome. So, do you mind if my Pok¨¦mon come out and help? They could use a workout, too.¡±

    ¡°Bring ''em out! We need all the help we can get, and the more the merrier!¡±

    ¡°Alright, then. Let''s go, everybody!¡± Out came Magby, Togepi and Zubat, all ready to train. ¡°Okay, guys, we''re going to help James train for his rematch, so I want you all to pitch in!¡± All three Pok¨¦mon indicated their agreement, and the training continued.

    <hr>

    A few hours later, James and Jen signalled for a break in the training session.

    ¡°We''ll come back this afternoon and train some more,¡± James explained, ¡°but now it''s time for a rest.¡± They recalled their Pok¨¦mon and headed into the Pok¨¦mon Centre, where they handed them to Nurse Joy to heal and eat some lunch. The two youngsters headed into the cafeteria to eat themselves, and discussed their next plans.

    ¡°So, after we finish off the Azalea Gym, where to next?¡± Jen asked. She was curious about how the region was laid out, and what they could expect as they moved on.

    ¡°Well, Goldenrod City is the next town, but to get there we have to go through the Ilex Forest. It''s kinda long, so it might take us a while to get through there.¡±

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    ¡°Alright, a forest''s not bad,¡± Jen said, drinking some of her water. ¡°They tend to have mainly Grass- and Bug-types, and we have a lot of Pok¨¦mon that can counter them and keep us safe.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you never know what might come out at you. Anyway, after that the route is kinda long, but there''s a few good places we can camp. Plus, the Daycare is along the way, so we could check that out too.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± At that moment, Jen looked up and her eyes widened.

    ¡°What''s up?¡± James asked her. She pointed and James turned to see Hunter standing right behind them. ¡°Hey, Hunter, when did you get here?¡±

    ¡°A while ago. I battled the Azalea Gym this morning and got the badge. It wasn''t easy though, Bugsy''s Scyther is something else. How about you guys?¡±

    ¡°Well, Jen has the badge,¡± James answered sheepishly, ¡°but I lost yesterday. We''ve been training for a rematch for hours.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to hear that. But then, these things happen.¡±

    ¡°It''s worse than that. Scyther''s not the only Pok¨¦mon we''ve lost to.¡± James went on to explain the skirmish at the Ruins of Alph, and Cyndaquil''s defeat at the blades of the Admin''s Kabutops.

    ¡°Yikes, so we''ve got a rogue gang of trainers with a Kabutops running around? We''d better hope they keep away from us. So, why don''t we finish up here and then head out back? I''d be happy to help you train for your rematch, James. Nurse Joy should be done with my Pok¨¦mon soon.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Hunter. It''ll be good to have another set of Pok¨¦mon to train against.¡± And so they finished and headed back upstairs to collect their Pok¨¦mon and resume training.

    <hr>

    When the trio released their Pok¨¦mon, James was surprised to see an Onix in Hunter''s team.

    ¡°Did you catch that Onix in Union Cave, Hunter?¡± Jen asked him. It fit with his professed emphasis on defense, after all.

    ¡°You know it. I needed three Pok¨¦mon to challenge the Violet Gym, so I backtracked once I caught it. Then I moved on and got down here. It''s a good thing its endurance is so high, otherwise I''d have even more trouble with that Scyther than I did.¡±

    ¡°Guess that shows that not all Rock-types are automatic wins against bugs.¡± James muttered, thinking of Geodude. ¡°Alright, so let''s move. We''re going to use Gastly...¡±

    ¡°James, how about we use Zubat instead? Gastly''s probably had enough of the others taking shots at it, and Zubat needs a workout anyway.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we''ll use Zubat. Gastly, you''re off the hook for now.¡± Gastly yawned and closed its eyes, clearly happy not to have to dodge everything now. ¡°Everybody ready to get back to it?¡± The whole gang answered affirmatively, and the training continued.

    <hr>

    As the hours went by, James was feeling great about the prospect of another battle with Bugsy. His Pok¨¦mon had improved tremendously, and they looked like they were relishing the challenge themselves. Hunter''s Onix allowed them to work on the strength of their attacks, putting more force in than they had done. This, Hunter reasoned, would allow their strikes to do more damage per hit, making it easier to take their opponents down.

    ¡°And since you''re a natural attacker, it''s important to deal as much damage as you can per hit. Some Pok¨¦mon take a lot more to go down than others, so you need to be able to use that extra bit of power to your advantage.¡± James took his rival''s words to heart, and was confident that his team would get even stronger going forward.

    <hr>

    Evening came, and James called a halt. The Pok¨¦mon ceased their attacks, with a few stray fire bolts and rocks flying away, and turned to their trainers.

    ¡°Guys, we''ve really improved today. I think we''re ready to take on the Azalea Gym again. Let''s rest up and head over there tomorrow, and we''ll take him down this time.¡± Jen and Hunter watched as he talked to his Pok¨¦mon, the former smiling while the latter simply stood by.

    ¡°He''s really confident now.¡± Jen remarked. ¡°This training session was just what he needed to bounce back from those two big defeats.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but he''s got to be careful. He knows that Scyther''s a piece of work, and so we''d better hope he didn''t overcompensate.¡± Hunter smiled wryly. ¡°But then, he doesn''t care who he''s fighting, he''s going to be gung-ho all the way. Not exactly my style, but that''s the way things go.¡±

    ¡°He''ll be fine. I''m sure he''s ready to take Bugsy down.¡± As James joined the other two, they recalled their Pok¨¦mon and went into the Pok¨¦mon Centre to heal and rest for the next day''s action.

 17-James VS Bugsy (Take Two)

    The glass dome of the Gym intensified the sunlight coming in from outside, shining a harsh light on the battlefield. Once again, James stood on the challenger''s side, ready to redeem himself and win the Hive Badge. Bugsy stood on the other side, net in hand, ready to face off against this repeat opponent.

    ¡°Are you ready, James?¡± the Gym Leader called. ¡°Remember, you''ll find things no easier than the last time!¡±

    ¡°I''m ready whenever you are!¡± James shouted back. Cyndaquil stood by his side, primed for battle. The match official stepped up and began his introduction.

    ¡°Attention! The Azalea Gym rematch between James the challenger and Bugsy the Gym Leader will now begin! The prize will be a Hive Badge. Trainers are permitted to use three Pok¨¦mon, and once one side''s Pok¨¦mon are rendered unable to battle, the challenge will end. Finally, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions! Trainers ready?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± James called, readying a Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Let''s do this!¡± Bugsy answered, preparing his own Pok¨¦ball. The official nodded and pointed to the centre of the field.

    ¡°Alright, battle begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Ledyba, let''s go!¡± The Five Star Pok¨¦mon began its frantic jumping back and forth as it emerged, ready to take on its first challenge. James nodded and threw his first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Geodude, come on out!¡± Geodude folded his arms as he landed, ready to execute the new battle strategy James had developed.

    ¡°Okay, James, you have first move!¡±

    ¡°Right! Geodude, use Defense Curl!¡± Geodude rolled up, building up its defense, readying for a strike.

    ¡°Now, Ledyba, Comet Punch!¡± Bugsy knew the move wouldn''t have much effect on a Rock-type Pok¨¦mon, but he was curious why James wasn''t attacking straight from kickoff. Ledyba pummeled his opponent, with little effect, and jumped away before Geodude could do anything to it.

    ¡°Okay, Geodude, Defense Curl one more time!¡± James knew what he was doing. If Ledbya would just come a bit closer, Geodude could hit it.

    ¡°Ledyba, Mach Punch! Don''t let it keep upping its defense!¡± Bugsy was now truly suspicious, and wanted to take out Geodude before it could cause any havoc. Ledyba approached and prepared a glowing fist, but James reacted first.

    ¡°Now! Rollout attack!¡± Geodude bounced off the floor, spinning hard, and crashed heavily into Ledyba. The ladybug hit the ground and panted hard; the super-effective move had caused major damage.

    ¡°Oh, now I get it.¡± Bugsy nodded as comprehension dawned. ¡°Defense Curl powers up Rollout each time it''s used, and so James waited for Ledyba to get in close before launching a heavy attack. Impressive. He''s really improved since our last match.¡±

    ¡°Keep up that Rollout, Geodude!¡± Not only would Defense Curl power up Rollout, but the move would increase in power every time it hit, and James intended to take full advantage. Geodude rocketed at Ledyba, hammering the Bug-type with tremendous force. Ledyba wavered, but didn''t fall, surprising both James and Geodude.

    ¡°Now, Ledyba, Mach Punch again!¡± Bugsy knew Ledyba was punching above its weight already, and it would probably go down soon. He wanted to make sure Geodude was carrying as much damage as he could inflict, since it would be important later in the match.

    The two Pok¨¦mon collided, and Ledyba definitely came off worse. It stayed on its feet, though, and glared at Geodude defiantly.

    ¡°Wow, Ledyba''s tougher than I thought,¡± James thought to himself. ¡°It looks like it''s gassed, but it''s stood up to two big hits already. Time to finish this fight up.¡± He pointed at Ledyba as he called out to Geodude. ¡°Rollout, once more! Finish this!¡±

    ¡°Ledyba, Mach Punch!¡± A final collision created a cloud of smoke, and when it cleared, Ledyba''s dazed expression was evidence it had finally been defeated.

    ¡°Ledyba is unable to battle! Geodude wins!¡±

    <hr>

    From the stands, Hunter saw Ledyba go down and nodded.

    ¡°He''s off to a good start.¡± he remarked. ¡°That should give him and Geodude some confidence for the other two Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°But remember, Scyther''s still in reserve, and Bugsy could bring it out anytime. A good start isn''t good enough in this Gym.¡± Jen was still worried about the Mantis Pok¨¦mon, and hoped it didn''t come out anytime soon.

    <hr>

    ¡°Return, Ledyba!¡± Bugsy thanked his Pok¨¦mon before taking out another Pok¨¦ball and tossing it onto the battlefield. ¡°Spinarak, you''re up next!¡± The bright green spider stared straight at Geodude, who smiled calmly back. James, however, recalled his Rock-type.

    ¡°Take a rest, Geodude. I''ll need you later.¡± He took out Pidgey''s Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out, releasing the Tiny Bird. ¡°Pidgey, let''s show ''em how much we''ve improved your speed!¡±

    ¡°This should be interesting,¡± Bugsy mused, knowing that Pidgey would be difficult for Spinarak to handle. ¡°Okay, after you!¡±

    ¡°Pidgey, Quick Attack!¡± Pidgey''s attack hit home, and Spinarak winced slightly, but held its ground.

    ¡°Now, Spinarak, Spider Web!¡± Just like when he battled Jen, Bugsy wanted to stop James switching out, meaning Spinarak was now entirely Pidgey''s responsibility. James smiled, though. He was confident that his Flying-type could win this round herself.

    ¡°Pidgey, Gust!¡± The swirling wind attack swept up a lot of the detritus on the field, buffeting Spinarak with twigs and nuts along with the super-effective move. ¡°Now, Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Poison Sting!¡± Spinarak jabbed Pidgey with the spike on its head as Pidgey''s wing hit it, and instantly violet sparks shot across the Tiny Bird''s body.

    ¡°Already!?¡± James knew it was a possible side effect of Poison Sting, but on the first hit? Now, with Pidgey poisoned, he had to deal with Spinarak so he could switch again. ¡°Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Poison Sting again!¡± Aanother collision, another jab with Spinarak''s stinger. ¡°Now, quickly, Constrict!¡± This time, Spinarak''s webbing wrapped around Pidgey and squeezed it, causing minor damage. As Pidgey flew clear, she shuddered as more poison sparks shot across her body. James knew she couldn''t keep going too much longer, so he prepared to land a final hit.

    ¡°Pidgey, Wing Attack now!¡± Pidgey shot at Spinarak, her wings outstretched.

    ¡°Spinarak, Poison Sting!¡± One last time, Pidgey''s wing smacked Spinarak, while its stinger jabbed her, but Pidgey had done her job. Spinarak lay knocked out in front of her.

    ¡°Spinarak is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Way to go, Pidgey!¡± James'' triumphant smile faded as he saw Pidgey''s expression of pain. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Pidgey looked at him and tried to smile herself, but it was clear she was almost finished. ¡°Can you keep going a little longer?¡± She nodded, and turned to face Bugsy as he readied his final Pok¨¦mon.

    <hr>

    ¡°James has knocked out two of Bugsy''s Pok¨¦mon now, but he''s still got to beat that Scyther.¡± Hunter shook his head. ¡°And Pidgey''s going to collapse any second. This match may be tilted in James'' favor right now, but it''s balanced on a knife edge.¡±

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    ¡°Well, I guess we''re going to see if all that training is going to pay off.¡± Jen was confident James could pull it off, but concern remained on her face. How he battled now would be decisive.

    <hr>

    ¡°James, you''ve really impressed me. Your Pok¨¦mon are much stronger since our last match, and are more resilient too. But this isn''t over yet.¡±

    ¡°I know that, and I''m ready to keep going! I''ll get that badge, you can count on it.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least you''re still confident. Good. Let''s continue, then.¡± He threw out his last Pok¨¦ball and released Scyther. The Mantis Pok¨¦mon crossed its blades and glared at Pidgey, who maintained her usual scowl despite her poisoning.

    ¡°Okay, Pidgey, let''s keep going! Wing Attack, quickly!¡± Pidgey, however, was moving a lot slower, and Scyther readied itself for a strike.

    ¡°Scyther, X-Scissor!¡± Scyther''s blades glowed blue-white, and it slashed hard, knocking Pidgey down as she flew in. Pidgey trilled weakly as she succumbed to the poison and was knocked out.

    ¡°Pidgey is unable to battle! Scyther wins!¡± James recalled Pidgey and thanked his valiant Flying-type.

    ¡°You stuck it out, Pidgey. Thanks a lot.¡± He took out Geodude''s Pok¨¦ball and let the Rock Pok¨¦mon out to battle once again. ¡°Geodude, watch out for Scyther''s speed!¡± Geodude grinned and crossed its arms, waiting for Scyther to attack.

    ¡°Scyther, now, Swords Dance!¡± Scyther''s frenzied spin upped its attack power, and James knew he had to counter it.

    ¡°Defense Curl!¡± Geodude rolled up, steeling itself for a hit.

    ¡°Now, Scyther, X-Scissor again!¡± The Bug-type attack struck, but didn''t do as much damage as it would normally. ¡°Don''t let up! Slash attack!¡±

    ¡°Geodude, Rollout!¡± The two attacks met, and Scyther looked like it had been dealt a strong hit. Geodude simply sat on the ground, not showing any outward effects. ¡°Keep up the Rollout!¡±

    ¡°X-Scissor!¡± The attacks met again, and Scyther dropped to the floor. Geodude''s attack had really done some damage now, with Scyther visibly slow to get up after the super-effective move. James smiled and prepared to hit it again.

    ¡°Rollout, keep it going!¡± Geodude bounced up and sped at Scyther again. James grinned; Rollout''s power would increase, and Scyther would take more damage every time. All he had to do was...

    ¡°Slash!¡± The attack cut at Geodude in mid-flight, and knocked it down onto the field. James looked and saw that Geodude had the dazed look of defeat on its face.

    ¡°Geodude is unable to battle! Scyther wins!¡±

    ¡°No, Geodude!¡± He couldn''t believe it; Geodude was down for the count! ¡°But how? Slash shouldn''t do that kind of damage!¡±

    ¡°Slash is a Normal-type attack, yes. But even when not powered up by Swords Dance, it has a high chance of hitting a weak spot. So it is a potent weapon against Pok¨¦mon with a disadvantage.¡± James growled as he realized what that meant. That was why Cyndaquil had suffered so badly against Kabutops, and then his whole team against Scyther. Such a combination of speed and power would be tough to beat, even with all the training they''d done. Now, with just Cyndaquil left, he needed to put that training to use.

    <hr>

    ¡°I can''t believe it. Geodude got taken out in short order, and Pidgey didn''t stand a chance.¡± Jen was really worried now. She watched intently as James recalled Geodude, and closed her eyes, hoping he could rebound.

    ¡°He had no choice to leave Pidgey out there, as harsh as that sounds.¡± Hunter told her. ¡°With the poison damage, it would''ve been harder if he''d recalled her and then sent her back out. And Geodude''s defeat was really down to a lucky shot. If Scyther hadn''t landed that critical hit, Geodude would''ve been in there a lot longer. Let''s hope Cyndaquil can pull this one out of the fire.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Cyndaquil, it''s time. Let''s finish this up!¡± Cyndaquil squeaked at James, then ran out onto the battlefield.

    ¡°Alright, James, it''s our final matchup! Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!¡± Cyndaquil charged at Scyther, landing a direct hit and darting out of range before it could react.

    ¡°Scyther, use X-Scissor!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, Cyndaquil!¡± Cyndaquil watched Scyther''s movements, then jumped out of the way. ¡°Now, Ember!¡± Some of the fire bolts hit, but Scyther''s speed and momentum meant that they were glancing shots.

    ¡°Keep it up! Turn around and use Slash!¡±

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± The two moves crashed into one another, and both Pok¨¦mon took damage. Cyndaquil was fresher, though, and ran as far from Scyther as he could, denying it a close-in shot. ¡°Awesome, now use another Flame Wheel!¡±

    ¡°X-Scissor!¡± Another clash of moves, this time creating a cloud of smoke that obscured the combatants. James knew Scyther might take advantage and come from nowhere, so he knew he had to deal with it quickly.

    ¡°Quick Attack! Get out of that smoke!¡± Cyndaquil raced towards him, and he turned around with his fire vents fully ablaze. Scyther, though, rocketed upwards and dived towards Cyndaquil, readying another X-Scissor. ¡°Move it, Cyndaquil! Use Quick Attack again and get out of the way!¡± Cyndaquil managed to escape, but Scyther was right back on top of him in an instant.

    ¡°Slash, Scyther! Take it down!¡± The dangerous attack hit its mark, and Cyndaquil lay on the ground for a few seconds before getting up. ¡°Again, Scyther! Slash it!¡± More cuts, more damage.

    ¡°Cyndaquil, counter it! Flame Wheel!¡± Cyndaquil slammed into Scyther, trying to create some space, but Scyther continued its assault. ¡°Quick, try to get away!¡±

    ¡°Not a chance!¡± Bugsy shouted. He knew Scyther had taken some powerful hits, but he didn''t intend to lose this battle. This challenge may have been better than the last, but it was still a Gym challenge, and he wasn''t going to roll over and lose. ¡°Now, X-Scissor! Put this match away!¡± Scyther''s attack sliced at Cyndaquil once again, and knocked the Fire Mouse onto the ground, where he lay motionless.

    ¡°Cyndaquil!¡± James couldn''t stand to see Cyndaquil go down again, not after all the training they''d done together. He watched his friend''s slowed movements as the Fire-type pushed himself onto his feet, and squeaked defiantly at Scyther. No sooner did this one squeak resonate through the gym that Cyndaquil''s body began to glow. ¡°Wait, can that be...?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Hunter shouted.

    ¡°It is! Cyndaquil''s starting to evolve!¡± Jen watched with intense interest as Cyndaquil''s body began to elongate. As the process went on, Scyther simply watched, and Bugsy nodded.

    ¡°This intense fighting provoked a surge of energy that allowed Cyndaquil sufficient power to evolve. Of course, this is probably bad news for me and Scyther, but hey, I wouldn''t be a Gym Leader if I wasn''t ready for something like this.¡±

    The glow faded, and there was now a strong, blue-furred Pok¨¦mon with a long body and fire burning on its head and tail, standing where Cyndaquil had been. He roared triumphantly as his fire burned, and James'' wide-eyed expression turned to exhiliration.

    ¡°Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava!¡± Before doing anything else, he pulled out his Pok¨¦dex to scan his newly-evolved starter Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Quilava, the Volcano Pok¨¦mon,¡± the Pok¨¦dex announced. ¡°Its fur is completely fireproof, so it can use the intense flames on its body without worrying about injuring itself.¡±

    ¡°So that''s Quilava!¡± Quilava turned to James and nodded with a grin on his face. ¡°Alright, then, let''s test out your power! Use Ember!¡± Quilava started to launch the fire bolts, but the attack converged to form a powerful stream of fire that hit Scyther full-on. ¡°Wow, not only did you evolve, but you''ve learned Flamethrower! That ''s awesome!¡±

    ¡°Well, I see you''re excited, James. But I''m still not done! Scyther, X-Scissor!¡±

    ¡°Duck out of the way, then use Flamethrower again!¡± Quilava jumped to one side, let Scyther fly past, then hit it with the super-effective attack. Scyther sank to one knee as it faced its opponent, knowing it might be too much now.

    ¡°Don''t let up! Use X-Scissor once more!¡± Scyther crossed its blue-white glowing blades again and raced at Quilava.

    ¡°Finish this! Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava''s body was surrounded by fire, and he jumped into Scyther''s path and they collided hard. The resultant smoke cloud covered the entire battlefield, and both trainer and Gym Leader strained to see who had come out on top.

    As the smoke began to clear, Quilava could be seen standing determinedly in the centre of the field, while Scyther lay on the ground, unmoving. The referee looked at Scyther, and then raised his arm.

    ¡°Scyther is unable to battle! Quilava is the winner, and therefore the winner is James from Violet City!¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± James ran onto the field and slid on his knees towards his first Pok¨¦mon. Quilava growled happily as his trainer hugged him, while James was glad the match was finally over. He''d won the Hive Badge, and now his and Jen''s journey could continue. ¡°Way to go, buddy, you really battled well!¡±

    ¡°You certainly did.¡± Bugsy had walked up to them; James hadn''t even seen him recall Scyther. ¡°Cyndaquil''s evolution into Quilava was enough to turn the match in your favor. Well played, James, well played.¡± James stood up and was immediately wrapped in a bear hug by a thrilled Jen, and Hunter stood by and nodded, smiling.

    ¡°James, way to go! I guess all that training really helped!¡±

    ¡°It sure did.¡± James knew that he couldn''t have won without Jen''s help, nor with Hunter''s. ¡°Thanks a lot, guys.¡±

    ¡°Don''t sweat it,¡± Hunter said with a chuckle. ¡°I couldn''t just let my rival get beat again, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, he didn''t.¡± Bugsy handed James the red-and-black badge. ¡°As proof of your victory at the Azalea Gym, I present to you the Hive Badge.¡±

    ¡°Thanks a lot, Bugsy!¡± James said, closing his hand over the badge. Everyone bade Bugsy goodbye, and they headed outside the gym.

    <hr>

    ¡°So, Hunter, do you want to come with us into the forest?¡± Jen asked a few minutes later.

    ¡°No, thanks. I''d rather travel alone, so I can really get to know my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I hear ya,¡± James said, remembering his own attitude before his journey started. ¡°Hey, next time we see you, we should have a battle. You know, so we can gauge how much we''ve improved.¡±

    ¡°I''ll take you up on that when we next meet.¡± Hunter waved goodbye, and he moved towards the Ilex Forest. James watched him disappear, then turned to Quilava.

    ¡°So, Quilava, are you still gonna stay out of your Pok¨¦ball? You certainly won''t fit on my shoulder anymore.¡± Quilava nodded, and James smiled. ¡°Thought so. Alright, we''ll keep this going.¡±

    ¡°You guys really did well today.¡± Jen told them. ¡°Say, why don''t we head to the Pok¨¦mon Centre and rest, then go into the Forest tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± James said, and they moved swiftly to make it happen.

 18-The Forest Awaits

    Hunter had long disappeared through the Ilex Forest when James and Jen woke up the next day. The two trainers had breakfast before they began packing for the next leg of their journey, and Quilava was as ready to go as ever. Jen was worried about getting lost in the forest, but they managed to get a hold of a crudely-drawn map of the area. James picked up the map and scanned it briefly, scowling when he saw that the direct route was blocked by a small lake.

    ¡°So what?¡± Jen asked. ¡°As long as we don''t get lost, we''ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but...you know,¡± James hated forests as much as he hated unlit caves; both had the chance of wild Pok¨¦mon jumping out at you unexpectedly, and he wasn''t keen to repeat the Dark Cave incident.

    ¡°Oh, don''t be such a scaredy-Meowth!¡± Jen teased, giving him a playful shove. ¡°There''s probably a ton of cool Pok¨¦mon in the forest, and maybe we can battle somebody in there too.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± James decided it was better to concede the point than argue any more, since he wanted to get through the forest before it got too dark. ¡°Alright, the guide says that Ilex Forest has a lot of Bug- and Grass-types, so Quilava should be able to protect us. If anything, the only thing we need to worry about is getting lost.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then, let''s grab our Pok¨¦mon and get going.¡±

    <hr>

    As they passed through the gatehouse to Ilex Forest, the gatekeeper stopped them briefly before they could proceed further.

    ¡°Be careful in there. Normally there''s nothing to worry about, but some suspicious men were spotted in the area. If you see anyone like that, steer clear of them. They looked like trouble.¡±

    ¡°I''ll bet anything it was Team Triassic again,¡± James muttered as they walked into the dense wood, and Quilava growled low in his throat when he heard the villainous team''s name. The Volcano Pok¨¦mon obviously had a score to settle, and James put a hand on his head to steady him. ¡°Easy, buddy, we''re not going to take them on again this time. I know you want to pay Kabutops out, but you''re going to have to wait.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Jen added. ¡°This isn''t a good time to pick a fight. We won''t be very close to a Pok¨¦mon Centre for a while, and the last thing we need is for you to get beat up again.¡± Quilava growled reluctantly, but let the matter drop. Instead, he scouted ahead, wary of any wild Pok¨¦mon that could jump out at any moment. Both youngsters kept an eye out as well, moving quickly but cautiously along the forest floor. Occasionally, they saw a stray Oddish or Paras watching them from the underbrush, but nothing came after them.

    As they rounded a bend, it became clear that the map they''d gotten from the Centre wasn''t much help. It only showed the larger main route, and wasn''t particularly detailed beyond a few crudely drawn forks in the path. James looked around and saw several different paths they could take.

    ¡°So...which one do we take?¡± Jen looked, then pointed.

    ¡°Let''s take the one furthest to our right. If we don''t get through, we can come back and pick another one.¡±

    <hr>

    It took the fifth time going back and forth down the various paths for the two youngsters to realize that something had gone wrong.

    ¡°Face it, Jen, we''re lost.¡±

    ¡°We can''t possibly be lost. We''re back where we...started...was that bush there before?¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn''t. We''re. Lost.¡±

    ¡°We''re not lost, we''ve just gone out of our way a little bit.¡±

    ¡°A little bit? We don''t know where we are, or where we''re going. I''d say that makes us pretty much lost!¡± Jen went red.

    ¡°Well, you were the one who wanted to take that fork on the third path!¡±

    ¡°I thought I saw the lake!¡±

    ¡°We ended up back where we started anyway!¡± The pair kept shouting back and forth at each other, but stopped when James noticed Quilava staring at something.

    ¡°What is it, buddy?¡± Quilava jerked his head, and James noticed some bushes rustling. ¡°Who''s there?¡± The bushes gave way to a thin man with ragged dark hair and a thin, scraggly beard, a yellow Pok¨¦mon with a brown lower body and a long snout at his heels.

    ¡°Whoa, man, it''s all good. I''m not gonna hurt you guys. I was gettin'' a real bad vibe from somewhere, and I thought I''d try to find the source.¡± Jen turned to the man and frowned.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Um, who are you? We didn''t expect to find anyone this deep in the forest.¡±

    ¡°My name''s Davis, and this is my best pal Drowzee. The forest''s been my home for a while now.¡± Jen raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You live here? Why? I can''t imagine why anyone might live in this kind of place.¡±

    ¡°It''s where I''m most at home, little lady. The big city''s got too fast a pace for me, so I live out here. I can stay in harmony with nature, and for the most part nobody bothers me.¡± He grinned, showing one or two missing teeth. ¡°So what''s the deal with you cats? Trainers? Or just nature lovers like me?¡±

    ¡°We''re trainers,¡± James answered. ¡°I''m James, and this is my friend Jennifer.¡±

    ¡°Same first letter? Cool stuff. So, you guys are looking to get through the forest, huh?¡±

    ¡°We are. We''re headed for Goldenrod City, to continue our Gym challenges.¡±

    ¡°You guys are collecting badges? I remember those days. Me and Drowzee, going from town to town and getting our groove on. It''s been a long time since I traveled, though. What sort of Pok¨¦mon do you guys use?¡±

    ¡°I''ve got a Magby, Togepi and Zubat.¡± Jen answered.

    ¡°And I have Quilava, Pidgey, Geodude and Gastly.¡±

    ¡°Lot of variety and style there, man. It''s the spice of life.¡± Davis turned to Jen. ¡°Your Togepi, it''s happy? Did you teach it any new moves yet?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Jen said slowly. ¡°I''ve kinda been relying on her Metronome attack...¡±

    ¡°That''s one way to battle. But you don''t want to make it her only attack. Relying on chance will only get you so far.¡± Davis grinned. ¡°I can help you out, if you want. The move I can teach you guys is basic, but it''s strong, and Togepi will be less predictable. You want to give it a try?¡± Jen thought for a moment, then smiled.

    ¡°Let''s do it. I''m all for teaching my team new skills.¡±

    <hr>

    After Jen let Togepi out and got her focused, Davis motioned to Drowzee.

    ¡°Okay, this move may be a little scary to try at first, but don''t worry too much. That tree there is strong enough to take a hit, but not so stiff as to hurt anyone. Drowzee, show us your Headbutt!¡± Drowzee ran up to the tree and drove its forehead into the tree trunk, making the wood bend from the force.

    ¡°Togepi, ready to try?¡± Togepi squealed, and skipped up to the tree. She tried hitting the tree, but simply bounced off. ¡°Is that normal?¡±

    ¡°More or less. It''ll take a while for Togepi to get used to the attack. Maybe if she gets a running start, she''ll build enough power.¡± Jen nodded, and looked down at her Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Okay, Togepi, I want you to run at the tree as fast as you can before you attack.¡± Togepi skipped a little faster, but bounced off the same way.

    ¡°Keep going! Tap into your inner groove and slam that tree!¡± Togepi tried a third time, and this time drove her face into the tree trunk. The tree pushed her back again, and Jen looked worried, but Togepi simply got up and skipped back to her.

    ¡°Alright, Togepi!¡± James called from nearby. He was looking over the map again, knowing it was pointless but still hoping it might not be this time.

    ¡°Togepi''s doing really well, Jennifer! She''ll have the move down in no time!¡± Togepi kept headbutting the tree, and gradually drove more force into the attack. On one attack, though, they heard a splintering noise.

    ¡°What''s that?¡± Jen shouted.

    ¡°The tree''s gonna fall, man! We gotta split fast!¡± Davis ran toward the entrance to the clearing, Drowzee behind him. James hurried after him, and Jen scooped up Togepi before following them both. The tree she''d been practicing on snapped close to the ground, and fell harmlessly away from them.

    ¡°Is...is everyone okay?¡± Jen held Togepi close, hoping she hadn''t scared her. James nodded, wide-eyed, and Davis grinned.

    ¡°We''re all alright. Man, I didn''t think that tree would go. One too many hits, I think.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jen smiled, and noticed the shadows getting longer. ¡°We''d better get moving, Davis. Thanks for all your help.¡± Davis'' grin broadened, and he handed her a rolled-up sheet of paper.

    ¡°There. That map should help you guys find your way out of here. I''ve been drawing it for years, but since I know the forest inside-out and backward by now, it''s more use to you than me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Davis. We really appreciate it, and it was nice meeting you.¡±

    ¡°Same to you, Jennifer. Best of luck to you and James on your travels.¡± James and Jen started down a path shown by the map, and Davis waved until they were out of sight.

    <hr>

    For the next few days, the rest of the trek through the forest was relatively uneventful. They stopped for a quick break near a small building that looked to be a shrine of some kind, but they were both mystified as to its function. As they approached the exit gate on the other side of the forest lake, they noticed a few men in familiar desert camouflage standing near the gatehouse. They hid in a clump of bushes as the grey-haired Admin stood in front of a larger group, obviously giving orders. Quilava started to growl menacingly, but James quieted him with a hand on his snout.

    ¡°We have gathered what information we can from the Forest Shrine.¡± the Admin said, his cold voice penetrating the gloom. ¡°It appears that we may be able to draw power from the Shrine to accomplish our goal, but we will need to find more powerful sources of energy to complete the project. Rest assured, our efforts will bear fruit! Team Triassic will rise, and none will stand in our way! Now, move out!¡± After a quick shout, the mass of black- and tan-uniformed men marched into the gatehouse, presumably to their next research mission. As the last stragglers tramped through, James and Jen emerged, with Quilava fighting to control its fire.

    ¡°Man, those guys are crazy!¡± James remarked, shaking his head. ¡°I don''t know what they think they''re going to accomplish, but it''s obviously nothing good.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry about it.¡± Jen told him, putting a steadying hand on his shoulder. ¡°We''ve got enough problems, you can''t let yourself get worked up by this.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± James said, then regained his composure. ¡°Alright, let''s get out of here! I''ve had enough of dark, quiet places to last a lifetime!¡± With that, he sprinted towards the gatehouse, with his traveling companion and starter Pok¨¦mon racing to catch up.

 19-An Electric Experience

    Route 34 was long. Very long. Even though it was a straight shot from the Ilex Forest gatehouse to Goldenrod City, it would take a long time to traverse the whole thing. James and Jen spent a lot of their time training on the run, moving up the route and camping out when it got dark. As the sun set on another day, James scanned his Pok¨¦gear map to determine what was next.

    ¡°Okay, Goldenrod City is another couple of days'' walk from here,¡± James said as he looked for landmarks along the route. ¡°According to the Pok¨¦gear, the Pok¨¦mon Daycare is just a few miles away. Maybe we can find out what there is to know about them, and whoever runs the place could possibly give us some advice on training our Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I''ve always wanted to visit a Daycare.¡± This was true; Jen''s ambition to become a breeder had not dropped since they left Violet, and now she had a chance to meet someone who did it for real. ¡°I always loved playing with the baby Pok¨¦mon at the Trainer''s School, and Daycares are full of them. Plus, I''ve got two baby Pok¨¦mon myself, so the person running the Daycare could tell me how I''m doing raising them.¡±

    ¡°So let''s get over there. It''s not too far now, if we run we can get there quickly.¡± Jen nodded in agreement, and they hurried along the path, Quilava keeping up easily.

    <hr>

    Less than an hour later, they reached a small house on the edge of the road, where an older man stood outside watching the route. As they approached, he turned to face them, and smiled as they reached him.

    ¡°Hello, young ones,¡± he said in a friendly voice. ¡°I take it you are both Pok¨¦mon Trainers?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Jen answered, smiling back. ¡°My name''s Jennifer, and this is my friend James and his Quilava.¡± James nodded, preferring to let Jen do the talking.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± the old man said, looking at Quilava. ¡°I can tell that this Pok¨¦mon is quite well-trained for its relative experience level, and looks like it has endured some hard battles already. Am I correct, son?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we''ve had our ups and downs.¡± James related the major points of their journey, leaving out the encounter with the Triassic Admin''s Kabutops; even weeks afterward, the memory was still painful. ¡°We''ve both got two badges already, and we''re heading to Goldenrod to get the third.¡±

    ¡°Well, why not come inside and see our facility? I''m sure you will learn quite a bit here.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you''d ask us that.¡± Jen told him, and they walked into the house.

    <hr>

    The house was a simple one, with a living area on one side and a play area, presumably for the smaller Pok?mon, on the other. The old man introduced the youngsters to his wife, who gave them a cheerful smile.

    ¡°Welcome to our Daycare Centre!¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°It''s wonderful to have trainers stop by on their travels. Are you here to drop a Pok¨¦mon off with us?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately not, ma''am.¡± Jen said respectfully. ¡°We''re on our way to Goldenrod City, and we thought it would be cool to check out the Daycare. My dream is to become a Pok¨¦mon Breeder someday, and this seemed like a great place to find out more about it.¡±

    ¡°In that case, you''ve come to the right place!¡± the old woman said. ¡°I''ll show you around our Centre, and you can see how we get things done around here!¡±

    ¡°Awesome! Thanks so much!¡± Jen followed the Daycare Lady out into the play area, while James stood with Quilava and the Daycare Man.

    ¡°She''s got a lot of heart,¡± the old man said, and James nodded.

    ¡°A lot more than I do, that''s for sure. She cares a lot about her Pok¨¦mon, and she''s put up way better showings in battle than I have.¡±

    ¡°Now, don''t sell yourself short, son.¡± the Daycare Man reprimanded. ¡°I can tell just by looking at you and your Pok¨¦mon that you care just as much as she does. And don''t let the negatives affect you too much. Remember, you''re still both relative beginners. Just stay patient and focused and the results will follow.¡± James nodded at the old man''s words, and they headed to meet the others in the backyard.

    <hr>

    The Daycare Lady showed Jen the play area, which they used as a safe environment for the younger Pok¨¦mon to run and grow. It was a simple area, with many toys and other knick-knacks to keep their charges entertained.

    ¡°We try to make sure the Pok¨¦mon in our care have a safe, calm place to grow.¡± the old woman explained. ¡°This area attempts to provide that. They do spend time outside, but only under strict supervision. Once they grow older and stronger, we let them move to the outdoor area on a semi-permanent basis. The outdoor area is where we conduct most of our work, caring for Pok¨¦mon that trainers have left in our care as well as newly-hatched Pok¨¦mon that stayed behind for whatever reason.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you guys sure have a great job!¡± Jen answered, gazing in awe at the area. It seemed like any Pok¨¦mon could grow and have a good time here. ¡°So what do you do about breeding? How does it work?¡±

    ¡°Well, with breeding it''s a little tricky. We do our best to make sure the process only occurs if the trainer allows it, or more normally asks for us to go ahead with it. There are hatcheries around the region, but we don''t have the facilities to run something like that. We do our best to ensure that nothing unauthorized happens, but we always make sure we keep the eggs safe if something does go amiss.¡± Jen nodded; it would be borderline irresponsible to allow Pok¨¦mon to breed without their trainers'' say-so. If something bad happened, such as if the trainer couldn''t take care of the egg, the baby Pok¨¦mon would have to stay behind without a trainer, or worse, a parent.

    ¡°So when you do discover an egg, you either give it to the trainer or hatch it yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Hatching an egg here is fairly difficult, since Pok¨¦mon eggs hatch best if they are cared for by a trainer. But in the cases where we do, we make sure the baby stays with Pok¨¦mon of their own species, so that they can grow almost as if they had been bred in the wild. Once we reach a stage where a Pok¨¦mon is grown enough and no-one claims them, we either send them to another facility or release them into the wild.¡±

    ¡°Is letting them out into the world safe? If they were born in the facility, they may not be able to handle living in the wild.¡±

    ¡°We try to make sure of that. It would be wrong for us to just send them out there, that''s why we gauge their growth very carefully to make sure they can cope. But we also know that they can''t stay here forever, and will need to go out into the wild where they can live with others like them. Perhaps they might even find a trainer to take care of them that way, too.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± was all Jen could say.

    <hr>

    In the yard, the Daycare Man showed James the large amount of Pok¨¦mon he and his wife cared for. Most of them were first-stage Pok¨¦mon like Pidgey or Sentret, but some mid-level species were also in the mix. James looked around and noticed that the Pok¨¦mon tended to congregate with others of their type. As his eyes fell on a group of Electric-types, he saw Jen walk through the back door, followed by the Daycare Lady.

    ¡°Hey, Jen, how''d it go?¡± he asked her. Jen smiled and told him all about what the old woman had said, and indicated that she had learned a huge amount.

    ¡°This is one of the coolest places I''ve ever been to!¡± she finished. ¡°Now I know what I''m going to do when I get older.¡±

    ¡°An admirable goal.¡± the old man said. ¡°I was just showing young James here our main Pok¨¦mon-raising area.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Wow, look at all the Pok¨¦mon!¡± Jen said excitedly, moving towards where the Electric-types were convened. James mentally sighed at her enthusiasm, and followed her with Quilava. Before he could reach her, though, an electric shock knocked him over.

    ¡°Hey, what the...?¡± He looked and saw a roundish yellow Pok¨¦mon with black stripes laughing at him. The creature''s horns looked like the prongs on an electric plug, and its chest had a black lightning bolt.

    ¡°Oh, goodness, not again,¡± the old lady said, shaking her head. ¡°That Elekid is such a prankster, it never listens when we tell it not to do that.¡±

    ¡°Elekid?¡± James had heard the name, but he''d never actually seen one. He took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan the still-laughing Electric-type.

    ¡°Elekid, the Electric Pok¨¦mon. It spins its arms to build up an electric current, but it cannot store this charge within its body.¡±

    ¡°That''s one cool Pok¨¦mon,¡± James said to himself, despite his annoyance at being shocked. ¡°I''d sure love to train one.¡±

    ¡°James, are you okay?¡± Jen asked as she ran over to him.

    ¡°I''m fine, just a bit shocked.¡± He half-laughed at his terrible joke, then noticed the Daycare Lady watching him.

    ¡°That Elekid is a handful. It''s always shocking other Pok¨¦mon for fun, and often goes after visiting trainers as well. I think this is because it truly doesn''t know any better, and no-one has taught it anything different. I believe that it needs a trainer to teach it some discipline.¡±

    ¡°I''d take it off your hands in a second. An Electric-type would really give me a strong option in my team.¡± James didn''t expect much from this comment, but to his surprise, the old woman was smiling at this.

    ¡°Maybe you could. Why not think about that while you look around? I''m sure it would love to travel with you.¡± James grinned and continued to walk through the large area, observing the Pok¨¦mon as he did so.

    <hr>

    Jen had wandered back over to the Electric-types that James never reached, overcome with happiness. The little ones are so cute, she thought to herself. I could get used to doing this job. As she turned away, she saw a small mouse-like Pok¨¦mon timidly walking around her feet, gazing up at her with a nervous expression.

    ¡°Hey, there.¡± Jen said softly, kneeling down to face the little Pok¨¦mon. It had black-tipped, triangle-shaped ears and a short black tail, and its cheeks had small pink circles on them. ¡°What''re you doing there, little one?¡± The Pok¨¦mon flinched as Jen spoke to it, and Jen backed away a little bit, taking out her Pok¨¦dex to learn more about the creature.

    ¡°Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pok¨¦mon. This Electric-type can produce a strong enough electric current to shock a human, but it has trouble controlling this current.¡±

    ¡°Cool,¡± she said as she stowed the device. Pichu had moved back towards her, and Jen smiled at it. ¡°Don''t be afraid. I''m not going to hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Jen, look out!¡± James called, and Jen turned to see an Elekid flying at her. She quickly moved out of the way, and the Elekid stopped in front of Pichu, glaring threateningly at Jen.

    ¡°What''s up with this Elekid? Is this the same one that shocked you, James?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jen looked to see the Daycare Lady standing next to her. ¡°You see, this Elekid is very protective of that Pichu, for reasons we haven''t been able to identify. This particular Pichu happens to be extremely timid, which is unusual for her species. Pichu as a whole tend to be quite social, but this one tends to stay away from the others.¡±

    ¡°That''s too bad,¡± Jen said, watching Pichu wander past Elekid and go back to her left shoe. ¡°She''s certainly intrigued by me, that''s for sure.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''ve already talked to your young friend about taking the Elekid that shocked him along. Why not do the same with this Pichu? I''m sure you will make a great trainer for her.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jen said as she knelt back down to look at Pichu. ¡°Hey, would you like to come with me? You can meet my other Pok¨¦mon, and we''ll be best friends.¡± Pichu looked scared, but then a small smile crossed her face. She squeaked happily, and Jen smiled back.

    ¡°Looks like that''s a ''yes''.¡± the Daycare Lady said, and Jen took out a Pok¨¦ball to take Pichu along. Before she could tap the Tiny Mouse with it, though, the Elekid jumped back in front of Pichu and growled protectively. ¡°Oh, goodness me, Elekid doesn''t like the idea.¡± Elekid pointed behind him to Pichu, then crossed its arms defiantly. ¡°I see...¡±

    ¡°What''s it saying?¡± Jen asked.

    ¡°It seems to be saying that it wants to go along too. I believe the expression is something along the lines of ''if she goes, I go''.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jen said doubtfully, then brightened. ¡°Hey, the more the merrier, right? Okay, Elekid, you can come with me too. If you feel that strongly, I won''t separate you guys. How about it?¡± Elekid nodded, and moved so Jen could catch Pichu before going into a Pok¨¦ball himself. Jen tapped Pichu on the ear, and she was sucked inside with a flash of red light. The ball didn''t even shake, just pinged and lay still at Jen''s feet. ¡°Awesome. Alright, Elekid, you''re next.¡± She did the same with Elekid, making a mental note to introduce her new acquisitions to the rest of the team later.

    <hr>

    James had walked around the whole yard, watching the Pok¨¦mon go about their business and marveling at how two people could handle this whole operation. He saw Jen taking two Pok¨¦mon and adding them to her team, and went over to her to see what was going on.

    ¡°Hey, Jen, they let you take those two with you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jen said happily. ¡°A Pichu seemed to like me, so I was only going to take her, but another Elekid came up and wouldn''t let me take her unless he went too. So now I''ve got five Pok¨¦mon, and I can''t wait to introduce them to the gang.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you''ve had a good day, then.¡± James looked around for the Daycare Lady, and indicated that he wanted to talk to her. ¡°Ma''am, I''ve thought a lot and made a decision. I will take that Elekid along with me. I get the feeling we''ll be great teammates.¡±

    ¡°That''s absolutely fine.¡± the old woman affirmed. ¡°Let''s see if it wants to go with you.¡± The Elekid in question had wandered over to them, and was preparing to poke James in the leg and shock him again. ¡°No, Elekid, no shocking. It''s rude to attack visitors.¡± Elekid backed off sheepishly, and the old woman addressed it again. ¡°How would you like to travel with this young man? I know you would be a strong member of his team, and he would take very good care of you.¡± Elekid considered, then pointed to James'' belt. ¡°Well, I think I know what it wants to do.¡±

    ¡°What''s that?¡±

    ¡°I think it is indicating that it wants to battle you first. That might be the best option, actually. This way, you can catch it as if it were a wild Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Sounds awesome,¡± James said, and quickly considered who to use in battle. ¡°Quilava''s too strong, Pidgey has a bad type disadvantage, and of course Geodude''s immune to electricity, which takes the fun out of it...¡± There was only one choice. ¡°Alright, Gastly, come on out! It''s time to battle!¡± The purple cloud of gas that emerged sounded like it was yawning, which James disregarded. ¡°You can take a nap later! Let''s catch us a new Pok¨¦mon!¡± Elekid was already moving, brandishing a sparking fist.

    ¡°It doesn''t know Gastly is a Ghost-type,¡± the old woman observed. ¡°That Brick Break is going to do nothing.¡±

    ¡°Brick Break?¡± Jen asked as she joined the proceedings. ¡°Isn''t that a Fighting-type move?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Many trainers will teach it to Elekid, in order to overcome its general inability to damage Ground-types. It looks like this Elekid picked it up from its parents, and yours may have as well.¡±

    Elekid''s attack went right through Gastly, not doing any damage at all. Gastly watched Elekid run by in confusion, then bared its fangs menacingly.

    ¡°That''s right, Gastly! Use Hypnosis on it!¡± Gastly floated over and surrounded Elekid with its purple cloud, and the Electric-type was asleep in moments. ¡°Now, Lick attack!¡± The Ghost-type''s long tongue brushed against Elekid, causing it to shudder in its sleep. After several of these attacks, Elekid finally awoke, and shot a jolt of electricity at Gastly.

    ¡°Be careful! Those electric blasts are dangerous!¡± Gastly floated around, and wagged its tongue to taunt Elekid. The Electric-type rushed in again, swinging and missing. James decided it was time.

    ¡°Alright, Elekid, time for you to come with us!¡± He threw a Pok¨¦ball at the overbalanced Elekid, who was sucked in, and the ball began shaking. Quilava watched from the side, not entirely over his nervousness around Pok¨¦balls. After three shakes, the ball pinged and lay still. James walked over and picked up the ball, grinning broadly.

    ¡°Way to go, James!¡± Jen was excited; they now had five Pok¨¦mon each, and having two Elekid in the overall group would be fun. ¡°You''ve got yourself an Electric-type now!¡±

    ¡°Yes I do.¡± James said, looking at the Pok¨¦ball in his hand. The Electric Pok¨¦mon would be a tricky one, but one James looked forward to raising. ¡°Now all I have to do is introduce it to the others. Quilava, come here, will ya?¡± As Quilava walked over, James let Pidgey and Geodude out to meet the newcomer. They both reacted well to Elekid''s appearance; Geodude nodded calmly, while Pidgey trilled a greeting while somehow managing to maintain her haughty expression. Gastly didn''t do anything significant, it just yawned heavily.

    ¡°Well, I should introduce everyone on my team now.¡± Jen released Magby, Togepi and Zubat to meet her new Elekid and Pichu. The reaction was the same; Elekid stood protectively by Pichu while Magby and Togepi greeted their new teammates, and Zubat chittered a welcome.

    ¡°Those are some interesting choices, kids,¡± the Daycare Man said as he moved over toward them. ¡°Jennifer, you seem to have an affinity for baby Pok¨¦mon, and James seems to be emphasizing the basics with his team.¡±

    ¡°Well, James'' battle style is mainly offensive,¡± Jen explained. ¡°I''m still trying to develop my own style, but that''ll come with time.¡±

    ¡°You two will be fine. Your Pok¨¦mon look strong, and you have a strong handle on what it means to be a Pok¨¦mon trainer. And Jennifer, I think if you work hard enough you will become a great Pok¨¦mon Breeder someday.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Jen answered. The group said their goodbyes to the Daycare Couple, and the two youngsters headed back out to finish their trek towards Goldenrod City.

 20-A Change in Plans

    Goldenrod City, the biggest city in Johto. For a kid like James, the size of the de facto capital might be intimidating, but neither he nor Jen were fazed by the tremendous buildings and wide, bustling streets. James was eager to hit the Goldenrod City Gym as soon as possible, and Jen echoed that sentiment. Their first stop was naturally the Pok¨¦mon Centre, where they stopped to rest after their long trek up Route 34. As they entered the building, James headed for the counter while Jen looked for the trainer''s area.

    ¡°Hello, and welcome to the Goldenrod Pok¨¦mon Centre.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Nurse Joy.¡± James paused, then continued. ¡°Could you tell me if a trainer named Hunter passed through here?¡± James hadn''t seen his rival since Azalea, and was curious to know whether he had made it to Goldenrod safely. When Nurse Joy answered affirmatively, James smiled and went to find Jen. She was waiting at the entrance to the trainers'' lounge, and they looked for a quiet spot to take a breather.

    ¡°Man, that trip took forever,¡± Jen gasped as they sat down in the corner of the lounge. ¡°Even without the stopover at the Daycare, that route takes a lot out of you.¡±

    ¡°You think that was bad? Just wait ''till we head further north, the trip gets even harder.¡± James took a big gulp of water from his canteen before he continued. ¡°So, do you want to battle the Gym first? You took down Bugsy on your first shot, so if you go first, I''ll be the only one delaying us if I lose.¡±

    ¡°I think you should battle first, since I did last time. I''m not going to let you be the gentleman every time, James.¡± James grinned at this and turned to Quilava, who was lying on his stomach next to James'' chair.

    ¡°You ready to take on the Goldenrod Gym, buddy?¡± Quilava nodded, but James noticed that something was obviously amiss. The Volcano Pok¨¦mon didn''t seem to have the same energy he usually did. His eyelids were drooping, and his movements had slowed since they''d arrived.

    ¡°Is Quilava okay?¡± Jen asked, looking at the Fire-type. ¡°He looks tired out.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should take him to Nurse Joy,¡± James said, and he led his starter Pok¨¦mon over to the main counter.

    ¡°Hello again, young man. ¡± Nurse Joy said cheerfully. ¡°How may I help you?¡±

    ¡°Nurse Joy, can you do a quick check on my Quilava? He doesn''t look so good.¡±

    ¡°Certainly. Quilava, could you please follow me?¡± Quilava growled weakly and did his best to comply, but collapsed halfway to the examination room. As James cried out and ran over to his friend, Nurse Joy sprang into action. ¡°This isn''t good! Chansey, I need a stretcher for a mid-sized Fire-type Pok¨¦mon, stat!¡± The pink assistant Pok¨¦mon behind the desk rushed to help, while James looked at Nurse Joy frantically.

    ¡°What''s wrong with Quilava, Nurse Joy?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know, James. We can''t know until we can conduct a closer examination. It could be serious, or it could just be extreme fatigue. Don''t worry,¡± she added calmly as James'' expression became even more terrified. ¡°Your Quilava is in good hands. Leave everything to Chansey and me.¡± James nodded, but was unconvinced. This was the second time he''d had to watch his buddy go through something like this, and it was just as bad as the first.

    <hr>

    ¡°James, what happened?¡± Jen asked as James walked back into the lounge. ¡°You look like you did when you fought that Kabutops.¡±

    ¡°Quilava''s not doing so well.¡± James answered simply, trying to hold back his tears. ¡°Nurse Joy is taking care of him, but it''s hard to see your best friend¡ªbest non-human friend, that is¡ªget wheeled into a hospital room again.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Nurse Joy will have him up and firing again, no problem!¡± Jen said reassuringly. ¡°It''s not your fault, these things happen. I remember how upset my neighbor in Snowpoint was when her Pok¨¦mon got sick. But that''s what Nurse Joy and the Pok¨¦mon Centre is for. He''ll be fine.¡± James sat down and shut his eyes, not convinced in the least. They sat there for a good fifteen minutes, then Nurse Joy reappeared, her expression calm.

    ¡°James, your Quilava is going to be fine. We''ve run a few tests, and he''s simply got a chill that sometimes manifests in Fire-type Pok¨¦mon, so it''s not as serious as it could have been. All he needs is a good night''s rest. I do have to ask you a couple of questions so we can figure out what brought it on.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± James said, wondering what could''ve caused his friend to suddenly drop like that. Nurse Joy took out a notepad and jotted something down before turning back to him.

    ¡°Okay. First off, how long has it been since Quilava evolved from the Cyndaquil stage?¡±

    ¡°A few weeks, I think. He evolved back in Azalea Town during a Gym Battle. He was pretty banged up towards the end, but according to the Azalea Gym Leader the fighting caused a surge of energy that made him evolve. But what does that have to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Well, the amount of energy required to trigger the evolution process is fairly substantial.¡± Joy explained, writing James'' answer on the pad. ¡°The first few weeks after evolution can be fairly stressful for some Pok¨¦mon, since they have to come to terms with a new form and sometimes new drawbacks. Have you done any heavy battling since that time?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°We''ve been training on the move, but I haven''t battled anyone since the Azalea Gym.¡±

    ¡°So no major battling since evolution. Alright.¡± Nurse Joy took a few more notes, then continued. ¡°Now, has Quilava ever gone through any major physical or emotional trauma?¡± When James looked confused, she clarified it for him. ¡°Has he ever been seriously injured in battle, meaning beyond simply being knocked out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said slowly. ¡°We fought a Kabutops while he was still a Cyndaquil, and he got cut up pretty badly. He was fine after he got treatment, though.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Joy wrote something else down on the notepad. ¡°Okay, now that I have this information, I''ll run a few checks and come back in a few minutes.¡± James nodded, and turned to Jen.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°D''you think it''s serious, then?¡± Jen shrugged.

    ¡°It doesn''t sound that bad. I mean, if the evolution''s causing him trouble, he just needs to get used to things. If something were seriously wrong, Nurse Joy would''ve told us.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± James answered. Just then, Nurse Joy reappeared, still calm as ever.

    ¡°Okay, now, from the tests I just ran, I can tell you that Quilava''s recent evolution likely contributed to his illness. I believe that the surge of energy that allowed him to evolve caused his body to go into something of an imbalance. In other words, his body is feeling the latent after-effects of that energy surge, and that has manifested itself as his current illness. It''s a good thing you were here, or he might have been in trouble. You''re lucky it didn''t happen on the road or during a battle.¡±

    ¡°I''ll say,¡± James murmured. ¡°But what does the battle with Kabutops have to do with it? That was a while ago now.¡±

    ¡°I can''t say for sure, but the lingering psychological damage from the battle could have contributed to the energy imbalance. In this case I don''t think it makes a difference. I was simply testing a theory involving past injuries and their effects on the evolution process.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± James said quietly, confused but happy that Quilava was going to be okay. ¡°So what do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°Well, Quilava is going to have to spend the rest of today and tonight in the treatment room. These illnesses tend to pass within a day or two, but we can have him up and running by tomorrow. I would, however, recommend letting him rest for a few days. I''m assuming you two are traveling a lot, so the constant activity may be affecting him.¡±

    ¡°If that''s the case, maybe we shouldn''t move so quickly,¡± Jen said, looking at James. ¡°We have been going at an insanely fast pace, and it might be better if we stick around in a town for longer than we normally do.¡±

    ¡°I would definitely recommend that. Now, you''re planning on challenging the Goldenrod Gym at some point, right?¡± When James nodded, she continued. ¡°If I were you, I would let Quilava sit this battle out. He may get over his illness quickly, but throwing him right back into battle will almost certainly make things worse.¡± James sighed; there went his plans for the Goldenrod Gym. Jen saw this and tried to cheer him up.

    ¡°Don''t worry, James. You''ve got four other Pok¨¦mon with you, so Quilava can rest up for the next one!¡±

    ¡°I know, but...¡± James hated the idea of sitting Quilava. If there was one thing Quilava loved to do more than anything, it was participating in a Pok¨¦mon battle. But Nurse Joy knew better than he did, so he had to accept it.

    ¡°He''ll be fine, trust me.¡± Nurse Joy reassured him. ¡°For now, we can let him rest, and I''ll bring him back out tomorrow morning. He''s safe with us.¡± James thanked the Pok¨¦mon Nurse, and Joy bowed to them before heading back to treat Quilava.

    <hr>

    ¡°If Quilava''s gonna sit for the next match, I have to figure out who to use in his place,¡± James said half an hour later as he and Jen walked to the Centre''s training area. ¡°If it''s a standard three on three, I have the numbers, but my strategy has to change.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can help you.¡± Jen answered as they found a small area to practice in. ¡°I''ve already got something of a strategy planned, but I need to work in my two new Pok¨¦mon. Come on out, everybody!¡± She tossed her five Pok¨¦balls into the air, and they released their occupants with a snap. Magby and Togepi stood close to one another, waiting for their trainer''s orders. Zubat flitted from one end of the lineup to the other, and Pichu hid behind Elekid, still unused to her new teammates.

    ¡°Okay, I''d better let my team out too.¡± James released his four Pok¨¦mon; Pidgey instantly began looking for Quilava, while Geodude folded his arms and Gastly yawned. His Elekid moved to shock somebody, but Geodude rolled in front of him and sternly told the Electric Pok¨¦mon to stop. ¡°Alright, guys, we''ve got a Gym battle soon, so I need to pick a lineup. Quilava''s not feeling well, so he''s out, but that means the rest of you get to step up and battle. Are you guys ready to go?¡± The team called out affirmatives, and James grinned. ¡°Alright, let''s get to it!¡±

    <hr>

    James'' team worked hard trying to earn their spot in the next battle. Jen''s did similarly, but she spent more of her time integrating Pichu and Elekid to her squad, which wasn''t easy due to Pichu''s timidity and Elekid''s aggressive nature. The hours passed, and eventually James turned to Jen with a confident look on his face.

    ¡°Hey, Jen, why don''t we have a practice battle? I''ve got a tentative lineup set, so I want to see how at least one of my Pok¨¦mon fares.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jen called over Magby, who looked eager to battle. ¡°Magby, we''re going to have a quick battle, are you up for it?¡± Magby nodded with a smile; she was always ready for a match. ¡°Okay, Magby''s my choice.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I''ll send out Elekid. He''s a newcomer, but I''m going to put his skills to use.¡± Magby and Elekid faced each other, with Elekid stifling a laugh. Magby chirped at him, but Elekid ignored her. ¡°Elekid, knock it off. This is your chance to become a true part of the team.¡±

    ¡°Let''s get going already!¡± Jen called out. ¡°We''re burning daylight over here!¡±

    ¡°Alright, fine! Elekid, use Quick Attack!¡± The Electric-type crashed into Magby, who stood firm.

    ¡°Magby, Fire Punch!¡± Magby''s fist caught fire as she swung at Elekid, but her fist was met by her opponent''s own attack. ¡°Hey, watch out for that Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, go after it!¡± Elekid and Magby kept trading strikes, with neither managing to put the other away. Eventually, though, Elekid''s body caught fire after one strike, and James groaned.

    ¡°Alright, it''s burned, Magby! Take it down!¡± Magby''s Fire Punch hit the mark, and Elekid lay dazed and beaten.

    ¡°Elekid!¡± James was annoyed at the defeat, but confident nonetheless. ¡°That was quick. Man, we may have lost, but I''m impressed! That Brick Break is going to surprise a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°It sure will. I read that the Goldenrod Gym Leader uses Normal-types, so a Fighting-type attack like that is going to be important.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James turned to the rest of the team, who waited patiently for instructions. ¡°Okay, guys, I think I have a team worked out. Elekid''s in because of Brick Break, and Geodude, you''re in because of your resistance to Normal-type moves.¡± Geodude nodded and rolled into a wider space, which caused James to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Okay then. Pidgey, you''re going to have to battle, since Gastly''s Ghost-type moves won''t cause any damage.¡± Gastly yawned happily; he''d have rather taken a nap anyway. ¡°Hey, don''t think you''re off the hook. You''ll be in a battle soon.¡± The lazy Gas Pok¨¦mon just yawned again and floated down to the ground, eager to get some sleep.

    ¡°Looks like you''ve got a strong lineup.¡± Jen looked at Geodude, who was now curled up with his eyes closed. ¡°Hey, James, look at Geodude. He looks like he wants to take a nap too.¡±

    ¡°Then let him take a nap. The gang''s been training hard, they need their rest.¡± As he finished this statement, Geodude opened his eyes and his body turned a harsh white. ¡°Wait a minute! That''s...!¡±

    ¡°It''s evolving.¡± Jen couldn''t believe it. The Rock Pok¨¦mon hadn''t shown any outward signs of being ready to evolve, but had always just sat there, calm and stoic. ¡°Let''s hope he doesn''t end up like Quilava.¡±

    ¡°He won''t.¡± James had to convince himself of this; he didn''t want his whole team falling ill because of an evolution.

    <hr>

    Geodude''s body grew immensely, and the first thing James noticed was the appearance of two short legs. Two extra arms appeared near his chest, and his rocky skin transformed into what looked like scales. His narrow eyes remained as calm as ever, and he curled up into his preferred ball as soon as the process finished.

    ¡°Wow. He evolved into Graveler.¡± James took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan his newly-evolved team member.

    ¡°Graveler, the Rock Pok¨¦mon and the evolved form of Geodude. Its preferred method of locomotion is rolling rather than walking, and its body is covered with jagged, rocky scales.¡±

    ¡°How cool!¡± Jen knew that an evolved Rock-type would really put James over the edge. ¡°Now you''re in perfect position to challenge the Gym!¡±

    ¡°I may be, but I think you should battle first.¡± James told her. ¡°With everything that''s happened, I''m going to need to sit back for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Jen answered, and they recalled their Pok¨¦mon before heading back into the Pok¨¦mon Centre.

 21-Plain and Simple

    Jen and her Pok¨¦mon had trained hard for their battle at the Goldenrod Gym. Despite the relative inexperience of Togepi and Pichu, the group continued to try and impress their trainer so they could participate in the coming match. James, for his part, was still distracted by Quilava''s illness, and spent half the time staring at the blank wall of the Pok¨¦mon Centre, unable to drive the worry from his mind.

    As they headed for their room at the Centre, James looked mournfully towards the treatment rooms, knowing his best buddy was still in there. Nurse Joy would obviously have him back in fighting form by the morning, but he still felt lousy about the whole state of affairs. Jen noticed this and patted him on the arm to try and comfort him.

    ¡°James, Quilava''s gonna be fine. Don''t worry so much, it''s no good for you.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I can''t help it. Quilava''s put himself through so much, and it hurts to see him like that. Maybe it''s my fault, I don''t know.¡±

    ¡°It''s not your fault, James. You trust Quilava, and he trusts you. These things happen all the time, and all you can really do is get used to it. Believe me, Quilava''s a powerful Pok¨¦mon and he''s also your best friend. Don''t let it get to you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said quietly, but in the back of his mind he couldn''t help but ask ¡°why always me?¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning dawned, and Jen woke to find James up and out already. Knowing exactly where to look, she headed for the trainer''s lounge, near the hallway leading to the treatment room. She spotted him slumped in a vacant armchair, half-asleep and exhausted. Shaking her head, she walked over to him and shook him lightly.

    ¡°Hey, wake up, will ya?¡± James stirred and looked around for a few seconds before focusing on her. ¡°C''mon, you couldn''t just sleep in the room? You''d have been more comfortable there.¡±

    ¡°I couldn''t sleep, so I came out here, but then I fell back asleep when I sat down. Sorry if I surprised you, I didn''t want to wake you up this early.¡±

    ¡°James, I know why you''re up so early and I understand. You''re super-worried about Quilava, so you wanted to see him as soon as you could. I only got up early because I''m challenging the Gym, so I wanted to get some last-minute stuff done.¡± At that moment, Nurse Joy came up to the pair with her usual smile on.

    ¡°I knew I''d find you here, James. Quilava has recovered quite nicely, and once he wakes up I''ll bring him out.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Nurse Joy.¡± James was relieved to hear that Quilava wasn''t ill anymore, although he knew that his starter would still have to sit their upcoming Gym challenge out. ¡°We''ll be right in here when he''s ready to come out.¡± Joy bowed and moved towards the treatment area, while James slumped back into the chair.

    About half an hour later, Joy returned with the Volcano Pok¨¦mon at her heels. James jumped up when he heard the Fire-type''s distinct growl and ran over to greet his friend.

    ¡°Hey, buddy, you''re okay!¡± James hugged Quilava tightly, and Quilava growled happily at being reunited with his trainer. ¡°I was so worried about you, Quilava, and I''m so happy you''re alright.¡± Jen smiled at the scene as Pok¨¦mon and trainer shared the moment.

    ¡°They really do care about each other.¡±

    <hr>

    A couple of hours later, the two youngsters walked along the bustling main street towards the Goldenrod Gym. They went slower than they usually did; Nurse Joy had told them to slow down a bit after Quilava''s illness, especially with the Volcano Pok¨¦mon''s stubborn refusal to go inside his Pok¨¦ball. Jen didn''t mind so much, either; it was a good opportunity to do some sightseeing along the way, something they hadn''t done in most of the cities they''d visited so far.

    The Gym hove into view, and the first thing they noticed was its simplicity. Very few decorations adorned the dome-like building; it had little in common with the tower in Violet or the greenhouse-esque structure of Azalea''s. Jen reasoned that since she''d heard that the Goldenrod Gym Leader used Normal-types, the lack of decoration fit. James simply nodded; he was more concerned with how the Gym Leader battled.

    They reached the sliding doors of the building and entered to find two people standing there in deep conversation. One was a dark-haired young man who was flushed in the face, his hands shaking. The other was a pink-haired girl wearing what looked like a softball shirt and striped socks that nearly reached her knees.

    ¡°So that''s a no?¡± the young man was saying, looking bitterly disappointed. The girl shook her head.

    ¡°I wish I could, but I''m too over my head with challengers. Being a Gym Leader is hard work, you know. I''m really sorry.¡± The young man just nodded and ran past the two youngsters, looking crushed. The girl watched him leave, then turned to them. ¡°Oh, hello there, I didn''t see you right away. Are you here to issue a challenge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. My name''s Jennifer, and I''m from Violet City. I''d like to challenge you to a battle.¡±

    ¡°Awesome stuff. I''m Whitney, the Goldenrod City Gym Leader. But everyone calls me The Incredibly Pretty Girl! It fits, right?¡± She winked at them and pointed towards another set of doors. ¡°The battlefield''s this way, guys. Let''s get started, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jen said, and followed Whitney to the field while James and Quilava went to find a place to sit in the stands.

    <hr>

    The battle judge in this Gym was a young woman dressed similarly to Whitney, and she looked to both opponents before beginning her rules explanation.

    ¡°This Goldenrod City Gym battle between Jennifer of Violet City and Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader is about to begin!

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Whitney

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    The prize will be a Plain Badge! Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the challenge is over when all three one side''s Pok¨¦mon are rendered unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions. Trainers ready?¡±

    ¡°I''m ready!¡± Jen called, preparing a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°I''ve trained too hard to be beaten here, count on it!¡±

    ¡°I like your enthusiasm. But don''t think I''m going to be easy to take down. My Pok¨¦mon are really strong, starting with this one!¡± Whitney tossed out her first Pok¨¦ball, releasing a small pink Pok¨¦mon with a star-shaped body and black-tipped ears. It waved its arms rhythmically, and squealed happily at the chance to battle.

    ¡°Wow, what''s that?¡± Jen said as she drew her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Clefairy, the Fairy Pok¨¦mon. Clefairy tend to congregate during a full moon, and those who witness this are said to be granted happiness.¡±

    ¡°So that''s a Clefairy, huh? No problem for us! Magby, let''s go!¡± Magby emerged and spit out a mouthful of flames as a statement of intent.

    ¡°A Fire-type? Should be fun! Alright, Jennifer, you get the first move.¡±

    ¡°Right! Magby, use Smog!¡± The Live Coal Pok¨¦mon expelled a large cloud of toxic gray smoke, which Clefairy jumped over easily. Magby growled in annoyance and ran after her opponent.

    ¡°Clefairy, Pound attack!¡± Clefairy punched Magby on the shoulder, knocking the Fire-type away. Magby retaliated with a rapid-fire Ember attack, catching the Normal-type in the back. Clefairy crashed to the ground, and Jen saw her opening.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Don''t let up, Magby! Fire Punch!¡± Magby''s fist blazed as she slammed it into Clefairy, pushing her opponent hard into the ground with the force of the strike.

    ¡°Keep going, Clefairy! Use Sing!¡± Clefairy''s soothing melody started up, but Magby held her claws in her ears until it stopped again.

    ¡°That''s it, Magby! Give it another Fire Punch!¡± The flame-enhanced blow hit home, and Clefairy lay on the battlefield, out cold.

    ¡°Clefairy is unable to battle! Magby is the winner!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That was quick,¡± James murmured as he watched the proceedings. ¡°Magby''s really gotten a lot stronger, and she didn''t need Jen to tell her how to block that Sing. They really look more confident.¡± Quilava growled his agreement, lying on the ground next to his trainer. ¡°She''d better stay focused, though. Whitney''s not a Gym Leader for nothing.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That was a good effort, Clefairy. Take a rest.¡± Whitney recalled her Pok¨¦mon and looked across at Jen. ¡°Your Magby is really strong, Jennifer! Clefairy usually doesn''t go down that quickly.¡±

    ¡°We''ve trained really hard.¡± Jen answered. ¡°And we''re ready for whatever else you throw at us!¡±

    ¡°You''d better be. I''m not giving up that Plain Badge easily.¡± Whitney took out another Pok¨¦ball and threw it. ¡°Furret, you''re up next!¡± This time, a long Pok¨¦mon with brown and tan stripes emerged, briefly jumping up onto its hind paws in a show of force. Jen saw this and giggled; Furret may have tried to look intimidating, but she found it too cute to be convincing. Magby simply spit out some more flames in challenge. Jen quickly flipped her Pok¨¦dex open to scan Furret.

    ¡°Furret, the Long Body Pok¨¦mon. This Normal-type is able to squeeze in and out of tight spaces with ease, and is very fast and agile.¡±

    ¡°We''re gonna have to counter that speed, then. Magby, Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Dodge it!¡± Furret dropped to the Gym floor, and Magby''s punch missed by inches. ¡°Now, knock it over!¡± Furret swept its tail at Magby''s feet, tripping the Fire-type and sending her crashing to the ground.

    ¡°Magby, don''t let it knock you down! Use Ember!¡± Magby launched more fire bolts, but Furret just raced away. After a few moments, it rocketed at Magby and ploughed into her with a lightning-fast Quick Attack. ¡°The Pok¨¦dex said it was fast, but this is something else!¡±

    ¡°We''ve trained hard to make Furret even faster than normal. That means we''re able to dodge almost everything our opponents try to hit us with.¡± Jen groaned and recalled Magby.

    ¡°Sorry Magby, but we''re just not gonna be able to take Furret down from the ground.¡± She pulled another Pok¨¦ball out and tossed it, releasing Zubat. ¡°Zubat, we''re gonna need your speed to take down Furret!¡±

    ¡°No way a bat''s gonna beat us! Now, Furret, Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Intercept with Air Cutter!¡± Zubat sent the sharp air current at Furret, who shrank back a little before leaping after its target. The move struck Zubat in passing, and Furret dropped towards the ground. ¡°Quick, another Air Cutter!¡±

    ¡°Use Dig!¡± Furret hit the floor and dove underground, just managing to avoid the cutting air. Jen was confused; she knew Dig was a Ground-type move, and wouldn''t have any effect on Zubat. Zubat simply flitted back and forth, waiting for its opponent to emerge.

    ¡°Zubat, locate Furret with Supersonic!¡± Zubat unleashed the sonic wave, then flew over to the left of Furret''s hole.

    ¡°Furret, come out of there and use Slam!¡± Furret leaped out of the hole and smashed its tail into Zubat''s head. Zubat hit the ground and struggled to get back in the air. ¡°Now, Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°I don''t think so! Bite, Zubat!¡± Zubat sank its fangs into Furret''s foreleg as the attack hit home, and Furret flinched slightly. ¡°All right, Air Cutter!¡± The bladed current barely missed Furret, who knew what to do.

    ¡°Finish it, Furret! Slam attack!¡± Another strike from Furret''s tail sent Zubat crashing to the ground and out of the match.

    ¡°Zubat is unable to battle! Furret wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°No way,¡± James couldn''t believe how easily Whitney eliminated Zubat''s aerial advantage. ¡°Zubat should''ve been tougher to hit from the air, but Furret took it out just like that! Jen''s got her hands full now.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Zubat, return!¡± Jen was shocked at the Bat Pok¨¦mon''s defeat, but refused to give in. She took out Magby''s Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out, releasing her first Pok¨¦mon for another crack at Furret.

    ¡°Alright, Furret, you know what to do! Use your speed to run rings around it!¡±

    ¡°Not a chance! Magby, use SmokeScreen!¡± The black smoke hid most of the battlefield, and even though Furret was faster, it couldn''t see Magby anymore.

    ¡°Furret, keep calm! Wait for it to emerge, then use Slam!¡± Furret waited for Magby to charge, but when it turned to face her, it was caught in the face with a flaming punch. ¡°Okay, we got hit, but we can still pull this off! Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Ember!¡± Magby sent the flurry of fire bolts right into Furret''s path, and it slid toward Whitney''s technical area. ¡°Alright, we''ve got it on the ropes! One more Fire Punch!¡± Magby crashed her fist into Furret''s midsection, putting it away.

    ¡°Furret is unable to battle! Magby wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s the way,¡± James murmured. ¡°Furret''s fast, but it can be fragile. Magby just needed to get a couple of solid hits in, and she won easily. She''d better recover quickly, though. Whitney''s last Pok¨¦mon could be trouble.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Way to go, Magby!¡± Jen jumped up in excitement, knowing she was one win away from the badge. ¡°Keep this up and we''ll win for sure!¡±

    ¡°Don''t count your Torchic until they hatch, Jennifer!¡± Whitney called out. ¡°I''ve still got my strongest Pok¨¦mon ready, and she''s always set for a battle! Out you come!¡± This time, a large cow-like Pok¨¦mon burst from the ball, letting out a joyful cry as she landed. Her pink body ended in black-tipped limbs, and her thin tail had a black sphere on the end. ¡°Jennifer, meet Miltank!¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Jen murmured as she drew her Pok¨¦dex again and trained it on the new opponent.

    ¡°Miltank, the Milk Cow Pok¨¦mon. This Pok¨¦mon prefers not to battle, and its nutritious milk is well-regarded for its restorative properties.¡±

    ¡°Alright, it may be docile, but it doesn''t look like a Pok¨¦mon to mess with...¡± Jen breathed hard, then refocused. ¡°Magby, go after it! Start with Smog!¡± The dark cloud hit Miltank, but the Milk Cow Pok¨¦mon stood firm.

    ¡°Miltank, Defense Curl!¡±

    ¡°Magby, Fire Punch!¡± Whitney smiled as she saw Magby charge, then sprang into action.

    ¡°Miltank, Rollout!¡± Jen, realizing what was going on, shouted a warning to Magby, but it was too late. Miltank crashed into Magby and left her lying on the field, taken down by the super-effective attack.

    ¡°Magby is unable to battle! Miltank wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Miltank knows how to use Rollout?¡± James had jumped from his seat when he recognized the tactic he usually used with Graveler. ¡°Man, that was unexpected. Jen''s got her hands full now.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Take a long rest, Magby. You deserve it.¡± Jen was taken aback by Miltank''s power, but she wouldn''t let it faze her. She took out her last Pok¨¦ball and gripped it tightly, knowing her hope for the battle lay in this last choice. Throwing the ball, she pushed all doubt from her mind. ¡°Elekid, let''s roll!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon spun his arm as he emerged, glaring at Miltank with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°An Electric-type next, huh? This should be fun. Miltank, Rollout again!¡± Miltank curled up and sped at Elekid, who waited for his command.

    ¡°Elekid, use Quick Attack to dodge!¡± Elekid used the move''s speed to sidestep the Rollout, and followed his opponent''s path. ¡°Now, ThunderShock!¡± The electric burst caught Miltank and stopped the Rollout cold. ¡°Keep it up, Elekid! ThunderShock again!¡±

    ¡°Miltank, don''t let it stop you! Use Rollout again!¡± Miltank''s attack hit home this time, sending Elekid flying, but Miltank pulled up after the contact with yellow sparks playing across her body. ¡°Oh, no, not that!¡±

    ¡°That''s Static!¡± Jen couldn''t believe her luck. Static would leave Miltank paralyzed, slowing her down and leaving her open to attack. ¡°Alright, Elekid, ThunderShock again!¡±

    ¡°Miltank, use Stomp!¡± Miltank tried her best to comply, but the paralysis didn''t let her move quickly enough. Elekid leaped through the air and fired the ThunderShock from between his horns. The electric blast caught her and left her on her knees, panting hard. ¡°Miltank, are you okay?¡± Miltank weakly called an affirmative, but any observer would see she was tiring.

    ¡°Miltank looks gassed,¡± Jen murmured, thinking on how to take it down. ¡°Okay, Elekid, let''s show off our secret weapon! Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s fist sparked as it leaped at Miltank, who waited for Whitney to command her.

    ¡°Miltank, meet that Brick Break with Rollout!¡± Miltank''s rolling strike hit home, while Elekid''s forearm crashed into Miltank''s body and left it reeling from the super-effective move. ¡°Don''t give up, Miltank!¡±

    ¡°Time to end things, Elekid! One more Brick Break!¡± Elekid slammed its forearm into Miltank''s forehead, knocking the Milk Cow over. Miltank pulled herself up, but then slumped forward, done for the match.

    ¡°Miltank is unable to battle and Elekid is the winner! The victor is Jennifer from Violet City!¡± Jen leaped up in delight, but then noticed Whitney with her head down.

    ¡°Whitney, are you okay?¡± Whitney didn''t answer, but shook uncontrollably instead. Inexplicably, she had burst into tears.

    ¡°How? Why me?¡± she wailed, unable to restrain herself. ¡°Miltank worked so hard, but we couldn''t beat this challenger. I''m a failure of a Gym Leader.¡±

    ¡°No you''re not...!¡± Jen was about to comfort the suddenly miserable Leader, but then she saw the judge standing beside her.

    ¡°Don''t worry about Whitney,¡± she said. ¡°She always cries when she loses, but she''ll calm down eventually.¡± Jen nodded, still feeling sorry for Whitney. After about a minute, Whitney stopped crying and looked at Jen with only a slight sniffle.

    ¡°Oh, goodness, I''m so sorry. I just can''t stand it when I lose...but anyway, that''s not the point. You beat me fair and square, and it was a fun battle.¡±

    ¡°It sure was,¡± Jen answered, glad to see Whitney had stopped crying.

    ¡°And since you beat me, here''s the Plain Badge!¡± Whitney took out a small yellow square edged in gray. ¡°It really was fun, Jennifer. I only hope your friend is as much fun to battle with.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, he will be.¡± Jen giggled as James emerged from the stand with Quilava in tow. ¡°Hey, James, you''d better be ready. Whitney''s a tough customer.¡±

    ¡°So I saw,¡± James answered with a grin. ¡°I can''t wait to battle you, Whitney. Your Pok¨¦mon should be a solid test for my team.¡±

    ¡°I''ll be looking forward to it.¡± The Goldenrod Leader laughed, and the challenge was set.

 22-Elekid Chips In

    James had already set his lineup for his Gym challenge, so he and his team trained hard almost as soon as he and Jen returned to the Pok¨¦mon Centre. Jen turned her Pok¨¦mon over to Nurse Joy, and watched as James worked Elekid out to take full advantage of his Brick Break. Graveler had volunteered to help in this regard, despite his Rock typing leaving him open to damage. Quilava lay down on the sideline, knowing that James wasn''t supposed to use him, and Gastly was nipping back and forth between his teammates, making a nuisance of himself.

    Elekid was already showing signs of a fighting ability beyond what James expected. Hit after hit landed, and even though Graveler was standing up well, he was feeling the strikes. James had checked Elekid''s moves beyond his Brick Break and found the usual basic Electric attacks, and even though they''d be no use against Graveler, he hoped either a lucky ThunderShock or Elekid''s Static ability could cause Whitney some trouble. Elekid looked eager to go up against Whitney''s Normal-types, and after a few hours James called a halt so his team could rest before the match.

    After turning his Pok¨¦balls and Quilava over to Nurse Joy, James followed Jen towards the cafeteria so they could eat before turning in. Jen noted that James looked much more vigorous than before, even if Quilava wasn''t allowed to battle tomorrow.

    ¡°You ready to battle, James? You know Whitney isn''t going to be easy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I''m ready for her. Elekid''s Brick Break should cause some havoc, and I''ve drilled Pidgey and Graveler on how to counter Furret''s speed. As for Miltank, I''m just going to have to hammer away at her until she goes down.¡±

    ¡°So your usual strategy, then?¡± Jen giggled as James turned away, knowing she''d pinned it in one.

    The next morning brought a repeat of the previous day; a brisk but calm walk to the Gym, mainly for Quilava''s benefit, and a quick talk with Whitney before entering the arena itself. James sent Quilava up into the stands with Jen; he didn''t want to risk sending the Fire-type out due to a lapse of concentration, which was likely to happen if he stood next to him. Quilava reluctantly complied, and James readied himself for his first match without his strongest Pok¨¦mon and best pal.

    ¡°Attention! The battle between James of Violet City and Whitney the Goldenrod City Gym Leader is about to begin!

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Whitney

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    At stake is the Plain Badge! Each side may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the challenge will end when all three Pok¨¦mon on either side is rendered unable to continue. In addition, only the challenger may substitute.¡±

    ¡°Don''t think you''ll beat me easily, James!¡± Whitney called from across the field. ¡°We''re ready for you, no matter what you throw at us!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I''ll be walking out of here with that badge. I may not have Quilava, but the rest of the gang are more than capable of winning.¡±

    ¡°Alright, battle begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Furret, let''s go!¡± The Long Body Pok¨¦mon stretched itself out as it emerged, confident in its speed and power.

    ¡°Furret to start, huh? Okay, Pidgey, let''s do this!¡± Pidgey trilled disdainfully at Furret as she flew up, out of the Normal-type''s reach. Furret simply smiled and readied itself for the coming fight. ¡°Alright, Pidgey, start it off! Quick Attack!¡± Pidgey raced at Furret, which used its usual tactic of flattening itself against the floor as the opponent went by. Pidgey didn''t give up after the initial miss, though, and rocketed back towards her target as it rose from the floor. The resultant hit left Furret reeling, but it quickly recomposed and got ready to continue. ¡°Okay, Quick Attack once more!¡±

    ¡°Furret, use your own Quick Attack!¡± Furret and Pidgey collided, neither doing too much damage, and Pidgey flew back out of range before Furret could hit her with a stronger move.

    ¡°Wing Attack!¡± A slap of Pidgey''s wing knocked Furret off-balance, and James knew he had an opening. ¡°Okay, we''ve got it now! Quick Attack, and keep it going!¡±

    ¡°Furret, Slam!¡± Furret allowed two attacks to hit before landing a powerful blow with a swing of its tail. Pidgey forced herself up, but the attack had done serious damage. ¡°Alright, jump after it and use Slam again!¡±

    ¡°Dodge and use Wing Attack!¡± Pidgey was moving slower than usual, though, and couldn''t avoid the ferocious hit. She crashed to the ground and trilled weakly, her battle nearly finished.

    ¡°Get it, Furret! Quick Attack!¡± Pidgey watched helplessly as Furret charged at her, but at the last second she found the energy to rocket back into the air.

    ¡°That''s the way, Pidgey! Now, Wing Attack!¡± Pidgey charged, wings outstretched and ready to strike.

    ¡°Use Dig to escape!¡± James let out a shout of frustration as Furret dived underground, and Pidgey missed by inches. ¡°Now come out and use Slam!¡±

    ¡°Counter it with Quick Attack!¡± Pidgey and Furret crashed together, but Pidgey took the worst of it. Her dazed look signaled her defeat.

    ¡°Pidgey is unable to battle! Furret wins!¡±

    ¡°No, not again!¡± Pidgey had fallen at the first hurdle again, and James couldn''t believe it. She''d done her absolute best in all her matches, yet their hard work hadn''t paid off. He wouldn''t hold it against her, though, since there were many battles ahead. ¡°It''s okay, Pidgey, you battled hard. Take a break.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Pidgey tried hard, but she just couldn''t stop Furret.¡± Jen watched James recall Pidgey with concern. The same thing had happened in his first match with Bugsy, and she knew James wouldn''t want a rematch this time. He''d keep the energy up, but it wouldn''t be easy.

    <hr>

    ¡°Alright, Graveler, come on out!¡± The newly-evolved Rock-type stood calmly before Furret, readying himself for battle.

    ¡°A Rock-type, huh? No problem!¡± Whitney knew, of course, that she might struggle to damage Graveler, but she could try. ¡°Furret, Slam!¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Defense Curl!¡± Graveler knew the routine by now, and rolled up in preparation for a big hit. Furret crashed its tail into Graveler''s side, but did little apparent damage. Graveler simply smiled; he knew what to do. ¡°Okay, Rollout!¡±

    ¡°Dig!¡± Furret burrowed back underground as Graveler rolled by, but as the Rock Pok¨¦mon stopped, he jumped up and slammed down on the ground, setting off a shockwave that shook the Gym hard. Furret was blasted out of the hole it had dug, and looked shaken. It wasn''t beaten, but the attack had done its work well.

    ¡°Was that Magnitude?¡± James asked, amazed that Graveler had learned a new move in the time after his evolution. The Ground-type attack may be random in its output, but the effects were occasionally devastating, even more so when the opponent was underground.

    ¡°It was, and that means I''m in trouble. We''re not giving up, though! Slam, Furret!¡±

    ¡°Rollout!¡± Again, the moves collided, but Graveler overwhelmed the Normal-type move and rolled right over Furret. The ferret lay flat on the ground, resembling a furry pancake; it had been squashed by the powerful move.

    ¡°Furret is unable to battle! Graveler wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°What a hit! I''ve never seen a Pok¨¦mon get literally flattened like that.¡± As Jen indicated her amazement, Quilava growled quietly, amused at the result of the ferret''s defeat. ¡°It''s not funny, Quilava!¡± When the Fire-type smiled, she couldn''t hold back a giggle. ¡°Well...okay, it kinda is, but Furret is still a Pok¨¦mon. Being squished by a living boulder can''t be much fun.¡± She looked at James, who was congratulating Graveler, and smiled. ¡°He''s doing fine. One down, two to go.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Furret, take a rest.¡± Whitney sounded down as she recalled her Pok¨¦mon, and took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Alright, let''s focus and win! Clefairy, time to shine!¡± Clefairy popped out and began skipping about, trying to disarm Graveler. Graveler simply nodded and folded his arms, not succumbing to the Normal-type''s charms.

    ¡°Graveler! Let''s finish this up quickly! Use Magnitude!¡± Graveler thumped down again, sending a slightly weaker shockwave through the ground. ¡°Okay, now Rollout!¡±

    ¡°Metronome!¡± Whitney was scared now. Clefairy couldn''t handle Graveler on her own, so she had to hope Metronome would come out with a winner. Clefairy waved her finger, and an all-too familiar flurry of fire bolts came out. ¡°No, not Ember! That won''t help!¡± Graveler slammed hard into Clefairy, knocking it down hard, all the while ignoring the weak fire attack that battered him. This went on a few times, Clefairy desperately trying to evade while Graveler rolled along the ground.

    ¡°We''ve got it on the run! Finish this, Graveler!¡± The Rock-type slammed into Clefairy, nearly flattening her, and Whitney shrieked in panic.

    ¡°No, Clefairy! Quickly, use Metronome again!¡± Clefairy went through the Metronome, then paused as Graveler spun around for another pass, her body gradually taking on a strange glow. As he rolled back toward her, Clefairy unleashed a blue-white beam of energy from her hand, blasting the Rock Pok¨¦mon and knocking him out.

    ¡°Graveler is unable...¡± The judge stopped short as Clefairy pitched forward, burned out from all the hits she had taken. ¡°Correction! Both Pok¨¦mon are unable to battle! This round is a draw!¡±

    ¡°What kind of move was that?¡± James asked, recalling Graveler in shock. ¡°I know Metronome is completely random, but this is ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°It was a Solar Beam,¡± Whitney answered, just as surprised as her challenger. ¡°Since it''s a Grass-type move, it was able to put Graveler away in one shot. I''ve never seen it happen before, though. Metronome''s pretty random at the best of times, and it isn''t a tactic I like to rely on.¡± She giggled as she pulled Clefairy. ¡°But if it works, it works, right?¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Trust a Gym Leader to work out of a tight spot.¡± Jen knew that Whitney had ridden her luck to knock out Graveler, but that was all part of the battle. ¡°It''s up to Elekid to pull this off. Do you think he can do it, Quilava?¡± Quilava growled an affirmative, and Jen turned back to the field to see how Elekid would handle the pressure.

    <hr>

    ¡°Well, James, it''s time for our final battle. I hope you''re ready, this is gonna be tough.¡±

    ¡°We''re ready, Whitney! Let''s get this going!¡±

    ¡°Okay, here we go!¡± Whitney tossed out Miltank''s Pok¨¦ball, and the Milk Cow Pok¨¦mon stood ready to take down any challengers.

    ¡°Alright, Elekid, you''re up!¡± The yellow Electric-type spun his arms as he emerged, building a charge in anticipation of a fight.

    ¡°Hey, you have an Elekid just like Jennifer? That''s so cool! You two must have a similar taste in Pok¨¦mon!¡± James couldn''t think of a response, so he just ordered his first attack.

    ¡°Okay, Elekid, Quick Attack!¡± No waiting, no preparation, just an all-out attack. Elekid''s leapt at Miltank with a big grin on his face.

    ¡°Defense Curl!¡± Miltank blunted the move''s effect with the defensive tactic, leaving Elekid to glare at her in shock. ¡°Now, Rollout!¡±

    ¡°Use Quick Attack to get out of the way!!¡± The rolling cow nicked the racing Electric-type, and Elekid landed with a growl. ¡°Okay, fire off a ThunderShock!¡±

    ¡°Out of the way, Miltank!¡± Miltank''s rolling momentum carried her away from the weak Electric-type move, and Elekid snarled in frustration that the move didn''t hit. ¡°Now, run in close and use Stomp!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s fist sparked as he swung, but the move missed its mark, and Miltank brought her foot down on the Electric Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Argh! Okay, then, use ThunderShock to get away!¡±

    ¡°Don''t let it escape! Stomp, one more time!¡± Elekid blasted Miltank with the shock, and Miltank simply smashed into him again. ¡°Now, get ready for Rollout, and watch out for...!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break again!¡± Elekid hit Miltank hard before she could start her attack, then jumped back after firing off a ThunderShock to create some distance.

    ¡°Rollout!¡± Miltank''s next hit slammed Elekid to the floor, and she spun away to gain some reprieve from the barrage of Fighting attacks. As James watched Elekid turn to face Miltank again, he could sense that he was shaking in anger, his arms spinning wildly as sparks flew from his horns.

    ¡°Hey! Cool it, Elekid! If you lose your temper, we might lose the battle!¡± Elekid growled back at him, and James shouted back. ¡°Look, I''m counting on you to win this! So get a hold of yourself, focus and let''s take them down!¡± Elekid growled again, then dropped his arms as he stopped shaking. ¡°That''s right, calm down. We''re going to win, just keep cool while you''re fighting.¡± Whitney smiled as she saw James talk to Elekid.

    ¡°He really knows how his Pok¨¦mon think,¡± she mused as she watched Elekid point at Miltank. ¡°But I do too! I won''t lose this time, no way! Miltank, Rollout!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, Quick Attack to dodge, then Brick Break again!¡± Another collision of moves resulted in both Pok¨¦mon landing hard on the ground. Elekid got up and glared at Miltank, who had also stood and was readying herself for the next attack, even though her body was shaking with fatigue.

    ¡°It looks like it''s coming down to the end, Miltank! One more Rollout should do it!¡± Miltank curled up and raced at Elekid, who stood firm.

    ¡°End it with Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s final strike sent Miltank sprawling to the floor, finished for the day.

    ¡°Miltank is unable to battle and Elekid is the winner! The victor is James from Violet City!¡± James ran out to congratulate Elekid on a successful first battle, and he saw Jen and Quilava from the corner of his eye, running over to offer their own congratulations.

    ¡°Way to go, Elekid.¡± James told the Electric-type. ¡°For your first real match, you really showed me something. We''ve still gotta work on your temper, but that''ll come with time.¡± Elekid grinned and then poked James in the knee, delivering a shock that knocked the boy off his feet. ¡°We''ve got to work on that, too,¡± James grumbled as he recalled Elekid. Quilava growled at him, and he smiled. ¡°Thanks, buddy. I would''ve liked to have you out there, but it''s good to get the rest of the team in on the act.¡±

    ¡°And they battled really well.¡± Whitney wasn''t crying now, but she looked ready to. ¡°James, you and your Pok¨¦mon really showed me what being a trainer can be like. You were a great challenger, and here''s your Plain Badge.¡± She held out the same yellow square she''d given to Jen the day before, and James took it gratefully.

    ¡°Three down, five to go, James,¡± Jen told him, stroking Quilava''s ears; she and the Fire-type had really bonded during their time in the stands. ¡°Whitney, thanks for two great matches. You''re a really strong Gym Leader.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jennifer.¡± Whitney turned away so they wouldn''t see her crying, and the two youngsters left before she broke down completely.

 23-A Rival for Jen

    James handed his Pok¨¦mon over to Nurse Joy once he and Jen got back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, still basking in the glow of his victory at the Goldenrod Gym. Quilava was still sulking a bit that he wasn''t allowed to participate, but he couldn''t stay mad at his trainer for long; it wasn''t exactly his decision to rest him, Nurse Joy had ordered him to. The two youngsters headed to get something to eat while Nurse Joy took care of James'' Pok¨¦mon, and Jen inquired about where they would go next.

    ¡°Ecruteak City''s next on the map, right?¡± she asked, looking at the map she held under the table. ¡°It looks like there''s two paths there, but one of them has a big X over it. I wonder why?¡±

    ¡°That path''s been blocked for a while.¡± James answered. ¡°I think some wild Pok¨¦mon keep invading the area, so they want to protect the travelers. It''s annoying, since we used to go to Ecruteak all the time when I was little.¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡± Jen was curious now, James had never mentioned this before.

    ¡°Just to sightsee and all, nothing major. Well, there was one time when Darrell was in the city and we went to watch him battle the Gym. I saw a group of weird birds flying past our window, but I don''t remember what they looked like now.¡±

    ¡°You remember that you saw the birds, but don''t remember what they looked like?¡±

    ¡°I was four! You can''t expect me to remember everything!¡±

    ¡°Forget it,¡± Jen said, trying to change the subject. ¡°Alright, so the only path that looks open is through the National Park. That should be a nice stopover, at least. I always wanted to visit Amity Square back in Sinnoh, but it was too far away.¡±

    ¡°I think there''s a bug-catching contest there soon, too. Maybe we could jump in on that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± They spent the remainder of the time discussing possible diversions along their route, as well as training strategies for the next gym. Eventually, they went back to the foyer, picked up James'' Pok¨¦mon, and began an abbreviated training session before they turned in, ready for tomorrow''s off-day.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Jen indicated that she wanted to look around the city for a while before they set off on their travels again.

    ¡°We''ve barely taken time to see anything during our whole journey!¡± she argued, knowing she was right. ¡°Plus, Nurse Joy said we shouldn''t travel so quickly after Quilava got sick.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± James didn''t want to spend his time sightseeing; he didn''t like Goldenrod much, it was too big for his taste. Being from Violet meant an appreciation for a small setting.

    ¡°Well, then, let''s go see what there is to see! It''s a big city, and there''s gotta be all kinds of cool stuff!¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± James conceded the point, if only to appease his friend. Quilava had indicated that he didn''t care one way or the other, so James decided to just make the best of things. ¡°I wouldn''t mind seeing what the stadium looks like up close, anyway. I''ve only ever seen it on TV.¡±

    ¡°Then let''s go!¡± Jen ran out of the room in excitement, and James shook his head before following.

    <hr>

    The city did indeed have a lot of tourist attractions, each of which was often flooded with visitors. James and Jen were jostled about as they checked out the Goldenrod Department Store, which was several times larger than the Pok¨¦ Marts that were usually in the region''s cities. They tried their best to hold off on any purchases, since they didn''t exactly need anything there, but did come out with a few items they thought might prove useful. Jen stowed a bottle of Soda Pop in her pack as they exited the building, making a mental note to try it later.

    From the Department Store, they crossed the bustling streets and moved past the brightly-lit Game Corner, then took a look at the Magnet Train station. One superfast train after another was rocketing through, carrying commuters and tourists alike between Goldenrod and the eastern terminus in faraway Saffron City. James was fascinated with the trains, wondering how something big like that could possibly travel that fast. Jen noted that it must take a huge amount of power just to keep the line moving, and both were astounded when the stationmaster told them exactly how it was done.

    ¡°There''s a gigantic power station in Kanto that provides the electricity needed to run this place,¡± the stationmaster explained. ¡°The generators are about the size of a small building, and teams of engineers have to make sure everything runs smoothly. If even one generator fails, the whole line could come grinding to a halt.¡± Both youngsters were wide-eyed as they left the station, blown away by what the man had just told them.

    Their next stop was the Radio Tower, where James was offered a chance to add a Radio Card to his Pok¨¦Gear. He was given a short quiz about various Pok¨¦mon, and upon answering all of them correctly the receptionist slotted the card into the device. James wasn''t sure what he would do with the radio, since he wasn''t exactly sure how it worked, but it was a useful feature to have anyway.

    The last thing they checked out before circling back towards the Pok¨¦mon Centre was the area around the Gym. James knew the huge Kogane Stadium was around this area, with its capacity of nearly fifty thousand people on a game day. Jen questioned why James was so focused on this area in particular, and he explained as best he could.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Kogane Stadium is one of the biggest stadiums in Johto. The Electabuzz play their home games here.¡± Jen nodded, still a bit skeptical, and looked at the imposing structure, with bright yellow artwork adorning much of the outside. Tourists were all around the area, snapping pictures and posing next to statues outside the building. James stared a few moments longer, focusing on the team''s single championship banner, then turned to head back. ¡°Come on, let''s go. We''ve seen just about everything in the city now, and we need to get back to the Centre before it gets too dark and crowded.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jen answered, and they moved back towards the safety of the Centre.

    <hr>

    When they arrived back at the Centre, they headed outside to let their Pok¨¦mon get some exercise before they all turned in. Jen''s Pichu stayed close by her, with Elekid giving warning looks to anyone who came too close. Quilava lay down to rest; he''d been walking all day, and he wasn''t in the mood to be playing around. Jen watched the Fire-type close his eyes and giggled.

    ¡°Quilava''s burnt himself out, James.¡± James laughed at the play on words, and looked around to see where the rest of the team was. Pidgey had flown up into a tree, uninterested in hanging around with the group right now, and Graveler was gently sparring with Elekid, while Gastly floated around making a nuisance of himself. Jen''s Magby and Zubat joined in too, eager to practice, while Togepi was nowhere to be seen. Jen knew she couldn''t have gone far, but didn''t want the group too stretched either. ¡°Hey James, have you seen Togepi?¡±

    ¡°No, did she wander off again?¡± He looked, and saw her skipping towards the far wall of the Centre. Before either of them could move to intercept her, a girl with light brown hair ran out of the Centre and charged the Spike Ball Pok¨¦mon down. The girl wore a pink t-shirt and jean shorts under a thin white jacket, and her white shoes were spotless.

    ¡°Ohmygoodness, aren''t you the cutest thing?¡± the girl said to Togepi, who squealed happily as the girl picked her up. ¡°I can only wish I had a Pok¨¦mon as cute as you!¡± She turned and saw Jen walking over to where she was standing. ¡°Oh, is this your Togepi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Jen answered, slightly annoyed. ¡°Togepi wandered off by herself again, isn''t that right?¡± Togepi simply squealed again, and Jen''s expression softened. ¡°It''s okay, Togepi, but you need to stop doing that. We can''t be running around after you all the time.¡± She turned to the newcomer. ¡°I''m Jennifer, by the way. What''s your name?¡±

    ¡°My name''s Stephanie,¡± the girl said proudly, tossing her hair. ¡°I''m on a mission to catch the cutest Pok¨¦mon and be the most adored rainer in the world! I''ll have the most beautiful Pok¨¦mon team around!¡± She took out a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it. ¡°Show ''em what we mean, Eevee!¡± A brown fox-like creature emerged, crying out happily as she landed and posed next to her trainer.

    ¡°What kind of Pok¨¦mon is that?¡± Jen asked as she pulled her Pok¨¦dex from her bag.

    ¡°Eevee, the Evolution Pok¨¦mon.¡± the device announced. ¡°Due to various experiments performed on the species over the years, its genetic code is unstable. It is capable of evolving into seven distinct forms.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I''ve never heard of a Pok¨¦mon evolving that way before.¡± Jen was impressed; this must be a rare Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Where''d you get it?¡±

    ¡°My daddy gave her to me.¡± Stephanie answered, hugging the Normal-type. ¡°She and I are going to travel together and find more cute Pok¨¦mon to add to our team. What about you, what kind of Pok¨¦mon do you have besides Togepi?¡±

    ¡°I''ll show you. Guys, come on over!¡± The rest of Jen''s group hurried over, lining up in front of her. ¡°This is my team right here.¡± Stephanie looked at each one with an admiring look, but squealed in disgust when she saw Elekid.

    ¡°Eek! How can you have such a scary-looking Pok¨¦mon?!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Jen was really annoyed now. ¡°What''s wrong with Elekid?¡±

    ¡°It''s so creepy-looking!¡± Stephanie recoiled as Elekid moved towards her, and Jen stepped in front of him to prevent any danger. ¡°Your other Pok¨¦mon are alright, but Elekid''s just too scary. I''d have caught a better-looking Pok¨¦mon than that.¡±

    ¡°Elekid just happens to have won me the Plain Badge.¡± Jen responded, trying hard to keep herself under control. She hadn''t known this girl for five minutes and already they were at odds. ¡°That makes him a valuable member of the team, it doesn''t matter what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°But...but...¡± Stephanie composed herself. ¡°Oh, what difference does it make? While you''re battling with that Elekid, Eevee and I are going to be making a name for ourselves! We''ll be famous, no doubt about it!¡±

    ¡°Not if you only focus on appearances, you won''t.¡± James had walked over, wondering what all the ruckus was about. Stephanie looked at him and brightened, instantly ending the tirade she''d just embarked on.

    ¡°And who are you?¡± she asked, a smile making its way onto her face. James raised his eyebrows at the sudden change in her temperament.

    ¡°Uh, I''m James, and I''m Jen''s traveling partner. Let me warn you now, you wouldn''t like the look of my team either.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it doesn''t matter,¡± she said, and now her expression was one James didn''t exactly feel comfortable with. ¡°If they have a cute trainer, it makes up for their appearance.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Jen shouted, but James shook his head. His face had turned red after Stephanie''s comment.

    ¡°Jen, ignore her. Stephanie, I don''t care what my Pok¨¦mon look like, as long as they get the job done and we have fun doing it. You shouldn''t worry so much about how you and your team look.¡±

    ¡°But having a good-looking team is the most important thing!¡± Realizing she wasn''t going to drop the matter, James decided to end the conversation before things got even more hectic.

    ¡°Hey, Jen, you want to turn in? We''ve got to get going tomorrow, so we''ll need to rest up before we do.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jen recalled her Pok¨¦mon and headed into the Centre in a huff. James watched her leave as he recalled his own team, and turned to Stephanie.

    ¡°Looks like you two didn''t exactly make a good impression on one another.¡±

    ¡°It''s her own fault for being so sensitive. All I said was...¡±

    ¡°I know what you said. You''ve got your priorities, she''s got hers.¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Stephanie smiled. ¡°Okay, then, you win. I meant it, though, a good-looking trainer can override their team''s look.¡±

    ¡°What does that...?¡± James went redder than ever and he ran inside himself, eager to distance himself from the new girl. Stephanie smiled to herself as she watched him.

    ¡°He was pretty cute, huh, Eevee?¡± Eevee growled back in cheerful assent, and Stephanie walked back in herself, knowing she''d become Jen''s rival without the other girl knowing it.

 24-A Walk in the Park

    The next morning saw James and Jen start the short run up Route 35 towards the National Park. Quilava was back to his old self, which made James happy, but Jen reminded him that they couldn''t go charging forward again. James knew she was right, and he wasn''t about to go disobeying Nurse Joy''s orders regarding his best pal; the last thing he needed was the Fire-type collapsing again.

    Stephanie, the girl they''d had a run-in with the night before, was nowhere to be seen, which both youngsters were relieved about for differing reasons. Jen was still fuming about what Stephanie had said about her Elekid, while James was still trying to figure out why she had talked to him the way she did. As they exited the northern gatehouse and hit the open road again, James turned to Jen, hoping she could enlighten him.

    ¡°Hey, Jen, what was all that about last night?¡±

    ¡°What was what all about?¡±

    ¡°That stuff with the girl we ran into. Why did she start acting so weird when I showed up?¡± Jen stiffened at the mention of Stephanie, and she shook her head.

    ¡°I don''t know or care, because I don''t remember much of it to be honest. She was just so stuck up and vain, I couldn''t stand it. Why, did she say something to you?¡±

    ¡°Well, one minute you two were arguing back and forth about Elekid, the next she''s calling me cute and acting real strange. It weirded me out a bit.¡±

    ¡°Who knows?!¡± Jen answered, with a tone that suggested James drop the matter. ¡°I didn''t like her, that I know, so can we please talk about something else? I can think of a thousand things more important than her.¡± James nodded, turning his attention to Quilava, who was quietly walking along by his right leg.

    ¡°You alright, buddy?¡± Quilava growled an affirmative, and James scratched behind his ears as they continued along. The Fire-type hadn''t witnessed the previous night''s exchange, and didn''t think it was his business anyway. James would certainly have called him over if he needed him, but he probably wouldn''t have been much help. He was content just walking along, and James wouldn''t have had it any other way.

    <hr>

    They walked along the river that ran along much of the route, and both James and Quilava were grateful that a fence separated them from the water. Jen cared little for the barrier, and she leaned over it so she could see the clear water more easily. Magikarp leapt high in the air every so often, and various other Water-types were swimming in the river too. James stayed back, but was impressed with the height the Magikarp were attaining; for a Pok¨¦mon with a reputation for weakness in battle, it had a massive leap.

    As they continued, they saw various people heading in the same direction. It was mostly tourists, but a few of them were dressed like they were headed for a track meet, not a relaxing stroll in the National Park. James stopped one of them and asked where they were headed.

    ¡°Oh, we''re going to the Pok¨¦athlon Dome. It just opened, and we''re hoping to win a few medals there.¡± James was intrigued, but knew that neither he nor Quilava were up to the competition just yet. He might enter someday, just not today.

    The Park itself was quiet, with lines of trees surrounding patches of tall grass. Parents walked around with small children, admiring the scenery and watching various wild Pok¨¦mon scurrying through the grass. Several Bug Catchers ran through with their nets, hoping to catch one of the many Bug-types that lived in the Park, a sight so common that no-one bothered staring. Jen looked at the calm scenes and was instantly glad they''d come; she''d heard about how pretty Sinnoh''s Amity Square was, but seeing the Johto park was breathtaking.

    ¡°This place is great, huh, James?¡± she said, admiring the trees lining the paths. James nodded, only half paying attention.

    ¡°It''s better than a cave, or a thick forest. You can actually see where you''re going here.¡± Jen giggled; she had long gotten used to James'' fear of caves. ¡°The scenery''s nice, though, it''s not too different from back home.¡± Quilava growled quietly; he was growing impatient, aiming to burn off some of his pent-up energy. James put a calming hand on the Fire-type''s head, wordlessly telling him to ease off; this was no time to be getting worked up.

    As they kept walking, they saw a tall young man staring at the ground. James looked intently at him, wondering what he could possibly be looking for. Quilava, tired of his inactivity, ran over to where the young man was standing before James could stop him, only to stop short as a small yellow Pok¨¦mon leapt out of the ground right in front of him. The Pok¨¦mon rolled up and spun a few times in midair before landing hard, uncurling its body as it landed.

    ¡°Whoa, what was that?¡± Jen was impressed with the Pok¨¦mon''s movements, even if she didn''t know what species it was yet. The young man looked over and saw her, then Quilava, and grinned.

    ¡°Came to see the show, huh?¡± The young man''s red hair was cut very short, and his eyes were a warm blue.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°You might say so,¡± James answered, running over to Quilava. ¡°Quilava''s a bit restless at the moment, and he''s always curious when there''s an unseen Pok¨¦mon around.¡±

    ¡°He''s got that hunter''s instinct, huh?¡± The young man looked at the yellow Pok¨¦mon, then turned back to the two youngsters. ¡°My name''s Mason, and this is my buddy Sandshrew.¡± The Pok¨¦mon at his side waved, and James took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    ¡°Sandshrew, the Mouse Pok¨¦mon. This Ground-type Pok¨¦mon spends most of its time in underground burrows, and only emerges when it hunts.¡±

    ¡°So it''s a Ground-type,¡± James murmured, putting the device away. ¡°So, were you and Sandshrew practicing hunting or something?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, we''re working on a battle strategy. Since Sandshrew isn''t the quickest Pok¨¦mon in the world, we''re working on using its Dig to avoid enemies.¡±

    ¡°That''s a strategy that Whitney used!¡± Jen remembered hers and James'' battles with the Goldenrod Leader''s Furret, and how it had managed to create havoc with its speed. ¡°Her Furret was so fast, we could barely get a hit in.¡±

    ¡°Well, we''re not quite as fast, but we''ll make up for that.¡± Mason turned to James. ¡°You know, Quilava could probably learn how to use Dig too. I can teach him, if you want.¡±

    ¡°You could?¡± James looked at Quilava, who had perked up at the sound of his name. Having the move would help a lot, particularly against opponents with an advantage. ¡°What do you think, Quilava? Want to give it a try?¡± Quilava grinned and nodded, and James smiled too. ¡°Okay, Mason, you''re on.¡±

    ¡°Great! We''ll start in a few minutes.¡±

    <hr>

    Mason started the lesson by having Sandshrew perform the move at full speed, to show what the move should look like when done properly. The Ground-type dove underground quickly, then leaped out a few seconds later.

    ¡°The idea behind this move is unpredictability,¡± Mason explained. ¡°Since your opponent normally won''t know where you are underground, you have the element of surprise. But it''s on you to know when and where to emerge.¡±

    ¡°How do we know when to jump out?¡±

    ¡°Well, it''s usually pretty straightforward: you remember where the opponent was when you burrowed, and then attack them while they''re looking for you. You might run into trouble with a more mobile opponent, or one who has a high speed rating. In addition, some Pok¨¦mon like Quagsire or Onix can sense the vibrations underground and avoid you, and some can''t be hit by it at all. But the vibrations work both ways. Quilava should be able to sense his opponent''s moves from underground, and use that to determine where his target is.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I get it. So, how do we get underground in the first place?¡±

    ¡°I''ll show you. Sandshrew, use Dig, but real slow so Quilava can watch.¡± Sandshrew nodded, then began frantically scratching at the ground in front of him. ¡°You can start by practicing that, Quilava. Use your front paws to dig the hole, then use them again when you come out.¡± Quilava growled quietly, then started digging at the ground himself. Soon there was a small pile of dirt next to him as he burrowed further down, then he stopped digging and looked at James.

    ¡°There you go, Quilava. You''re getting the hang of it.¡±

    ¡°He sure is. Okay, now that you''ve got the hole dug, you can start burrowing sideways. Keep doing the same thing as before.¡± Quilava nodded and started digging to his left, but this time his movements were faster and more confident. ¡°That''s right, keep at it. You can move faster as you get better.¡±

    ¡°Quilava sure learns quick.¡± Jen was sitting against a tree nearby, watching closely. She''d let her Pok¨¦mon out, and they were running with the rest of James'' team nearby. ¡°I bet he''ll master this skill soon.¡±

    ¡°He sure is determined.¡± Mason watched Quilava dig his tunnel with quiet fascination. Most non-Ground-type Pok¨¦mon took much longer to pick up this skill, but Quilava was surpassing his expectations. ¡°That''s a good quality for a Pok¨¦mon to have.¡±

    ¡°Quilava never gives up, just like James.¡± Jen said. ¡°That''s why they get along so well.¡± James shook his head and watched as the ground near Mason began to shake slightly. ¡°Is he trying to dig his way out now?¡±

    ¡°Yes he is. Hold it, Quilava!¡± Mason shouted, and the digging stopped. ¡°Alright, now we''re going to practice locating a target from underground. Go backward a little.¡± After a few seconds, Mason sent Sandshrew to provide an objective. ¡°Okay, Quilava, try to sense where Sandshrew''s moving. It''ll be tough at first, but that''s all part of learning the move.¡± He directed Sandshrew to move slowly, so Quilava would have a lower chance of emerging in the wrong place. No sooner had Sandshrew started to circle the area that Quilava began digging up the ground beneath it, causing the Ground-type to jump in surprise. Quilava emerged and slammed into Sandshrew, knocking it over with a triumphant growl. James smiled and nodded at his starter, knowing he was ready to keep going.

    ¡°Alright, Quilava, you''re getting there! Try it again, and try to dig a little faster this time.¡± Quilava nodded back and dug another hole, already on the way to mastering the move.

    <hr>

    After a while, Quilava was able to dive underground without really moving his body that much. Mastering the move, as Mason told them, would take work, but being able to dig with minimal effort was a key to the attack. Most Pok¨¦mon using it didn''t look like they did much of anything, seemingly cutting through the ground as if it were butter. James was pleased with what he saw, and knew he could help Quilava master the move.

    ¡°Quilava''s got it. All we''ve got to do is practice.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I have to hand it to you guys, you sure catch on fast. I wasn''t sure if Quilava would be able to learn the move quickly, since he''s not a Ground-type, but he proved me wrong. All he''s got to practice is speed and timing. Just remember what I told you about opposing countermeasures; a skilled opponent will be able to stop Quilava in his tracks before he can even get underground.¡±

    ¡°We''ll do that.¡± Jen walked over and smiled at Quilava, who was now napping near James'' right shoe.

    ¡°It looks like Quilava''s ready to pack it in after all that hard work.¡±

    ¡°It does.¡± Mason grinned at the Fire-type. ¡°Alright, guys, I''ve got to go, I''m hoping to hit the Pok¨¦athlon Dome tomorrow. Keep practicing and stay safe.¡±

    ¡°We will, Mason. Thanks for all your help.¡± With that, Mason waved goodbye and moved south with Sandshrew in tow, while James, Jen and Quilava began to walk towards the exit of the Park.

 25-I Aint Afraid of No Ghost-Type!

    Both Routes 36 and 37 took several days to traverse, and the two youngsters used the long trek

    to train their Pok¨¦mon and formulate strategies for the upcoming Ecruteak Gym. Quilava spent their training sessions working on his newly-learned Dig, usually pairing with Graveler despite the Rock-type''s weakness to the move. The improvised training sessions also saw Pidgey finally evolve into Pidgeotto, with the transformation coming during a battle with Jen''s Zubat. James had scanned his newly-evolved Flying-type, and knew that he could work the Bird Pok¨¦mon into his battle plans.

    The gate to Ecruteak City came into view the next evening. Jen had heard stories about the old city, particularly its two towers. James wasn''t that interested in the folklore surrounding Ecruteak; at the moment, all he was concerned about was his upcoming Gym battle, but Jen convinced him to check out the towers after they finished the Ecruteak Gym. They entered the city and checked into the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and James immediately made a beeline for the door so they could hit the Gym.

    ¡°James, hold it!¡± Jen wasn''t about to let him run off that easily. ¡°Can we at least relax for an hour? We''ve been on the go for weeks now, and Nurse Joy told you to slow it down. Remember Quilava?¡± James stopped and remembered Quilava''s illness; the thought sobered him, and he conceded the point.

    ¡°Alright, we''ll rest up for a bit, then we''ve gotta hit the Gym. I''m so fired up about this one I can barely sit still.¡±

    ¡°That''s how you always are, whether you have a Gym battle or not. You need to learn to chill out once in a while.¡± Quilava growled in agreement; he liked the punishing pace as much as James did, but it felt nice to stop and take things easier on occasion. Yawning, the Fire-type closed his eyes and waited for his master to call him for their battle.

    <hr>

    An hour and a half later, they were walking over to the Ecruteak Gym. Mobs of tourists, almost as large as they''d seen in Goldenrod, made their way through the city streets, and it took a lot of effort for the youngsters and Quilava to stick together. Old buildings lined the road, adding to the city''s quiet, antiquated atmosphere. James knew the city was even older than Violet, and he saw similarities to his hometown as they walked towards their destination.

    The Ecruteak Gym wasn''t dissimilar from the other buildings in the city, with a sloping roof that came to a sharp point at the top. Various torches hung outside the double doors, unlit in the mid-afternoon sunshine. As they entered, Jen noticed the various tributes to Ghost Pok¨¦mon scratched on the walls, fitting given the nature of the Gym. A young man with blond hair stood a ways off, contemplating one of these carvings. His long violet scarf looked ragged towards the end, which was tipped with red, and his headband was the same colour.

    ¡°Strange,¡± he murmured to himself as the youngsters approached. ¡°The portents in the carvings aren''t usually this pronounced...unless I''m reading them wrongly...¡±

    ¡°Um, sir?¡± Jen piped up, jerking the young man from his contemplation.

    ¡°Huh? Who''s there...?¡± He looked at Jen and grinned, his earlier behaviour forgotten. ¡°Oh, hey there. I assume you''re here for a challenge?¡±

    ¡°Well, not exactly. My friend here wants to go first.¡± James stepped forward with Quilava, who eyed the young man warily.

    ¡°Ah, I see. Welcome to the Ecruteak Gym. My name is Morty, and I''m the leader here. I specialize in Ghost-type Pok¨¦mon, so be prepared.¡±

    ¡°I''m James from Violet City, and this is my traveling partner Jennifer.¡± When Quilava growled, James added quickly, ¡°And this is my buddy Quilava.¡±

    ¡°Good to meet you all. So, shall we get this going? I''m eager to see your skill in battle.¡±

    ¡°Let''s do it,¡± James answered, and they headed inward to the battlefield.

    <hr>

    The main battle area was dimly lit, and shadows criscrossed one another by the faint torchlight. James felt an instant chill; this place was no better than a cave. Quilava stood by his side, calming his nerves a little. It wouldn''t do to show any fear in front of Morty; maintaining a front was important. Jen watched from the stands, knowing the conditions would be affecting James pretty badly right now. Hopefully, he could power through that, but she was still concerned for him.

    A judge stepped into a circle of torchlight and began the usual pre-battle sermon.

    ¡°Attention! This Gym Battle between Morty the Ecruteak Gym Leader and James the challenger from Violet City will now begin!

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Morty

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    The prize for victory is a Fog Badge! Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the battle will be over when all three Pok¨¦mon on either side are unable to continue. In addition, only the challenger is permitted to substitute during battle. Trainers ready?¡±

    ¡°Set to battle,¡± Morty called out, his expression half-hidden by shadow. ¡°How about you, James?¡±

    ¡°I''m ready!¡± James took a deep breath as he steeled himself for battle. It was time to go for his fourth badge.

    ¡°Very well then. Battle begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Haunter, let''s go!¡± Morty''s first Pok¨¦ball revealed a dark purple Pok¨¦mon with large eyes and a set of sharp, pointed teeth. Its hands were disconnected from its body, and it wagged its tongue in an attempt to indimidate its opponent. James held back a shudder as he threw his Pok¨¦ball, his arm shaking.

    ¡°Gastly''s evolved form. Come on out, Graveler!¡± The Rock-type assumed his usual calm stance, watching Haunter carefully. Haunter tried the same trick he had on James, but Graveler simply stood, unimpressed with the display. ¡°Graveler, use Defense Curl!¡±

    ¡°Haunter, use Night Shade!¡± Haunter''s glowing eyes turned red, and it fired a black beam of energy at Graveler. The Rock-type simply took the hit with no visible damage apparent.

    ¡°Alright, Rollout!¡± Graveler rolled up and hurtled at Haunter, ready to deliver a punishing hit.

    ¡°Dodge, Haunter!¡± Haunter ducked out of the way, floating effortlessly to the right as Graveler flew through the air.

    ¡°What?¡± James couldn''t believe it; he''d never seen Graveler miss like that. ¡°Alright, see how you like this! Magnitude, Graveler!¡± James remembered that his Gastly was partly a Poison-type, and so its evolved form would have the same weaknesses to Ground-type moves.

    ¡°Haunter, get ready!¡± The attack shook the Gym, but Haunter simply laughed, causing James to step back in terror. The move had failed! ¡°Sorry, James. Because of its Levitate ability, Haunter''s not going to be hurt by any Ground-type moves. I''m afraid you''ve come up short.¡±

    ¡°No, we haven''t! Graveler, Rollout again!¡± Graveler charged again, and Haunter once again floated away.

    ¡°Alright, I think we''re ready to mount our main attack.¡± Morty''s grin was made even more frightening by the flickering torchlight, and James now closed his eyes, overcome by his surroundings. ¡°Haunter, it''s time! Use Hypnosis!¡± Haunter used its hands to form a black circle, which it pushed towards Graveler. Graveler took the move head-on and closed his eyes, succumbing to the sleep-inducing attack. ¡°Now, Dream Eater!¡±

    ¡°Graveler, wake up, quick!¡± James thought he knew what was coming, and he didn''t like it. Haunter created a shadow of itself, which flew through Graveler''s body. The Rock-type shuddered, but remained locked in slumber. ¡°Graveler!¡±

    ¡°Alright, Haunter, finish this up! One more Dream Eater should do it!¡± Haunter repeated his attack, and when it finished, Graveler''s eyes opened, only to reveal the dazed look associated with a knockout.

    ¡°Graveler is unable to battle! Haunter is the winner!¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    <hr>

    ¡°No way!¡± Jen watched helplessly as Graveler went down. She could tell the conditions were making James lose his nerve, and the quick defeat of one of his more powerful Pok¨¦mon, especially without landing a hit, wasn''t going to help matters. ¡°That Haunter''s scary, and it really tore through Graveler. James needs to calm down quick, or he''s gonna lose this one.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Graveler, return!¡± James'' voice shook as he recalled the Rock Pok¨¦mon. He took a long, deep breath and let it out, trying to calm himself down. He hadn''t been prepared for this; Ghosts were tricky, but he thought they would be a straightforward challenge. As he took out his second Pok¨¦ball, he felt Quilava nudge his leg.

    ¡°What''s up, buddy?¡± Quilava pointed to the battlefield, his meaning clear. ¡°You''re gonna have to wait, pal. I''ve got a plan.¡± James tossed the Pok¨¦ball, fighting to stop his arm from shaking. ¡°Pidgeotto, let''s go!¡± The bird that emerged had red plumage on her head and alternating red and yellow tail feathers. Her wings were much wider than her previous form''s, but her sharp eyes maintained their characteristic look of disdain. James trusted her sharp eyes to keep Haunter in her sights, and hoped she could take the ghost down.

    ¡°A Normal-type.¡± Morty was aware that any Ghost-type moves he used wouldn''t work on Pidgeotto, but Haunter had enough techniques to trouble the bird. ¡°Okay, Haunter, let''s get this going! Use Hypnosis!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, Pidgeotto!¡± Pidgeotto spread her wings and glided above the black rings that flew towards her. ¡°Alright, now use Wing Attack!¡± The resultant strike knocked Haunter back further than James anticipated. Pidgeotto rocketed towards the Ghost-type and slammed her wing into it again, causing more damage.

    ¡°Haunter, get out of there!¡± If there was one thing Morty knew about Ghost-types, it was that they weren''t the most resilient. Even a few hits could knock Haunter out, and Morty wasn''t keen on letting that happen.

    ¡°Get after it, Pidgeotto! Wing Attack once more!¡± Pidgeotto''s strike caused Haunter to shrink back, cowed by the physical assault. ¡°Now Gust! Blow it away!¡±

    ¡°No! Haunter, use Hypnosis!¡± Haunter couldn''t even get the attack away; Pidgeotto''s wind attack blew it down to the floor, where it didn''t move.

    ¡°Haunter is unable to battle! Pidgeotto is the winner!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Way to take it down, Pidgeotto!¡± James felt himself relax a little after beating Haunter. Only two Pok¨¦mon remained before he could get out of this place, but it wouldn''t be easy.

    <hr>

    ¡°I must say, I''m impressed.¡± Morty called from across the Gym. ¡°To come back from a defeat by blowing Haunter away? Your Pidgeotto is something to behold.¡± He took out another Pok¨¦ball and held it out. ¡°But you''re not beating my next Pok¨¦mon! Misdreavus, let''s go!¡± This next opponent looked more solid than Haunter, and its glowing red eyes, along with the gems around its neck, made it stand out in the gloom. From the stand, Jen trained her Pok¨¦dex on the red glow.

    ¡°Misdreavus, the Screech Pok¨¦mon.¡± the device announced. ¡°This Pok¨¦mon likes to startle people by pulling their hair or shrieking in the darkness.¡±

    James looked over at Pidgeotto, who was already glaring at Misdreavus. The Ghost-type''s red glow would make it an easy target, and James knew Pidgeotto could do it.

    ¡°Alright, Pidgeotto, let''s get after it! Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Misdreavus, Confuse Ray!¡± The Screech Pok¨¦mon waited for Pidgeotto to approach, then shone an eerie violet light directly into her eyes. Pidgeotto managed to land a hit, but the light sent her reeling away, looking back and forth wildly.

    ¡°No, Pidgeotto!¡± James knew that the confusion would cause a lot of problems, and the only real way to shake it off was recalling her. Before he could raise the Pok¨¦ball to do so, though, Morty called out yet another move.

    ¡°Mean Look!¡± Pidgeotto was surrounded by a pair of black circlets which faded once they hit. The red light from James'' Pok¨¦ball dissipated as soon as it appeared; Pidgeotto was stuck in battle until she was taken down or beat Misdreavus.

    ¡°Pidgeotto!¡± The bird thrashed wildly in midair, unaware of what was going on around her. James started to panic; he couldn''t call her back, and even though Misdreavus'' attacks might not have an effect, he had to hope Pidgeotto shook off the confusion.

    ¡°Alright, Misdreavus, Perish Song!¡± James held his ears as Misdreavus unleashed a piercing, shrieking cry that shook the Gym. Morty grinned when the noise ended. ¡°It may cost me Misdreavus, but I''m willing to take the risk. With Perish Song, Misdreavus and Pidgeotto will both go down in less than a minute. I suggest you try to attack now.¡±

    ¡°You bet we will! Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack!¡± Pidgeotto looked at him with wide eyes, but she raced at Misdreavus and slapped it with her wing. ¡°Alright, Gust attack!¡±

    ¡°Psywave!¡± Misdreavus let off a wave of blue energy that distorted the air around it. The move didn''t do much to Pidgeotto, but the stress of the attack did snap Pidgeotto out of her confusion. The bird narrowed her eyes and raced at Misdreavus once again, ready to finish it off. The move slammed Misdreavus to the floor, and Pidgeotto''s body was surrounded in a black light as Perish Song took effect. Both Pok¨¦mon lay on the ground, finished for the day.

    ¡°Both Pidgeotto and Misdreavus are unable to battle! This round is a draw!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°No way!¡± Jen couldn''t believe Morty''s strategy; it seemed callous to sacrifice one of his own Pok¨¦mon. ¡°He''s confident that he can win this fight...¡± She looked at James. ¡°It''s one on one now. I only hope Quilava can pull this off.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°James, it''s time for our final battle. Who''re you going to call?¡± James grinned and turned to his Fire-type.

    ¡°Quilava, you''re up, pal.¡± Quilava ran out onto the field, igniting his fire vents in a show of defiance. James'' nerves calmed as he watched the Fire-type; he had been waiting for this battle, and he wouldn''t let his trainer down. ¡°Let''s finish this up, Morty! I''m ready to win that Fog Badge!¡±

    ¡°You won''t find it easy, James. Gengar, let''s go!¡± Morty tossed his final Pok¨¦ball out onto the field. The ghost that emerged had glowing red eyes and a wide, toothy grin, and it floated a few feet off the ground as it stared at its opponents. As soon as it appeared, James felt the room grow colder, as if Gengar could suck the heat out of a room just by being there. He took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan this new opponent.

    ¡°Gengar, the Shadow Pok¨¦mon, and the final evolved form of Gastly. Its body acts as a heat sink, dropping the temperature around it by up to ten degrees. To frighten people, it imitates their shadow and then jumps at them when they notice.¡± James shivered, and not just from the cold; Gengar sounded like a scary proposition. Quilava reacted to the cold by intensifying the flames on his head and tail, determined not to let the Ghost-type beat him.

    ¡°Okay, then, Quilava, let''s beat this thing! Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava wrapped his body in fire, then jumped at Gengar, ready to strike.

    ¡°Gengar, drop into the shadows!¡± Gengar''s eyes glowed, but the rest of its body seemed to disappear in the gloom. Quilava''s flaming body shot past his target, and he growled angrily as he landed.

    ¡°Alright, Quilava, stay calm! Use Flamethrower!¡± The attack illuminated part of the area, but didn''t come anywhere near Gengar. ¡°Don''t give up! Flamethrower again!¡±

    ¡°Gengar, Shadow Punch!¡± Quilava was hit with an attack from his left, knocking him off his feet. He let out a burst of fire in retaliation, but Gengar was already gone.

    ¡°Quilava, hang in there!¡± Fighting an enemy he couldn''t see was hard; the only thing he could see was the glow of Gengar''s eyes...the eyes! ¡°Quilava, aim for the red glow and use Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Not happening! Gengar, Shadow Punch!¡± Another strike knocked Quilava over again, and no flames came forth. ¡°Now, Shadow Punch once more!¡±

    ¡°Quilava, Flame Wheel!¡± This time, Quilava''s attack hit home, knocking Gengar''s Shadow Punch away and causing some minor damage to the ghost. ¡°Alright, you''ve got it on the run! Flame Wheel again!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Quilava took the hit head-on, and he tried to scorch the area from which the attack came. This went on for a while, Gengar launching one Shadow Punch after the next with Quilava trying in vain to strike back. James'' nerves were on edge as he watched his friend take hit after hit. Quilava would fight to the end, but James hated seeing him get pummeled like this.

    ¡°Quilava, stay strong!¡± Quilava growled defiantly, but James could tell his strength was waning. Gengar landed another Shadow Punch, and he dropped to the floor, breathing hard. ¡°No, Quilava!¡± At that moment, the flames on Quilava''s body intensified, bathing the entire room in a harsh red glow. Quilava''s eyes shone a dark orange, and the light from his fire instantly showed Gengar''s position. ¡°What''s up with Quilava now?¡±

    ¡°That, James, is your Quilava''s special ability, Blaze. When its vitality becomes low, Blaze powers up its Fire-type moves.¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± James knew it wasn''t the best situation, but he also knew that the intensity of the flames would help Quilava see Gengar, making it easier to hit. ¡°Okay, Quilava, let''s get going! Use Flamethrower!¡± The resultant fire looked even hotter than before, and it traveled so quickly that Gengar couldn''t evade. It shrank back from the scorching flames, and glared at Quilava with its glowing eyes.

    ¡°I didn''t want to have to resort to this, but I''ve got no other option. Gengar, Shadow Ball!¡± Gengar fired a black ball of energy teeming with purple sparks at Quilava, who launched another Flamethrower to stop it. ¡°Shadow Punch!¡±

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± The fire slammed into Gengar, knocking it onto the ground, temporarily winded. James'' chance had come. ¡°Alright, Flame Wheel! End this!¡± Quilava''s body became a torpedo of hot, orange fire as it rocketed towards Gengar. The Shadow Pok¨¦mon could do nothing to stop Quilava from hammering into it, knocking it out at last. Quilava roared triumphantly as his flames calmed, and the room reassumed its semi-darkness.

    ¡°Gengar is unable to battle and Quilava''s the winner! Therefore, the winner is James from Violet City!¡± James ran out onto the battlefield and hugged his starter, relieved that the battle was finally over. Morty recalled Gengar and took a moment to observe his challenger.

    ¡°He overcame his fear and beat us. I''m impressed. He really is a strong trainer.¡± Morty walked over to James, who was still congratulating Quilava on his victory. ¡°James, you really stuck this one out. Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Morty.¡± James saw the lights in the Gym come on, lighting up the building. ¡°It wasn''t easy; see, I''m not such a fan of dark places, as much as I hate to admit it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you battled admirably. And here''s your prize.¡± The small, purplish badge Morty handed James was shaped like a ghost with two slanted white eyes. James took the badge and stared at it for a moment; this one had been a tough one to earn. Jen came down from the stands and tapped James on the shoulder, giggling as he jumped.

    ¡°Way to go, James. You may not like the dark, but you battled well.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jen. It''s your turn tomorrow, so you''d better be ready. Morty''s not easy to beat.¡±

    ¡°We''ll do it, no problem!¡± The two youngsters laughed, then headed out of the Gym to rest.

 26-Jen Richards, Junior Ghostbuster

    Jen worked her team hard when she and James returned to the Pok¨¦mon Centre after James'' Gym victory. Now that she''d had a chance to see how Morty and his ghosts battled, she could come up with a strategy to take them out. Even though she had an idea of her team selection, she wanted to give the team a last run-out before deciding who to send into battle.

    ¡°I''m pretty sure I''m gonna send out the same team that battled Whitney,¡± she told James after about an hour''s practice. ¡°Togepi''s Metronome is too unpredictable, and the Gym''s environment will freak Pichu out, so she''s gonna have to sit. Now all I have to do is work on these guys'' movement and accuracy. I don''t like the idea of going in against that Gengar, so I''m gonna have to come up with a strategy to pin it down.¡±

    ¡°You''re gonna have to do something unexpected. I was lucky that Quilava''s Blaze kicked in, otherwise I would''ve been finished. No offense, Jen, but I don''t think your Pok¨¦mon are up to a direct assault.¡±

    ¡°I know that. My best attacker is Magby, but she can''t take on three Ghost-types head-on by herself. I''ll think of something, we just need to practice for a while.¡±

    ¡°Well, let''s get back to it, then. Those ghosts are tough to beat.¡± Jen nodded, and the gang got right back to their training.

    At about seven that evening, Jen called a halt to the day''s training, and the gang reluctantly stopped their intent preparation for the morning''s challenge. Magby in particular was raring to go, and Jen had to talk the Fire-type out of any more practicing.

    ¡°Magby, you need to rest up for tomorrow. I need you and the others to be at peak energy to battle those ghosts, so we''re done training for today. Okay?¡± Magby hung her head, then darted a few yards away. ¡°Hey, don''t run off! I just don''t want you to overdo it, Magby. Please don''t get upset.¡± Magby closed her eyes and huffed, then nodded. Jen recalled her and sighed. ¡°I guess Magby''s a little too eager, huh?¡±

    ¡°She''s itching to jump into battle, all right.¡± James was finishing up with recalling his own team, and then moved to see how Quilava was feeling. ¡°You alright, buddy?¡± Quilava growled in affirmation, ready for a good night''s rest. Jen giggled as the Fire-type made a beeline for the sliding doors to the Pok¨¦mon Centre.

    ¡°Looks like Quilava''s ready to drop, James.¡± James shook his head and followed the Volcano Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I''ll meet you in the cafeteria, okay? I''m gonna take Quilava to our room so he can get some sleep. Even though he got healed up, today''s battle took a lot out of him.¡± Jen nodded and looked at the pink-tinged clouds as James caught up with his starter.

    She knew what she wanted to do in tomorrow''s battle; the trick was being able to pull it off. Morty employed the kind of strategies she had begun to use herself: quick strikes and withdrawals, using the surrounding environment to mask his Pok¨¦mon''s movements. The trouble was, the battle environment would be against her the entire time unless she did something about it. Add in the limited scope of her team''s attacking capabilities, the environment would have to be neutralized. But how?

    Shaking her head, Jen walked into the Pok¨¦mon Centre to meet James in the cafeteria. She would finalize her strategy tomorrow; right now, she was too hungry to think anymore.

    <hr>

    The next morning, the two youngsters had a short training session before heading for the Ecruteak Gym. Jen had kept her silence on how she would take on Morty, but James knew she was ready for anything. Quilava''s eyes darted from one thing to the next as he slunk alongside the pair, on edge for some reason.

    As they entered the Gym, they found Morty waiting for them.

    ¡°All right, you''re here. Ready to go?¡±

    ¡°You know it.¡±

    ¡°Cool, let''s get started, then.¡± Morty headed to the battlefield, and the youngsters followed him. James headed for the stands, while Jen started looking at the placements of the unlit torches on the walls. As she reached the challenger''s technical area, the judge began his speech from the midline of the field.

    ¡°Attention! This Ecruteak Gym battle between Jennifer, the challenger from Violet City, and Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader will now begin!

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Morty

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    A Fog Badge is the prize! Each side may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the battle will end when all three Pok¨¦mon on either side are unable to continue! Additionally, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions during battle! Trainers ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready!¡± Jen shouted, taking out a Pok¨¦ball. Morty grinned.

    ¡°So am I. Don''t think we''ll be easy to stop, Jennifer. You saw what we''re capable of yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m not leaving without a badge, and we''re ready to go!¡±

    ¡°Alright, battle begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Misdreavus, let''s go!¡± The blackish Screech Pok¨¦mon floated in the faint torchlight behind Morty, prepared for battle. Jen smiled, then tossed out her own Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Magby, come on out!¡± Embers dripped from the Fire-type''s mouth as she emerged, lighting the area around her for brief moments before they cooled. Jen took one more look around the darkened gym, then sprang into action. ¡°Okay, Magby, just like we planned! Spin and use Ember!¡± Magby jumped up as she spun, and Jen ducked as a fire bolt zipped over her head. The attack wasn''t random, either; one by one, the remaining unlit torches on the walls began to glow as they were set alight, illuminating the entire room.

    ¡°She neutralized the cover of darkness by using Magby''s Fire-type moves to light the torches.¡± Morty grinned; he''d never seen anyone try that before, and he was genuinely impressed. ¡°Alright, Misdreavus, don''t let that Magby beat you! Confuse Ray!¡±

    ¡°Get moving, Magby!¡± Magby darted forward, sidestepping the disorienting purple light as her fist caught fire. ¡°Okay, Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Psywave!¡± Misdreavus released the harsh blue waves of psychic energy straight at Magby, who couldn''t avoid them. The attack knocked her down, and Misdreavus floated closer.

    ¡°Quick, Ember!¡± The fire bolts scorched Misdreavus, who shrank back from the move.

    ¡°Psywave again!¡± More psychic energy pushed Magby down as she fought to stand. Misdreavus floated ominously, and Jen started to worry. She was hoping Morty wouldn''t use Perish Song on her, but her mind told her he might try it anyway.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Fire Punch, Magby!¡± Magby jumped up and ran hard at Misdreavus, her fist bursting into flames again. Misdreavus fired off another Psywave, but Magby ducked the blue energy wave and slammed her fist into the Screech Pok¨¦mon''s face. Misdreavus dropped to the floor, heavily damaged. ¡°Alright, follow it up with Ember!¡±

    ¡°No way! Psybeam!¡± This time, a multicoloured beam flashed from the gems on Misdreavus'' body, hitting Magby and knocking her off her feet. Magby held on, got back on her feet, and launched the fire bolts at the ghost, who couldn''t get out of the way in time. It hit the ground again, this time for good.

    ¡°Misdreavus is unable to battle! Magby wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That was some strategy,¡± James murmured as he watched Misdreavus go down. ¡°I wish I''d thought of that yesterday, it would''ve made the battle a lot easier.¡± Quilava growled in annoyance at this, and James turned to the Fire-type. ¡°No, it''s not your fault, buddy. I''m just saying, Jen''s proven herself a lot more perceptive than I am.¡± The Volcano Pok¨¦mon growled again, then slumped down to watch the battle again.

    <hr>

    ¡°Alright, Jennifer, look out, because here comes my next Pok¨¦mon! Haunter, let''s go!¡± The purple gas cloud that emerged formed up and made its usual intimidating face, but Jen just smiled and recalled Magby.

    ¡°Take a break, Magby. I''ll need you later.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball and threw it out onto the field. ¡°Elekid, let''s go!¡± Elekid started spinning his arms as he appeared, readying himself for battle.

    ¡°An Electric-type, huh? Let''s see what it can do, then.¡±

    ¡°Elekid, ThunderShock!¡± Elekid stopped spinning his arms, then fired yellow sparks at Haunter, who simply shrugged them off.

    ¡°Haunter, Night Shade!¡± The resultant black beam struck Elekid in the chest, knocking him down as Haunter floated menacingly towards him.

    ¡°Oh no! Elekid, ThunderShock again!¡±

    ¡°Hypnosis!¡± Haunter released its black hypnotic circles, which caught Elekid and forced him into sleep. ¡°Now, Dream Eater!¡± The shadowy copy swept through Elekid''s body, causing him to shudder.

    ¡°Elekid, you''ve got to wake up, now!¡± Haunter simply laughed at Jen''s panic, and released another shadow-copy, draining more of Elekid''s energy. Elekid reacted to the assault by opening his eyes, but they changed from their hard glare to a dazed, knocked-out stare.

    ¡°Elekid is unable to battle! Haunter wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± James couldn''t help but think that using Elekid was a mistake. Since his only useful move was ThunderShock, it limited Jen''s attacking options. Togepi might have been unreliable, but the resistance to ghosts coupled with Metronome''s occasional devastation might have been better. ¡°She''s got to come back fast. Morty won''t let her get away with much more.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Elekid, return.¡± Jen was stunned, even being able to see Haunter hadn''t helped. She took out her last Pok¨¦ball, hoping for a good run from her final choice. ¡°Zubat, let''s go!¡± Zubat chittered as he was released, flying to Haunter''s level. Jen knew that as a Flying-type, Haunter''s hovering abilities would be less effective. ¡°Alright, start this out with Supersonic!¡± Everyone, even Morty, covered their ears at the harsh noise, but Haunter simply stared at Zubat. ¡°No deal, huh? Alright, Air Cutter!¡±

    ¡°Night Shade!¡± The blade-like air current slashed away at the black energy, and the moves cancelled one another out. ¡°Alright, Haunter, Hypnosis!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, Zubat!¡± Zubat flitted away, avoiding the sleep-inducing move. Jen knew that if a Dream Eater hit, that was likely it for Zubat. ¡°Now, dive and use Bite!¡±

    ¡°Don''t let it go! Hypnosis again!¡± Haunter released more hypnotic rays, but Zubat avoided them and bit hard into the Ghost-type''s hand. Haunter shrank back in pain from the super-effective move, and Zubat bit down hard again.

    ¡°That''s it, Zubat! Don''t let it go!¡± Zubat tried to bite Haunter''s hand again, but the ghost floated away and out of range. ¡°Okay, then, Air Cutter!¡±

    ¡°Use Night Shade to counter!¡± This time, the sharp air cut through the Night Shade and slashed at Haunter, causing more damage.

    ¡°Finish this up, Zubat! Bite attack!¡± Zubat flitted in, too quick for Haunter, and bit hard, causing a small burst of energy and knocking the Ghost-type out.

    ¡°Haunter is unable to battle! Zubat wins!¡±

    ¡°Way to go, Zubat!¡± Jen was relieved that the bat had taken out Haunter with little damage sustained himself. Since Gengar was sure to be a much more significant threat, keeping the damage low was important. ¡°Are you okay to keep going?¡± Zubat chittered back in response, and Jen grinned. ¡°Alright, terrific. Let''s win us that badge!¡±

    ¡°That won''t be easy, Jennifer. Gengar''s not going to lie down and let you guys win, that''s for sure. Here we go!¡± As the Shadow Pok¨¦mon appeared, Jen felt the usual temperature drop, and noticed the lit torches flicker a little.

    ¡°Alright, we can see it, but it''s still not going to be an easy battle. Zubat, let''s hit hard early! Air Cutter!¡±

    ¡°Dark Pulse!¡± As Zubat fired its sharp air current, Gengar clapped its hands together and released its black-and-purple stream of energy. The moves met and created a cloud of smoke that Gengar quickly floated into.

    ¡°Aw, no, now we''ve got to find it again. Zubat, Supersonic! If we can confuse it we might be able to...¡±

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Jen was stopped mid-sentence as Gengar caught Zubat from the side with a hard strike. Zubat tried in vain to find where the hit came from, but this gave Jen an idea. ¡°Zubat, you may not be able to see it, but you can still find it with your sonar!¡± Zubat instantly released another high-frequency shriek, and zipped toward where he thought Gengar was. ¡°Alright, use Bite!¡±

    ¡°I don''t think so! Gengar, Dark Pulse!¡± Gengar shot another convulsing beam at Zubat, who took it full in the face. As he fell, Gengar floated towards him and caught him with another Shadow Punch, ensuring the Poison-type''s defeat.

    ¡°No, Zubat!¡± Jen had been counting on Zubat''s super-effective attacks to weaken Gengar, if not take it down altogether. Even though she still had her best attacker left, it wasn''t an ideal situation.

    <hr>

    ¡°Seeing the opponent and taking them down are two different things,¡± James didn''t like the way this match was turning, it looked just like his match the day before. Magby didn''t have an ability like Quilava''s to bail her out if things got rough, and Gengar''s mobility meant it would be hard to pin down. Quilava simply watched intently, knowing that the ghost would be a challenge for his opposite number.

    Jen took a deep breath as she took out Magby''s Pok¨¦ball. She had battled hard to this point, although it was only through her advance planning that she''d even been in contention. Magby just had to pull this off; they''d worked too hard to lose now.

    ¡°Magby, you''re up!¡± Magby pointed at Gengar as she emerged, and the ghost laughed eerily. Jen was unfazed, and began the match anew. ¡°Magby, let''s do this! Ember!¡±

    ¡°Dark Pulse!¡± Once again, the moves collided and exploded. ¡°Now, drop into the smoke!¡±

    ¡°Ember again!¡± The fire bolts zipped past Gengar as it ducked back into cover, and Jen groaned. ¡°Quick, Magby! Fire Ember into the smoke!¡±

    ¡°Not happening! Dark Pulse again!¡± Fire bolts slammed into the dark energy beam, and once again they cancelled.

    ¡°This isn''t gonna work. Magby, start moving towards it and use Fire Punch!¡± Magby ran for the smoke cloud, which was already starting to disperse, and raised a burning fist.

    ¡°Shadow Punch! Block that move!¡± Ghost met fire and Gengar took the worst of the hit. Magby took the opportunity to blast more flames at the Shadow Pok¨¦mon, scorching it further.

    ¡°That''s the way, Magby! Keep up that Ember!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Ball!¡± Gengar conjured a blob of dark energy that neutralized the flaming darts and crashed into Magby. Magby shrank back, stunned by the powerful attack. ¡°Now, Dark Pulse again!¡±

    ¡°No way! Ember!¡± This time, the burning flurry disintegrated the Dark Pulse attack and hit Gengar again, causing even more damage. ¡°Now, Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Magby took the hit from Gengar, then swung its fist in a hard uppercut. Gengar was caught just below its grinning mouth and knocked the the ground, visibly shaken.

    ¡°Ember!¡± Magby''s attack smashed into the prone Ghost-type, and rendered it down for the count.

    ¡°Gengar is unable to battle! Magby wins, and the victory goes to Jennifer from Violet City!¡± Jen jumped up in delight and headed to the battlefield, wrapping her first Pok¨¦mon in a hug.

    ¡°You did it, Magby, way to go!¡± Magby squeaked in response, happy to have done her trainer proud. As Jen recalled the Fire-type, Morty walked over, holding the Fog Badge in his hand.

    ¡°Well done, Jennifer. You and your team fought well; your strategy to light the torches in the Gym was an inspired move.¡±

    ¡°I knew from James'' battle that being able to see would help, so I tried to use that to my advantage.¡±

    ¡°And it worked to perfection. Here''s your Fog Badge.¡± Jen took the small badge from the Ecruteak Gym Leader, and grinned broadly.

    ¡°Thanks, Morty. Good luck with your future challengers.¡±

    ¡°And good luck on the rest of your journey, Jennifer. I''ll be keeping an eye on your results.¡± Jen thanked Morty again, then ran to meet James at the door.

    ¡°Ready to go?¡± she asked as James and Quilava started towards the exit.

    ¡°Yeah, let''s get out of here, I''ve had it with dark places for a while.¡± Jen punched him on the arm playfully, then followed him out of the Gym.

 27-Traversing the Towers

    James and Jen spent the rest of the day at the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and Jen handed her team over to Nurse Joy for a well-deserved rest. While Magby, Elekid and Zubat were being taken care of, Jen took Pichu and Togepi outside so the pair could get to know each other better. James sat on a bench and looked up into the slowly darkening sky, thinking about what was next as usual.

    ¡°Four Gyms down.¡± He laughed to himself, and Quilava looked at him with a strange expression. ¡°It''s alright, buddy. I''m just thinking, we''re halfway to the Johto League. We''ve only got four Gyms to go, after all.¡± Quilava seemed to decide that this was good enough for him, so he just laid down on the ground next to his trainer. James scratched the Volcano Pok¨¦mon''s ears, feeling Quilava relax beneath his touch. He never could have imagined getting this far so quickly, and so emphatically as well. It hadn''t been easy, but he knew the road ahead was going to be tougher.

    ¡°So James.¡± Jen''s voice broke into James'' thoughts, and he turned to look at her.

    ¡°Hm? What''s up, Jen?¡±

    ¡°I''m thinking we should go explore the city a little tomorrow. You know, see some of the landmarks like we did in Goldenrod.¡±

    ¡°That''s an idea.¡± James knew if he suggested just moving on, he''d get shot down, so he let Jen continue.

    ¡°There''s so much to see here! I''ve been reading the visitor guides to find out which places we should go to. The two towers are worth seeing, and then there''s the Kimono Theatre. Oh, and the Bellchime Trail leads to one of the towers, we should try and go...¡±

    ¡°Jen,¡± James interrupted, making her scowl at him. ¡°I know you''re excited and all, but can we talk about this tomorrow? I''m too tired to think right now.¡±

    ¡°Too tired? You''ve hardly done anything!¡± As soon as she said this, Jen yawned, and then giggled. ¡°Guess I''m the one who''s tired. All right, fine, we''ll talk tomorrow, but don''t go trying to squirm out of it. Remember what Nurse Joy said.¡±

    ¡°I know what she said, Jen.¡± James turned to head back into the Centre, tiring of the reminders of Quilava''s illness. As he walked, he heard Quilava growl at him, and he turned around just in time to see Jen''s hurt expression.

    ¡°James, I...I''m sorry. I keep forgetting how much it bugs you to remember that.¡±

    ¡°It''s okay, Jen.¡± James smiled just a little, to try and cheer her up. ¡°You were just trying to help, that''s all. I shouldn''t have reacted that way, and I''m sorry I hurt your feelings.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, James. I know how much you care about Quilava; I''m your friend, and your traveling partner, but he''s your best buddy. I would''ve reacted the same way if it was Magby, or any of my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°That''s true. You care a lot, Jen.¡± James laughed, then turned back. ¡°I''m heading back to the room, you want to come?¡±

    ¡°I think I''ll stay out for a few more minutes. The sky''s so pretty right now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I''ll see you there.¡± As James walked away, Jen sat down next to Quilava, who hadn''t followed him in.

    ¡°You okay, Quilava?¡± Quilava nodded and looked towards the door. ¡°He''s gonna be fine, don''t worry. I just don''t want to rush, you know? This region''s got so much to see, and I want to see it all.¡± Quilava growled again, and started moving back to the Centre. ¡°Oh, no, you don''t!¡± Jen grabbed the Volcano Pok¨¦mon before he could move any further. ¡°You''re staying right here, mister. James can wait, you can afford to see this.¡± Jen called Togepi and Pichu over, and they all watched the sky turn from red-orange to a deep blue-violet. They remained outside for a little bit longer, then headed inside to rest up for the next day.

    <hr>

    Over breakfast the next morning, James and Jen tried to decide in which order to visit the Ecruteak landmarks. James wanted to go to the Bell Tower first, while Jen wanted to check out the Kimono Theatre. Eventually, they settled on visiting the theatre first, since it was closest to the Centre, and would visit each tower in turn later.

    It took just fifteen minutes for their plans to go up in smoke.

    ¡°What do you mean, it''s closed?¡± Jen shouted to no-one in particular as she glared at a flyer on the theatre door.

    ¡°Exactly what it says on the door, Jen. The sign says they''re renovating the place.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means they''re rebuilding the inside, or something like that. It''s not that big a deal.¡± Jen looked back at him, then calmed down.

    ¡°I guess so. I really wanted to see the theatre...oh, well. Let''s go see the towers.¡±

    <hr>

    The Brass Tower was little more than a burnt-out husk. Despite its dilapidated appearance, various tourists and researchers still poked through its charred ruins, intrigued by its history. James and Jen looked through the rubble themselves, and asked a nearby researcher how the tower had ended up in this state.

    ¡°Well, the old stories say that several legendary Pok¨¦mon once lived here. One night, a fire raged out of control, destroying the tower as well as three of the Pok¨¦mon.¡± Jen gasped.

    ¡°You mean they...they...¡±

    ¡°Hold on there. There''s more to the story. The fire drove away the Pok¨¦mon that lived at the top of this tower. The one living in the other tower appeared and restored the other Pok¨¦mon to life.¡±

    ¡°That''s one strange story.¡± James looked around. ¡°So, the fire wrecked the tower. What happened to the other Pok¨¦mon?¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Well, that''s where the story is a little fuzzy. Some say that they fled the tower and roam the land at will. Others believe that they still reside in the foundations of the building, waiting for someone to awaken them.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Has anyone looked in the foundations?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no. The building is considered too unstable to perform any excavations down there. Plus, many feel that the legendary creatures, should they indeed reside there, ought to be left alone.¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°Gotcha. Hey, thanks for telling us the story, sir. It''s always cool to learn about the places you visit.¡±

    ¡°It was no problem at all. Maybe one day you guys will find out which story is true.¡±

    <hr>

    After they got bored with exploring the one remaining floor of the Brass Tower, the two youngsters headed towards a small building on the other side of town. This was the Bell Tower annex, where tourists could look at various artifacts from Ecruteak''s history. Several scrolls and pieces of the Brass Tower were in display cases, and uniformed guides escorted people through the building.

    Beyond the annex lay the Bellchime Trail. Here, the trees looked to be in a permanent autumnal state, with red, yellow and orange leaves scattered along the ground. There weren''t many tourists today, which made the walk to the Bell Tower very calm and quiet. Jen let Magby out to get some exercise, and Quilava ran with her, both being careful not to set any trees ablaze.

    One of the doors to the tower was slightly ajar, and Jen made sure everyone was accounted for before they entered the building. The main room was fairly plain, with a few paintings adorning the walls. Most of these depicted a flying Pok¨¦mon with multicoloured feathers, trailing a rainbow aura. At least one showed it projecting a blue-white flame from its beak. As James looked at this picture, a woman in a flowing kimono approached him. Her black hair was done in a formal style, and a gold headpiece adorned the top.

    ¡°I see you are observing the images of Ho-Oh,¡± she said in an lower-pitched voice than James expected. ¡°This is the legendary Pok¨¦mon that called the Bell Tower home. Legends tell us that the sound of the great bell atop this tower could summon it, if rung by one with a pure heart.¡± She sighed. ¡°Many have tried, but none have succeeded. Some even dismiss the whole thing as a fantasy, a tale meant to entice the gullible.¡± Suddenly, she gasped. ¡°My goodness! I got so caught up in the story, I forgot to introduce myself. How rude of me. My name is Sayo, and I am one of the Kimono Girls. My associates and I run the Kimono Theatre in town. May I ask who you are?¡±

    ¡°I''m James, from Violet City. My friend Jennifer and I are traveling with our Pok¨¦mon so we can enter the Johto League.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating. For children so young to travel so far, you both must have great ambition and skill.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James murmured. ¡°So, this tower. Is this the only part we can visit?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, it is. As I said, none have succeeded in scaling the tower to find Ho-Oh. It appears to require a token of sorts.¡±

    ¡°That''s too bad.¡± Jen said, walking up to them. ¡°I''d like to see the rest of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you must be Jennifer. Your friend mentioned you before.¡± Sayo smiled. ¡°Since we are unable to visit the rest of the building, why not come to the Theatre? It may be closed now, but I can show you around anyway.¡±

    ¡°You''re sure?¡± Jen asked. When Sayo nodded, she grinned. ¡°Alright. Let''s go ahead, then.¡±

    <hr>

    The Kimono Theatre was decorated with brightly coloured tapestries and images of dancing people and Pok¨¦mon. The walls looked vaguely like a mountain scene, and lanterns hung from the ceiling.

    ¡°The other Kimono Girls and I conduct performances in this theatre,¡± Sayo explained. ¡°We coordinate with our Pok¨¦mon as well, and occasionally, we open the stage for trainers to battle with us.¡±

    ¡°You guys battle visitors too?¡± Jen asked.

    ¡°Naturally. Our Pok¨¦mon must remain in shape through more than just dancing. We pride ourselves on our skill.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± Jen considered, then grinned. ¡°So, why don''t we have a battle?¡±

    ¡°You wish to battle now?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I''ve got to keep training if I''m going to reach the Johto League, so this is a good opportunity!¡± Sayo thought for a moment, then smiled.

    ¡°Very well. We shall do battle. Step onto the stage and we will begin.¡±

    <hr>

    When Jen and Sayo took their position, Jen motioned to Magby.

    ¡°You''re up. Let''s do this.¡± Magby stepped forward and blew a small billow of smoke.

    ¡°A Fire-type. Strong choice. Jolteon, enter stage left!¡± A yellow Pok¨¦mon with spiked, rabbit-like ears emerged, bristling its coarse fur. A white ruff of fur wrapped around its neck. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan her new opponent.

    ¡°Jolteon, the Lightning Pok¨¦mon. If threatened, its fur can become sharp and needle-like. It is capable of discharging 10,000 volt electric blasts.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that sounds really cool. Okay, Magby, Ember!¡± Magby shot a flurry of fire bolts at Jolteon, who jumped over them.

    ¡°Jolteon, Thunderbolt!¡± Jolteon''s body became surrounded by electricity, and it fired a bolt at Magby. The bolt caught her and illuminated her, sparks playing across her body.

    ¡°Magby, no! Get close and use Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Jolteon, Tackle!¡± Magby''s burning fist collided with Jolteon''s charging attack, knocking both of them back.

    ¡°Okay, Magby, Ember once again!¡±

    ¡°Sand Attack!¡± This time, Jolteon used the loose dust sitting on the stage to try and blind Magby, taking no notice of the hot fire hitting it. ¡°Now, Thunderbolt again!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, Magby!¡± Magby tried to escape, but Jolteon was too fast. The bolt dropped Magby to her stomach, and she struggled to rise.

    ¡°Now, Jolteon, time to finish up. Pin Missile!¡± Jolteon''s fur stiffened, and needle-like projections flew at Magby, striking her one after the other.

    ¡°Magby!¡± Jen looked at her Fire-type, whose eyes were glazed over. ¡°No way. How did we get beaten so easily?¡±

    ¡°Your Magby is very strong for her experience level, Jennifer.¡± Sayo said as she recalled Jolteon. ¡°You should be proud of how you have raised her. Jolteon has been by my side for many years, so it is very strong itself.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Thanks for the battle, Sayo.¡± Jen turned to Magby, who was pushing herself back up to her feet. ¡°C''mon, Magby, why don''t we head to the Pok¨¦mon Centre and we can...¡± Her words were cut off as Magby''s body began to glow. ¡°Wait a minute! I know that glow!¡±

    ¡°Magby''s evolving!¡± James and Quilava looked on intently as Magby''s body grew. Her tail lengthened and a flame began to burn at its end. Her body and limbs bloated, and claws grew on each of her hands. Black bands clamped around her ankles, and her beak grew longer and more like a duck''s. As the transformation ended, the newly-evolved Pok¨¦mon smiled at her trainer.

    ¡°Magby is now a Magmar! Awesome!¡± Jen flipped the Pok¨¦dex open again to learn about her newly evolved friend.

    ¡°Magmar, the Spitfire Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Magby. Its body temperature is recorded as nearly 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can heal itself by immersing its wounds in molten lava.¡±

    ¡°That''s so cool, Jen.¡± James told her. ¡°Now we''ve both got an evolved Fire-type.¡±

    ¡°She''s gonna be useful as we keep traveling. Her Fire attacks probably got more powerful.¡±

    ¡°Be wary, though.¡± Sayo interjected. ¡°Magmar is much more powerful, but you will both need to work hard to harness her newfound power.¡±

    ¡°We will. It won''t be easy, but we''ll get stronger together.¡±

    ¡°I admire your enthusiasm. It has been wonderful to meet such strong youngsters as yourselves.¡±

    ¡°And it''s been great meeting you, too.¡± Jen said. She looked at her Pok¨¦Gear, then at James. ¡°It''s getting kind of late. We should head back to the Centre.¡± She turned to Sayo. ¡°Thanks for the battle. You really taught me a lot.¡±

    ¡°And I learned something as well. I wish you both luck in your future endeavours.¡±

    ¡°Have fun with your performances!¡± Jen called back, and they exited the theatre to heal and rest.

 28-Nobody Home

    In the Pok¨¦mon Centre, James and Jen looked over their map of Johto as they planned the next leg of their journey. Jen had left her Pok¨¦balls with Nurse Joy, and Quilava sat next to James'' chair, dozing quietly.

    ¡°There''s only one way we can travel right now,¡± James said, indicating a route extending west from Ecruteak. ¡°The eastern route goes to Mahogany Town, but we''d have to go through Mt. Mortar, which I hear is really tough.¡± Jen studied the map and nodded.

    ¡°Plus, we''d have to go back for the Olivine and Cianwood Gym badges if we went all the way to Mahogany. I don''t think we should make that kind of trip twice. The run-up to Mahogany will probably have stronger Pok¨¦mon than we can handle, too.¡±

    ¡°So we''ll head down Route 38 tomorrow. It''s kind of long, and so''s Route 39 to the southwest. It''s going to take a long time to get down to Olivine.¡±

    ¡°Let''s hope there''s some interesting stuff on the way, then. It wouldn''t be much fun just trudging down the road.¡±

    ¡°There''s only one real landmark, though. The MooMoo farm is right where the routes connect, almost like a midway point. Once we spot that, we''ll know we''re getting close.¡±

    ¡°I''d like to see that. It''ll be interesting to see how Miltank behave when they''re not rolling toward you at high speed.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± James glanced at his Pok¨¦Gear. ¡°It''s getting late, we should wrap up and get some sleep before we head out.¡± Jen stifled a yawn as she nodded.

    ¡°Okay. I''ll see if Nurse Joy is done taking care of my Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I''ll see you at our room.¡± James folded the map, poked Quilava awake, and started down the hall to their room.

    <hr>

    The next morning, James and Jen packed up their things and headed west out of the city. Once through the gatehouse, the two youngsters saw how vast Route 38 actually was. As was normal, the main road was fairly wide, but lines of trees and fences stretched farther than they anticipated. Streams ran here and there, and vast fields of grass swept along the side of the road. James looked down at Quilava, then at Jen, who was smiling.

    ¡°You ready to tackle this route?¡± she asked. James nodded.

    ¡°Let''s do this thing.¡±

    At first, the route seemed easy. The road was smooth enough, and few wild Pok¨¦mon jumped out at them. Clear areas at the side of the road provided spots to train and set up camp at night, and the weather remained calm for the first few days.

    As they moved on, however, the weather warmed considerably. Most of their traveling became restricted to the morning and early evening, to avoid the worst heat of the day. They used the midday hours to train and develop their Pok¨¦mon whenever they could find shade, occasionally venturing into the wilder areas to find opponents. James focused on Gastly in particular, since the Gas Pok¨¦mon had had few opportunities to battle before now. Jen spent time working with Pichu and Togepi, doing her best to raise them to the level of her other team members. Her Elekid looked on warily, but didn''t object.

    As the weeks on the road passed, the training paid off well. Gastly learned several new techniques, including how to use the Shadow Ball attack, which James knew would help him in the next couple of Gyms. Quilava and the others continued to grow, particularly Zubat, whose already prodigious speed had increased to an even higher level. Both Elekid had learned some stronger Electric-type techniques, and Pichu had managed to strengthen her own electric blasts, nearly knocking Pidgeotto out of the air with a stray Thunder Shock. After Jen stopped laughing, she made sure she told the Tiny Mouse to be more careful in future. To cap the first half of the trip, Togepi surprised everyone twice, first by evolving during a sparring round with Graveler, then blasting the multi-armed boulder with a flurry of multicoloured leaves.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Jen asked as she fished for her Pok¨¦dex. James shrugged as he tended to his Rock-type.

    ¡°I have no idea. It looked pretty strange to me.¡±

    ¡°She didn''t show any signs of knowing a new move before now. If...here we go.¡± She trained her device on Togetic to see what was going on.

    ¡°Togetic, the Happiness Pok¨¦mon. It thrives among kind-hearted people, and it is capable of remaining airborne without extensive use of its wings.¡± After a few whirring sounds, the device spoke again. ¡°One of Togetic''s latent moves is Magical Leaf. This Grass-type attack will never miss when launched.¡±

    ¡°Asked and answered, then?¡± James murmured as Jen stowed the Pok¨¦dex. Jen nodded quietly, and then she smiled.

    ¡°At least Togetic can help out more in battle now. I loved her just as much as a Togepi, but Metronome''s not the best move to rely on.¡± Togetic floated by, and Jen giggled. ¡°She''ll be just fine.¡±

    <hr>

    A few days after they passed the MooMoo farm intersection, it started raining. The line of trees at the edge of the road had thinned considerably, annoying Quilava and soaking everyone caught outside. To keep their pace going, James suggested stretching a tarp over himself, Jen and Quilava as they walked, but they gave up after it nearly blew away for the fourth time. Signs for Olivine began appearing as they trudged down the route, mud flying up with every step. By the time the city hove into view, the three of them looked like they''d taken a dive into the mud.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°At least the city''s close,¡± Jen said as they retreated to their tent that night. ¡°It could be worse.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James answered, gulped some water. ¡°We could be covered in mud and still be miles away.¡±

    ¡°You had to say that, didn''t you?¡± Jen took their map out of her bag and started looking at it. ¡°That weird sign next to Olivine, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡± James asked. Jen pointed out a small grey circlet with an odd triangular symbol inside. ¡°I don''t know. Maybe it has to do with the type of Gym in town?¡±

    ¡°Could be. What type does the Olivine Gym Leader use?¡±

    ¡°I think she''s a Steel-type user. Tough to break down, but the right matchup could do it.¡±

    ¡°That''s pretty cool. I haven''t seen many Steel-types before.¡±

    ¡°Well, like I said, they''re tough to break down. It won''t be easy for either of us.¡±

    ¡°No, but isn''t that the idea? If it were that easy, we''d be in Silver Town for the Conference by now.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± James dove inside his sleeping bag, and Jen folded the map before going to sleep herself.

    <hr>

    The final run to Olivine saw the rain stop, and the journey was quiet and easy from that point. The air felt cool as they entered the bustling port city, and the road was packed with people. After patiently working their way through the crowd, they ran towards the imposing Olivine Gym, its sloped sides giving it the look of a metallic bunker. As they entered, a man walked past them, looking annoyed.

    ¡°What''s with him?¡± James asked as they walked towards the reception desk.

    ¡°I don''t know. Maybe he lost his match.¡± They approached the counter, and James stepped back to let Jen talk to the receptionist, a young, blonde-haired woman. ¡°Hi, we''re here to challenge the Gym Leader.¡±

    ¡°I''m afraid the Gym Leader is not here.¡± the receptionist answered. ¡°She is currently on holiday, and will not be back for at least a week.¡±

    ¡°What? Is that even allowed?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Gym Leaders are allowed their leisure time just as much as anyone else.¡± The woman keyed in some numbers on a computer, then turned back to Jen. ¡°If you are looking for a Gym challenge, may I suggest the Cianwood Gym across the water to the southwest? After you finish up there, Jasmine should be available to take your challenge when you return.¡±

    ¡°Erm, okay. Thank you.¡± Jen nodded, and the pair exited the building. ¡°So now what?¡±

    ¡°Guess we have to find a way across to Cianwood.¡±

    ¡°How? We don''t have any Water-type Pok¨¦mon, and it would take us a long time to get there even if we did.¡±

    ¡°Why don''t we just take a ferry across? This is a port, after all, there''s bound to be one.¡± Jen thought for a moment, then she smiled.

    ¡°That would make sense. Let''s head over to the docks and see if there''s one we can catch.¡±

    <hr>

    A sailor met them at the entrance to the dock as they arrived.

    ¡°You kids looking to go to Cianwood?¡± James nodded, and the sailor gave them a sheepish smile. ¡°I''m sorry to tell you this, but the ferry left ten minutes ago. Next one won''t be for at least an hour.¡±

    ¡°That''s okay.¡± Jen said. ¡°We''ll find a way to pass the time before the next ferry.¡± The sailor waved them off, and they walked towards the shoreline.

    ¡°Well, what do you want to do?¡± James asked as they approached the water. ¡°Maybe we can train a little, or just read a map...Jen, don''t touch that!¡± Jen, her hand inches from a small blue mass with red blobs on either side.

    ¡°What? Why?¡± Jen stepped back as she withdrew her hand. ¡°Is it dangerous or something?¡±

    ¡°If that''s what I think it is, yes.¡± James took out his Pok¨¦dex, and trained it on the blob.

    ¡°Tentacool, the Jellyfish Pok¨¦mon.¡± the device announced. ¡°This aquatic creature refracts sunlight within its body to release beam attacks, and its tentacles secrete a powerful acid.¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s useful to know.¡± As Jen turned away from the shore, a huge splash of water swamped the dehydrated Tentacool and swept it back into the sea. The cause of the splash became apparent almost instantly: another blue jellyfish, much larger than Tentacool and with dozens of tentacles protruding from its body. Its eyes looked permanently narrowed, and the jewels on its body glowed with a faint light.

    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Jen reached for a Pok¨¦ball as James prepared to scan the creature.

    ¡°Tentacruel, the Jellyfish Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Tentacool. It normally keeps most of its tentacles hidden from view, and extends them to stun and trap its prey.¡± Jen''s eyes widened as the creature stared her down, then she threw the Pok¨¦ball that she''d grabbed.

    ¡°Are you going to drive it back into the sea?¡± James asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Jen replied as Zubat emerged. ¡°I''m going to catch it.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Can Zubat stand up to this thing?¡±

    ¡°Only one way to find out!¡± Jen looked to either side of Tentacruel, then pointed. ¡°Zubat, hit it on its left with Air Cutter!¡± Zubat flapped its wings and fired the bladed air current at the jellyfish, who simply shrugged it off. ¡°Okay, now try Supersonic!¡± Zubat flew towards Tentacruel, loosing its high-pitched shriek, but Tentacruel extended a pair of tentacles and wrapped them around the Bat Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Jen, Zubat''s in trouble!¡±

    ¡°Tell me something I don''t know! Zubat, Bite attack!¡± Zubat tried to work free and bite down on a tentacle, but Tentacruel simply slammed it down on the sand. ¡°Zubat!¡± Tentacruel continued to pound Zubat against the soft surface, sending a spray of seawater and sand everywhere. After a few slams, it released Zubat and waited for its opponent''s next move.

    ¡°Z-Zubat?¡± Jen said, her voice shaking. Zubat chittered weakly, then its body began to glow. ¡°You''re kidding!¡±

    ¡°I guess that attack pushed Zubat over the edge.¡± James said. ¡°It''s starting to evolve.¡± Zubat''s body expanded, and its wings grew wider. Two short legs grew underneath its body, and a pair of eyes appeared below small ears. As Jen admired the newly-evolved bat, James scanned it.

    ¡°Golbat, the Bat Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Zubat. It primarily attacks its victims on dark, moonless nights, and it will drain the victim''s energy until it becomes too heavy to fly.¡±

    ¡°That sounds kinda freaky, but I''ll take it, I guess.¡± Jen grinned as Golbat flew back into the air. ¡°Okay, Golbat, let''s keep this up! Air Cutter!¡± The bladed wind was stronger now, and Tentacruel shied visibly as the attack hit home. ¡°Now Bite!¡± Golbat''s jaws closed on one of the jewels on Tentacruel''s head, and it fired a beam of light to try and shake it off. The effort caused it to slump forward, and Jen seized her chance. ¡°You''re mine!¡± The Pok¨¦ball she threw struck one of the jewels, and Tentacruel was sucked inside. It shook once...then broke open, releasing the jellyfish. ¡°Oh, boy. This won''t be so easy.¡±

    ¡°Just throw another Pok¨¦ball before it gets away!¡± Tentacruel was already turning clumsily, trying to escape.

    ¡°Oh, no, you don''t!¡± Jen threw another Pok¨¦ball and the process repeated. The ball shook once...twice...three times...then the ball pinged. ¡°Yes! We''ve done it!¡± Golbat flitted above the ball as Jen retrieved it, and she recalled it with a smile. ¡°Well done, Golbat. We''ve got a new teammate to work with.¡± James checked his Pok¨¦Gear as Jen shrank the two Pok¨¦balls and put them away.

    ¡°Jen, have you seen the time?¡± Jen shook her head. ¡°Well, we should get back to the dock. The ferry will leave without us if we don''t hurry.¡± With Quilava at his heels, James ran for the docks, and Jen sprinted after them.

 29-Practice for Cianwood

    As the ferry skimmed across the water, Jen leaned on the railing and looked down at the activity in the ship''s wake. Every so often, a Tentacool might drift up alongside the hull, and on a rare occasion, a ray-like creature might swim next to them as well. She looked to the horizon and saw a dark landmass in the distance, becoming larger as they steadily drew closer.

    ¡°First time visiting Cianwood?¡± a voice asked. Jen started, then turned to see the sailor from the docks standing nearby.

    ¡°Yes, it is. My friend and I are going to take on the Cianwood Gym, since the Olivine Gym''s closed right now.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like fun. I never had the motivation to take on the Gyms, myself.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°You were the one who caught the Tentacruel, right?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes. How did you know that?¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel are really conspicuous Pok¨¦mon, and the battle you and it had made quite the spectacle. I saw the whole thing from the dock.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Well, it was a tough fight, but we caught it in the end.¡±

    ¡°Your team must be strong if it can take on a creature like that.¡± The sailor grinned, as if he''d just thought of something. ¡°I''m guessing you''re going to use Tentacruel at the Gym?¡±

    ¡°That''s my plan, once we train a little.¡± The sailor''s grin became even wider.

    ¡°Here''s my question, then: how are you going to use Tentacruel with no water around?¡± Jen''s eyes widened.

    ¡°I hadn''t thought of that. Tentacruel doesn''t look like it can do much out of the water.¡± The sailor''s grin was now so wide, Jen wondered if it hurt.

    ¡°It just so happens that I can help with that. I know a move that can allow Tentacruel to fight on land just as well as it could in the water. That way, you won''t have to worry about the type of battlefield you find yourself on.¡±

    ¡°I''d appreciate that, mister, er..¡±

    ¡°Call me Huey.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thanks, Huey. Once we get to shore, we can see how this works out.¡±

    <hr>

    After the ferry docked, Jen, James and Huey found an empty stretch of beach to practice. James sat down on a nearby rock with Quilava, and Jen stood next to the shore with Huey, who released a small blue Pok¨¦mon with a dark spiral on its white belly. It stood on two short legs, and its tail seemed built for swimming.

    ¡°My Poliwag will demonstrate the move. Since Poliwag aren''t very good on land, it''ll be obvious how much of a difference this move makes.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Jen let Tentacruel out, and pointed to Poliwag. ¡°Tentacruel, pay attention to Poliwag''s moves. It''s going to show you how to battle on land.¡± Tentacruel did nothing, and Jen assumed that meant it understood. ¡°Alright, Huey, go for it!¡±

    ¡°Poliwag, Surf!¡± Poliwag''s eyes glowed, and a small wave appeared under its body. It turned towards a small cluster of rocks, then charged with surprising speed. The wave broke over the rocks, and Poliwag balanced on top of one of them. Huey grinned. ¡°Poliwag kinda jumped the gun a little bit there. Surf is primarily an attack, but it can be a totally passive move as well. Try it with Tentacruel and you''ll see.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha. Ready, Tentacruel?¡± Tentacruel floated a little closer to shore. ¡°Okay. Use Surf!¡± Tentacruel sat still for a moment, then generated a wave under its own body. ¡°Like this, Huey?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you got it. If Tentacruel just sits there, it can launch attacks from a distance.¡± Jen nodded, and Huey continued. ¡°Now have it float completely onto the shore. The wave should move with Tentacruel, and it''ll stay there as long as Tentacruel can maintain it.¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, move closer to James.¡± Jen pointed to where James was sitting, and Tentacruel floated towards him. ¡°That''s it! A little closer now!¡± Tentacruel floated forward again, a bit further this time. Jen''s face broke into a mischievous grin. ¡°Once more, Tentacruel.¡± When Tentacruel was about ten yards from James'' position, Jen shouted. ¡°Okay, Tentacruel, go for it! Surf attack!¡± James'' head whipped around when he heard this.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± He and Quilava scrambled to escape, but Tentacruel was too fast for them. Trainer and Pok¨¦mon found themselves swamped by the wave, and Tentacruel floated back towards Jen.

    ¡°Sorry, James! I just couldn''t resist!¡± Jen laughed, but then stopped when she saw Quilava. ¡°Oh, no! I forgot Quilava''s a Fire-type!¡±

    ¡°How could you forget that?!¡± Quilava got up slowly, glaring at Tentacruel. Tentacruel simply stared back, and Jen quickly recalled the jellyfish.

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    ¡°James, I''m really sorry. I just wanted to have some fun, but I didn''t mean to hurt Quilava.¡± James looked down at Quilava, then back at Jen, and relaxed.

    ¡°It''s okay, Jen. I guess I should pay better attention.¡± He scratched Quilava''s ears, and felt the Fire-type start to shiver. ¡°I''ll take Quilava to the Pok¨¦mon Centre. You keep practicing, Tentacruel needs the work.¡±

    ¡°No, I''m coming with you. It''s my fault Quilava''s like this.¡± Huey checked his watch.

    ¡°I''ll leave you guys to it. I''d better get back to the ship, it''ll be headed back to Olivine soon.¡± he said. ¡°The only thing left to show off is how to use close-range attacks while maintaining the Surf wave, anyway. It takes a lot of concentration, but since Tentacruel''s at an advanced stage, it should be able to catch on without too much trouble.¡±

    ¡°We''ll work on that later. Thanks for the help, Huey. The training will really help us out at the Cianwood Gym.¡± Huey grinned.

    ¡°Glad I could help. Good luck at the Gym.¡± Huey recalled his Poliwag and headed back towards the dock, and the two youngsters started towards the Centre.

    <hr>

    Once Nurse Joy had taken charge of Quilava, James and Jen sat down in the small lounge to talk.

    ¡°Who''s going to go first for this gym?¡± Jen asked as she read Tentacruel''s data on her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°I''ll let you go first.¡± James answered. ¡°I went first in Ecruteak, so it''s your turn.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha. I''m gonna have to train pretty hard with Tentacruel to get it up to the rest of my team''s level.¡±

    ¡°That shouldn''t be a problem. It''s already evolved, so you don''t need to worry about that.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± Jen considered. ¡°I just have one question, then: what kind of Pok¨¦mon does the Gym Leader use?¡±

    ¡°I think it''s a Fighting-type Gym. At least, that''s what my brother told me.¡±

    ¡°So Tentacruel''s a good pick for the battle; since it''s part Poison, it can resist Fighting-type moves.¡± Jen thought for a moment, then her eyes brightened. ¡°Hey, James, can we have a practice battle once Quilava''s back? I want to put Tentacruel''s Surf into action.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I''m up for it.¡± Just then, a chime sounded, and Nurse Joy appeared with Quilava at her heels.

    ¡°Your Quilava is all rested and ready to go, James.¡± Quilava bounded over to his trainer and growled softly.

    ¡°Thanks, Nurse Joy.¡± The Pok¨¦mon Nurse gave the pair a small bow, then returned to the reception desk. James watched her leave, then turned back to Jen. ¡°So, should we go now?¡±

    ¡°We''d better hurry, it''ll be dark soon.¡±

    <hr>

    A few minutes later, James and Jen stood across from one another on the beach, ready for battle.

    ¡°Who''s going to battle Tentacruel?¡± Jen asked, as Tentacruel floated next to her. James simply tossed out his own Pok¨¦ball and revealed Gastly.

    ¡°If we''re going after Fighting-types, Gastly needs to catch up, and fast. This should give him a good workout.¡± Gastly yawned, and James groaned. ¡°No, you are not taking a nap right now. Battle now, nap later!¡± The gas cloud simply yawned again and faced up to Tentacruel. ¡°Alright, Jen, get us moving!¡±

    ¡°Gladly! Tentacruel, use BubbleBeam!¡± Tentacruel shot a thick stream of bubbles towards Gastly, who floated lazily out of the way.

    ¡°Okay, time to counter! Gastly, Shadow Ball!¡± Gastly''s ball of sparking black energy struck Tentacruel between the eyes, and the jellyfish floated closer.

    ¡°Don''t take that lying down! BubbleBeam again!¡± This time, the bubbles hit Gastly head-on, slowing the ghost. ¡°Now, Poison Jab!¡± Tentacruel''s violet-tipped tentacle missed Gastly by inches, and the gas cloud stuck his tongue out at his adversary.

    ¡°Gastly, focus! Night Shade!¡± This time, Gastly shot Tentacruel with a black beam of energy, which surrounded the jellyfish before bursting. ¡°Now, Shadow Ball again!¡±

    ¡°Not so fast! Poison Jab!¡± Before Gastly could release another energy blob, the Poison-type attack caught him just above the mouth, knocking him backward. ¡°Good work! Bubble Beam!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Ball!¡± The attacks cancelled, blasting both Pok¨¦mon back. ¡°Get back in there, and use Lick!¡±

    ¡°Surf attack!¡± As Gastly stuck his tongue out to attack, he was swamped by the massive wave that Tentacruel had generated. When the water receded, he was hovering inches from the ground, barely able to move. ¡°Looks like Gastly''s had enough.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± James moved to recall the ghost, but his body began to glow and expand. ¡°Oh, boy. Here we go again.¡±

    Gastly''s body became more angular, and two claw-like hands appeared next to him. When the evolutionary glow dissipated, the two small fangs in the corners of his wide mouth had disappeared, replaced by several more. His eyes had become more triangular, and several spikes had appeared on his back.

    ¡°Another evolution.¡± James took out his Pok¨¦dex to learn about the ghost''s new form.

    ¡°Haunter, the Gas Pok¨¦mon. It is able to phase through any solid object, and it has a mischievous, if predatory, nature.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a freaky...hey!¡± While the Pok¨¦dex had been reciting its data, Haunter had floated towards Tentacruel and sent one of its hands to attack. ¡°What was that about?¡± The Pok¨¦dex whirred again.

    ¡°That attack is Shadow Punch. It is a Ghost-type attack which will never miss its target in most situations.¡±

    ¡°Could be useful.¡± James recalled Haunter to prevent any more mischief, and Jen zapped Tentacruel back into its own Pok¨¦ball. ¡°I think we''re done training today. Want to call it a night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let''s do it. I want to get plenty of rest before we hit the Gym.¡±

    <hr>

    As they walked back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, the two youngsters passed a woman in the street. She was carrying a large bag of what looked like groceries.

    ¡°Do you want some help, miss?¡± James asked. The woman shook her head.

    ¡°I''ll be okay, thank you.¡± She put her bag down and looked at both of them. ¡°Are you guys going to challenge the Gym?¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°Yes, we are. We had to take a detour from Olivine City.¡± Jen looked to James, then back at the woman. ¡°Do you know anything about the Gym Leader here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I''ve met him a fair few times. This is such a small town, everybody knows everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell us anything about him? We know he uses Fighting-types, but that''s pretty much it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don''t want spoil the surprise for you. I will tell you this, though: he''s no pushover. You''ll have to work hard to win the badge.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thank you!¡± Jen turned and ran towards the Centre, with James and Quilava following close behind. The woman laughed to herself as she picked up her bags.

    ¡°Those kids look like strong challengers. They should do fine.¡± She made sure the bag wouldn''t fall, then turned and continued her walk.

 30-Port Town Strongman

    The Cianwood City Gym''s tiled roof loomed in the distance as James and Jen headed towards the building. An attendant near the door bowed to them as they approached.

    ¡°Hello, and welcome to the Cianwood Gym.¡±

    Hi!¡± Jen said. ¡°My name''s Jennifer, and this is my friend James. We''re here for a Gym match.¡± The attendant looked from one to the other and nodded.

    ¡°And which of you is the challenger?¡±

    ¡°Erm...¡± Jen looked at James for an answer. ¡°Who did we say was gonna go first again?¡±

    ¡°I went first at the Ecruteak Gym, remember? IIt''s your turn to go first this time.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jen answered, and turned to the attendant. ¡°I''ll be challenging the Gym Leader today, sir.¡±

    ¡°Very well. If you would step inside, I will go alert the Leader.¡± James signaled Quilava, ducked aside and headed for a small row of seats in the main room, while Jen followed the attendant into an antechamber off the foyer. As they entered, Jen heard a steady rushing sound.

    ¡°What''s that noise?¡± she asked, and the attendant smiled.

    ¡°The Gym Leader meditates under a waterfall each day. He uses this meditation to strengthen both his mind and his body. To be honest, some of us think he meditates too often.¡± They turned a corner to see a large man with a prominent mustache kneeling beneath a steady stream of water. Next to the water chamber, a control panel flashed green. The attendant stepped into the room and keyed a few buttons on the panel, which began flashing red, and the rush of water slowed and then ceased. The man beneath the waterfall stirred as he noticed the proceedings.

    ¡°Eh? Who shut off my waterfall? What''s going on?¡± The attendant''s expression didn''t change as he answered, as if this was a regular occurrence.

    ¡°You have a challenger, sir.¡±

    ¡°Challenger, eh?¡± The Gym Leader turned to Jen. ¡°Welcome, miss. My name is Chuck, and I''m the Gym Leader here. And what''s your name?¡±

    ¡°Jennifer, sir. I come from...well, I live in Violet City.¡±

    ¡°That''s quite a hike. So, you think you have what it takes to win my Badge?¡±

    ¡°I hope so. My Pok¨¦mon and I have trained really hard.¡±

    ¡°Well, little miss, we''ll soon see. Follow my assistant to the main battlefield, and we''ll get started.¡±

    <hr>

    Minutes later, Jen stood across from Chuck, who shadowboxed for a moment before turning to Jen.

    ¡°You''ll be facing Fighting-types here, Jennifer! They hit hard and don''t leave a lot of opponents standing!¡±

    ¡°We''ll just have to hit harder, then!¡± Jen smiled, and both opponents waited for the usual fanfare.

    ¡°Attention! This Cianwood City Gym battle featuring Jennifer from Violet City and our leader, Chuck, will now begin!

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Chuck

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    The prize for victory is a Storm Badge! Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon, and the match will end when all three of one side''s Pok¨¦mon are defeated! The challenger is the only participant who may substitute! Now, Chuck, your first Pok¨¦mon, if you please!¡± Chuck pulled out a Pok¨¦ball and flung it onto the field.

    ¡°Primeape, go!¡± A big, white-furred creature emerged, shuddering with barely-suppressed energy. Its wrists and ankles bore black metal weights, and its brown arms resembled boxing gloves. A pig-like snout sat beneath its sharp, rage-filled eyes. Jen looked away in fear, but took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan the creature.

    ¡°Primeape, the Pig Monkey Pok¨¦mon. Primeape is the evolved form of Mankey. It has a volatile temper, often flying into an incoherent rage after mere eye contact with another being.¡±

    ¡°Sounds really nasty,¡± Jen muttered to herself, and she tossed out her own Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Tentacruel, get out there!¡± The blue jellyfish landed on the floor with a splat, and Chuck laughed.

    ¡°A Tentacruel out of water? Unusual, but I''m sure you''ve got a plan. After you, little miss!¡± Jen turned to Tentacruel.

    ¡°Time for that technique we practiced. Use Surf!¡± Tentacruel generated a small cushion of water beneath its body, lifting it off the gym floor. ¡°Okay, now use Acid!¡± The jellyfish generated a spray of bright green liquid that splashed over Primeape. Chuck laughed as the attack hit.

    ¡°You can handle a little toxic spray, can''t you, Primeape! Get in close and use Karate Chop!¡± The monkey reached Tentacruel in two bounds and swung a glowing arm onto the jellyfish.

    ¡°Quick! Poison Jab!¡± Tentacruel slapped Primeape with a toxin-steepeded tentacle, knocking the creature back. ¡°Now Acid, once more!¡±

    ¡°Get out of the way, Primeape!¡± Primeape jumped back from the acid spray, but its movements were more erratic, and it shuddered even more violently. ¡°Looks like you''re in a prime fighting mood now, old boy! Show us your frustration with a Screech attack!¡± An unearthly shriek erupted from Primeape''s body, causing Jen, James and Typhlosion to cover their ears. Tentacruel, however, looked unshaken.

    ¡°Looks like Tentacruel doesn''t care how much noise you make!¡± Jen called.

    ¡°Either that, or its ability won''t let it!¡± Chuck answered. When Jen looked puzzled, he elaborated. ¡°One of Tentacruel''s abilities is called Clear Body, which prevents reduction of its vital statistics. Moves like Screech won''t work at all, so I will need to change my tactics.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jen said, then she smiled. ¡°Then we''ll take advantage of that! Tentacruel, Poison Jab!¡±

    ¡°Karate Chop!¡± Tentacruel''s glowing tentacle met Primeape''s fist, and they both shrank back. ¡°Okay, time for the finisher! Use Cross Chop!¡± Primeape leapt into the air and dropped towards Tentacruel with its arms crossed in front of it.

    ¡°Not gonna happen! Use Constrict!¡± Tentacruel caught Primeape''s leg with an outstretched tentacle and slammed the Fighting-type into the ground. ¡°Way to go! Now get closer with Surf!¡±

    ¡°Step up and use Thrash!¡± Primeape jumped back up, ran over to Tentacruel and began trying to wrestle it off its cushion of water.

    ¡°Blast it with Acid, Tentacruel!¡± The harsh fluid steamed as it hit Primeape, but the Pig Monkey refused to let go. ¡°Okay, since it''s in close, we''ll try another Poison Jab!¡± The poison-steeped tentacle found its mark again, and a small burst of violet smoke erupted from the impact point. When it cleared, Tentacruel remained on its aquatic cushion, while Primeape''s twitching body lay a few feet away. The jellyfish readied for a counter attack, but it never came.

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    ¡°Primeape cannot battle! Tentacruel wins the round!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Great work, Tentacruel!¡± Jen watched the jellyfish lazily wave a tentacle, then took a deep breath. ¡°We''ve still got a long way to go, though, so let''s stay focused!¡± Across the field, Chuck laughed as he recalled Primeape.

    ¡°Your Tentacruel is quite an advanced creature. Its Poison subtype in particular is a good way to stave off my Pok¨¦mon and their attacks!¡± He laughed again. ¡°But we''ll see if it can keep it up! Machoke, you''re next!¡± A grey, humanoid Pok¨¦mon emerged now, a smirk crossing its face. Muscles bulged all over its body, and it wore a belt with a large golden buckle around its waist.

    ¡°Looks tough. Okay, Tentacruel, get ready. Spray it with an Acid attack!¡± The corrosive spray landed just in front of Machoke, who jumped backwards to avoid it.

    ¡°Machoke, use Focus Energy, then Bulk Up!¡± Machoke closed its eyes and its body glowed briefly. ¡°Now, let''s roll! Karate Chop!¡±

    ¡°Counter with Poison Jab!¡± Machoke''s extended forearm met a violet-tipped tentacle, and the combatants separated with a crash. ¡°Use Constrict while it''s close!¡± A separate tentacle wrapped itself around Machoke''s wrist, but Machoke just grinned.

    ¡°You''ve got Tentacruel right where you want it! Use Vital Throw!¡± Machoke''s powerful legs pushed off from the ground, and it flung a surprised Tentacruel hard onto the Gym floor. ¡°Now, Cross Chop!¡±

    ¡°Try to use Surf again, Tentacruel!¡± Jen watched helplessly as Tentacruel struggled without its aquatic cushion, and Machoke''s attack smashed into its underside. ¡°Acid!¡±

    ¡°Let''s finish it off, Machoke. Seismic Toss!¡± Machoke picked up Tentacruel and began spinning on the spot. After a few seconds, he let the jellyfish go, and Jen screamed as it landed a few feet in front of her. Its eyes were shut tight, and it didn''t make another move.

    ¡°Tentacruel is unable to battle! This round goes to Machoke!¡± Jen recalled Tentacruel, shaking a little as she put the Pok¨¦ball away.

    ¡°Looks like we''ve got a tough fight on our hands. But we won''t give up! Golbat, you''re up next!¡± The bat flew into the air and chittered as it faced up to Machoke. ¡°Let''s hit it hard right away! Use Air Cutter!¡± The bladed wind current cut at Machoke, who shrank back in pain. ¡°Now, dive in and use Bite!¡±

    ¡°Counter that, Machoke!¡± Machoke let Golbat sink its fangs into its forearm, then delivered a hard punch to its lower body. Golbat went flying, landing awkwardly on its back. ¡°Now, Cross Chop!¡± Machoke jumped into the air, just like it had done against Tentacruel. Before the attack could hit, though, Golbat managed to fly into the air, avoiding the strike.

    ¡°We''re not getting beaten that way again! Air Cutter!¡± Machoke ducked aside as the sharp air whizzed past, and it jumped into the air.

    ¡°Hit it! Use Karate Chop!¡± Machoke swung an arm at Golbat, but missed, and fell towards the ground with panic on its face.

    ¡°Put it away, Golbat! Air Cutter, once more!¡± The attack struck Machoke in the back, driving it face-first into the ground. As Golbat flew back into a ready position, Machoke barely stirred.

    ¡°Machoke cannot continue! Golbat takes the point!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°She''s lucky the type matchups are swinging her way,¡± James murmured to himself as he watched Chuck recall Machoke. ¡°Machoke and Primeape don''t normally have a consistent way to counter a Poison-type. It''s gonna be rougher on me when I get out there, but Jen''s handling it pretty well. Let''s hope she can pull this off.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Your team is well-suited to this gym challenge, little miss.¡± Chuck called as he took out his last Pok¨¦ball. ¡°A combination of Poison and Flying will keep most Fighting-types at bay. But you''ll have to work hard to overcome my last Pok¨¦mon!¡± Chuck tossed the Pok¨¦ball into the air, and it released a large, dark blue creature with round, narrowed eyes. Its belly was marked by a white circle, inside of which was a black swirl pattern. As it flexed its arms, its white hands balled into fists. Jen didn''t take her eyes off the creature as she took out her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Poliwrath, the Tadpole Pok¨¦mon. This combination Water- and Fighting-type is a powerful swimmer, and its muscles do not tire no matter how much Poliwrath exerts itself.¡±

    ¡°Yikes. That thing is as tough as it looks.¡± Golbat chittered, and Poliwrath kept flexing in response. ¡°Well, we''ll have to work hard and take it down, then! Dive in and use Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break, Poliwrath!¡± The frog''s powerful strike hit Golbat''s slashing wing, and both Pok¨¦mon drew back. ¡°Now, Bulk Up!¡± Poliwrath''s body glowed red as it flexed its arms.

    ¡°Now it''s even stronger.¡± Jen muttered. ¡°Golbat! Stay clear of Poliwrath and use Air Cutter!¡± Golbat''s bladed air current cut at Poliwrath, who was undeterred. ¡°Keep that up! Don''t let it...¡±

    ¡°Poliwrath, jump!¡± Golbat kept firing air currents, but Poliwrath bent its legs and leaped high into the air, reaching Golbat''s height with astonishing ease. ¡°Now, hit it with an Ice Punch!¡± Golbat was sent spiralling towards the ground by a glowing blue fist, and it struggled to re-establish itself in the air.

    ¡°Don''t give up! Recover and get back in the air...higher this time!¡± Golbat flapped its wings as hard as it could, but it was falling too quickly.

    ¡°Poliwrath, use Mind Reader while you''re falling!¡± Poliwrath''s eyes glowed blue, and Golbat briefly glowed the same colour.

    ¡°I don''t know what that means, but it can''t be good! Use Air Cutter and try to knock Poliwrath down!¡± Golbat''s wings sent even more air currents up at Poliwrath, but they lacked the power they had in normal flight.

    ¡°Okay! When you reach Golbat, hit it with Dynamic Punch!¡± Poliwrath kept falling, and readied its fist again, glowing red this time. Jen watched in fright as the fist connected, exploding on contact and sending a shockwave through the Gym. Poliwrath stood up and flexed, while Golbat chittered weakly, its battle over.

    ¡°Golbat is down! Poliwrath takes the round!¡± Jen recalled Golbat and shuddered. Poliwrath''s power was terrifying.

    ¡°Good work, Golbat. Take a long rest.¡± With her hand shaking, she fumbled with the Pok¨¦balls in her jacket pocket, and nearly dropped them. Once she''d recovered herself, she found the Pok¨¦ball she wanted and smiled. ¡°It''s gonna be hard to take down your Poliwrath, Chuck. But I think I have a way to do it.¡± She tossed the ball and revealed Elekid, who grinned mischievously. ¡°Ready, Elekid?¡± The Electric-type swung his arm in a rapid circle, sparks flying from the prongs on his head. ¡°I thought so. Let''s get going!¡±

    ¡°Okay, the final bell is coming! Poliwrath, get in there and use Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, Thunder Punch!¡± Elekid''s attack slammed into Poliwrath''s and drove the combatants backward. ¡°Get back in there with another Thunder Punch!¡±

    ¡°Counterattack with Ice Punch, Poliwrath!¡± The next impact knocked Elekid away, and the Electric-type crash-landed with a volley of furious shouts. ¡°Now, get after it and use Submission!¡± Before Elekid could recover, Poliwrath had grabbed him and began to roll along the ground. Jen saw what was happening and a thought struck her.

    ¡°Poliwrath can''t dodge or counter while it''s got a hold of you, Elekid! Blast it with ThunderShock!¡± Elekid let fly with a burst of electricity before Poliwrath let him go and tossed him back towards Jen. Poliwrath stood up, shaking from the attack and the recoil from Submission. ¡°Okay, ThunderShock again!¡±

    ¡°Get close and use Ice Punch!¡± Poliwrath''s strike knocked Elekid to the floor, but yellow sparks played across the frog''s body. ¡°Oh, boy. Looks like hitting Elekid over and over gave us a little Static overload.¡±

    ¡°Then we''ll take advantage! Thunder Punch!¡± Elekid''s strike hit Poliwrath square in the chest, and the frog doubled over from the impact. ¡°Okay, hit it again!¡± Poliwrath struggled to get up as Elekid landed another heavy blow, and the Static sparks kept jumping off its body.

    ¡°Poliwrath, finish this! Dynamic Punch!¡± Poliwrath''s fist glowed red, and it swung at Elekid...missing by inches.

    ¡°Thunder Punch!¡± Elekid wound up and slugged Poliwrath squarely between the eyes. The frog''s eyes slammed shut, and it started to fall forward. ¡°Quick! Get out of there before you get squashed!¡± Elekid jumped backward as Poliwrath''s massive form thumped onto the floor. The Gym attendant waited for a few seconds, then raised an arm.

    ¡°Poliwrath is down! Elekid wins the round and the match, and Jennifer wins the Storm Badge!¡± Jen leaped into the air in triumph.

    ¡°We did it, Elekid!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon whirled his arm around, sending sparks everywhere. Chuck recalled Poliwrath and walked towards his victorious challengers.

    ¡°Well done, Jennifer. You fought hard and showed tremendous courage, and you''ve more than earned this badge.¡± He handed Jen a badge that looked like a rounded fist. Jen took it and smiled.

    ¡°Thanks, Chuck. That battle was the hardest one I''ve had so far.¡±

    ¡°Well, you passed with flying colours. You should be proud of the way you''ve raised your team.¡± As James walked over, Chuck turned towards him. ¡°So you''re next up, are you, son? I''m sure if you''re half as tough as your friend, you''ll be quite the challenger.¡±

    ¡°I hope so, Chuck. We never give less than our best, after all.¡± Chuck laughed, and the Gym Leader showed the pair out of the building.

    <hr>

    In a side hallway, the gym attendant looked around as if he was expecting someone to appear. Eventually, a middle-aged woman entered the foyer and walked towards him.

    ¡°So, how did he do?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°The girl won the match, but it was a close-run thing.¡± The woman chuckled at the news.

    ¡°He''ll have to work harder after that, then. It''s been a while since he had a proper workout.¡± She nodded to the attendant, and they went their separate ways.

 31-Chucked Out

    The next morning, Jen watched with wide eyes as James gulped his orange juice at breakfast. Quilava lay next to the table, snoring lightly as he prepared himself for the day''s action. As James set his glass down, Jen spoke up.

    ¡°So, are you ready? Chuck''s the toughest Gym Leader I''ve battled so far.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°I know I''m going to win this one. I haven''t lost a Gym match since Azalea Town, so I''m gonna keep the run going.¡±

    ¡°You''ve only had two of them,¡± Jen warned, ¡°and they were pretty close calls, too. Don''t get overconfident.¡±

    ¡°I''m not overconfident.¡± James insisted. ¡°I''ve just got a really good feeling about today. My team is stronger than ever, and they can counter anything Chuck can throw at us. We''re going to win.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Jen answered, and went back to her toast. James looked at Quilava, who opened one sleepy eye.

    ¡°You set to go, buddy?¡± Quilava growled an affirmative, and James grinned. ¡°Awesome. If we keep this up, we won''t lose a match again.¡±

    <hr>

    After returning to the Cianwood Gym and having the attendant rouse Chuck, James stood in the challenger''s technical area with his grin still firmly affixed to his face. Jen sat in the stands, watching him with concern. Chuck tensed a few times before turning to face his challenger.

    ¡°Are you ready, young man? Just because your friend beat me yesterday, don''t think this one will be a walkover.¡±

    ¡°I''m ready to win, Chuck!¡± James scratched Quilava''s ears as the gym attendant announced the battle.

    ¡°This Cianwood City Gym challenge will now commence! The challenger is James from Violet City, and he will face our leader, Chuck!¡±

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Chuck

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Each competitor may use three Pok¨¦mon, and only the challenger may substitute!¡± The attendant turned to Chuck. ¡°Gym Leader, your first Pok¨¦mon, please!¡±

    ¡°Machoke, come on out!¡± The heavily muscled Fighting-type grinned across the field as it emerged. James gripped his Pok¨¦ball tightly before he threw it out.

    ¡°Haunter, you''re first up!¡± The violet ghost yawned as usual, but James kept smiling. ¡°You can nap later, let''s win first!¡±

    ¡°Begin!¡± shouted the attendant, and Chuck sprang into action.

    ¡°Use Foresight!¡± Machoke''s eyes glowed a pale yellow, and it stared right at Haunter. James raised an eyebrow, then pointed to Machoke.

    ¡°It can''t hit us with much, Haunter! Get in close and use Lick!¡± Haunter flew toward Machoke, tongue hanging from his mouth in anticipation, but Chuck laughed as the ghost approached.

    ¡°Karate Chop!¡± Machoke let Haunter get close, then brought a stiff forearm down onto his head. Haunter recoiled in surprise, and James shrank back in similar fashion.

    ¡°What...but how? Fighting-type moves don''t affect Ghost-types!¡±

    ¡°They can if their opponent uses Foresight. That allows Normal or Fighting moves to hit ghosts. You didn''t think I''d forget to prepare a strategy for facing them, did you?¡± James stared, then he motioned to Haunter.

    ¡°Okay, new plan! Get clear and use Shadow Ball!¡± Haunter generated a pulsing sphere of dark energy and pushed it toward Machoke. The fighter jumped over the attack and rushed towards Haunter anew.

    ¡°That''s it, Machoke! Give it another whack with Karate Chop!¡± Machoke smashed into Haunter again, and the ghost looked to his trainer frantically.

    ¡°Focus! Hit it with Confuse Ray!¡± Haunter''s eyes glowed with an iridescent light, and Machoke''s eyes became unfocused. ¡°All right, now use Shadow Ball again!¡±

    ¡°Counter it! Use Karate Chop!¡± Machoke took a wild swing, but ended up throwing itself to the floor just as the Shadow Ball hit it. The Fighting-type slowly pulled itself up, looking dazed. ¡°Okay, now get after it! Cross Chop!¡± Machoke crossed its forearms as it dove at Haunter, and James snapped into action.

    ¡°Don''t let up, Haunter! One more Shadow Ball!¡± Haunter fired the pulsing attack directly into Machoke''s face, and bits of the field flew up as Machoke was driven back onto the ground. The gym attendant waited for Machoke to stir, but it remained flat on its back.

    ¡°Machoke is unable to battle! Haunter is the winner!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Yeah! Way to go, Haunter!¡± James was grinning more broadly than ever now. ¡°With a Ghost-type in my corner, I can''t lose.¡±

    ¡°Well, we''d like to prove you wrong, son!¡± Chuck was grinning as well, even as he recalled Machoke. ¡°You may have taken down one of my team, but I''ve still got two to go!¡±

    ¡°Bring it!¡± James tensed again, and Haunter stuck his tongue out at the Cianwood Gym Leader.

    ¡°Okay, let''s keep this going! Primeape, time to hit the mat!¡± The Pig Monkey Pok¨¦mon jumped from one foot to the other, its short temper close to boiling point as usual.

    ¡°Haunter, Confuse Ray!¡± The light in Haunter''s eyes reflected in Primeape''s, but the fighter looked unfazed. ¡°Okay, that didn''t work. Try Hypnosis!¡± This time, Haunter''s eyes glowed violet, and a cloud surrounded Primeape; a moment later, though, the cloud dissipated. ¡°Now what?¡±

    ¡°Hypnosis can''t overcome Primeape''s Vital Spirit! No matter how many sleep moves are thrown at it, it will never give in!¡± James'' smile faded a little as he prepared his next attack.

    ¡°Okay, let''s see it handle this! Haunter, Shadow Punch!¡± Haunter flew over to Primeape and struck it with one of his disembodied hands. Chuck simply kept grinning in response.

    ¡°Assurance!¡± Primeape''s body glowed white before it slammed an open palm into Haunter''s face. Haunter shrank back in pain as the attack hit.

    ¡°What kind of move is that?!¡± James shouted as Haunter recovered. Chuck laughed as he started to explain.

    ¡°Assurance is a move that increases in force when its user takes damage. It''s also a Dark-type move, which is why Haunter is so spooked.¡± Haunter shook himself once and stuck his tongue out again, but James raised his Pok¨¦ball before things went further.

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    ¡°Return for now, Haunter!¡± James took a deep breath, then looked down at Quilava. ¡°You ready to go, buddy?¡± Quilava vocalized an affirmative, and he ran onto the field to face Primeape. Chuck''s grin widened even more as the Fire-type ignited his flames.

    ¡°What''s he doing?!¡± Jen almost screamed as she watched the proceedings from the stands. ¡°Don''t tell me he''s forgotten what Chuck''s got in reserve...¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Okay, Quilava, Flamethrower!¡± Quilava unleashed a stream of fire that slammed into Primeape, but the ape held its ground.

    ¡°Step up and use Focus Energy!¡± A bright light surrounded Primeape, then slowly faded as it appeared to coalesce on its forehead. ¡°And now use Karate Chop!¡±

    ¡°Quilava, Dig!¡± The Volcano Pok¨¦mon dove underground as Primeape swung its forearm at him, then leaped out and slammed headfirst into the Fighting-type. ¡°Keep it up! Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Assurance!¡± Primeape delivered another palm strike just after the speed attack hit. ¡°Cross Chop!¡±

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± The stream of fire hit Primeape''s crossed arms and dissipated as the Pig Monkey rushed forward. ¡°Okay, this is it! Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava''s body was surrounded by fire, and he charged ahead to meet the Cross Chop. The resultant impact threw both Pok¨¦mon back, and a small cloud of smoke appeared at the site. ¡°Quilava!¡±

    ¡°Primeape, stand strong!¡± As the smoke cleared, Quilava looked shaken but alright, while Primeape stood tall, its right eyelid twitching. Quilava tensed for another attack, but Primeape pitched forward and landed flat on its face, its fight finished.

    ¡°Primeape is unable to battle! The point goes to Quilava!¡±

    <hr>

    Jen shook her head as she watched Chuck recall Primeape.

    ¡°He''d better have some kind of wild strategy planned. That''s the only explanation for sending out Quilava instead of preparing to face Poliwrath.¡± She put her face in her hands as she leaned forward in her seat. ¡°Who am I kidding? He doesn''t do strategy, he just rushes in and improvises. He''s on a wave of confidence, and he''s gonna ride it...all the way to disaster.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Your Quilava is very strong, son.¡± Chuck called as he took out his last Pok¨¦ball. ¡°But you may have made a mistake in your team selection. I hope you haven''t forgotten my prizefighter here!¡± He tossed the Pok¨¦ball, revealing his Poliwrath. The fighting frog flexed its muscles, and James'' grin faded again.

    ¡°I didn''t forget. Quilava''s just eager to fight.¡± Quilava''s flames intensified, and James motioned to him. ¡°A little too eager. Come on back and take a break, buddy.¡± Quilava slunk over to James'' technical area, and the youngster scratched his friend''s ears. ¡°You''ll get back in there, pal. The rest of the team can help out for now.¡± James thought for a moment, then took out Haunter''s Pok¨¦ball. ¡°We''ll use some trickery for this one! Haunter, time for another run!¡± The ghost waggled his tongue in his taunting way, and Poliwrath''s eyes narrowed. ¡°Alright, Confuse Ray!¡±

    ¡°Swagger!¡± Poliwrath flexed even more, and Haunter''s eyes narrowed in anger before glazing over.

    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± James muttered. ¡°That doesn''t look promising. Haunter, Shadow Ball!¡± Haunter began forming the Ghost-type attack, but lost his concentration. The attack exploded before Haunter could launch it. ¡°No! Try it again!¡±

    ¡°While they''re distracted, use Belly Drum!¡± Poliwrath pounded its stomach with its large fists, and looked drained afterwards. ¡°We may have sacrificed some vitality, but we''ve maxed our attack power!¡±

    ¡°That''s not good! Haunter, try another Shadow Ball!¡± Haunter''s eyes returned to normal as it formed the attack, but Poliwrath was all over him in an instant.

    ¡°Ice Punch!¡± The frog''s fist glowed blue, and it slammed the attack right between Haunter''s eyes. The force of the strike sent Haunter flying through the air, and it nearly phased through the back wall of the gym as it sped past James'' ear.

    ¡°Haunter!¡± The ghost''s eyes showed the dazed look of a knockout this time.

    ¡°Haunter cannot battle! Poliwrath takes the round!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°I warned him,¡± Jen groaned as she watched. ¡°I told him not to get overconfident, but does he listen? Poliwrath''s looking unstoppable now, and even a super effective attack might not help James at this point.¡± She looked down, first at Quilava, whose eyes were wide with shock, then to James, who looked just as stunned. ¡°And he knows it, too. He''s got to react fast.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Good work, Haunter,¡± James said as he recalled the ghost. ¡°For your first Gym match, you put in a strong shift.¡± He took out another Pok¨¦ball and gripped it tightly. ¡°We can''t let Poliwrath get a clear shot at us, or we''ll get crushed. Time to get back to it, though.¡± He threw the all a little harder than necessary as he called on a third team member. ¡°Pidgeotto, go!¡± The bird trilled as she emerged, and fixed Poliwrath with her usual haughty gaze, which the frog returned with anger in its eyes.

    ¡°Poliwrath, show them that staying out of reach isn''t so easy! Jump and use Ice Punch!¡± Poliwrath pushed off from the ground and leaped up to Pidgeotto''s level, its fist taking on a blue glow once more.

    ¡°Stay clear, Pidgeotto! Use Gust!¡± Pidgeotto whipped up a tornado in midair, catching Poliwrath in the vortex. ¡°Good work! Now, use Quick Attack!¡± The bird circled the tornado and rushed at Poliwrath''s back, striking it hard.

    ¡°Keep calm, Poliwrath! Fire a BubbleBeam into the funnel!¡± Glowing blue bubbles shot out from all directions, and a few hit Pidgeotto as she circled the frog. The Gust disappeared, and Poliwrath began to fall toward the ground.

    ¡°This is our chance, Pidgeotto! Use Wing Attack to knock it down!¡± Pidgeotto flew down towards Poliwrath, her wings outstretched. As she started to swing one of them, Poliwrath grabbed her and tossed her down. ¡°No! We got too close!¡±

    ¡°Body Slam!¡± Poliwrath extended its limbs as it fell towards Pidgeotto. The Bird Pok¨¦mon hit the ground, and looked up in fright as the frog dropped from the air.

    ¡°Pidgeotto, get out of there!¡± James yelled out, but it was no use. Poliwrath belly-flopped right on top of Pidgeotto, crushing her under its weight. The frog pushed itself off of the bird, and the attendant called the round.

    ¡°Pidgeotto cannot battle! Poliwrath wins!¡±

    <hr>

    James recalled Pidgeotto and felt his breathing speed up. He''d been ahead just a few minutes ago, and now he was on the brink of blowing that hard-earned lead. Quilava''s fire attacks wouldn''t be much help against a Water-type, and Poliwrath''s enhanced attack power meant that a direct hit was a sure finisher. He closed his eyes and tried to steady himself, willing himself to calm down. This wasn''t over yet.

    ¡°Quilava,¡± he said as the Fire-type glared at Poliwrath. ¡°You''re strong enough to win this. We''ve come too far not to give this our best shot. So let''s show everyone what you can do.¡± Quilava darted onto the field, and Poliwrath flexed in anticipation.

    ¡°All right, son, come at us with everything you''ve got!¡± Chuck looked energized by Poliwrath''s quick wins, and James mustered up the effort to smile again.

    ¡°You''ve got it! Quilava, Quick Attack!¡± The Volcano Pok¨¦mon sped in and slammed Poliwrath, rushing back to safety as fast as he could after the hit.

    ¡°Rain Dance!¡± Poliwrath clapped its hands, and a dark cloud appeared above the battlefield. Large drops of rainwater began hammering into the floor, splashing everywhere. Quilava shrank back from the water, but James pointed to Poliwrath.

    ¡°Dig!¡± Quilava burrowed underground, and Poliwrath tensed.

    ¡°Steady! Prepare Brick Break for when it comes up!¡± Poliwrath''s fist glowed, but Quilava emerged behind the frog and slammed into its back.

    ¡°Alright, now use Smokescreen!¡± Quilava covered the field with a thick black smoke, but the rain made it scatter faster than normal.

    ¡°It''s been a fun battle, son!¡± Chuck called out as the smoke disappeared completely. ¡°But I''m afraid that it''s time to end it! Poliwrath, Mind Reader!¡± Poliwrath''s eyes took on a bluish glow, and Quilava''s body shone with the same hue. ¡°Now DynamicPunch!¡±

    ¡°Dig!¡± Quilava tried to dive underground again, but Poliwrath reached him in two strides and swung a red-glowing fist into his lower body. The punch exploded, sending smoke, rainwater and bits of battlefield flying everywhere. ¡°Quilava, no!¡± Quilava''s body shook as he tried to stay standing, but his legs gave out and he collapsed onto the battlefield, defeated.

    ¡°Quilava is unable to battle! Poliwrath wins, and the match goes to the Gym Leader, Chuck!¡±

    <hr>

    James ran out onto the field to check on his friend as the attendant called the result. He knelt in front of the Fire-type, who raised his head weakly.

    ¡°Quilava, are you okay?¡± Quilava growled in response, and James nodded. ¡°We''ll get you right over to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, buddy. Just hang in there.¡± He turned to see Chuck standing behind him, and Jen running over to them as well.

    ¡°Your team has great attacking potential and fighting spirit, son.¡± Chuck said as he looked Quilava over. ¡°Even in defeat, you battled hard and refused to give up, right to the very end. There is no shame in that.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that, Chuck.¡± James looked quickly at Jen, who simply nodded. ¡°The next time we battle, we''ll win for sure.¡±

    ¡°I will look forward to it.¡± Chuck walked out to the lobby, and James looked at Jen again.

    ¡°Is Quilava going to be...¡± she began, but James cut her off.

    ¡°He''ll be fine.¡± he answered. ¡°Listen...you were right. I was overconfident today. I didn''t think I could lose after everything had gone so well, but Chuck...well, let''s just say I got my wake-up call.¡± Quilava stirred, and James looked down at him. ¡°C''mon, buddy, let''s get you to Nurse Joy. She''ll take care of you.¡± He helped the Fire-type to his feet, and the three of them walked towards the door.

 32-If At First You Dont Succeed...

    Once again, James and his team were hard at work, preparing for their rematch at the Cianwood Gym. Losing had sparked James right back into action, and he was determined to make amends in the next fight.

    ¡°Quilava, Flame Wheel!¡± A rock near the shore exploded as a burning torpedo slammed into it, sending hot embers flying in all directions. Quilava landed on all fours and smiled, thrilled at his success. ¡°Awesome work, pal! Now, use Dig!¡± Quilava dove underground, then leaped out a few moments later, twisting in midair before landing again.

    ¡°He''s really got the hang of things now,¡± Jen said from a few yards away. She''d offered to help the team practice, but James insisted on working on their new strategy himself. ¡°I still don''t think you should use Quilava in the rematch, but it''s your call.¡±

    ¡°He''s gonna fight this one too. We''ve both got to redeem ourselves, after all.¡±

    ¡°Quilava''s not the one with something to prove. You can''t keep sending him into dangerous matches just because he lost before.¡± James stiffened at this remark, and turned to her.

    ¡°Jen, I trust Quilava. He''s going to come through for me, I know it. We''re gonna use our defeats as motivation to get better the next time.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jen sighed, ceding the point. If James wanted to sacrifice victory for motivation, who was she to argue?

    <hr>

    The next morning, Quilava walked alongside the two youngsters as they approached the Cianwood Gym again. James had finished preparing their new strategy, and both trainer and Pok¨¦mon were ready to go and win their next badge.

    The gym attendant met them in the foyer and smiled.

    ¡°Welcome back.¡± James nodded, and the attendant led them to the main battlefield. ¡°I''ll warn you, Chuck has been training nonstop since your first meeting. He''s not going to make this match any easier than your last one.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn''t want him to,¡± James answered, looking around for the Cianwood leader. ¡°I''m ready to face anything he can bring.¡± The attendant walked towards a side corridor, and Jen followed James into the main room.

    ¡°You ready for this? It''s gonna be a rough ride.¡±

    ¡°I''m always ready for a battle. We''re not gonna lose this time, we''ve worked too hard.¡±

    ¡°Just...¡± Jen started, but James cut across her immediately.

    ¡°Don''t get overconfident, I know. I''m not going to make the same mistakes as last time, no way.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Jen murmured, and walked over to the stands as James awaited Chuck''s arrival.

    The rotund Gym Leader emerged a few minutes later, shaking water from his hair and beard.

    ¡°Aha, you''ve returned! I trust you''ve been training hard?¡± James grinned and took out a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Excellent! Let''s have some fun, then, shall we?¡± He took out a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it lightly in his hand. ¡°Since you''ve already met Primeape and Machoke, I''ll let you take on a couple of different team members this time! Go, Hitmonlee!¡± A creature that appeared to be mostly torso emerged, swinging a long leg through the air. Its small eyes were narrowed, and each of its feet had three claws. In the stands, Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to check the creature''s data.

    ¡°Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pok¨¦mon. Its legs act just like a spring, and can stretch to double their normal length for high-impact strikes.¡±

    ¡°Gotta watch those legs,¡± James muttered as he took out his own Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Okay, Elekid, go!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon grinned widely as he spun his arms, sparks flying as he did so. The gym attendant looked from James to Chuck, then raised his arms.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Elekid, ThunderShock!¡± Elekid shot a quick burst of electricity at Hitmonlee, who leaped above it. ¡°Alright, step up and use Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Rolling Kick!¡± Hitmonlee spun on one leg and slammed Elekid with a roundhouse kick to the torso. Elekid flew away, landing hard on his back. ¡°Okay, get after it and use Double Kick!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break again!¡± Elekid met the first of the twin attacks with a sharp chop, knocking Hitmonlee back. ¡°Great! Now use ThunderShock!¡± Elekid''s horns sparked, then a more intense electric blast than James expected burst forth. Hitmonlee was surrounded by the raw energy and dropped onto one knee, struggling against the blast. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Your Elekid''s ThunderShock appears to have upgraded to a Thunderbolt, son. It''ll do a lot more damage now, but that doesn''t matter. Hitmonlee, Jump Kick!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, Brick Break!¡± Hitmonlee leaped into the air, his foot glowing, while Elekid''s fist sparked anew. The attacks met and sent dust flying everywhere. Elekid put his hands on his knees in fatigue, while Hitmonlee looked unfazed. ¡°Okay, now Thunderbolt!¡±

    ¡°We won''t fall for that again, son! Hitmonlee, Hi Jump Kick!¡± This time, Hitmonlee jumped even higher than before, then landed on one leg in front of Elekid. As Elekid''s body built its charge, Hitmonlee drove his knee into Elekid''s face, knocking him straight into his trainer. James carefully pulled the Electric-type off him, seeing his dazed expression.

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    ¡°Elekid cannot battle! Point to Hitmonlee!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°No way!¡± James recalled Elekid and stared at the Kicking Pok¨¦mon. ¡°I''ve never seen speed like that, not even from Bugsy''s Scyther.¡± He looked down at Quilava, who looked like he wanted to jump right out and challenge Hitmonlee. ¡°You up for this, buddy?¡± Quilava growled an affirmative, and James grinned. ¡°Okay, then you''re up! Go get ''em!¡± Quilava ignited his fire vents as he ran onto the field. Hitmonlee swung his leg around in response.

    ¡°Hitmonlee, use Meditate!¡± Hitmonlee''s eyes glowed a pinkish colour, raising his attack power, and Quilava tensed.

    ¡°Hammer ''em, buddy! Flamethrower!¡± Quilava released a stream of fire that struck Hitmonlee full on, but Hitmonlee didn''t move. ¡°Okay, now Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava ran at Hitmonlee, his body surrounded by flames.

    ¡°Rolling Kick!¡± As Hitmonlee started his kicking motion, Quilava crashed into him and sent him stumbling backward.

    ¡°Okay, he''s off-balance! Flamethrower!¡± The searing attack hit the Fighting-type again, driving him further backwards.

    ¡°Jump Kick, Hitmonlee!¡± Hitmonlee regained his balance and jumped into the air, preparing to strike his opponent.

    ¡°Dig, Quilava!¡± Quilava dove underground as Hitmonlee hurtled towards him. The Kicking Pok¨¦mon crash-landed a few feet away as his target disappeared. Quilava emerged a moment later, slamming into Hitmonlee with tremendous force. ¡°Alright, Flamethrower again!¡±

    ¡°Break that up with Rolling Kick!¡± Hitmonlee spun into another roundhouse kick, cutting through the flames and leaving Quilava wide open. ¡°Okay, Double Kick!¡±

    ¡°Use Dig again!¡± Once more, Quilava dug down, then emerged below the Fighting-type, upending him. ¡°Now Flame Wheel!¡±

    ¡°Recover and use Blaze Kick!¡± Hitmonlee spun upright in midair and stretched again, striking Quilava as his foot caught fire. The Fire-type slid back and tensed for another attack.

    ¡°This isn''t working,¡± James murmured. ¡°Quilava, come here!¡± Quilava darted back to his trainer and growled in confusion. ¡°We''re gonna try another approach, buddy. You''ll get back out there.¡± The Volcano Pok¨¦mon relaxed as James took out his final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Pidgeotto, let''s go!¡± The bird trilled as she emerged and glared at Hitmonlee.

    ¡°Your Flying-type next, eh, son?¡± Chuck asked. ¡°I hope you don''t think you can just fly circles round us!¡±

    ¡°We can sure try! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!¡± Pidgeotto streaked towards Hitmonlee, hitting it squarely between the eyes.

    ¡°Jump Kick!¡± Hitmonlee leaped through the air and swung his leg down, sending Pidgeotto plummeting towards the ground. ¡°Okay, get after it! Mega Kick!¡±

    ¡°Wing Attack!¡± Pidgeotto ducked around the attack and slapped Hitmonlee with her outstretched wing. ¡°Now catch it in a Gust!¡± Pidgeotto whipped up a tornado around Hitmonlee, and the Fighting-type struggled to break from the vortex.

    ¡°Hitmonlee, stay tough! Rolling Kick!¡± Hitmonlee tried to swing his leg around, but couldn''t maintain his balance long enough.

    ¡°Finish it, Pidgeotto! Quick Attack!¡± Pidgeotto''s attack caught Hitmonlee in the back, sending him crashing to the floor. Hitmonlee struggled to get up, but the accumulated damage was too much for him, and his eyes glazed over.

    ¡°Hitmonlee is unable to battle! Point, Pidgeotto!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Yeah! Good work, Pidgeotto!¡± James breathed a sigh of relief as Pidgeotto trilled in triumph. It would take some more effort, but the badge was in sight again. ¡°Just stay focused! We can win this!¡±

    ¡°An admirable sentiment, son!¡± Chuck called out as he recalled Hitmonlee. ¡°Confidence is a strong quality in an opponent. But don''t let it blind you. You''ve still got to take down two more of my team!¡±

    ¡°Bring it on, Chuck!¡±

    ¡°Okay, son! Get ready! Poliwrath, go!¡± The fighting frog emerged and flexed, while Pidgeotto resumed her haughty stare.

    ¡°Stay alert, Pidgeotto! Use Gust!¡± Another tornado kicked up, but Poliwrath stood firm.

    ¡°Water Pulse!¡± Poliwrath generated a shimmering blue orb and threw it at Pidgeotto, who dodged it easily. ¡°Okay, Belly Drum!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± James watched in fear as Poliwrath pounded its stomach again, maximizing its attack power. ¡°I can''t believe I fell for that again. Pidgeotto, Gust attack!¡± Pidgeotto''s attack howled around Poliwrath, but the frog simply jumped forward with little reaction.

    ¡°Alright, Poliwrath, you know what to do! Jump and use Ice Punch!¡±

    ¡°Get out of the way and use Gust!¡± Pidgeotto dodged the attack, and caught Poliwrath in another vortex. ¡°Stay clear! We can...¡±

    ¡°Use Rock Tomb!¡± As Pidgeotto turned, a large grey rock materialized right in front of her, and she lost her balance.

    ¡°Pidgeotto!¡± As James cried out, Chuck smiled.

    ¡°Time to end this round, Poliwrath! Ice Punch!¡± Poliwrath slammed a glowing blue fist into Pidgeotto as she fell through the air, and she crashed hard in front of James. Poliwrath dropped into a three-point landing a few seconds later, its eyes relaxing in victory.

    ¡°Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Poliwrath wins this round!¡±

    <hr>

    James recalled Pidgeotto and his breathing sped up again. Each time he''d gone up against Poliwrath, he''d let the frog build itself up and his team had paid the price. He was in a bad spot, and he needed Quilava to bail him out.

    ¡°Quilava, you can do this, pal. Go for it.¡± Quilava ran back out onto the field and vocalized angrily at Poliwrath, whose eyes narrowed again as it flexed. ¡°Okay, Quilava, get after it! Use Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Counter with Ice Punch!¡± The two attacks met, and Quilava shrank back despite the type matchup.

    ¡°Dig, now!¡± Quilava dove down again, but Poliwrath simply stood in place, waiting for the impact. Quilava jumped up behind it, and the frog tensed.

    ¡°Water Pulse!¡± Poliwrath generated another shimmering orb and slammed it down. The resultant wave struck Quilava and drove it away, growling in panic.

    ¡°Quilava, stay strong! Use Quick Attack again!¡±

    ¡°Take the hit, Poliwrath!¡± Poliwrath relaxed its body as the attack hit, and readied a clenched fist. ¡°Alright, it''s time to wrap this up! Dynamic Punch!¡±

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Quilava pushed off and avoided Poliwrath''s glowing red fist by inches. He landed awkwardly, and tripped...just as Poliwrath turned to face him. James opened his mouth to call to the Volcano Pok¨¦mon, but Chuck was too quick for him.

    ¡°Water Pulse!¡± Poliwrath''s hand clenched around yet another pulse attack and threw it right into Quilava''s face. The orb exploded and sprayed water everywhere, and Quilava landed at his master''s feet. He fought to get up, but collapsed as he reached his feet, exhausted.

    ¡°Quilava is unable to battle! Poliwrath wins, and the win goes once again to Chuck, the Gym Leader!¡± James dropped to the ground and shook his head. He''d lost again, unable to close the deal against Poliwrath. Quilava growled quietly, and James moved over to him.

    ¡°Are you okay, buddy?¡± He cradled the Fire-type''s head in his arms as tears formed in his eyes. ¡°I''m sorry, Quilava. I shouldn''t have sent you out there again. It was too much for you.¡± Quilava growled again, a note of protest in his voice. ¡°I know, you did your best, it''s okay. You can rest up next time.¡± Jen walked over and looked at the two of them, a look of concern on her face.

    ¡°I thought you had it this time,¡± she said simply. James looked at her incredulously, but then calmed down. There was no sense in yelling at Jen; she was just a spectator, she didn''t make them lose.

    ¡°So did I,¡± James said quietly. Jen extended a hand to help him up.

    ¡°C''mon, let''s go back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre. All of you need rest after that.¡± James accepted Jen''s helping hand, and he followed Jen out of the battle area, Quilava slinking along at his heels.

 33-Threes a Charm

    Jen sat in the Pok¨¦mon Centre''s cafeteria and started to worry. James had refused to come out of their room ever since his second loss to Chuck, and nothing Jen nor Quilava did to rouse him had worked. The Fire-type had resigned himself to demolishing half of a small roast beef sandwich meant for his trainer, but Jen wasn''t ready to give up as easily. Eventually, she lost patience and walked into the room, Quilava at her heels.

    ¡°James, you''ve been pretending to be asleep since we got back here. It''s time to get up.¡±

    ¡°Go away.¡±

    ¡°Don''t give me that. You can''t just hide out just because you lost again. C''mon, Quilava ate half your sandwich already, you should grab it before he eats the rest of it.¡±

    ¡°I don''t want any. Quilava can have it.¡± Jen groaned at her friend''s stubborn behaviour.

    ¡°I can''t believe this. What happened to that spirit? What happened to I can''t lose this one?¡± Jen waited for a response, but got none, and threw her hands up in defeat. ¡°Fine! Mope around all afternoon, why don''t you? It''s not gonna help you beat Chuck, but what do you care?!¡± James just rolled over to avoid her, and Jen walked out of the room in a huff.

    <hr>

    James never did get up after Jen''s coaxing, and Jen was so angry with him that she didn''t bother going back to their room to sleep. She slumped into an armchair in the trainers'' lounge with Quilava at her feet, and she looked so worn out that Nurse Joy didn''t rouse her, instead leaving her to rest. As morning approached, Quilava stirred and poked her leg with his nose.

    ¡°No, Mom, I don''t wanna go to school today,¡± she muttered in her sleep. Quilava shrugged at this strange behaviour, and slunk out the double doors to the yard behind the Centre, in full view of the water.

    The fights against Poliwrath and the other opponents he''d faced had taken a lot out of the Fire-type. It wasn''t really the physical strain of battle that was the problem¡ªhe felt he''d proven, time and again, that he could take a hit and give one back, and be no more the worse for wear later. It was the disappointment after a loss that really bothered him, as if he could have done more to help his trainer. Quilava didn''t blame James for sending him up against opponents with a clear advantage, because that was part of the game. If he could just find that extra willpower, that final burst of energy that would put them over the top, they could stop anyone who challenged them. As he slumped on the ground again, Quilava heard the Centre doors open, and soon felt a hand scratch his ears.

    ¡°What are you doing out here, buddy? I thought you were with Jen.¡± Quilava looked up to see James standing next to him, looking out at the ocean. The Fire-type yawned and stretched, and James smiled. ¡°You wanted to enjoy the view, huh? Can''t say I blame you.¡± He knelt next to his starter as he continued. ¡°Listen, buddy, I''m gonna let you sit out the next match with Chuck. We''ve got to try a different strategy if we''re gonna beat him.¡± Quilava growled in protest, but James shook his head. ¡°I know you want to beat Poliwrath yourself, but Elekid or Pidgeotto have a better chance because of their moves.¡± Quilava shook his head and tensed, as if ready to fight right then and there. ¡°Sorry, pal, but it''s the only way. We''ve gotta get this badge and get back on track.¡± James stood up and turned towards the Centre. ¡°I''m gonna go wake Jen up, and then apologize to her for yesterday. You can stay out here if you want to.¡± James stepped back through the doors, and Quilava just slumped even lower.

    <hr>

    Jen jerked awake when James shook her shoulder in the trainers'' lounge, and then glared at him when she spotted him.

    ¡°So, are you going to spend all day in the room again?¡± she asked, an edge to her voice.

    ¡°No,¡± James answered, stung. ¡°I came to say I was sorry, Jen. I''ve acted like a real jerk the past few days.¡±

    ¡°I''ll say you have,¡± Jen replied, looking away.

    ¡°Well, I''m sorry. Can you forgive me?¡± Jen considered, then smiled.

    ¡°I guess so. You''re my best friend, after all...well, besides Magmar. There''s no point in staying mad.¡± James smiled, and her face turned serious again. ¡°Just try to keep it together this time, okay? You can''t get hung up over a loss like that, it''s no good for you.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± James answered, and Jen got up and followed him vack out the doors to where Quilava was waiting. ¡°So, you want to help me practice? I''ve got to get my team ready for our next fight with Chuck.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jen replied, adjusting her shirt. ¡°Is Quilava gonna fight again?¡±

    ¡°No, I''m letting him rest for this one,¡± James said. ¡°Chuck''s seen all his moves, and I need to pay better attention to the matchups. Elekid and Pidgeotto can pick up the slack, and Haunter needs to train as well.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jen said, letting her team out. ¡°I need to practice some more, too. I asked at the Centre, and they said that the Olivine Gym Leader is back from her vacation. We can challenge her once we get back to the mainland.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± James said, and the practice session began.

    <hr>

    As the morning slid into afternoon, Jen noticed something strange. An older girl was watching their training closely, focusing on James'' team in particular. After an hour or so, Jen walked over to her and asked what she was doing there.

    ¡°Oh! I''m sorry if I was bothering you,¡± the girl said, brushing her red hair from her face. ¡°It''s just, I couldn''t help but overhear you guys talking about the Cianwood Gym, and I was interested in a couple of your friend''s Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Why''s that?¡± Jen asked. The girl shuffled a little, then answered.

    ¡°Well, how much does he know about his Graveler and Haunter?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Umm, I don''t know,¡± Jen said truthfully. ¡°Hey James, come over here a minute!¡± James broke off from showing Elekid how to rush Graveler and push him off balance to talk to the two girls.

    ¡°What''s up?¡± James asked, nodding to the newcomer.

    ¡°Uh, not much.¡± the girl said. ¡°Oh, I''ve been so rude, forgive me. My name''s Kaya.¡± Both youngsters acknowledged her, and she continued. ¡°So, how long have you had your Graveler?¡±

    ¡°I caught him in the Dark Cave when he was still a Geodude.¡± James said, and the girl nodded.

    ¡°And your Haunter?¡±

    ¡°In the Sprout Tower. Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m sure you''re aware of how they evolve, right?¡± James looked puzzled.

    ¡°I''ve got to keep training them, right? That''s how these things usually work.¡±

    ¡°Not those two,¡± Kaya replied, and James'' puzzled look became more pronounced. ¡°You see, most Pok¨¦mon evolve when they''ve received enough care and experience, but some species have...special means of evolution. Some evolve when they come in contact with certain special items or stones, and others, like Graveler, evolve when you swap them with another trainer.¡±

    ¡°Swap them?¡± James asked. He didn''t like the idea of giving Haunter or Graveler away.

    ¡°Have you ever been part of a Pok¨¦mon trade?¡± Kaya asked, and James shook his head. ¡°Well, it works just the way it sounds. Using a special machine, two trainers can exchange ownership of different Pok¨¦mon, just like you''d swap cards or chocolate bars.¡±

    ¡°I...I see.¡± James said, and Jen nodded along. ¡°So...what does this have to do with Haunter and Graveler?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you wanted to, you could trade them with someone to evolve them. They''d become much more powerful, but their moves and potential power levels wouldn''t change much.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And nothing much else. I think there''s a trade machine in the Centre, if you guys wanted to try it.¡±

    ¡°We''ll take a look a little later,¡± Jen said, smiling. ¡°Thanks for letting us know, Kaya.¡± The redheaded girl smiled back and walked away, and James and Jen went back to their training.

    <hr>

    Kaya darted a short way from the Centre and found an older woman waiting for her.

    ¡°Did you tell them?¡± she asked, and Kaya nodded.

    ¡°They said they may try the process later. The boy didn''t seem convinced, but the girl seemed kind of enthusiastic.¡±

    ¡°The girl I''m not worried about, it''s the other one who''s been having trouble. Giving him a boost can only help him.¡± Kaya bowed to the woman, and they both went their separate ways.

    <hr>

    ¡°So, James,¡± Jen said as the sun got lower in the sky, ¡°d''you want to test out that trade evolution Kaya told us about?¡± James shook his head, and Jen''s eyes widened. ¡°What? Why? It sounds so cool...¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I don''t know, I guess I want to take down Chuck with the team I''ve got. I''m not sure I can handle a new team member this close to a match.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Jen said, frustrated. ¡°You and I both know you can handle it; remember when Geodude evolved before you fought Whitney? And you could use as much firepower as you can get right now.¡±

    ¡°Jen...I just don''t know. If I was going to evolve anyone, it would be Haunter, and I''ve only just gotten used to his new abilities. He is the centre of my battle plan for tomorrow, after all.¡±

    ¡°But getting used to new team members and experiences is all part of being a trainer,¡± Jen argued. ¡°The sooner you get used to things like this, the stronger you can become.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± James thought for a moment, then conceded. ¡°Alright, you win. We''ll try it in a few minutes. I''m gonna talk to Haunter and let him know what''s going on.¡±

    <hr>

    The trade machine sat in a dusty corner of the Pok¨¦mon Centre, looking like it hadn''t been touched for a long time. Jen searched for a switch on the side of the tarnished machine, and the machine let out a sound like straining metal before sparking into life.

    ¡°For some reason, I''m not sure about this,¡± James said, holding Haunter''s Pok¨¦ball. ¡°This thing could eat our Pok¨¦mon, and we''ll each be one team member short.¡±

    ¡°Will you stop worrying?¡± Jen said as she pressed a few buttons. ¡°It just needs to warm up a little...¡± She stopped as yellow text appeared on the screen.

    -Please insert Pok¨¦balls into the trading slots.-

    ¡°That''s our cue,¡± Jen said, dropping one of her Pok¨¦balls into a receptacle. James hesitated, then placed Haunter''s ball in the other slot. A green light hummed beneath each ball, and more text appeared, along with images of Haunter and...

    ¡°You''re sending me Tentacruel?¡± James asked as the Jellyfish Pok¨¦mon''s picture flashed up.

    ¡°We''ll trade right back, don''t worry.¡± Jen read the text on screen, then looked at James. ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°If you like.¡± Jen pressed the TRADE button, and both Pok¨¦balls shot upward into a tube above the trade slots. The images of Haunter and Tentacruel switched places, and the balls materialized again, Haunter''s glowing briefly as it emerged. James moved to pick up the one on his side, but Jen stopped him.

    ¡°I''m sure the evolution will work if we switch again. That way, we can do it in one shot.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± James watched as Jen keyed the machine again, and the process repeated in seconds. The youngsters picked up their Pok¨¦balls, and Jen switched the old machine off. Once outside, James took a deep breath and tossed out his Ghost-type.

    The ghost looked little like a gas cloud now. Instead, a round-bodied creature with spikes down its back floated in midair before his trainer. His red eyes stared just as mischievously as ever, and his mouth was open in a toothy grin. The warm evening air seemed to cool instantly, and James remembered Morty''s Gengar and its heat sink effect. He smiled quietly, realizing that he''d gained an even stronger team member now.

    ¡°Alright, Gengar,¡± he said as the ghost yawned. ¡°We''ve got a lot of work to do, and not a lot of time to do it. Let''s get moving.¡± Gengar yawned again, and the team jumped right back into their training.

    <hr>

    The next morning, James woke up early and sat in the trainers'' lounge, waiting for Jen and Quilava. The previous day''s training with Gengar and the others had given him hope for this round, and he was ready to finally claim the gym badge and move on to the next challenge.

    Jen met him about an hour later, and after some toast and orange juice, they started walking towards the Gym. As the building hove into view, they saw a familiar face standing by the Gym door.

    ¡°Kaya!¡± Jen called as they approached. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I was going to challenge the Gym Leader, but they said someone was already set up. I''m assuming that someone is you?¡± she asked, looking at James.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said, and Quilava growled as well. ¡°Sorry if we messed up your plans, Kaya.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it''s okay. I''ll have my battle tomorrow.¡± Kaya looked down at her shoes, then up again. ¡°Is it...okay if I watch your match, though? I want to see how the Gym Leader battles so I can plan my strategy.¡±

    ¡°That''s fine by me,¡± James said, and Jen smiled at her.

    ¡°You can sit with me, Kaya. It''ll be fun.¡± Kaya smiled, and they entered the Gym together. The attendant met them at the door.

    ¡°Ah, you''ve returned once again. I trust you''re prepared?¡± James grinned.

    ¡°You bet. No way am I losing three times in a row.¡±

    ¡°Excellent spirit. The Gym Leader is eager to match wits with you again.¡± Jen and Kaya left James to run to the stands, and James followed the attendant into the battlefield once more. Chuck stood waiting at the other end this time, grinning broadly.

    ¡°Hello again, son! Ready to go another round?¡±

    ¡°You know it.¡± James looked around for a moment, then turned to Chuck. ¡°Listen, is it okay if we make it a one-on-one battle this time? I''ve got a strategy I want to try.¡±

    ¡°That''s okay with me! Roy, you heard the kid.¡± The attendant looked oddly at Chuck, then relaxed.

    ¡°If both sides are in agreement, then a one-on-one battle it is.¡± Up in the stands, Jen leaned on the railing in surprise.

    ¡°What''s he thinking?¡± she asked Kaya. ¡°He never said he was going to pull something like this.¡±

    ¡°We''ll just have to wait and see.¡± said Kaya simply, and both girls watched for the first move.

    <hr>

    ¡°Okay, if we''re just using one Pok¨¦mon, then I''ll use Poliwrath!¡± The Water- and Fighting-type flexed as usual, and James looked down at his side.

    ¡°Quilava, get in there.¡± Quilava looked shocked, and James smiled. ¡°Go on, buddy. You''re the only one I want to get this job done.¡± The Fire-type grinned and ran onto the field, igniting his fire vents in challenge, and Poliwrath''s eyes narrowed. In the stands, Jen nearly jumped out of her seat.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± she asked, her voice harsher than she wanted. ¡°What happened to using Elekid, or Pidgeotto? Did he have this planned all along?¡±

    ¡°He sure had us fooled if he did,¡± Kaya murmured. Jen gave her a surprised look, but Kaya was unfazed.

    <hr>

    ¡°Okay, Quilava, let''s start off with Quick Attack!¡± Quilava rushed at Poliwrath and slammed into it with blinding speed.

    ¡°Poliwrath, knock it away with Ice Punch!¡± Poliwrath''s fist glowed blue, and it swung hard at Quilava, sending the Fire-type rolling along the floor. ¡°Now, use...¡±

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± Chuck''s command never came, outpaced by a torpedo of fire that drove Poliwrath backward. ¡°Good work, Quilava! We''ve just got to keep them off-balance, and they can''t pump themselves up!¡±

    ¡°So that''s what your game is, eh?¡± Chuck called, impressed by the youngster''s strategy. ¡°Well, let''s see if you can keep that pace up! Poliwrath, Body Slam!¡± Poliwrath jumped into the air and fell towards Quilava, who tensed in anticipation.

    ¡°Just like we practiced, buddy! Use Quick Attack to dodge!¡± Quilava raced out of the way, and Poliwrath thumped to the floor. ¡°Okay, now use Dig!¡±

    ¡°Quick, Poliwrath!¡± Chuck shouted as Quilava dove underground. ¡°Use Belly Drum before they emerge!¡± Poliwrath made ready to pound its stomach, but Quilava emerged underfoot seconds later and tripped it. ¡°They''re in close! Dynamic Punch!¡±

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava ducked the frog''s glowing fist and drove into its body, surrounded by flames. This time, the flames moved from Quilava''s body and surrounded Poliwrath, driving it to its knees. ¡°All right! Looks like you''ve burned them, pal!¡±

    ¡°That won''t stop us! BubbleBeam!¡± A stream of glowing bubbles buffeted Quilava, and he crouched low to the ground. ¡°Okay, time to power up! Use...¡±

    ¡°Quick Attack!¡± Poliwrath''s move was interrupted again as Quilava slammed into it, pushing it back again.

    ¡°Poliwrath, we''re going to have to do this gradually. Bulk Up!¡± Poliwrath flexed and its body glowed red, then glared at Quilava. ¡°That''ll take the sting out of those head-on attacks too.¡±

    ¡°Gotta be careful now,¡± James murmured. ¡°Quilava, Dig!¡±

    ¡°Poliwrath, fire Water Pulse into the hole!¡± Poliwrath formed a shimmering orb and shoved it down after Quilava, who emerged surrounded by water. Poliwrath''s body was briefly wrapped by flames as the burn effect continued. ¡°Great! Okay, now use Ice Punch!¡± Poliwrath''s cold punch sent Quilava rolling across the floor, struggling to get up.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± James called to the Fire-type, and Quilava pushed himself up and the flames on his body intensified. ¡°Let''s take the fight back to them, then! Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava surrounded himself with fire and charged at Poliwrath anew. Chuck grinned as Poliwrath tensed for the impact.

    ¡°Time to wrap this up, I think. Poliwrath! Let it hit you, then use DynamicPunch!¡± Poliwrath''s fist glowed red as it relaxed, letting Quilava drive into its body.

    ¡°Get clear with Quick Attack!¡± Poliwrath swung hard, but the powerful attack missed. Quilava landed and readied himself. ¡°Finish it off! Flame Wheel!¡± Quilava crashed into Poliwrath again, and the flames from the attack joined the ones from the burn effect. Poliwrath sank to one knee...shuddered...then fell flat on its face, beaten at last.

    ¡°Poliwrath is unable to battle! Quilava wins, and the victory goes to James from Violet City!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°YES!¡± James leaped up and punched the air as the attendant counted Poliwrath out. He''d done it, he and Quilava had finally gotten past Poliwrath, and the badge was theirs. He ran onto the field to meet an exhausted Quilava, who had slumped to the ground from fatigue. ¡°You okay, buddy?¡± Quilava growled, tired but happy after the win.

    ¡°Your Quilava was magnificent, son.¡± Chuck had walked over and recalled his fighting frog. ¡°And your rush tactics were an inspired move. Poliwrath barely had time to react.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Chuck. I knew we had to stop Poliwrath from powering up, and Quilava had the moves to do it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you''ve earned this badge.¡± Chuck handed James the fist-shaped badge, and James smiled.

    ¡°It was hard to get, and we''re going to learn from all our matches. Thanks for the battle, Chuck.¡± Jen and Kaya emerged from the stands a moment later, and Jen hugged James and Quilava.

    ¡°You guys were awesome! I didn''t think Quilava could pull it off, but he did it!¡± Kaya smiled as well, and turned to Chuck.

    ¡°I guess you''ll have to train harder, then?¡± Chuck nodded.

    ¡°Seems like it, Kaya.¡± James spun around as he heard Chuck''s words.

    ¡°Wait, you guys know each other?!¡± Kaya flushed as she looked down at her shoes, and Chuck gave the boy a confused look.

    ¡°Of course we do. Kaya is my niece, visiting for the week. Why?¡±

    ¡°We met Kaya yesterday. She told us about the trade machine in the Pok¨¦mon Centre so I could evolve my Haunter.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Go figure.¡± Chuck and the youngsters walked out into the lobby, where an older woman was waiting. Jen''s eyes widened and she whispered to James.

    ¡°That''s the woman we saw the night we got here.¡± James raised an eyebrow, and watched as Chuck stopped short.

    ¡°Dear? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I came to see how your latest Gym match went. How did it go, Chuck?¡±

    ¡°I, er,¡± Chuck scratched his head as he gave his wife a sheepish look. ¡°I lost this one, I''m afraid. Kaya was watching, too.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The woman looked sternly at Chuck, then her face broke into a smile. ¡°Well, you''ll have to train even harder now. Good thing, too; you needed to lose some weight, after all.¡± Chuck grinned and turned to James.

    ¡°Looks like your victory made my wife happy, too. Well done indeed, son.¡± James grinned back, and he looked down at Quilava.

    ¡°You ready to go, buddy? You''ve earned some rest.¡± Quilava looked at his trainer, then darted out the Gym doors. ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± James followed the Volcano Pok¨¦mon out the door, with Jen, Kaya and Chuck in tow. Quilava looked ready to collapse, but he growled again as his body began to glow. ¡°No way...not now...¡± Quilava''s bulk increased as his body expanded, and the fur near his hindquarters extended out. When the glow faded, a badger-like creature stood in Quilava''s place, a ruff of flames around his neck.

    ¡°Quilava evolved into Typhlosion!¡± Jen watched in fascination as the process took place, and James immediately scanned his newly-evolved friend.

    ¡°Typhlosion, the Volcano Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Quilava. Its hot fur can create explosive blasts of heat, and it will set nearby objects on fire if its anger is roused.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± James said as he watched Typhlosion yawn. ¡°Looks like I''ve got another new team member to work with.¡±

    ¡°You guys will be fine,¡± Jen said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Since we''re facing Steel-types next, Typhlosion will be really helpful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± James turned to Chuck. ¡°We''d better get ready to go, Chuck. Good luck with your next battles.¡±

    ¡°And to you, son.¡± Chuck waved goodbye, and James, Jen and Typhlosion headed for the Pok¨¦mon Centre for some rest.

 34-Courage and Steel

    James and Jen spent the rest of the afternoon in Cianwood, before taking an evening ferry back to Olivine City. The return trip was as uneventful as the previous trip had been. Instead of hanging out on the deck, James and Jen spent their time in a small common area, planning their strategies for the Olivine Gym. Both youngsters were confident; James'' team was well-suited to taking on Steel-types, while Jen knew that Magmar would be her strongest option for the coming match, with Elekid and Tentacruel as her other realistic choices.

    As they reached the ferry terminal, they saw a familiar face.

    ¡°Huey!¡± Jen called as she spotted the sailor. Huey grinned when he saw the two youngsters.

    ¡°Hey, long time, no see! How''d it go at the Cianwood Gym?¡±

    ¡°We both won the badge, and Tentacruel was awesome. We couldn''t have done it without your help.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m glad I could get you guys off and running.¡± Huey gave them a wave, and they exited the terminal.

    <hr>

    On the way to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, Jen turned to James.

    ¡°Hey, do you want to see if the Gym is open yet? The receptionist said the Gym Leader should be back around now.¡±

    ¡°Why don''t we go to the Centre first, and ask Nurse Joy if she knows anything. It''s a bit late for a gym battle anyway.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then,¡± Jen sighed, and they continued to the Centre. As they walked in, they saw a slender young woman with light brown hair talking to the Pok¨¦mon nurse. ¡°Who''s that?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± James answered, scratching Typhlosion''s ears. They walked closer, and they could hear what the woman was saying.

    ¡°So of course they''ve started that big renovation project out there, so that limited what I could do in town. But there''s plenty to do around the area, so it wasn''t a total waste of a trip.¡± The girl sighed as she collected a few Pok¨¦balls, her cheeks taking on a red tinge. ¡°Well, I''d better check on Amphy before I head home. Thank you, Nurse Joy.¡± The woman headed out the double doors, and James, Jen and Typhlosion approached the counter.

    ¡°Oh, hello there! Welcome to the Olivine Pokemon Centre!¡± The two youngsters handed their Pok¨¦balls across the surface, and Typhlosion slunk through a gap to meet the nurse.

    ¡°Um, Nurse Joy?¡± Jen asked, and the nurse gave her a smile. ¡°Do you know if the Olivine City Gym is open again? The Cianwood Pok¨¦mon Centre said the leader was back from their vacation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I believe it''s open.¡± Joy responded, with a hint of knowing in her voice. ¡°I only have the word of a few passers-by to go on, but the Gym Leader should be available to take your challenge now.¡±

    ¡°Cool. Thanks!¡± Nurse Joy gave them a short bow before taking their Pok¨¦mon to the back room, and James followed Jen into the waiting area. ¡°So, Steel-types, huh? Good thing we have teams that can counter them.¡±

    ¡°We have to be careful, though. Remember Chuck and how he countered Haunter''s typing? Steel-types could be tricky to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Right, can''t forget that. So who goes first?¡± James considered, then shrugged.

    ¡°Why don''t you go first again? All those rounds with Chuck took a lot out of me.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I''d better start practicing if we want to take on the gym tomorrow.¡± Jen hurried out of the back door, while James slumped into an armchair, eager to rest after the intensity of the past few days.

    <hr>

    ¡°Magmar, Flamethrower!¡± The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon launched a searing stream of fire into the air, leaving a slight haze as it dissipated. Magmar smirked as she watched the attack; she hadn''t been in a real match since evolving, and was proud that her moves were just as strong as ever. Nearby, Elekid fired electric blasts at Togetic, who nimbly avoided each one. Tentacruel sat on his cushion of water, working on the stationary Surf technique that Huey had taught him. Golbat flew around the area, occasionally dodging a stray ThunderShock or Flamethrower, while Pichu followed Elekid closely, unwilling to be separated from the Electric Pok¨¦mon. Jen noticed this and knelt next to the Tiny Mouse, smiling.

    ¡°You know, Pichu, I might need you in a battle sometime. I can''t just rely on Magmar, Elekid and Tentacruel, after all.¡± Pichu slumped, and Jen patted her on the head. ¡°It''s okay. I know you''re not as powerful as the others right now, but I''m gonna work on some training so you''ll improve. That way, you can participate in battle just like everyone else.¡± She picked up Pichu and hugged her, just as James walked out.

    ¡°Pichu''s still shy, huh?¡±

    ¡°We''ll work on that. I''ve just got to figure out the best training method for her.¡± She looked over at Magmar, who was now sparring with her Elekid. ¡°Alright, guys, that''s enough! We''ve got to rest up for tomorrow, so let''s call it a night.¡± Jen recalled all her Pok¨¦mon except for Pichu, giving the Electric-type another hug. After recalling Pichu, she turned to James. ¡°Want to grab some food before we go to sleep?¡±

    ¡°I thought you''d never ask. There''s a steak sandwich in the cafeteria with my name on it.¡±

    ¡°You''d better hurry up before Typhlosion eats it, then.¡± The two youngsters ran into the Centre in anticipation, the Volcano Pok¨¦mon at their heels.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Jen took her Pok¨¦mon to Nurse Joy for a once-over before heading for the Olivine Gym. James and Typhlosion followed along, the latter constantly looking around him. James put a hand on the Fire-type''s head to calm him down, and Typhlosion relaxed.

    When they reached the Gym, the receptionist''s eyes widened as she recognized them.

    ¡°You''re back. I''m assuming you both beat the Cianwood Gym?¡± Jen nodded, and the receptionist gave a lazy wave towards the door. ¡°Jasmine is right through there. Good luck to you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jen said, and the two youngsters walked through the door to the main battlefield. Jen saw the Gym Leader standing at the other end of the room, but she turned to James as she realized who it was. ¡°It''s the same girl we saw last night at the Pok¨¦mon Centre! That''s why Nurse Joy was acting so mysterious when we asked her!¡± James shrugged, and headed off to the stands with Typhlosion, while Jen walked to the field.

    ¡°Oh, hello!¡± the Gym Leader called as she spotted Jen. ¡°I''m assuming you''re here to challenge me?¡±

    ¡°I am! My name is Jennifer, and I''m...well, I live in Violet City. I''m here to win the Olivine Gym Badge!¡±

    ¡°Oh! You are? Um, right. I''m Jasmine, the Olivine City Gym Leader. I use Steel-type Pok¨¦mon in battle. You won''t find it easy against me.¡±

    ¡°That''s okay! I like a challenge!¡±

    ¡°Then let''s get started.

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Jasmine

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Skarmory, let''s go!¡± Jasmine''s first choice was a large bird whose body was seemingly made out of metal. Each of its wings had a metallic feather covering three red ones, and its toothy mouth grinned eagerly. Jen took out her first Pok¨¦ball and her Pok¨¦dex, scanning the new opponent.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Skarmory, the Armour Bird Pok¨¦mon. This Steel- and Flying-type''s body is covered in a light but strong armour, and it is capable of flight speeds of up to 190 miles per hour.¡±

    ¡°Sounds scary. Okay, Magmar, you''re up!¡± Magmar spat a mouthful of flames as she emerged, eager for battle. Jasmine looked apprehensively at the Fire-type, but shook it off and prepared her attack.

    ¡°Skarmory, Spikes!¡± The bird tucked in its wings and spun rapidly like a top, and several red-tinged projectiles shot from its body and buried themselves in the ground. ¡°That''ll make her think twice about switching.¡±

    ¡°I don''t think so!¡± Jen called, but she murmured to herself a second later. ¡°I''m not sure what Spikes does, but I can''t let it rattle me.¡± Turning to Magmar, she pointed at Skarmory. ¡°Blast it, girl! Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, then use Aerial Ace!¡± Skarmory nimbly avoided the scorching flames and rocketed at Magmar, its body surrounded by white streaks. It collided with the Fire-type and raced away, trying to get out of reach of Magmar''s attacks.

    ¡°Stay calm, Magmar! SmokeScreen!¡± Magmar''s next move was to cover the field in a thick layer of black smoke, hiding her from view. Skarmory looked around in confusion, trying to pick out its target. Jasmine looked on nervously.

    ¡°Swords Dance, Skarmory!¡± As Skarmory''s body spun and its feathers glowed, Jen pointed up.

    ¡°Now''s your chance! Flamethrower!¡± Before Skarmory could react, a stream of fire exploded upward, slamming into its body and dropping it from the air.

    ¡°Skarmory! Recover and use Night Slash!¡±

    ¡°Not gonna happen! Fire Punch it as it falls!¡± As Skarmory struggled to right itself in midair, Magmar jumped up to meet it, swinging a burning fist at its body. One strike knocked the bird backward onto the field, where it didn''t stir.

    <hr>

    ¡°Skarmory, no!¡± Jasmine recalled the Armour Bird and sighed. ¡°That''s what a Fire-type can do, I suppose. Well done, Skarmory.¡± She turned to Jen and nodded. ¡°Your Magmar is very strong. You''ve done a good job raising her.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jasmine! We''ve worked really hard to get to where we are.¡±

    ¡°Well, it''s paying off so far. But we''re...we''re far from finished.¡± Jasmine withdrew another Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. ¡°Magnemite, let''s go!¡± Jasmine''s next choice was a metal ball with a horseshoe magnet on each side of the sphere. A pair of Phillips head screws sat below a white circle, presumably an eye, and a third sat on top of its body. It floated above the ground as it watched Magmar.

    ¡°An Electric-type? Magmar, take a break for now.¡± Jen pulled Magmar, then tossed another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°We''ll fight lightning with lightning! Elekid, go!¡± Elekid landed on the ground, then winced as a series of explosions went off at his feet. ¡°Wait, what was that?¡±

    ¡°That''s the effect of Spikes,¡± Jasmine explained quietly. ¡°Each time you switch Pok¨¦mon, the Spikes will damage them. It''s a move designed to make trainers think before they make a substitution.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Jen murmured, then smiled. ¡°My team can take anything, just you watch! Elekid, ready?¡± Elekid spun his arm and growled. ¡°Awesome! Jump up and hit it with Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Magnemite, Metal Sound!¡± The magnets on Magnemite''s body glowed, and a piercing noise like bending metal echoed through the gym. Elekid shrank back from the noise, stopping his attack to do so.

    ¡°Elekid, stay strong! Don''t let up on that Brick Break!¡± Elekid growled, then jumped at Magnemite again. His attack hit the mark, and Magnemite dropped to the floor. ¡°Awesome! Once more!¡±

    ¡°Mirror Shot!¡± Magnemite''s body glowed again, and a blinding light flashed, knocking Elekid away. ¡°Now use Thunder!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, ThunderPunch!¡± Magnemite''s electric blast attack missed its mark, and Elekid slammed a forearm into it again. ¡°Okay! One more should do it!¡± As Elekid jumped again, Jasmine called to Magnemite.

    ¡°Wait until it gets close!¡± Magnemite watched Elekid flying towards it, then Jasmine cried out. ¡°Thunder!¡± The electric blast struck Elekid, who pushed through it and hit Magnemite with a third Brick Break. Elekid landed and fell to one knee, while Magnemite crashed to the floor. ¡°Magnemite, are you okay?¡± Magnemite didn''t answer, and Jen looked at Elekid.

    ¡°How about you, Elekid?¡± Elekid growled, tried to get up...and pitched forward onto the ground. ¡°No, Elekid!¡± Jen looked wildly at Magnemite. ¡°How did that happen? I know Thunder is a powerful attack, but it wouldn''t do that much against an Electric-type...¡±

    ¡°Metal Sound''s effect dropped Elekid''s defenses enough to cause significant damage,¡± Jasmine said quietly, as she recalled Magnemite. ¡°I must say, your Elekid was terrific. Those attacks really took their toll.¡± She took out a final Pok¨¦ball and, to Jen''s surprise, smiled. ¡°But you still have to face my strongest Pok¨¦mon. Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Bring it! I''m ready for anything!¡±

    ¡°We''ll see.¡± Jasmine tossed the ball out. ¡°Steelix, go!¡±

    <hr>

    From the stands, James watched as a massive, snake-like creature emerged from the ball. Its body was made up of round segments like Hunter''s Onix, but were a shiny silver rather than grey rock. Its lower jaw jutted out beneath blocky teeth, and its red eyes were narrowed. James scanned the new opponent as he stared.

    ¡°Steelix, the Iron Snake Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Onix. Because of the high underground pressure under which it lives, its body is harder than any metal. It is known to chew through boulders with its powerful jaws.¡±

    ¡°So that''s what I can expect later...and if Hunter evolves his Onix. I wonder how Jen''s going to counter this one.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen looked Steelix over for a few seconds, then made her decision.

    ¡°Tentacruel, let''s go!¡± The jellyfish landed with its customary splat, and the Spikes went off again. Jasmine looked curiously at Tentacruel as he appeared.

    ¡°A Water- and Poison-type? Odd choice to battle a Steel-type, but I''m sure you have a plan.¡±

    ¡°I do! Tentacruel, Surf!¡± Tentacruel kicked up its cushion of water, and Jasmine''s smile widened.

    ¡°Ah, you''ve learned how to use a Water-type out of...well, out of the water. But it won''t help you now. Steelix, Rock Polish!¡± Steelix''s body glowed, and its movements, even while stationary, looked a little faster. ¡°Now get in close and use Bind!¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, BubbleBeam!¡± Tentacruel unleashed a torrent of shining bubbles, but Steelix cut through them and wrapped its body around the jellyfish. Tentacruel''s Surf cushion dissipated as Steelix lifted it off the floor. ¡°No, Tentacruel! Try another BubbleBeam to escape!¡±

    ¡°Toss it up, Steelix!¡± The Iron Snake swung its body upward, throwing Tentacruel high into the air. The jellyfish struggled to orient himself as he sailed helplessly through the sky. ¡°Now, DragonBreath!¡± Steelix unleashed a green-tinged stream of air, slamming the attack into Tentacruel. Jen gasped as Tentacruel fell towards the ground.

    ¡°Quick! Use Surf as you land, then...¡± Jen was cut off by Jasmine''s next call to Steelix.

    ¡°Finish it off! Iron Tail!¡± Steelix turned around and the end of its tail began to glow. Just before Tentacruel hit the ground, Steelix swung its tail down and drove Tentacruel hard into the floor.

    ¡°Tentacruel!¡± Jen watched helplessly as Tentacruel was smashed down, and one look at the jellyfish told her he was done for the day. ¡°You did your best, Tentacruel. Take a rest.¡± Jen looked across at Steelix, whose grin had not faded since its appearance. She gulped, then took out Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball. ¡°It''s all up to you now, Magmar. Let''s win this thing.¡±

    <hr>

    Magmar felt the Spikes burst at her feet as she landed, and she glared at Steelix. She was perfectly capable of taking out the Iron Snake, but it would be a hard job.

    ¡°Stay focused, Magmar! We can do this!¡± Magmar spat a mouthful of fire, and Jen grinned. ¡°That''s the spirit, girl! Okay, let''s start with SmokeScreen!¡± Magmar covered the field with smoke again, and slipped into the dark fog.

    ¡°Steelix, break up the smoke with Iron Tail!¡± Steelix smashed its tail into the ground this time, clearing a bit of the smoke, but Magmar remained invisible. ¡°Stay alert! It''s tried this trick before!¡±

    ¡°That''s right! Flamethrower!¡± A stream of fire emerged from the smoke, headed straight for Steelix''s head.

    ¡°DragonBreath!¡± The greenish air current hammered into the Flamethrower, causing a small explosion and creating even more smoke. ¡°Easy! We can''t give them more cover!¡±

    ¡°Fire Punch!¡± Steelix felt a burning strike hit its lower body as Magmar slipped through the smoke, and it roared its anger to the skies.

    ¡°Focus! Use Iron Tail again!¡± Steelix lashed out blindly with its tail, and this time, the attack connected. Magmar, who had remained nearby under the cover of the smoke, was driven towards Jen by the strike. ¡°Alright! Iron Tail once more!¡±

    ¡°Get clear, and use Flamethrower!¡± The Iron Tail barely missed its mark, and Magmar fired another stream of flames at Steelix. The attack grazed its body, and it roared again.

    ¡°Don''t get frustrated! DragonBreath!¡±

    ¡°Magmar, duck!¡± The greenish blast missed Magmar by inches. ¡°SmokeScreen!¡± More smoke blanketed the field, hiding Magmar from view once again.

    ¡°Steelix, Iron Tail!¡± Steelix swung out again, sweeping a large amount of the smoke away, but felt no contact with Magmar.

    ¡°Alright, Magmar, go for it! Full power Flamethrower!¡± As Steelix roared in frustration, another stream of fire hit it squarely between the eyes. Steelix flailed for a few seconds, roaring in pain and fury, then its head crashed to the floor. A look at its eyes showed its defeat.

    <hr>

    ¡°Steelix!¡± Jasmine cried as the metal snake fell. She watched for any sign of movement, then recalled her strongest team member. ¡°You were great, Steelix. Rest up, friend.¡± She turned to Jen, who was congratulating Magmar. ¡°You really did well, Jennifer. Magmar and her teammates should be proud.¡±

    ¡°You were a strong opponent too, Jasmine. I had to really dig deep to win this one.¡±

    ¡°And your efforts have paid off.¡± Jasmine produced a small silver octagon and pressed it into Jen''s hand. ¡°The Mineral Badge is the official token of victory at the Olivine Gym. You''ve definitely earned it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jasmine.¡± Jen looked at the stands. ¡°My friend is gonna try to win the badge tomorrow. He''s a tough trainer too.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to his challenge.¡± Jasmine looked at a clock in the gym, and her smile faded a little. ¡°Um, I don''t mean to be rude, but I need to go heal my team before I visit Amphy. If you''ll excuse me...¡± She bowed and hurried out of the gym, and Jen watched her in confusion.

    ¡°Who...or what...is Amphy?¡±

 35-Heavy Metal Showdown

    Jen''s question would eventually be answered the next morning. When she and James walked into the Olivine Gym, the receptionist gave them a sheepish smile.

    ¡°I''m sorry, but Jasmine isn''t here at the moment. She''s at the lighthouse, checking on Amphy.¡± Jen sighed.

    ¡°I''ve heard that name a few times now. Who or what is Amphy?¡± The receptionist raised an eyebrow before responding.

    ¡°Why not find out for yourself? Jasmine visits the top of the lighthouse all the time, you should be able to go meet her there.¡±

    ¡°O-okay,¡± Jen responded, and the pair walked out of the Gym. ¡°So, looks like we''re heading to the lighthouse. Should be fun.¡±

    ¡°And you can finally find out who, or what, Amphy is,¡± James said, scratching Typhlosion''s ears. ¡°You''ve been really impatient about it, too.¡±

    ¡°I just want to know, that''s all. Everybody but us seems to.¡± Jen looked up as they walked down a crowded street. ¡°I can already see the lighthouse, it''s so tall. At least we won''t miss it.¡±

    When they entered the building, they looked at the building''s floor plan on the wall. The lighthouse had five floors, but an elevator could take visitors to the upper floors in seconds. Unfortunately for the youngsters, a large sign was taped over the elevator doors.

    ¡°Out of order?¡± James groaned. ¡°Why does stuff like this have to happen? It''s going to be a long walk up now.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to walk up? You don''t have to come.¡± Jen said, looking for the stairwell door.

    ¡°I''ll go, I want to know who¡ªor what¡ªAmphy is as much as you do.¡± Typhlosion growled as he motioned the pair towards a door. ¡°You found the way up? Thanks, buddy.¡±

    ¡°C''mon, let''s go,¡± Jen said as she pushed the door open. ¡°It''s only five floors, how difficult could it be?¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Why...do you always have to ask stuff?¡± James gasped as they reached the third floor landing. ¡°This place is way higher than the Sprout Tower, and they''ve got more rickety stairs...¡±

    ¡°Just keep going,¡± Jen panted, as she grabbed the stairwell railing for support. ¡°It''s only...two more floors...¡±

    ¡°If they''d keep the elevator working, we wouldn''t have this problem!¡± James shouted as they ascended towards the next floor. ¡°What could possibly be so difficult about that? It''s not like...¡±

    ¡°Will you quit complaining?¡± Jen hissed. ¡°You''re wasting more energy shouting than you would just walking up the steps. If we don''t talk as much, we can get there a lot faster.¡± James opened his mouth to say something else, then groaned, nodded and followed her up the next flight of stairs. Eventually, they reached the top floor and a door with a sign affixed to it.

    The sign read: ¡°Glitter Lighthouse Lantern Room and Observation Deck. Visiting hours: 9AM-8 PM. Please do not touch glass partition.¡±

    ¡°Partition? What''s that?¡± Jen asked as she moved to open the door.

    ¡°It means the glass is separating us from something,¡± James answered. ¡°I guess they don''t want tourists messing around with the light source.¡±

    ¡°Well, let''s get going, then. I want to see what''s going on up here.¡± Jen pushed the door open, and nearly let it slam on James and Typhlosion in surprise.

    There was a glass wall about fifteen feet in front of her, just like James said there might be. On the other side, Jasmine the Gym Leader sat next to a yellow Pok¨¦mon with a red orb on its forehead. Its long tail ended in a similarly-coloured orb, and black stripes adorned its neck, tail and ears. The creature was happily eating some kind of berry from Jasmine''s hand.

    ¡°So...that''s Amphy, I guess,¡± Jen said, taking out her Pok¨¦dex. James leaned over to hear the device''s recitation.

    ¡°Ampharos, the Light Pok¨¦mon.¡± the Pok¨¦dex announced. ¡°Ampharos is the final evolved form of Mareep, an Electric-type. Ampharos'' tail can be seen from tremendous distances, and is often used as a beacon for lost travellers or ships at sea.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense that an Ampharos lives here, then.¡± James said as Jen stowed her device. ¡°Olivine''s port couldn''t operate properly without a lighthouse nearby.¡±

    ¡°Could any?¡± Jen asked as she absent-mindedly watched through the glass. Jasmine was stroking Amphy''s ears as she looked out over the port, and the Electric-type appeared to be cooing happily. After a few minutes, Jen turned back to her friend. ¡°Well, that was interesting, huh? I''ve never seen an Ampharos before.¡±

    ¡°Neither have I,¡± James admitted, ¡°but they''re supposed to be pretty strong if you train them right. I was considering catching a Mareep, but we never ran across one.¡±

    ¡°I couldn''t see you using a Mareep, to be honest. Elekid seems a better fit for your style.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Jen nodded, and James turned towards the observation deck. ¡°I guess we can look out at the port, then we can go back to the Centre. I don''t know when Jasmine will go back to the Gym...¡±

    ¡°I''ll be there around two.¡± The soft voice of the Olivine leader startled the youngster, who whipped around quickly.

    ¡°How long were you standing there?¡± James asked, while Jen and Typhlosion struggled to keep from laughing. Jasmine smiled as she observed him.

    ¡°Only a few seconds. You should pay more attention to your surroundings.¡± James slumped, and Jasmine continued. ¡°I didn''t realize you two had climbed the entire lighthouse. Most people see the ''out of order'' sign on the elevator and give up.¡±

    ¡°Well, Jen wanted to find out who Amphy was, so we didn''t have much of a choice.¡±

    ¡°Amphy has been my friend since I was little.¡± Jasmine explained. ¡°My great-grandfather became the lighthouse keeper when the port was established here, and he had the idea of using an Ampharos to light the way for sailors. My grandfather is the official keeper, but since I help take care of Amphy, you might say that makes me one of the keepers.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Jen said quietly, ¡°that''s amazing. You''re not just a Gym Leader, you''re keeping everybody safe.¡±

    ¡°That''s right. If Amphy became ill or was hurt somehow, we might have to close the port, and everything around here grinds to a halt. The navigation systems on the ships that come through here can''t detect everything, after all.¡± She smiled again. ¡°Anyway, I have to get back to the Gym. I hope to see you there so I can take your challenge.¡± Jasmine headed for the stairs, and the two youngsters and Typhlosion walked towards another door, which led to a small balcony with a high railing. The observation deck looked out over the busy harbour, and Jen pointed out a small cluster of islands in the distance.

    ¡°I think the map downstairs said those are the Whirl Islands.¡± Jen said as she looked over the area. ¡°They sound pretty dangerous.¡±

    ¡°They''re treacherous to access,¡± James answered as he followed Jen''s indication. ¡°My dad told me that area''s got something weird going on there, with the multiple whirlpools. Some kind of geo-logric...whatever disturbance.¡±

    ¡°Well, we don''t have the time to go investigating them. You need to start preparing for Jasmine.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry, Jen,¡± James said, his usual cocky grin returning. ¡°I''ve got the firepower, all I have to do is use it.¡±

    ¡°As long as it doesn''t turn into another Chuck battle...¡±

    <hr>

    Hours later, the two youngsters entered the Olivine Gym, Typhlosion at their heels. The receptionist nodded as they passed, and the pair separated as they entered the main battlefield, Jen heading for the stand while James entered his technical area. Jasmine stood at the other end of the field, a calm smile on her face.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°Welcome back.¡± she said, bowing slightly. ¡°I don''t need to ask if you''re prepared, do I? Just your eyes tell me you''re ready to go.¡±

    ¡°You''d be right, Jasmine. I''m walking out of here with a Mineral Badge, whatever it takes.¡±

    ¡°Then let''s begin.¡±

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Jasmine

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Magnemite, go!¡± The metallic ball appeared, screws and magnets separating a little from its body. James watched the sparks fly off the side magnets, and took out his first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Graveler, let''s roll!¡± The ground shook a little as the heavy Rock-type emerged, looking calmly at his opponent. ¡°Okay, Graveler, let''s hit them hard right off the jump! Magnitude!¡± Jasmine watched as Graveler hopped into the air, then called to Magnemite.

    ¡°Magnet Rise!¡± Magnemite''s body glowed yellow for a moment, then rose a few inches further from the ground as the floor shook. James let out an indignant shout as Graveler landed, still calm as ever.

    ¡°What was that? Some way to avoid Ground attacks...¡±

    ¡°You''d be correct. While Magnet Rise is in effect, you''ll have to find another way to hit Magnemite.¡± She turned to the Magnet Pok¨¦mon. ¡°Metal Sound!¡± The sound of protesting metal resounded through the area, but Graveler seemed unfazed.

    ¡°Defense Curl, then Rollout!¡± Graveler rolled up, then started spinning forward. As he launched himself into the air, Magnemite floated slowly in his path.

    ¡°SonicBoom, Magnemite!¡± A visible soundwave burst from each of Magnemite''s side magnets, and both struck Graveler as he surged forward. Graveler simply smashed through the attack and hit Magnemite head-on, forcing it back a little before landing, still spinning in place, on the ground. ¡°All right! Use that momentum and hit it again!¡± Graveler repeated the attack, and Magnemite was pushed back a little further. ¡°Okay, one more! Really hammer them!¡± As the living boulder sped towards Magnemite, the corners of Jasmine''s mouth rose just a little.

    ¡°Mirror Shot!¡± Magnemite''s body began to shine with a bright light, and James immediately realized his mistake.

    ¡°Graveler, break off the attack! It''s going to...¡± His words were cut off by a shrieking noise as a greenish beam of light slammed into Graveler. The Rock Pok¨¦mon dropped to the floor, shuddering, but not stopped. ¡°Hang in there! Get ready for another Rollout!¡± Graveler started spinning again and sped towards Magnemite, but Jasmine''s smile widened.

    ¡°Magnet Bomb!¡± Magnemite''s body glowed once more, and a set of red glowing orbs materialized around Graveler. James'' eyes widened as he realized what was going on.

    ¡°Graveler, get away from those!¡± Graveler tried to change course in midair, but the red orbs stayed close, and converged on him as he landed, causing a small explosion. ¡°Graveler!¡± The boulder did not respond, and James recalled him with a groan. ¡°I''ve got to pull it together, or we''re in trouble. Gengar, let''s go!¡±

    <hr>

    As the Shadow Pok¨¦mon appeared, Jen shook her head.

    ¡°Does he always have to be the architect of his own undoing? I thought Cianwood would have been more of a wake-up call.¡± She watched Gengar start his attack against Magnemite, and slumped forward onto a railing. ¡°He''d better step this up soon...¡±

    <hr>

    Jasmine smiled as Gengar sized his enemy up.

    ¡°Magnemite, use Light Screen!¡± Magnemite''s body was covered by a shimmering yellow light, and its magnets glowed a little.

    ¡°Gengar, Shadow Ball!¡± The ghost fired a sphere of crackling energy that caught Magnemite full-on, but the attack dissipated against Magnemite''s protective light. ¡°Come on! That should have done something!¡±

    ¡°Light Screen will reduce the damage from Gengar''s special attacks. It''s a useful move in these situations.¡±

    ¡°Well, it won''t work on us! Return, Gengar!¡± James pulled the Ghost-type, took a few deep breaths, then looked down at Typhlosion. ¡°Get in there, pal. Let''s turn this around fast.¡± Typhlosion dashed onto the field, the flames around his neck igniting.

    ¡°Magnemite, ThunderShock!¡± The resultant bolt of electricity grazed Typhlosion''s shoulder, causing him to shrink back.

    ¡°Don''t let it push you back, buddy! Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion unleashed a stream of fire, but the Light Screen effect kicked in again to cut its effect. ¡°I guess Light Screen keeps going for a while. Okay, time for the direct approach! Dig!¡± As Typhlosion disappeared underground, a worried look crossed Jasmine''s face.

    ¡°Magnet Rise''s effect will cease soon, which means if he''s doing what I think he is, we''re in big trouble no matter what. Magnemite, get ready!¡± As the Magnet Pok¨¦mon began to lose height, a hole appeared underneath its body. ¡°This is it! Discharge!¡± James'' eyes widened, but he was undaunted.

    ¡°Okay, hit it! Flame Wheel!¡± A large torpedo of fire launched itself out of the hole and slammed into Magnemite from below. As Typhlosion''s attack hit home, Magnemite''s body unleashed a massive blast of electricity. The resulting flash of mixed orange and yellow light caused both trainers to shield their eyes, and a series of pops echoed through the gym. When the light faded, James uncovered his eyes to see Magnemite lying beaten on the ground, and that the lights in the gym had been blown out by the Discharge attack, darkening the field. ¡°Uh, Jasmine? How are we going to battle in these conditions?¡± Jasmine recalled Magnemite, and thought for a moment before responding.

    ¡°I say we keep going. It could take a while for a maintenance crew to repair the lights, after all. Is that alright with you?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± James looked at Typhlosion and remembered the battle with Morty. ¡°Hey, Typhlosion, keep your eyes open! It''ll be just like the Ecruteak Gym, only warmer!¡± Typhlosion vocalized an affirmative, and James grinned. ¡°Alright, Jasmine, you''re on! Let''s keep going!¡±

    ¡°Okay! Skarmory, you''re next!¡± The Armour Bird flew up into the air and turned to face Typhlosion, shrieking a challenge. ¡°Aim for the fire, Skarmory! He''s an open target!¡±

    ¡°Typhlosion, blast it! Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion''s attack hit Skarmory straight on, but the Light Screen effect reappeared. ¡°Hey! I thought taking down Magnemite would make Light Screen fade out!¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no. Part of what makes Light Screen so useful is that it carries through to your next team members. You either have to wait it out, or take it out with a move like Brick Break.¡±

    ¡°Of all the times to leave Elekid out...¡± James groaned. ¡°Okay, Typhlosion, looks like we''ll have to be patient here. She wants a waiting game, we''ll give her one.¡±

    ¡°We''ll see. Skarmory, dive and use Drill Peck!¡± Skarmory flew right at Typhlosion, its body rotating like a top. James'' eyes lit up.

    ¡°Wait for it, Typhlosion!¡± When Skarmory was a few feet away, he called out again. ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± The two attacks hit, and Skarmory was knocked aside, flames erupting across its body as it crashed to the floor.

    ¡°Get out of there, Skarmory! Use Sand-Attack to distract them!¡± Denied the use of its wings, Skarmory kicked at the ground with a three-taloned foot, sending bits of battlefield into the air.

    ¡°Don''t let it get away! Flamethrower!¡± Even with the Light Screen, Skarmory was blasted by the attack, and breathed heavily as it glared at Typhlosion.

    ¡°Quickly! Get back into the air!¡± Skarmory tried its best, but it could barely muster the strength to push off the ground. Typhlosion sensed this and readied for the kill.

    ¡°Alright, finish it off with one more Flame Wheel!¡± Typhlosion rushed at Skarmory, his body becoming covered with flames again, and he smashed headlong into the metal avian, whose head hit the ground as the attack sent it flying towards Jasmine. Its eyes glazed over, and Typhlosion roared in triumph.

    <hr>

    ¡°He''s lucky she tried a head-on attack right away. That mistake gave him his opening.¡± Jen had removed her head from the railing and watched Skarmory''s doomed attack. ¡°The good news for him is that Light Screen won''t last forever, and Steelix won''t last long against repeated Fire-type attacks. The bad news is that if Typhlosion goes down, Gengar might not have enough firepower to take out Steelix. I hope he knows what he''s doing...¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°You did very well, Skarmory,¡± Jasmine murmured as she recalled the Armour Bird. She turned to James. ¡°I can see what your friend meant. You are a tough opponent.¡± She took out her last Pok¨¦ball. ¡°But can you take out my Steelix?¡±

    ¡°We''ll do our best!¡± Typhlosion roared his own challenge, and Jasmine smiled, really smiled now.

    ¡°Let''s do this, then. Steelix, go!¡± The Iron Snake coiled itself up and growled menacingly at Typhlosion. ¡°You first, then!¡±

    ¡°Typhlosion, Flamethrower!¡± The stream of fire hammered Steelix, but the Light Screen effect still hadn''t faded. ¡°How long does that effect last?!¡±

    ¡°Long enough. Steelix, DragonBreath!¡± Steelix let loose the greenish air current from its mouth, and Typhlosion couldn''t dodge quickly enough. When he got up off the ground, his movements were slowed.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Typhlosion growled, but it sounded painful. ¡°Don''t tell me, you''re paralyzed...okay, stand tough! We''ve got enough in the tank to win! SmokeScreen!¡± The black smoke cloud that resulted shielded Typhlosion from view, negating the effect of his flaming ruff.

    ¡°Use Rock Polish and get ready for trouble!¡± Steelix''s body shone a little, and a lick of flame shot from the smoke in response. ¡°Fire DragonBreath at the spot, Steelix!¡±

    ¡°SmokeScreen again!¡± More black smoke covered the field, and Steelix''s DragonBreath hit nothing but the floor.

    ¡°Dissipate that smoke! Iron Tail!¡± The pointed end of Steelix''s tail glowed, and it swung down, making the smoke disappear. Typhlosion stopped preparing another fire attack and stared up at Steelix. ¡°Excellent! Now, use another Iron Tail and slam it!¡±

    ¡°Duck!¡± Typhlosion flattened himself to the ground as Steelix swung its tail horizontally this time, just missing him. ¡°All right, this party''s over! Full power Flamethrower, now!¡± Typhlosion aimed carefully, then let fly with an even more intense stream of fire. The attack hit Steelix under its chin, this time with no Light Screen to blunt its effect, and lifted it off the ground. Jasmine dove away as the Iron Snake crashed to the floor, shaking the ground. Steelix tried to get up, but slumped down with a dazed expression.

    ¡°Steelix! Steelix!¡± Jasmine tried in vain to get the creature to respond, then recalled it with a sigh. ¡°You fought well. Have a long rest.¡± She turned to James, who was scratching Typhlosion''s ears. ¡°You truly are a strong challenger, James. Congratulations on a well-earned win.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jasmine. It was slow going at first, but we managed to pull it together.¡±

    ¡°And you did well to rise to the occasion.¡± She handed him the silver Mineral Badge. ¡°I wish you and your friend luck during the rest of your journey.¡± Jasmine walked towards the lobby, and Jen exited the stands to join her friend.

    ¡°So, we both have six badges now. We''re well on track.¡±

    ¡°It''s going to get tougher from here. We''ve got a long route to travel just to get to the next town.¡±

    ¡°Why don''t we rest for a few days before we get going, then? If it''s going to take us a long time, we might as well be refreshed when we start off.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± The two youngsters left the gym, Typhlosion in tow, ready to make the arduous trek to Mahogany Town.

 36-Lakeside Brawl

    The positive part of James and Jen''s long trek back to Ecruteak City was that it didn''t rain again. That was the only positive part of the trip. The weather remained oppressively hot, and on some days the heat prevented them from training or advancing along the route. Mercifully, the heat seemed to drive away any wild Pok¨¦mon that lived along the route, so the pair were left alone during their frequent stops. Even Typhlosion was feeling the effects of the heat; his fire-resistant fur may have protected him from his own flame bursts, but didn''t do him any favours when the summer heat really kicked in.

    As they reached the junction for Route 38, the weather cooled enough for them to make quicker progress. Before long, the Ecruteak gatehouse came into view, and the youngsters gratefully dashed through and hurried to the Pok¨¦mon Centre to rest and prepare for the hardest part of their journey.

    <hr>

    ¡°So...Mount Mortar.¡± James spread a map out over the small table in their room. ¡°It''s really treacherous, really dark...¡±¡ªhe shuddered visibly at this¡ª ¡°and full of nasty Rock-types. We''re gonna have to be extra careful when we get in there.¡±

    ¡°Good thing we have Tentacruel now. Last time we went through a cave, we didn''t have any Pok¨¦mon that could knock off a Rock-type.¡±

    ¡°That''s true,¡± James answered as he tapped a pencil on the map. ¡°Okay, once we get clear of Mount Mortar, there''s a trail that leads to Mahogany Town and the next gym.¡±

    ¡°What kind of gym?¡± Jen asked with a yawn. ¡°I hope it''s one we can handle easily.¡±

    ¡°Ice, I think,¡± James replied, seeing a small snowflake next to Mahogany Town''s map point. ¡°Shouldn''t be too much trouble for us, given the teams we have.¡± Jen yawned again.

    ¡°Don''t get too confident. Remember Chuck?¡±

    ¡°How could I forget? I only faced him three times.¡± James folded the map, then pulled his sleeping bag out of his pack. ¡°You can have the bed, I''ll sleep on the floor.¡± Jen didn''t answer; she had already pulled the covers over her head and fallen asleep. James shook his head, then dove inside his own sleeping bag and drifted off.

    <hr>

    Mount Mortar proved just as dangerous as James had predicted. Typhlosion and Magmar did their best to light the way for their trainers, but the long shadows and various noises echoing through the caves did nothing to ease anyone''s nerves, especially James''.

    ¡°I hate caves,¡± he muttered for the eighth time as they reached another dead end. ¡°Whose idea was it to put a giant labyrinth between cities anyway?¡±

    ¡°Nature''s,¡± Jen groaned. ¡°C''mon, it could be worse. We could be lost and have no effective way to defend ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Some comfort.¡± James motioned Typhlosion closer, peering around a corner. Typhlosion''s flame lit the near wall, where a small sign had been hung. ¡°What''s this?¡±

    ¡°What''s what?¡± Jen looked at the sign in confusion. ¡°It says ''Left, left, right, left''. Maybe it''s the way out, but we should send somebody to find out first.¡± She let Golbat out, and motioned Magmar over. ¡°Follow the directions, Magmar. Golbat, if you guys reach the exit, fly back alone. If it''s not, bring Magmar with you.¡± The two Pok¨¦mon indicated their understanding, then headed off in the direction they were told. A few minutes later, Golbat came back by himself, and Jen smiled.

    ¡°Wow. That''s real convenient,¡± James said, watching Jen recall Golbat. ¡°Too convenient. Who goes to that kind of trouble?¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop complaining already. I''ll take ridiculous convenience over being lost for hours in this cave.¡± Typhlosion dashed forward, motioning to the pair, and both James and Jen followed him until they met Magmar at the cave exit.

    <hr>

    As they entered Mahogany Town, both youngsters felt strange about the atmosphere. The town was even smaller than Cherrygrove City, and many of the buildings were old and run-down. There was no Pok¨¦ Mart, and the Pok¨¦mon Centre was at the far edge of town. As the group entered the Centre, however, they received the usual warm welcome from Nurse Joy.

    ¡°You must be resourceful to have traveled all this way,¡± the Pok¨¦mon Nurse said as she handed them a room key. ¡°Mount Mortar is a dangerous place to work through.¡±

    ¡°It''s the darkness that makes it tough,¡± James said, slipping the key into his pocket. ¡°It would be easier if the cave was lit.¡±

    ¡°Funny,¡± Joy answered. ¡°It usually is.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Jen asked, stunned. ¡°We didn''t see any lights in there.¡±

    ¡°They installed a lighting system a few months ago, because people kept complaining about accessibility. It was a state-of-the-art system, too, so it doesn''t make sense that it failed so easily.¡±

    ¡°Weird.¡± Jen looked at the clock. ¡°Well, we''re going to go turn in now. Thanks, Nurse Joy.¡± As they headed down the hall, she turned to James. ¡°So I guess we ran into some bad luck, huh? We made it through Union Cave okay because it was lit.¡±

    ¡°Union Cave is a lot less treacherous, too. There''s a lot more traffic through there.¡± He yawned. ¡°Anyway, before we go to sleep, where should we go in the morning? Head right for the Gym, or check out the lake first?¡±

    ¡°Lake?¡± Jen asked.

    ¡°The Lake of Rage is a couple of miles north of town. It''s kind of weird because of all the Gyarados that live there.¡±

    ¡°And you know this how...?¡±

    ¡°My dad''s told me a few wild stories about it. Apparently he and his friends used to hang out there when he was younger.¡±

    ¡°Well, I want to practice a little before we hit the Gym, and I do want to see a few places too. Okay, we''ll head to the lake in the morning. I wouldn''t mind seeing a Gyarados up close.¡±

    ¡°Just not too close.¡± Jen gave James a light push, and they headed into their room to rest and regroup.

    <hr>

    The next morning, on the way to the Lake of Rage, the gatehouses were unusually empty. James and Jen took little notice, since it was still fairly early. As they passed through the second gatehouse, however, James noticed something strange.

    ¡°Hey, take a look at this,¡± he said, pointing to something small next to the guard station. Jen walked over and saw what James was indicating: a small plastic card with a strange emblem on it.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°What is that? And why do I feel like I''ve seen it before?¡± she asked, as she turned the card over. ¡°It looks like a bird''s...foot...¡± She turned to James, whose eyes had narrowed. ¡°James, you don''t think...¡±

    ¡°It''s them. They''re at the lake.¡± Typhlosion growled low in his throat, prompting James to put a hand on his head. ¡°Easy, pal. We can take these guys, we just have to stay calm.¡± Jen snapped up, alarmed.

    ¡°We can what? James, you''re not thinking of taking them on again, are you? Remember what happened last time you went after that Kabutops?¡±

    ¡°I remember. It''s not gonna happen this time.¡±

    ¡°I know it won''t, because we''re going back to town. I''m not going to let you and Typhlosion get hurt again.¡±

    ¡°Jen...¡± James looked at her, then sighed. ¡°All right. We''ll go let somebody know what''s going on...¡±

    ¡°No. Triassic isn''t worth the trouble. Whatever they''re getting up to, it''s not going to make any...¡±

    ¡°Any what?¡± a voice asked behind Jen. Typhlosion growled in surprise, and Jen jumped about a foot in the air as she turned to face the speaker, an elderly man in a blue winter coat. A long white scarf hung around him, and he carried a gnarled walking stick in his hand.

    ¡°Um, who are you?¡± Jen asked as she recovered. The old man raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I should ask you the same question. It is rather early in the morning for someone as young as you and your friend to be exploring the lake.¡±

    ¡°I''m, uh...¡± Jen looked at James, who shrugged. ¡°I''m Jennifer, and this is James. We''re from Violet City, and we''re...um...we were going to train by the lake before we take on the Mahogany Gym.¡±

    ¡°The Mahogany Gym?¡± The man smirked. ¡°Ah, I see, you are both taking the League challenge.¡± He looked intently at both of them. ¡°But that discussion is secondary at the moment. Exactly what do you believe is happening at the lake?¡± Jen gave James a worried look.

    ¡°Well, we think there''s a gang of really bad people up there. They''re called Team Triassic, and they want to use prehistoric Pok¨¦mon to change the planet back to how it was when dinosaurs were alive.¡±

    ¡°An odd goal," Pryce murmured. "Most people like the world as it is.¡± The man''s grip on his walking stick tightened a little. ¡°Well, they say the Ice Age finished the dinosaurs...¡±

    ¡°Ice Age?¡±

    ¡°Never you mind. Just an old man''s musings.¡± The man walked towards the gatehouse door. ¡°I will accompany you two to the lake. Perhaps we can put a stop to whatever this Team Triassic is doing.¡±

    <hr>

    As the two youngsters moved towards the lake with the old man, they spotted Triassic''s distinct black and desert camouflage uniforms from a distance. The old man eyed them coldly.

    ¡°What could they possibly want here? There have been no fossil discoveries in this area for decades...unless they...¡±

    ¡°Unless they what?¡± James asked. ¡°Why do you keep cutting off before the important part?¡±

    ¡°No time to explain. We need to find out what they want and what they intend to do here. Stand back and allow me to do the talking.¡± James opened his mouth to say something, but the old man shot him another cold look. ¡°I mean it. If they are as dangerous as you say, I do not want them to be provoked by youthful brashness.¡±

    ¡°I am not...¡± James began, but Jen elbowed him to shut up.

    ¡°Enough. We are wasting time.¡± The man ambled towards the Triassic grunts, and James and Jen followed cautiously behind him. As they approached, the Administrator, in his grey jacket, turned from the edge of the lake.

    ¡°We have ascertained all we can from the Lake of Rage,¡± he said, as the grunts turned to him. ¡°The experiments run here were impressive, but the equipment was rendered inoperative after the Rockets abandoned their hideout. We will therefore move on to...¡± The Admin stopped as he spotted James and the others. ¡°Ah, our young interlopers have caught up with us. Here to try and stop us again, are we?¡±

    ¡°Not them.¡± the old man answered, stepping forward. ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡± the Admin asked, a smirk crossing his face. The old man maintained his scowl.

    ¡°Such a flippant tone will get you nowhere. I am Pryce, the leader of the Mahogany Town Gym.¡± James'' eyes widened, and Jen stifled a shout. ¡°You would do well to show some respect.¡±

    ¡°Respect for what? An old man with a fancy title poses no threat to me.¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to back up your words, son? Or are words all you know how to use?¡± The Admin''s eyes narrowed, and he reached into his jacket.

    ¡°Very well, Gym Leader. I will show you that I am not to be trifled with. A one against one battle will suffice to decide this.¡±

    ¡°If you insist.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Kabutops, combat situation!¡± James started as the vicious-looking crab emerged, and Typhlosion growled. Jen put one hand on James'' shoulder, and the other onto Typhlosion''s head, holding them both back from their past adversary. The fossil Pok¨¦mon swung its wickedly curved blades in anticipation of the fight. Pryce took a Pok¨¦ball from his coat pocket and tossed it out.

    ¡°Go, Piloswine!¡± A creature with thick brown fur and a pair of short tusks emerged in front of Pryce. Its fur obscured much of its body, including its eyes and legs. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    ¡°Piloswine, the Swine Pok¨¦mon. This combination Ice- and Ground-type is extremely sensitive to sounds, and because its eyes are always covered by its fur, it will continuously charge blindly at its opponents.¡±

    ¡°We will use that blindness to our advantage. Kabutops, Slash!¡± Kabutops darted to Piloswine''s left and aimed a curved blade at its flank.

    ¡°Mud-Slap!¡± Piloswine used its front paw to fling a glob of mud into Kabutops'' face. The fossil creature abandoned its attack and tried in vain to clear the slurry from its face, but failed. ¡°Now, Take Down!¡± Piloswine spun quickly and slammed into Kabutops, knocking it back.

    ¡°Do not relent! Slash again!¡± Kabutops swung wildly, missing its mark.

    ¡°Another Mud-Slap, Piloswine.¡± More mud flew at Kabutops, who slashed at it, spraying it everywhere. Grunts and youngsters scattered to avoid being hit by the mud. ¡°Follow up with Icy Wind.¡± A chilling breeze struck Kabutops, whose movements looked slowed after the attack. The Admin snarled as Kabutops continued to search for its target.

    ¡°It is to the right, Kabutops! Aqua Jet!¡± Kabutops'' body was surrounded by water, and slammed hard into Piloswine. The boar shied from the super effective attack, and Cade sneered. ¡°It looks like we have a winning strategy now. Another Aqua Jet!¡±

    ¡°Turn to face, Piloswine.¡± Pryce calmly watched as Piloswine shuffled its feet, squaring up to Kabutops. As the attacker neared, Pryce slammed the point of his cane to the ground. ¡°Powder Snow!¡± A fine, sparkling white dust burst from Piloswine''s tusks. Kabutops Water attack froze around it, and it crashed to the ground just in front of Piloswine.

    ¡°Get it!¡± James shouted from the side. Pryce shot him a sideways look, and James immediately went silent.

    ¡°Finish this contest, Piloswine. Stone Edge.¡± Piloswine generated a set of pointed stones, and fired them at Kabutops. The sound of shattering ice was followed by dull thuds as the stones hammered into the Shellfish Pok¨¦mon. After the last stone broke, Kabutops'' eyes looked dazed. The Admin recalled Kabutops with a furious expression.

    ¡°You may have won this battle, Gym Leader, but it means nothing! We will revert this planet, and there is nothing you and these interfering children can do about it!¡± He composed himself, and raised an arm, closing his hand into a fist. ¡°Triassic, form up. We advance to our next objective.¡± The grunts slid into formation with practiced ease, then followed the Admin into the gatehouse. Pryce recalled Piloswine with a sigh.

    ¡°Well fought, Piloswine. Have some rest.¡± James and Jen walked over to him, and Typhlosion growled his approval.

    ¡°That was...awesome.¡± James said. ¡°You really took that Kabutops apart.¡±

    ¡°It was nothing I could not handle, son,¡± Pryce answered. ¡°I could tell that that Administrator was unprepared for a situation where he did not have the upper hand. Such tactics leave an opponent easy to defeat.¡± He turned to the Violet pair. ¡°So, with that out of the way, to business. I assume you will both attempt to win my Gym Badge?¡±

    ¡°That''s right,¡± Jen said, scratching Typhlosion''s ears.

    ¡°So which of you will oppose me first?¡± James and Jen looked at each other, then Jen timidly raised a hand.

    ¡°I guess I will,¡± she said. Pryce nodded.

    ¡°Very well. I will await your challenge tomorrow.¡± When Jen gave him a puzzled look, Pryce continued. ¡°I''m afraid another challenger is waiting for me this afternoon. I suggest you use the rest of today to practice and work on a strategy. Rushing into battle only hastens defeat.¡± With this strange farewell, Pryce walked towards the lake. James and Jen watched him until he turned into a small clump of trees and disappeared.

    ¡°So...let''s go train?¡± James asked after a few moments.

    ¡°Y-yeah. Let''s.¡±

 37-Paying the Pryce

    Jen watched her team practice and smiled. They all looked ready to take on their next challenge, even Pichu, and Jen noticed the improvements in their techniques. Magmar''s Fire Punch had become a lot more powerful, even developing a slight concussive effect as she attacked. Elekid and Pichu had both improved their ranged Electric-type attacks, and Jen was counting on Elekid to back Magmar up during the match. Tentacruel would be her third team member, since he could resist Ice moves, but also because he was the only other option she had; Togetic and Golbat were both vulnerable to Ice-types, and Pichu still wasn''t ready for something as intense as a Gym battle. She felt happy with what she had to work with, but made a mental note to step up Pichu''s training like she''d promised.

    Occasionally, James would have one of his team members step in and spar with Magmar or Elekid, while Pidgeot circled Tentacruel, helping the jellyfish maintain his concentration and his Surf cushion. He hadn''t quite gotten around to evolving Graveler yet, but James was in no hurry; right now, Graveler wasn''t in his plans anyway. James was more confident in his team selection than Jen was, but would wait until after Jen had fought Pryce to finalize his lineup.

    Eventually, evening arrived, and the two youngsters recalled their teams. They entered the Pok¨¦mon Centre in high spirits, having trained hard all afternoon, and settled into their usual routine, ready for the next day''s challenge.

    <hr>

    The Mahogany Town Gym was unlike the rest of the town''s buildings; where most of the houses were older, and some were quite run-down, the Gym was a sleek, modern-looking building with a large snowflake symbol over the doors. As James and Jen entered the lobby, the receptionist looked up and spotted them.

    ¡°Ah, you must be the two kids Pryce mentioned yesterday. Which one of you is the challenger?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Jen said, raising an arm slightly. ¡°Is Pryce here?¡±

    ¡°He''s right through there.¡± The receptionist indicated a small hallway behind a sliding door, then turned to James and Typhlosion. ¡°You guys can head through the spectator''s entrance over here.¡± A pair of double doors led to another hallway.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jen said, looking at James. ¡°Well...see you in a bit, then.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Good luck.¡± The pair separated, and Jen walked down the narrow hall, feeling the air grow colder as she came closer to the battlefield. When she emerged, she saw a carpeted walkway leading to the challenger''s technical area; the entire rest of the battle area was ice. Pryce stood on the other side, leaning on his cane, a calm smile on his face.

    ¡°Welcome to the Mahogany Gym,¡± he said, giving a slight wave. ¡°I trust you are prepared for battle?¡±

    ¡°I am, Pryce,¡± Jen answered, pulling her jacket a little tighter. ¡°And I''m glad I brought my jacket. This is an Ice-type Gym, after all.¡±

    ¡°So it is,¡± Pryce said, laughing a little, then grew more serious. ¡°Right, the formalities. The prize for victory is, of course, the Glacier Badge, and we use standard Gym rules here. Only you are permitted to substitute, and once all three Pok¨¦mon on either side are defeated, the challenge is over.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Jen took out a Pok¨¦ball, and Pryce did the same.

    ¡°Then let us begin.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï ¡ï

    S: ¡ï ¡ï

    Pryce

    A: ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï ¡ï ¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Dewgong, go!¡± Pryce''s first Pok¨¦mon was a white, seal-like creature with a small horn atop its head. Its mischievous smile was enhanced by its two small tusks. Jen tossed out her own Pok¨¦ball and summoned her first choice.

    ¡°Magmar, you''re up!¡± The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon blew out a small puff of fire as she emerged, ready for battle. The corners of Pryce''s mouth lifted for an instant.

    ¡°Alright, let''s begin! You have the first attack.¡±

    ¡°Magmar, Fire Punch!¡± Magmar''s fist burst into flames as she ran at Dewgong.

    ¡°Dewgong, Surf!¡± Jen shouted in surprise as Dewgong summoned a small wave beneath its body, much like she had taught Tentacruel to do. ¡°Now, strike!¡± Dewgong directed some of the wave straight at Magmar, who shrank back from the attack.

    ¡°How did it do that?¡± Jen shouted, as Magmar squared back up to Dewgong. ¡°Dewgong must be a Water-type...¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is. Many Ice-type Pok¨¦mon have Water as their secondary typing. Nothing is straightforward in our world, after all.¡±

    ¡°You''re telling me.¡± Jen shook her head as she raised Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Magmar, return!¡± She sighed as the red energy dissipated, and took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°I was hoping I wouldn''t have to break out my backup plan so early, but it''s got to be done. Elekid, let''s go!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon grinned as he emerged and started spinning his arms. ¡°Easy, Elekid. We''ve got to concentrate here. ThunderShock!¡± Elekid fired an electric blast at Dewgong, who took it easily.

    ¡°Dewgong, Aurora Beam!¡± Dewgong opened its mouth, and a rainbow-coloured beam of energy shot straight at Elekid, striking him full in the chest. Elekid went down in a heap, then got up, breathing heavily. Dewgong just barked happily as the Electric-type spun his arms.

    ¡°Elekid, relax! We''ve got this.¡± Jen watched Elekid slow his spinning, then turn to her. ¡°You''re going to have to tough this out, Elekid! I don''t want to reveal our full team yet!¡± Elekid nodded and began spinning his arms again. ¡°Okay, the long-range approach won''t work. Time for more direct tactics. Elekid, Brick Break!¡± Sparks played across Elekid''s forearm as he leaped at Dewgong, landing a hard strike on the Sea Lion. ¡°That''s the way!¡±

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    ¡°Dewgong, another Aurora Beam!¡± As Elekid started to move away, Dewgong fired another rainbow beam at him, hitting him hard in the side. ¡°Now, Take Down!¡± This time, Dewgong leaped from its water cushion and hammered into Elekid, sending him flying. As Elekid landed, Dewgong shuddered from the recoil.

    ¡°Elekid!¡± The Electric-type growled again as he turned to face Dewgong. ¡°Calm down! We''re still in this! Get it with ThunderShock!¡± Elekid''s attack flew at Dewgong, who shifted aside easily. ¡°Don''t give up! Another ThunderShock, quickly!¡± The next electric blast wasn''t what Jen expected, though. Instead of the normal yellow discharge, a beam of blue energy arced from Elekid''s horns to Dewgong. Even though the Sea Lion tried to evade, the beam homed in and struck it hard. ¡°That''s a new one.¡±

    ¡°Your Elekid seems to have learned Shock Wave, Jennifer.¡± Pryce said from the other side of the field. ¡°It is an attack that will never miss. But we can handle anything you dish out. Dewgong, Aqua Jet!¡± Dewgong surrounded its body with water, then rushed at Elekid, hitting home again. ¡°Now, Aurora Beam!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, Brick Break!¡± Elekid moved to attack, but the rainbow beam hit him square in the chest and knocked him back towards Jen. ¡°Elekid!¡± Elekid''s eyes were glazed over; he was out of the fight.

    <hr>

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± James murmured as he watched the match. ¡°Jen needed Elekid to last longer than that. Without him, this is gonna be an uphill fight.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen shivered a little as she recalled Elekid; Dewgong''s power had taken her completely by surprise, and with no more Brick Break, she''d lost a key weapon against the rest of Pryce''s team.

    ¡°No worries, though. I''m not out of this yet.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Tentacruel, let''s go!¡± The jellyfish landed on the icy floor and immediately summoned its Surf cushion. ¡°Okay, settle. We''ve got a tough fight here. Use Acid!¡± Tentacruel fired a spray of bright green fluid at Dewgong.

    ¡°Dewgong, use your surf to block that spray!¡± Dewgong directed a small wave at the acid, creating a cloud of greenish vapour. Dewgong coughed as the remains of the acid hit it. ¡°I hope we haven''t just made things worse...¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, Poison Jab!¡± Tentacruel used the distraction to rush Dewgong and punch it with a glowing tentacle. Dewgong shrank back as a violet glow covered its body for a moment. ¡°We''ve poisoned them! That''ll make things easier!¡±

    ¡°Dewgong, Headbutt!¡± Dewgong slammed its horned head into Tentacruel, who barely shied away. ¡°Get out of there! Now!¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, Constrict!¡± Tentacruel wrapped a pair of tentacles around Dewgong, squeezing it and holding it still. ¡°Now, Acid, point blank!¡± The green fluid hit Dewgong full in the face, and it fell backward, its Surf cushion dissipating as it slumped in a heap, beaten.

    <hr>

    ¡°Way to go, Tentacruel!¡± Jen cried as Pryce recalled Dewgong. ¡°That''s one down and two to go!¡± Tentacruel lazily waved a tentacle in response. Pryce smiled calmly as he watched the scene.

    ¡°Well done, Jennifer. You battled bravely. But taking down Dewgong is only the beginning. You still have to take out my next two team members, starting with this one.¡± Pryce tossed out his next Pok¨¦ball, and a strange-looking creature emerged. She looked like a blobby human wearing a red dress, with long blonde hair and a violet face marked by a pair of prominent lips. She swayed from side to side as she watched Tentacruel. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°What is that?¡± she asked as the scanner whirred.

    ¡°Jynx, the Human Shape Pok¨¦mon. Its body moves rhythmically, as if dancing, and can compel others to do the same.¡±

    ¡°That is...weird.¡± Jen looked at Tentacruel, who was waving his tentacles back and forth, took out his Pok¨¦ball and recalled him. ¡°I''m gonna go with a direct approach this time. We don''t know anything about Jynx.¡± She tossed out Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball and grinned as the Fire-type squared up to her opponent. ¡°All right, Magmar, ready? Let''s win this!¡± Pryce motioned to Jynx as Magmar nodded.

    ¡°Rain Dance!¡± Jynx swayed back and forth, and a dark cloud appeared above their heads. A steady rainfall began, causing Magmar to shrink back.

    ¡°How does...never mind! This was a mistake.¡± Jen reached for Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball, but Pryce was too quick.

    ¡°Mean Look!¡± A pair of black rings shot from Jynx''s eyes, then coalesced around Magmar before dissipating. Jen groaned.

    ¡°Okay, Magmar, stay positive. Use Smog!¡±

    ¡°Powder Snow!¡± Jynx blew a powdery wind to break up the grey smoke. ¡°Now, Ice Punch!¡± As Jynx approached, Jen grinned.

    ¡°Counter with Fire Punch!¡± Magmar''s fist caught fire, but as the moves made contact, its intensity was visibly blunted. ¡°No! Rain Dance is cutting the power of our Fire attacks!¡±

    ¡°DoubleSlap!¡± Jynx swung its open hand back and forth, slapping Magmar''s face. Magmar jumped back, black smoke beginning to mix with the fire in her mouth.

    ¡°Magmar, Smog!¡± The grey smoke spewed forth, but Jynx darted in close with no ill-effects. The rain cloud above began to fade, and Pryce motioned to Jynx.

    ¡°Let''s put the rain to one last use, Jynx. Water Pulse!¡± Jynx formed a blue orb between her hands, then drove it into Magmar''s body. The orb burst into a wave of cold water, amplified even by the fading rain, and sent Magmar flying towards Jen, who cried out as Magmar failed to get up.

    ¡°Magmar!¡± Jen recalled the Spitfire Pok¨¦mon and started shivering again. How an Ice-type like Jynx had mastered these Water-type combinations, she would never know. Maybe she hadn''t been as prepared for this as she''d thought at the start, but she wouldn''t go down without a fight. ¡°It''s up to you, Tentacruel,¡± she said as she released the jellyfish. Jynx continued to dance in place as Tentacruel prepared for its attack. Pryce''s eyes turned cold as he prepared his attack.

    ¡°It is time to end this. Jynx, use Powder Snow!¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, Acid!¡± The fine powder was easily overcome by the harsh fluid, which splashed just shy of its target. ¡°Now, BubbleBeam!¡±

    ¡°Another Powder Snow!¡± This time, the powder hit the bubbles, freezing some of them and bursting others. ¡°Quickly, before they break! Psychic!¡± Jynx''s body glowed blue, and it caught several frozen bubbles in midair. ¡°Toss them at Tentacruel!¡±

    ¡°Acid!¡± The green liquid melted the frozen bubbles as they flew at Tentacruel, and Jen smiled. ¡°Okay, we''ve avoided that one. Now we...¡± She stopped in mid-sentence as she saw Jynx inches from Tentacruel. ¡°Quick, Poison Jab! Get it out of there!¡±

    ¡°I''m afraid this match is over, Jennifer. Body Slam!¡± Jynx leaped into the air and landed hard on Tentacruel. ¡°Now, finish it with Ice Punch!¡± Tentacruel''s body shuddered as the frozen punch hit it between the eyes. His Surf cushion disappeared, and he crashed to the ground with a sickening squelch. Jynx swayed happily as its victory was confirmed.

    <hr>

    Jen stared at Tentacruel, shellshocked. It was the first Gym loss she''d suffered, and it had been a bad one. She hadn''t even gotten as far as Piloswine, whom she had been sure would feature in the battle. As she recalled Tentacruel, she felt tears enter her eyes, and she blinked them away.

    ¡°You fought well, Jennifer.¡± Pryce said, reassurance in his voice. ¡°I trust you now understand that fighting Ice-types is not a one-dimensional proposition. They are quite versatile, and able to handle many different approaches.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Pryce,¡± Jen said, trying to smile. ¡°I''ve learned a lot today, and I''ll use that knowledge when I challenge you again. Count on that.¡±

    ¡°Until the rematch, then.¡± Pryce turned and exited the battlefield, and Jen turned for the door. James and Typhlosion met her near the lobby.

    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Pryce really did a number on you guys, huh?¡±

    ¡°He did.¡± Jen continued fighting back tears; losing a Pok¨¦mon battle was nothing to cry about. ¡°I wasn''t ready for his strategies, and we were pinned back from the start. I''ll get him next time, though. We can only get better from here.¡±

    ¡°Well, let''s go heal your team and get some rest. We''ve got more training to do.¡± Jen smiled, and they exited the Gym to rest and regroup.

 38-Danger: Thin Ice!

    ¡°Alright, Magmar, Fire Punch!¡± Jen and her team had been training since sunrise, determined to figure out a strategy to take out Pryce, and more specifically his Jynx. The Human Shape Pok¨¦mon had proven to be the Ice-type Leader''s wild card, and Jen was determined not to get beaten the same way twice.

    Elekid was working particularly hard, launching Brick Break and Shock Wave attacks in rapid succession, giving James'' Elekid a workout. His early exit against Pryce''s Dewgong had put his trainer in a difficult hole, and he felt like he needed to make up for his failure. James'' Elekid occasionally matching attacks with his counterpart, working on his own moves at the same time. On the other side of the area, Magmar was throwing Fire Punches at Graveler, who winced every so often as the blows connected; he may have been resistant to fire attacks, but Magmar was improving her power so much that even a defensive stalwart like Graveler could feel the effects.

    ¡°Keep that up, Magmar!¡± Jen called as she watched her first Pok¨¦mon work. ¡°Just like Typhlosion against Poliwrath! If we''re gonna put Jynx off its game, we have to get up close and personal. Now that we know what it''s capable of, we''re ready this time.¡±

    ¡°You''re adapting my rush tactics?¡± James asked as he walked over to her.

    ¡°Exactly. You were able to stop Poliwrath from powering up, and I''m going to stop Jynx from using Rain Dance or any of its ranged moves. It didn''t look like it was up to a straight-up fight.¡±

    ¡°I''m guessing you''re going with the same team as last time? I can''t see you tossing Pichu in at the deep end, Golbat''s too vulnerable to Ice moves, and Togetic''s not...¡±

    ¡°Togetic might just participate today,¡± Jen cut him off. ¡°She doesn''t have the same variety of moves as Tentacruel, but she''s more mobile, and her Magical Leaf can help take care of Dewgong, too.¡±

    ¡°She''s a Flying-type, though. One good Ice hit and she might be done for.¡±

    ¡°She can handle it if she''s needed. It''s not like I''m just relying on Metronome this time.¡± As if to confirm this, Togetic flew over and gave Jen a cheerful squeal. ¡°See? She''s all set to go.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡± James answered, but he wasn''t so sure.

    <hr>

    As they re-entered the Centre, they caught a fleeting glance of what James thought was a familiar face.

    ¡°Hey, Nurse Joy,¡± he said as he handed his Pok¨¦balls across the counter, ¡°did that trainer who just left have a Bulbasaur with him?¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, no,¡± Nurse Joy said, a confused look on her face. ¡°He had a member of that family, but not a Bulbasaur specifically. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°A friend of mine has a Bulbasaur. That trainer might be him.¡±

    ¡°Well, I certainly hope it is. It''s nice to meet familiar people along a journey like yours.¡± She motioned Typhlosion through a gap under the counter. ¡°Your teams will be ready to go in a jiffy.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Nurse Joy,¡± Jen said, and they headed for the common area. ¡°So...d''you think that was Hunter?¡±

    ¡°Could be. We don''t know anyone else with a Bulbasaur.¡±

    ¡°True enough.¡± They sat down at a table, and James slumped his head down on the table. ¡°You alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just tired. I didn''t realize that travelling the way we have could be such a grind.¡±

    ¡°Well, don''t be too tired. We still have to win two more badges each.¡±

    ¡°Right. Gotta concentrate on now.¡± A chime rang through the Centre, and both youngsters went to recover their team members and rest.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Jen was looking much more confident than she had the first time she''d entered the Gym. She had her plan in place, and she wasn''t about to lose to Pryce again. The Gym Leader inclined his head as she entered the battlefield.

    ¡°Ah, you''ve returned. Excellent. I trust you remembered my advice from our last match?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have. I''m not backing down from this challenge, no way!¡±

    ¡°Your spirit is commendable. But spirit alone does not win a battle. Shall we begin?¡± Jen nodded, and Pryce tossed out a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Dewgong, go!¡± The seal barked happily as it landed. Jen considered her choices, then grinned. ¡°Alright, Elekid, you''re up first!¡± Elekid spun his arms as he emerged, staring down Dewgong with vengeance in his eyes. Dewgong calmly gazed back, and Elekid looked even more agitated. ¡°Relax! Start with Shock Wave!¡± Elekid fired the blue electrical discharge straight at Dewgong, who took it without blinking. ¡°All right, try another one!¡±

    ¡°Aurora Beam!¡± Elekid''s next shock was met by a rainbow energy blast, which smashed through the electricity and headed straight for him.

    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Elekid dove aside, and the beam missed. ¡°Okay, now use ThunderShock!¡±

    ¡°Ice Shard, Dewgong!¡± Dewgong formed a glowing ice crystal above its horn, and launched it at Elekid, catching it in the arm. Elekid''s ThunderShock dissipated, and he spun his arms in frustration.

    ¡°Elekid, get a hold of yourself! You''re still in this!¡± Elekid slowed his spinning, and Jen shook her head. ¡°Let''s get up close and personal! Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Evade, Dewgong!¡± Dewgong shuffled away from the strike, and Elekid slammed his arm into the ground. Small cracks appeared in the icy battlefield surface. ¡°Don''t give up! Brick Break again!¡±

    ¡°Meet that attack with Headbutt!¡± Elekid''s sparking arm caught Dewgong squarely between its eyes, and the extra momentum from its own attack left the seal looking a little dazed. ¡°Dewgong! Recover quickly, then use another Aurora Beam!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, get clear!¡± Dewgong''s next rainbow beam hit just behind Elekid, and he squared back up to his opponent. ¡°Okay then, use Shock Wave!¡± Dewgong visibly shied back from this attack, and Jen grinned. ¡°It''s on the edge now, Elekid! Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Aurora Beam!¡± Dewgong fired yet another frigid rainbow, but Elekid forced himself out of the way in midair and delivered another blow directly to the seal''s head. Dewgong shuddered from the impact, then fell forward, its eyes glazing over.

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s the way, Elekid!¡± Jen cheered as Dewgong went down. Elekid grinned in response, sparks flying from his horns. ¡°Okay, keep it together. We''re not finished yet.¡±

    ¡°Nor are we,¡± said Pryce from across the room as he recalled Dewgong. ¡°Your Elekid has grown stronger since our previous battle. But relying solely on Brick Break won''t be enough to earn victory here.¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡± Jen looked at Elekid, then murmured under her breath. ¡°It''s not like he''s got many more options...¡± Pryce nodded, as if he''d heard her, then tossed out his next Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Jynx, let''s go!¡± The Human Shape Pok¨¦mon swayed back and forth, nearly lulling Jen into imitating her before she shook her head and recalled Elekid.

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    ¡°Can''t let them rattle me,¡± she murmured, taking out her next Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Magmar, get out there!¡± Magmar stared down her opponent and spat a few embers in the process. Jynx merely gazed at her. ¡°Okay, Magmar, just like we practiced! Get in close and use Fire Punch!¡± Magmar ran at Jynx, her fist catching fire.

    ¡°Rain Dance!¡± Jynx began waving her arms, but Magmar caught her full in the face with the attack, and she shied away in pain. ¡°Stand firm and try again!¡±

    ¡°Fire Punch again!¡± The next fiery jab his Jynx''s shoulder, and the Ice-type squared up to Magmar, all pretence at serenity forgotten.

    ¡°That''s it, Jynx! Attack back with Ice Punch!¡± Jynx''s right hand glowed blue, and she swung at Magmar''s side. Magmar sidestepped the attack, and threw another Fire Punch, which singed Jynx''s hair.

    ¡°Keep it up! Don''t let it out!¡± Magmar kept throwing flaming jabs at Jynx, who tried in vain to counter with Ice Punches.

    ¡°So that''s her game. Turn this into a boxing match. But we won''t fall for it! Jynx, DoubleSlap!¡± Jynx ducked under another Fire Punch and began slapping Magmar in the face. Magmar stepped back from the attack, and Pryce smiled. ¡°Now for it! Rain Dance!¡± Jynx, however, didn''t respond, instead readying another Ice Punch. ¡°What are you doing? You need to force Magmar back!¡±

    ¡°Looks like Jynx is mad at Magmar,¡± Jen said with a grin. ¡°Magmar, use that to your advantage! Smog!¡± As Jynx rushed forward, Magmar blasted the area with her thick, grey smoke, causing Jynx to back off in surprise. ¡°Now, get in close and deliver another Fire Punch!¡± Pryce gave Jynx an annoyed look.

    ¡°If it''s a direct fight you want, we''ll give it to you. Body Slam!¡± Jynx stepped back, then launched herself straight at Magmar. Magmar''s fist connected again, and Jynx fell to what looked like one knee, though Jen couldn''t tell.

    ¡°It''s tired, Magmar! Time to finish this! Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Water Pulse! Drown that attack!¡± Jynx began forming a shimmering water orb, but Magmar''s Flamethrower smashed directly into her midsection, sending her flying back. ¡°Jynx!¡± Jynx struggled to her feet, but then swayed on the spot, pitched forward, and didn''t get up again.

    <hr>

    ¡°Way to go, Magmar!¡± Magmar blew a puff of fire in triumph. ¡°We''ve only got to beat Piloswine, and we''ve won!¡± Pryce simply smiled.

    ¡°Don''t claim victory just yet, young one. You have seen my Piloswine in action, so you know what to expect. But it is still prepared to turn this battle around.¡±

    ¡°We''re ready for anything, Pryce! Let''s do this!¡±

    ¡°Very well. Piloswine, go!¡± The brown-furred boar landed with a thud, its snout quivering as it tried to locate Magmar. Magmar simply blew more fire in challenge. ¡°Your move, young one.¡±

    ¡°Magmar, Flamethrower!¡± A stream of flames exploded across the battlefield towards Piloswine, who simply awaited Pryce''s command.

    ¡°Piloswine, to your left.¡± The boar darted to the side, avoiding the flames. ¡°Now, Mud-Slap!¡± A glob of thick mud materialized below one of Piloswine''s paws, and it threw the glob at Magmar, who sidestepped it easily.

    ¡°Smog, Magmar!¡± This time, Magmar created a cloud of grey smoke, which hovered towards her opponent. Piloswine simply stepped aside again, and Pryce grinned.

    ¡°Now, Take Down!¡± Piloswine charged across the battlefield, gaining surprising purchase on the icy surface. The attack surprised Magmar, and she was knocked backward by the strike.

    ¡°Don''t give in, Magmar! Fire Punch!¡± Magmar tried to hit back, but Piloswine stepped away again, and the burning jab only hit the floor. ¡°Quick! Another Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Dodge, Piloswine.¡± Piloswine jumped away, and Magmar swung and missed again. ¡°Now, turn to face, then use Take Down once more.¡±

    ¡°Magmar, counter with Flamethrower!¡± Magmar blew a stream of fire at Piloswine, but the attack only grazed the top of its body. The boar rushed Magmar and smashed hard into her midsection, and she collapsed to the floor. ¡°Can you keep going?¡± Magmar struggled to push herself up, but she fell back down, overcome by Piloswine''s strength.

    <hr>

    ¡°That Piloswine is something else,¡± James murmured as Jen recalled Magmar. ¡°Even with a major disadvantage, its speed and power are more than you''d think it could handle. Jen had better have picked the right team today...¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Elekid, go!¡± Elekid spun his arms as he re-emerged, glaring at Piloswine. ¡°Remember, no electricity! We''ve got to get up close and personal!¡± Elekid looked at Jen, then nodded. ¡°I knew you''d be up for it. Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Take Down, Piloswine!¡± Elekid reared back for a strike, but the Take Down knocked him away before he could land the hit. ¡°Now, Mud-Slap!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break again!¡± Elekid dove in for another attack, but missed, slamming the floor. More cracks appeared in the icy surface. ¡°Keep it up!¡± Unfortunately, Piloswine''s Mud-Slap caught Elekid full in the face, and he angrily tried to wipe the goop from his eyes.

    ¡°Icy Wind.¡± Piloswine generated a frigid air current and blew it towards Elekid. The Electric Pok¨¦mon looked visibly chilled from the attack.

    ¡°Hang on, Elekid! Another Brick Break!¡± Another miss, and another impact with the ground. Chunks of battlefield began to fly up from the attack. ¡°Elekid, get a grip! You can''t keep...¡± Jen stopped as she looked at Piloswine. ¡°Wait a minute. If we can break up the field, Piloswine might have to slow down. Elekid! Keep using Brick Break on the ground!¡±

    ¡°Not so fast! Icy Wind!¡± The chilling wind caused Elekid to shrink back, but he dutifully continued to slam his arm down onto the floor, and the field kept turning to rubble. ¡°Finish it off, Piloswine! Take Down!¡± Piloswine rushed at Elekid, who swung one more attack at the boar before he was thrown back. The attack hit home this time, and Piloswine shuddered from the damage and the recoil, while Elekid crashed down at Jen''s feet, defeated. Jen recalled Elekid with a deep sigh.

    ¡°Thanks, Elekid. You battled hard today.¡± She looked at the battlefield, then at Piloswine. ¡°I really hope this is the right pick.¡± She tossed out her final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Togetic, let''s go!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°So she is going with Togetic,¡± James said, and Typhlosion growled. ¡°Jen knows what she''s doing, pal, but I''m not convinced. Togetic doesn''t have much of a battle record, and she doesn''t have a lot that can take out Piloswine. She''s going to have to work hard for this one.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Togetic, you can win this! Start with Charm!¡± Togetic gave Piloswine a cheery look, and the boar looked a little more relaxed. ¡°Okay, up!¡±

    ¡°Piloswine, Icy Wind!¡± Piloswine released another chilling wind burst, but Togetic flew so high that she nearly touched the ceiling, and the wind didn''t reach her.

    ¡°Magical Leaf!¡± A flurry of rainbow-coloured leaves shot towards Piloswine, who simply took the attack. ¡°Alright, try another!¡±

    ¡°Icy Wind!¡± The next set of leaves froze in mid-flight, falling to the ground and shattering harmlessly. ¡°Now, Stone Edge!¡± Piloswine sent a barrage of pointed rocks at Togetic, who began dodging frantically.

    ¡°Calm down, Togetic! Fly a little lower!¡± Togetic obeyed, and dropped a few yards in the air. ¡°Now, use Metronome!¡± Pryce looked confused as Togetic began waggling an arm back and forth. There was a brief pause, then Togetic unleashed a flash of light that caused everyone in the gym to shield their eyes.

    ¡°It looks like your Metronome produced quite the Flash,¡± Pryce said as he moved his hand from his eyes. ¡°But it won''t help you. Icy Wind!¡± Piloswine released more cold air, but the attack missed its mark.

    ¡°Okay, Togetic, Magical Leaf again!¡±

    ¡°Stone Edge!¡± As the leaves cut at Piloswine, it fired more stones at Togetic, who wasn''t ready and was struck full-on. Togetic fell to the floor, and struggled to get back to her feet. ¡°Now, Take Down!¡± Piloswine began rushing at Togetic, but tripped on the weakened battlefield. ¡°No! Get up quickly!¡±

    ¡°Togetic, back in the air!¡± The Happiness Pok¨¦mon floated back up as Piloswine found its feet, and the two opponents eyed each other. ¡°Okay, that Stone Edge is nasty. We can''t get hit that hard again.¡± Jen looked at the loose battlefield. ¡°But maybe we can use the field to our advantage. Togetic, Headbutt! Attack head-on!¡±

    ¡°Piloswine, intercept with Take Down!¡± As Togetic aimed her attack, Piloswine began running towards her...and tripped again. ¡°Again?¡±

    ¡°Pull up, Togetic!¡± Togetic floated a little higher as Piloswine slid to a halt, working hard to regain its footing. ¡°Now, full power Magical Leaf, go!¡± The glowing leaves hammered into Piloswine''s body, and the attack drove Piloswine''s head down.

    ¡°Piloswine! Can you continue?¡± Piloswine pushed itself onto its feet and faced Togetic. A moment later, its legs gave out, and it slumped to the floor, overwhelmed by the super-effective attack. Pryce watched for another moment, then he nodded. ¡°It looks like you have defeated Piloswine, young one.¡±

    ¡°I have? Yes!¡± Jen leaped into the air, and hugged Togetic as she floated over. ¡°Togetic, you were awesome! I knew you were the right pick for today!¡±

    ¡°She certainly was. You took the sting of defeat and turned it into a victory. Well done indeed.¡± Pryce handed her a small hexagon with lines resembling a snowflake. ¡°I present you with the Glacier Badge, the official token of victory at the Mahogany Gym.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Pryce. You weren''t easy to beat, and I learned a lot from it.¡±

    ¡°And I from you. I look forward to your friend''s challenge in due time.¡± Jen turned towards the door, and met James in the gym''s lobby.

    ¡°Way to go, Jen. I got it wrong, Togetic really came through.¡±

    ¡°She did,¡± Jen answered, smiling. ¡°But Elekid breaking up the field let her stay out of too much danger. It really was a team effort.¡± As they approached the Pok¨¦mon Centre, she turned to James. ¡°So, you''re up next, huh? You''ll probably find it easier than I did.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Pryce knows how to counter a lot of strategies, though, so I''m not gonna be overconfident again.¡± They reached the doors, and they slid open, revealing a surprised, and familiar, face.

    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± Hunter said. ¡°I guess I finally caught up to you.¡±

 39-A Duel of Ice and Fire

    ¡°...and then after Olivine, I headed out here. I could have done without the backtracking, but Johto isn''t like back home, where it''s more straightforward.¡± James, Jen and Hunter were sitting in the Pok¨¦mon Centre''s cafeteria, and Hunter had been recounting his exploits since they had last seen each other. The Kanto native gulped some water. ¡°So...that''s my story. How''s it been with you two? I haven''t seen you guys since we trained in Azalea Town. Anything interesting happen?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Jen answered, as James shook his head. ¡°Well, unless you count Togetic winning me the Glacier Badge. She really stepped up for me.¡±

    ¡°So you have seven badges too? Cool.¡± Hunter took out his own snowflake-shaped badge. ¡°I won it a few days ago, but I''ve been training just outside of town. I''m going to move on to Blackthorn City soon.¡±

    ¡°So you must have been the challenger Pryce was talking about. He mentioned having someone lined up.¡± Hunter nodded, and James grinned. ¡°I''m taking him on tomorrow. I''ve got a lot of options against Ice-types, but this match is going to take some strategy.¡±

    ¡°Don''t I know it?¡± Jen murmured, looking down at the table. ¡°I wasn''t prepared for him the first time, and I lost.¡± Hunter smiled sympathetically.

    ¡°He''s a tough one to figure out. It took everything I had to beat him.¡± He looked at James. ¡°Strategy? From you? Last I remember, you were all about hammering your opponent until they broke down...or until you did.¡±

    ¡°I still prefer straightforward tactics. Now that I''ve seen his lineup twice, I know how hard I can hit him, and what he''s planning to throw at me.¡±

    ¡°Just don''t get overconfident. Pryce is pretty calculating, and he might not even use the same lineup again.¡±

    ¡°What else could he possibly use? There aren''t all that many Ice-types native to the region.¡± Hunter looked thoughtful as he sipped his water.

    ¡°There''s several different ways he could approach it. Of course, he didn''t expect me to break out a Grass-type, but that''s what happens when you toss a Dewgong into the fight.¡± Hunter grinned. ¡°Oh, I never mentioned that part. Bulbasaur is fully evolved now.¡±

    ¡°Is he? How long did that take?¡± Jen asked.

    ¡°He evolved into Ivysaur just before we went after Whitney, and then into Venusaur when we battled Jasmine. I''ve only caught one more Pok¨¦mon since we last met, but it''s a solid one. I can show you if you want.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good,¡± James said, setting his own glass of water on the table. ¡°My team''s rounded into shape pretty well too.¡±

    <hr>

    Besides Venusaur, Hunter had evolved his Wooper into Quagsire, kept Onix, and added what looked like a metal-shelled bug. Hollow spikes protruded from his red inner shell, and metallic plates rested on the top and bottom of his body.

    ¡°What''s that, Hunter?¡± Jen asked as she tried to detach Pichu from her ankle. ¡°You didn''t have it when we last saw you.¡±

    ¡°The bug is Forretress. I spent a while trying to knock him out of a tree in Ilex Forest when he was still a Pineco. He''s really useful for setting up traps, and can explode if things get a little dicey.¡± Forretress'' eyes glinted, and Hunter held up a hand. ¡°No, I didn''t tell you to explode. Get a grip on yourself.¡± Hunter sighed. ¡°He also happens to be the most trigger-happy Pok¨¦mon I''ve ever met. You''ve got to be careful what you say around him, because he''ll go off at the slightest excuse.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°Sounds like a handful. But if anyone can hold him back, it''s you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Hunter surveyed James'' team. ¡°I see you fully evolved your Gastly.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we used the trade machine in Cianwood City. Chuck''s niece put us on to it.¡±

    ¡°Why didn''t you evolve Graveler as well?¡± Hunter indicated the Rock Pok¨¦mon, who was meditating off to one side. ¡°A Golem would be even more powerful and useful.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t want to make too many changes at once,¡± James answered. ¡°I had planned to use Gengar against Chuck, but I changed my mind at the last second.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I decided to go one-on-one with Chuck''s Poliwrath with Quilava. He won, and then he evolved right after the match.¡± Hunter looked bewildered.

    ¡°Really? Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°I''d already lost to Chuck twice, and I wanted to test out a new tactic.¡± Hunter''s eyebrows briefly slid upward, then he shrugged.

    ¡°I guess it must have worked in the end. Anyway, if you were interested in evolving your Graveler, you could help me out at the same time.¡±

    ¡°How''s that?¡± James asked. Hunter walked over to his bag, rummaged around in it for a moment, then returned, carrying a small, heavy-looking metal cylinder.

    ¡°Know what this is?¡± James shook his head, and Jen made a small noise of confusion. ¡°This is a Metal Coat. One of the trainers I met in Olivine City gave it to me. It powers up Steel-type moves, and it can also make certain Pok¨¦mon evolve.¡±

    ¡°I''m guessing you''re talking about Onix?¡± Jen asked, finally managing to pry Pichu''s arms from around her leg. ¡°There. Pichu, why don''t you go play with the others?¡± Pichu tried to re-attach herself, but Jen''s Elekid ran over and led the Tiny Mouse over to the rest of her team. Jen smiled a little. ¡°Sorry about her, she''s still really shy. Anyway, Onix. I was wondering why you hadn''t evolved yours yet. Jasmine''s Steelix was a load to handle.¡± Hunter nodded, then looked at James.

    ¡°Here''s my thinking. You can take down Pryce, then we''ll pull off the trade. Both our Pok¨¦mon will evolve, and we''ll both be in stronger shape. What do you say?¡± James considered, then nodded.

    ¡°That sounds like a plan. We''ll do it after the match.¡± He looked around at his team, and smiled to himself. ¡°This is gonna be fun.¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning, the trio headed across town to the Gym, where James entered the battlefield with Typhlosion at his side. Pryce waited on the other side, leaning on his staff. Jen and Hunter settled into the stands, waiting for the match to start.

    ¡°I trust you''ve prepared, young one?¡± Pryce asked as James and Typhlosion settled in their technical area. ¡°You will find this challenge no easier than your friend did.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry, I''m ready to go,¡± James called back, scratching Typhlosion''s ears. ¡°We''re going to win that badge, no questions asked.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to your challenge, then. Let us begin.¡±

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï ¡ï

    Pryce

    A: ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï ¡ï ¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    Pryce smiled as he revealed his first Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Sneasel, go!¡± An unfamiliar feline creature appeared, sharp claws extended in menace. Several red feathers formed a tail, while its dark fur was offset with oval-shaped yellow marks. James scanned the creature as it bared its teeth.

    ¡°Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pok¨¦mon,¡± the Pok¨¦dex announced. ¡°It has a vicious, predatory nature, and uses its razor-like claws to inflict serious damage on its targets.¡± James stowed the Pok¨¦dex and tossed a Pok¨¦ball to the field.

    ¡°Gengar, let''s go!¡± The shadowy ghost emerged, and James felt the already-cold temperature drop even lower. ¡°Should have thought of that...Gengar, let''s open up with Shadow Ball!¡± Gengar fired the pulsing energy blast, but Sneasel took it easily. ¡°Fire another one!¡±

    ¡°Take the hit, then use Swords Dance.¡± The second Shadow Ball burst with little effect, and Sneasel''s claws glowed brightly as it began to run in place. ¡°Excellent. Now, Metal Claw!¡±

    ¡°Dodge and use Shadow Ball!¡± Gengar floated away from Sneasel, but the feline weasel darted closer and caught him on the side with a slash. The Shadow Ball fizzled and died. ¡°No way! Sneasel can''t be that fast!¡±

    ¡°Icy Wind.¡± Pryce commanded. As Sneasel fell away from Gengar, it blew a freezing gust at Gengar, who shrank back and looked slower after the attack. James raised Gengar''s Pok¨¦ball.

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    ¡°We''ve got to shift gears here, Gengar. Return!¡± Pryce''s lip curled as he watched.

    ¡°Pursuit.¡± As Gengar disappeared in the ball''s red light, Sneasel dashed forward again and cut at the light. James felt the Pok¨¦ball shudder as it shrank down.

    ¡°That can''t be good,¡± he murmured as he took out another ball. ¡°We''ll attack head-on this time. Elekid, let''s go!¡± Elekid spun his arms as he emerged, sparks flying from his horns. ¡°Okay, gotta keep Sneasel from getting too close...Thunderbolt!¡±

    ¡°Avoid the attack, then Slash!¡± Sneasel skipped to its left, letting the electric blast pass by, then sprinted at Elekid with glowing claws, almost skating on the icy surface.

    ¡°So much for keeping our distance. Counter with Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s arm sparked, and it swung hard at Sneasel. Sneasel ducked the blow and delivered a sharp cut to Elekid''s side. ¡°Don''t let it get away! Brick Break again!¡±

    ¡°Evade, Sneasel.¡± Sneasel began to backflip away as Elekid''s frustrated shouts echoed through the cold Gym. ¡°Now, Ice Shard!¡± A glowing ball of ice formed between Sneasel''s upraised claws, and it fired the resultant shard at Elekid.

    ¡°Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid''s electric blast shattered the Ice Shard, sending shimmering crystals flying around the area. Sneasel sprinted towards Elekid again, and the Electric Pok¨¦mon turned to face it. ¡°Get it, Elekid! Brick Break!¡± This time, the Fighting-type move connected, catching Sneasel full in the face. Red sparks flew from the feline weasel''s body as it flew backward.

    ¡°Sneasel! Can you continue?¡± Pryce''s words seemed to bring back Sneasel''s focus, and it squared back up to Elekid, a manic grin spreading across its face. ¡°Excellent. Use Quick Attack!¡± Sneasel raced at Elekid, who tensed.

    ¡°Relax, Elekid! Let it come close, then hammer it with Brick Break!¡± Elekid waited until Sneasel was about to hit him, then swung another Brick Break at it. The move sent Sneasel flying again, and this time it didn''t get up.

    <hr>

    Elekid spun his arms in triumph as Pryce recalled Sneasel. The Gym Leader smiled as he looked at his challenger.

    ¡°Well done, young one. I thought sending Sneasel out would surprise you more, but you adjusted well. However, do not expect the rest of this contest to be easy. You have seen my frozen cadre before, but they are ready for anything you bring.¡±

    ¡°I''m ready too! We won''t lose this match!¡± Pryce nodded as he revealed his next choice.

    ¡°Jynx, you''re up!¡± The strange humanoid creature began to sway as she emerged, and James breathed hard before recalling Elekid.

    ¡°I''ll probably need you later, so rest up.¡± He took out Gengar''s Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out, but the ball fell to the floor with a clunk. ¡°What happened? Gengar, this is no time to take a nap!¡± The ball remained on the floor. ¡°Gengar!¡±

    ¡°It''s no use, son. It appears Gengar is done for the day.¡±

    ¡°But how? Gengar was fine when I pulled him.¡± Pryce''s smile reappeared.

    ¡°That Pursuit must have been enough to finish him.¡± James looked confused as he picked up the ball.

    ¡°What does that mean? I...¡± James'' eyes widened as it clicked. ¡°The ball shook when I pulled Gengar! He must''ve been knocked out as he returned!¡±

    ¡°Well reasoned. You see, Sneasel is a combination Dark and Ice-type. Pursuit is a Dark-type move, and would have a strong effect on a ghost like Gengar under normal circumstances.¡±

    ¡°But how did it take Gengar out that way?¡±

    ¡°I was getting there. Pursuit does much more damage to a retreating Pok¨¦mon. Combine all the factors we have discussed, and that was enough to finish Gengar. As such, we are each down to two Pok¨¦mon each.¡± James shook his head, then took out Elekid''s Pok¨¦ball again.

    ¡°Looks like you''re gonna have to go a little longer. Elekid, go!¡± Elekid returned the the battlefield, and looked at his trainer in confusion. ¡°I know, you didn''t get a lot of rest, but I know you can do this! Stay focused and let''s go!¡± Elekid nodded, and his arms spun in anticipation.

    <hr>

    ¡°Jynx, open with Fake Tears.¡± Jynx''s body shook, and tears flew from its eyes, which never blinked. Elekid''s body relaxed a little, and James groaned.

    ¡°Hit it with Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid recovered, then fired an electric blast right at Jynx. Jynx stopped her false crying as the attack hit, and she focused back on Elekid.

    ¡°Psychic.¡± This time, Jynx''s eyes glowed blue, and a similar glow surrounded Elekid. A flash erupted, and Elekid was knocked off his feet.

    ¡°Hang in there!¡± Elekid''s angry shouts resumed, and James shook his head. ¡°Hey! Quit yelling and focus! We''re still in this thing!¡± Elekid glared at Jynx, who continued to sway. ¡°Get after it with Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Counter with Ice Punch.¡± Elekid''s arm slammed into Jynx''s frozen fist, and the two opponents fell back. ¡°Continue our attack with Powder Snow.¡± Jynx''s attack knocked Elekid to his knees, a misty powder floating around his body.

    ¡°Elekid! Hold on!¡± Elekid struggled to his feet, and sparks flew from his body. ¡°Okay! Blast it!¡±

    ¡°Jynx, use Lovely Kiss.¡± Jynx waddled towards Elekid, and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Elekid''s furious shouts subsided, and he dropped off to sleep.

    ¡°Hey! Elekid, wake up!¡± Elekid snored in response, and James groaned again. ¡°Come on, we don''t have time for this.¡± Pryce nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°I think this round is about done. Jynx, use Wake-Up Slap.¡± Jynx picked Elekid up in one hand, then slapped him across the face with the other. Elekid crashed to the floor.

    ¡°Elekid!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon woke up and looked at James, right before his eyes glazed over. ¡°No way. That attack...¡± James recalled Elekid and closed his eyes. ¡°Thanks, Elekid. You hung in there despite everything. We''re not gonna let that effort go to waste.¡± He looked down at Typhlosion. ¡°It''s up to you now, buddy. Give it everything you''ve got.¡± Typhlosion grinned and nodded, before running out onto the field.

    <hr>

    ¡°So, your Fire-type is last.¡± Pryce nodded. ¡°I look forward to seeing his power for myself. He looks a strong one.¡±

    ¡°He''s gotten me through a lot of matches before, and he''ll win this one.¡± James pointed to Jynx. ¡°Hit it with Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion blasted a stream of flames at Jynx, who didn''t bother getting out of the way. ¡°That''s the way!¡±

    ¡°Jynx, Rain Dance.¡± Jynx began to sway, and James reacted instantly.

    ¡°Don''t let it set up! Quick Attack!¡± Typhlosion sped forward and crashed into Jynx before it could summon any rain clouds. ¡°Now, close-up Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Get it off you with Ice Punch!¡± Jynx''s blue-glowing fist struck Typhlosion''s stomach, but he blasted more flames at her, and the super-effective attack made her shudder. ¡°Another! Force it away!¡±

    ¡°One more Flamethrower!¡± The flames surrounded Jynx, and she fought to compose herself. ¡°Finish it off! Flame Wheel!¡± Typhlosion jumped towards Jynx, and his body became a familiar burning torpedo that slammed the Human Shape Pok¨¦mon to the ground. Jynx stirred feebly, but didn''t get up again.

    <hr>

    Pryce nodded calmly as he recalled Jynx.

    ¡°A quick victory. Nicely done.¡± He took out his final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°But you still have one more opponent to defeat, and you had best be ready.¡±

    ¡°We''re ready for anything! Let''s do this thing!¡±

    ¡°Very well. Go, Piloswine!¡± The porcine Ice-type landed and pawed the ground, and Typhlosion grinned in response. ¡°Begin with Amnesia.¡± Piloswine''s body glowed a strange turquoise colour, which faded after a few seconds. ¡°Now, Icy Wind!¡±

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion''s stream of fire crashed into Piloswine''s frozen air current, and the resultant cloud of pale smoke obscured the whole battlefield. ¡°Stay focused! I think we just made things worse for ourselves!¡±

    ¡°Stone Edge.¡± A barrage of pointed stones hammered into Typhlosion''s side, and he looked around widely for his attacker. Piloswine emerged briefly and slammed Typhlosion with a full-on tackle, then disappeared back into the smoke. James tried to locate his opponent in the mist.

    ¡°Steady, Typhlosion! Keep your eyes open!¡± Typhlosion relaxed a little, then watched for any movement.

    ¡°Icy Wind.¡± A frigid gust caught Typhlosion from his left this time, but he reacted quickly and rushed at what he thought was the source.

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± Typhlosion''s body was surrounded by fire, and he rocketed forward, but Piloswine wasn''t there.

    ¡°Mud Bomb.¡± A glob of slurry splashed just short of its target. ¡°Now, Blizzard!¡±

    ¡°Out of the way, Typhlosion!¡± The Fire-type rolled to one side as a mass of snowballs flew overhead, and the mist began to fade. ¡°Okay, we can see a little better. Find Piloswine!¡±

    ¡°Stay hidden, Piloswine. Fire Stone Edge if it gets close!¡± Typhlosion slipped a little on the ice, but kept searching for his target. Stones flew sporadically from the mist, but it faded quickly, revealing Piloswine behind him. ¡°Quickly!¡±

    ¡°Turn around and use Flamethrower!¡± The stones broke through the flames and struck Typhlosion, driving him to the ground. ¡°No! Hang on!¡±

    ¡°Now for our decisive charge. Take Down!¡± A gold aura streaked behind Piloswine as it rushed in, lowering its head for a full-on slam. Typhlosion struggled to get up, and James called to him.

    ¡°C''mon, focus! You can close this out!¡± Typhlosion pushed himself up, and squared his body as Piloswine bore down on him. ¡°Counter that hit with Flame Wheel!¡± Typhlosion''s body was surrounded by fire once more, and the two Pok¨¦mon collided. The fire rolled off Typhlosion and covered Piloswine''s body, then a small explosion drove the Swine Pok¨¦mon backward. The fur over Piloswine''s small, beady eyes flew up briefly, then dropped as Piloswine collapsed to the floor, beaten at last. Pryce looked for a sign of movement, then recalled his premier Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Well fought, young one. The Glacier Badge is yours.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Way to go, buddy!¡± James ran onto the field and hugged the exhausted Typhlosion. ¡°You really stepped up today. Thanks for the effort.¡± Typhlosion growled quietly, and James walked over to Pryce, who handed him the snowflake-shaped badge. ¡°And thanks for the battle today, Pryce. You weren''t easy to beat.¡±

    ¡°Nor were you. You adapted quickly and gave us a hard time throughout. Congratulations on your victory.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± James said, and ran with Typhlosion towards the door, where Hunter and Jen were waiting. ¡°Hey! What did you think?¡±

    ¡°Impressive stuff,¡± Hunter said, grinning. ¡°Of course, you had a big type advantage at the end, but that Piloswine was something else.¡± Jen nodded in agreement.

    ¡°You weren''t overconfident this time, which helped. You put that one away really well.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, guys.¡± James scratched Typhlosion''s ears. ¡°I''d better get these guys to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, then we can prep for the next town.¡±

    ¡°Don''t forget, we''ve got a trade to pull off,¡± Hunter reminded him. James nodded.

    ¡°Right. We can do that while Nurse Joy is taking care of the others.¡±

    <hr>

    The trade machine in Mahogany Town''s Pok¨¦mon Centre looked a lot newer than the one in Cianwood''s. It worked the same way, though, and within minutes, James and Hunter had run Graveler and Onix through the process and back again; both Pok¨¦balls glowed briefly as their trainers collected them. Both of them headed for the small training area before revealing their newly-evolved team members.

    On Hunter''s side, a familiar metallic snake grinned down at the group. On James'', a creature resembling a rocky turtle stood calmly before them. Interlocking rocks formed a shell, and its limbs ended in sharp claws. James scanned his newest team member.

    ¡°Golem, the Megaton Pok¨¦mon. Its body can withstand even a dynamite blast, and it is known for rolling down mountains as a result of earthquakes.¡±

    ¡°Looks like we''ve upgraded our power, huh?¡± James said as he watched Golem. Jen smiled, and Hunter recalled his new Steelix.

    ¡°We''ve all got one more badge to go. Let''s rest up, then go make it happen.¡±

 40-Bearing Down

    The Ice Path between Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City had a reputation for being a formidable obstacle. Hours after James, Jen and Hunter entered the frozen labyrinth, it had more than lived up to that reputation. As the time on James'' Pok¨¦Gear slid towards late afternoon, Hunter was ready to have Steelix bulldoze a direct path out.

    ¡°No way,¡± Jen said when Hunter suggested his plan. ¡°It sounds great, but it would probably bring the whole tunnel down on top of us. Getting squashed under some cold rocks isn''t part of my grand plan for life.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, it was kind of a joke anyway,¡± Hunter answered, putting Steelix''s Pok¨¦ball away. ¡°Any ideas for how to get out of here?¡±

    ¡°What haven''t we tried yet?¡± Jen asked. James held up a hand, raising a finger as he named off failed plans.

    ¡°We sent Golbat ahead to scout for the exit, but he got lost. Typhlosion tried to follow that clutch of Swinub, but they got away. And we''ve nixed Hunter''s Steelix solution.¡± Hunter glared as James looked at him and Jen. ¡°So, I think it''s back to the old standby: wander around until we trip over the exit. It''s worked before.¡±

    ¡°I''m not spending any more time than necessary in this natural walk-in freezer!¡± Jen shouted; as if in agreement, an icicle smashed to the ground several yards behind her. ¡°There has to be a way out, and we''re going to find it!¡±

    The trio''s wanderings took them to a vast, icy stretch of ground, as if a massive skating rink had been laid down over the floor. Jen looked at the two boys, who were giving each other uneasy looks.

    ¡°...how are we going to get across that?¡± James asked. Hunter shrugged in response.

    ¡°Did you pack three sets of skates when we left Mahogany Town?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I knew the Ice Path was treacherous, but I didn''t think...¡±

    ¡°Quiet, both of you!¡± Jen shouted, looking across the ice to a faint speck of light. ¡°I think we found the exit.¡±

    ¡°You mean we...¡± James began.

    ¡°Yes, we tripped over the exit as usual. Now it''s just a matter of getting over there.¡±

    ¡°Well, like I asked, did we bring ice skates?¡± Hunter asked. ¡°I don''t like the idea of trying to cross that sheet ice on foot.¡±

    ¡°We might just have to risk it,¡± Jen said. She walked to the edge of the ice and looked at the surface. ¡°It looks like there''s solid rock underneath the ice, so there isn''t much chance of falling through.¡± She turned to the others. ¡°You guys aren''t afraid of a few slips and falls, right?¡±

    ¡°I...it''s going to take a while to slide across this thing, isn''t it?¡± James conceded, looking at Hunter. The other boy merely shrugged, and a few minutes later, they were shuffling over the icy surface, trying to stay upright. Jen was a bit bolder than they were, and had fallen twice already.

    ¡°This is fun!¡± she called as she slid a little way forward. ¡°You guys should try to slide forwards instead of just shuffling, you''ll move across faster.¡±

    ¡°I kind of like staying on my feet, thanks!¡± James called. As if on cue, Typhlosion slid by him at a tremendous rate, not stopping for several yards. ¡°Oh, sure, take her side!¡± The Fire-type laughed and initiated another slide, nearly reaching the other end. It seemed to take hours, but the three youngsters were soon near the cave exit.

    ¡°Well, that wasn''t so bad, was it?¡± Jen asked. James and Hunter merely stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Oh, please, you guys had fun. C''mon, let''s get to the town before it gets dark.¡±

    <hr>

    After another half hour of walking, they had arrived in Blackthorn City. The buildings looked old, almost like Ecruteak''s, or even the oldest buildings in James'' neighbourhood on Violet City''s north side. Only two visibly modern buildings stood out: the Pok¨¦mon Centre, which stood next to a row of shops, and a massive, cathedral-like building with a circular window at its high point; the window''s pattern resembled an eight-petaled flower. Two dragons stood atop pillars at a wrought-iron gate.

    ¡°That must be the Blackthorn Gym,¡± Hunter mused as the group looked at the building. ¡°Subtle, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°The dragons really give it away,¡± James answered, a grin crossing his face.

    ¡°I guess that''s the type we''ll be facing in this town,¡± Jen said as she checked the time. ¡°It''s nearly five, so I''m guessing we won''t be able to set up a challenge today. What do you guys want to do?¡± James checked the map on his Pok¨¦Gear.

    ¡°There''s a big area just south of here. It looks kind of treacherous, so we''ll have to stay close to town, but it might be a good place to train.¡±

    ¡°And maybe find some new Pok¨¦mon,¡± Jen added. When James looked confused, she continued. ¡°You and Hunter don''t have full teams yet, and you''ll need them when we get to the Silver Conference.¡±

    ¡°That''s right,¡± James agreed, as Hunter nodded. ¡°All the matches in the Victory Tournament are full battles.¡±

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    ¡°Then let''s head out there and see what we can find. It''s gonna get dark soon, so we''ll have to be quick.¡±

    <hr>

    On Route 45, the group passed a cave entrance with a familiar signpost.

    ¡°Dark Cave? It extends all the way up here?¡± James shuddered, remembering their wanderings through the pitch-black labyrinth.

    ¡°We''re not going in there, so relax,¡± Jen answered. She looked around and noticed a small area with sparse trees dotting the landscape. ¡°Maybe we can find something over there. Any idea what lives around here?¡±

    ¡°No. I suspect a few Rock-types, since we''re in among the mountains.¡± Hunter said, walking towards the trees. James and Typhlosion followed him, and James spotted several small bear-like creatures shuffling up and down the thin trunks. Each one had creamy brown fur, a light crescent mark above its face, and prominent round ears. Every so often, one of the creatures would stop and stuff a paw in its mouth. Jen spotted the creatures and took out her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°They''re adorable,¡± she said as she listened to the device''s information.

    ¡°Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pok¨¦mon. Its paws are constantly soaked in honey, and its crescent mark glows when it finds any in the wild.¡± Jen wandered towards a particularly small specimen, and the creature backed away in alarm.

    ¡°Easy. I''m not going to hurt you.¡± The Teddiursa continued backing away, then scampered up a nearby tree. ¡°Well, that wasn''t how I thought it would go.¡± A few seconds later, Jen found herself diving away from a large shadow falling from the tree. James and Hunter ran over to her as a second shadow fell down, vocalizing to the Teddiursa in the area. The shadows turned out to be two much larger bears than Teddiursa, their eyes narrowed in fury. A large tan circle marked their chests, and their claws looked menacing. James surreptitiously took out his own Pok¨¦dex to learn more about the bears.

    ¡°Ursaring, the Hibernator Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Ursaring. It collects food from trees and streams near its home, and will snap tree trunks to gather up the berries that fall.¡± The second Ursaring began gathering the scattered Teddiursa, while the first one took a threatening step towards the group.

    ¡°Uh-oh. I think this one''s the dad,¡± Jen said quietly, while James and Hunter backed away. Typhlosion followed the youngsters'' lead, but the flames on his back were up in warning.

    ¡°Let''s hope they don''t...¡± James started, but the closer bear began running towards them. ¡°Never mind! Run!¡± All three youngsters and Typhlosion made a dash for the tree line, but noted too late that they were headed right for a rocky wall. As Ursaring closed in, James took out a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. Elekid emerged and spotted Ursaring, grinning as he squared up. ¡°We''re gonna catch this bear, Elekid. Get ready.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Hunter shouted as he and Jen scattered, while Typhlosion jumped in front of Jen. ¡°That thing''s trying to run us off, and you want to battle it?¡±

    ¡°It looks pretty strong, so I''m going for it!¡± Elekid looked to James as Ursaring ran at him. ¡°Elekid, Thunderbolt!¡± A blast of electricity stopped Ursaring in his tracks, and Elekid fired another blast. ¡°Settle, Elekid. Brick Break while it''s stunned!¡± Elekid''s karate chop hit Ursaring right on the top of his head, and the bear swung his arms to try and put Elekid off. ¡°Keep going! Another Brick Break!¡± As Elekid''s next blow landed, Ursaring swung a glowing claw at him as he tried to recover, and caught him full in the face.

    Elekid went flying, hitting the rock wall and landing hard on the ground. The impact roused a large group of creatures nearby that resembled flying scorpions. Their pink bodies had pointed ears like a bat''s, and blue membranes stretched between their clawed arms and rounded feet. They lifted from the ground and flew in a panic through the area. James noticed Ursaring taking swings at some of the fleeing creatures as they went past, and decided to take advantage of the chaos. He pulled a Pok¨¦ball from his bag, drew back his left arm and threw it as hard as he could at the bear. Ursaring responded by slapping the ball away with a swipe of his paw, sending it flying off to the right, and James growled in frustration.

    ¡°How did he spot that? He must be able to concentrate even when he''s angry!¡± James took out another Pok¨¦ball, turning it in his hand.

    ¡°What are you doing? Just throw it already!¡± Jen yelled, trying to shield herself from the frantic Gligar. James shook his head and kept turning the ball, adjusting his fingers over its surface.

    ¡°In a minute!¡± He finally found a grip he liked and swung his arm around like Elekid often did. ¡°Dad told me not to throw this pitch until I''m fourteen. It might not even work the way I think it will.¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Well, I''m almost twelve now, and I really want to catch this Ursaring. So I''ll throw him a real curveball!¡± He let the ball go, torquing his arm as he did. Ursaring looked ready to slap this one away too, but the ball dove out of his reach and hit him on the right leg. The bear was surrounded by red energy and sucked into the ball. James watched as the ball shook twice, then a third time, then the familiar capture chime sounded. ¡°Yes! I got an Ursaring!¡± He ran over to pick up the ball, but as he did so, the ball glowed white and disappeared in a flash. ¡°Hey! What gives?¡± Hunter and Jen walked over, and Hunter looked around.

    ¡°I''ve heard of that happening. How many Pok¨¦mon did you have again? Before catching Ursaring, I mean?¡±

    ¡°Five. I know you can only carry six, but Ursaring would have been my sixth.¡± Elekid ambled over and looked just as confused as his trainer. ¡°Hey, Elekid, you''re alright. Thanks for your help catching that bear.¡± Elekid grinned, and James recalled him. ¡°Okay, so what happened?¡± Jen frowned as she considered.

    ¡°Didn''t Ursaring bat that first ball away? It might have...hit...¡± All three youngsters turned to look at each other. Hunter seemed to cotton on first.

    ¡°Those Pok¨¦mon that flew out during the fight! When Ursaring knocked the ball away, it must have caught one of them by mistake!¡± James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°What? How? I''ve never heard of that happening before.¡±

    ¡°Those things were flying all over the place. It wouldn''t surprise me if one got hit in all the confusion. If we can find that Pok¨¦ball, we''ll have our answer.¡± James nodded, and Typhlosion started looking around with the others.

    ¡°It''s gonna be tough to find it in this light,¡± Jen said as she searched a clump of bushes. She released Magmar, whose flame lit the area. ¡°Thanks, girl. Now, let''s find James'' missing Pok¨¦ball.¡± She looked up and noticed a glint in the grass. ¡°Hey, guys! I think I found it!¡± They ran over, and there was the nondescript red and white ball lying on the ground. James picked it up and turned it in his hand.

    ¡°So, you caught a Pok¨¦mon I didn''t mean to catch, huh?¡± He tossed the ball lightly, and the pink-bodied creature emerged from it. It looked at James in confusion. ¡°Yeah, I''m just as mystified as you,¡± he said as he took out his Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Gligar, the FlyScorpion Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°Gligar glides silently towards prey, then clamps the victim''s face before stinging them with its tail.¡± James stowed the Pok¨¦dex, then recalled Gligar.

    ¡°Well, that was weird. Now what do we do?¡± Hunter indicated the darkening sky.

    ¡°Let''s get back to town. Nurse Joy might know what to do about Gligar and Ursaring.¡±

 41-Solving the Dragon Queen

    ¡°It''s a simple enough swap,¡± Nurse Joy explained as James, Jen and Hunter stood by the counter at the Pok¨¦mon Centre. ¡°If a trainer catches a Pok¨¦mon that takes them over the limit of six, the ball is transferred to the Storage System. For convenience, every Pok¨¦mon Centre has a terminal where trainers can exchange Pok¨¦balls if they need to change their lineup. In addition, any regional laboratory has transfer capability, and some people, Breeders in particular, prefer to obtain their own transfer equipment.¡±

    ¡°So, is there anything I''m going to need besides Gligar''s Pok¨¦ball?¡± James asked. Nurse Joy smiled.

    ¡°The only thing you''ll need for the transfer is your trainer card. The transfer equipment will take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Nurse Joy.¡± James turned and headed towards the transfer machine, which looked similar to the lesser-used trade machines. When the screen prompted, he swiped his trainer card; after a few moments, his face popped up in the top corner of the screen, and two rows of images blinked into view, with a picture representing each of his Pok¨¦mon appearing. He placed Gligar''s Pok¨¦ball on a small plate, and moved Gligar''s picture to a row of boxes labeled ''Inactive''. In a flash of light, the ball disappeared. James moved Ursaring''s picture to the ''Active'' row, and another ball appeared just as quickly. James picked up the ball and grinned.

    ¡°We''ve got some training to do.¡±

    <hr>

    Fifteen minutes later, it became clear to all three youngsters that Ursaring would be a load to handle. Immediately after emerging from his ball, he had tried to pick fights with both Gengar and Elekid, and Pidgeotto looked ready to hammer the bear as well. James quickly called a halt before things got out of hand, and sent everyone except Ursaring and Golem to train with Jen and Hunter.

    ¡°Look, Ursaring,¡± James cautioned, ¡°you''re part of a team now, and you can''t just go jumping the others. You have a lot to add to the team, but you''ve got to behave.¡± Ursaring snarled, but James held his ground. ¡°I mean it. I know you and Elekid had quite the fight when I caught you, but he''s your teammate now, so you two need to act like it.¡± He turned to Golem. ¡°Can I count on you to keep these guys in line?¡± Golem nodded, and James smiled. ¡°Good. You''re the steadiest one on the team, so you''ve got to use that...calm...of yours to help us stay focused.¡± He called the rest of the group back, and Jen walked over with Pichu. ¡°So...I think you should tackle the Blackthorn Gym first, Jen. I want to use Ursaring to try and win the badge, but I''ve got a lot of work to do to get him used to being on the team.¡±

    ¡°That''s fine,¡± Jen answered. ¡°Hunter says he wants to train more, too, so I guess I''m the only one who''s sort of ready. Although, from the looks of the area, the Gym Leader uses Dragon-types, and they''re supposed to be really difficult to fight.¡±

    ¡°Dragons are supposed to be vulnerable to ice, or to other dragon attacks.¡± Hunter added as he walked over. ¡°Neither of your Pok¨¦mon know any Ice- or Dragon-type moves, right?¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± James admitted. ¡°Jen?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jen answered. ¡°Unless Tentacruel learned one on his own, we don''t have any real counters for a dragon.¡± She smiled. ¡°But it''s not all about moves. If we can outsmart the Leader, we can take out her dragons and win that badge.¡± She motioned to her team. ¡°C''mon, guys, let''s get back to training. We''ve got some strategy to plan!¡±

    <hr>

    Jen''s team worked hard all day, focusing on movement and concentrating their power. Golbat worked particularly hard, flitting about and causing headaches for his teammates. Togetic was never going to develop Golbat''s straight-line speed, but made up for it by changing direction at a moment''s notice, making it harder to aim properly. Magmar and Elekid sparred off to the side, exchanging Fire Punches and Brick Breaks at a tremendous rate. Even Pichu was getting in on the act; her ThunderShocks weren''t going to knock out most opponents, but Tentacruel was a willing punching bag for the Tiny Mouse, and Jen was encouraged by what she saw. By the end of the session, Golbat and Tentacruel had learned new moves, and Pichu had managed to zap Togetic from a much longer range than she''d been capable of before.

    James checked Ursaring''s moves before starting his training, and was pleased to see some strong ones listed. The bear nearly knocked Golem over with his Slash attack, and Faint Attack could be useful under the correct circumstances. These were the only attacks James saw listed, but the bear also appeared to have tremendous endurance, something James'' team didn''t really have. If Ursaring could stay in a fight, he could allow his teammates to clear up after he''d done his work. Elekid was eager to test this out, and hammered away at Ursaring with one hit after another. The Electric Pok¨¦mon eventually received a Slash to the face for his trouble, and landed twenty feet away in a furious, shouting heap. Pidgeotto made to strike Ursaring, but the bear swung at her as well, and she desisted. Typhlosion and Gengar fired moves at one another, and Golem rolled between the physical and ranged team members, offering himself as a target when needed.

    Hunter, without explaining his reasons, didn''t train as fervently as the other two. Steelix provided a sparring partner for some of the faster Pok¨¦mon, and his Quagsire was training with Venusaur. The Water Fish Pok¨¦mon took one Grass-type move after another, strengthening his ability to resist the otherwise super-effective moves. Hunter deliberately kept Forretress well back; despite his trainer''s orders, the bagworm was liable to explode at a moment''s notice, and nothing was worth the chaos that would result for anyone caught in the blast radius. His trainer spent time researching trap moves for Forretress to learn, and by the end of the day, he had learned how to lay down Spikes in quick succession. Pleased with their day''s work, the three youngsters went back into the Pok¨¦mon Centre to rest and prepare for the next few days.

    <hr>

    Jen led the way across town towards the Blackthorn Gym the next morning, confident in her battle plan. Even though she didn''t even know which Pok¨¦mon the Gym Leader would use, she and her team had worked hard and gotten ready to tackle any threat. The massive doors to the Gym opened at a mild touch, revealing a high-ceilinged room with images of dragons covering most of the walls. Large pillars stood around the edge of the room, and a set of double doors nearly as large as the ones at the entrance stood closed, concealing the battlefield beyond. A small desk sat near the doors, and a middle-aged woman, wearing glasses with sharply angled frame, sat reading the morning newspaper. As the trio approached, Typhlosion slinking along at James'' heels, she put down the paper and surveyed them.

    ¡°I take it you are here to challenge the Gym Leader?¡± she asked them. Jen nodded.

    ¡°I am. My name''s Jennifer, and I''m from...¡±

    ¡°One moment,¡± the woman cut her off, and tapped a spot on the desk a few times. A tinkling chime echoed through the hall, and the woman indicated the doors. ¡°The Gym Leader will be with you shortly. The challenger may take her position on the field. You two...¡± she pointed to James and Hunter, ¡°may position yourselves in the spectator''s area, along with the Fire-type.¡± Typhlosion made an indignant noise, but James scratched his ears and he calmed down.

    The battlefield room was more vast than any they''d visited so far. Huge columns ringed the room, and an impressive vaulted ceiling sat above them. James, Hunter and Typhlosion sat in the stands, and Jen watched as a small door beyond opened, revealing a tall, slender woman with light blue hair. Her sleeveless dress matched her hair, blue heeled boots with two black rings atop them crept just below her knees, and a black cape was fastened by a what looked like a blue-grey pearl. Her blue eyes bore into Jen, and her face wasn''t quite smug, but confident all the same.

    ¡°Greetings, challenger,¡± she said. ¡°I am Clair, the Blackthorn City Gym Leader and an initiate of the city''s Dragon Tamer clan. Many like-minded people consider me the world''s best dragon master, although others reserve that title for my more famous cousin. To capture and tame a dragon is one of the most difficult and dangerous tasks for any trainer, but I am confident in my ability, and I rarely lose to outsiders. Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I''m not afraid of dragons!¡±

    ¡°Then let our challenge commence.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï ¡ï

    S: ¡ï ¡ï

    Clair

    A: ¡ï ¡ï ¡ï

    D: ¡ï ¡ï

    S: ¡ï ¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Dragonair, you''re up first!¡± A slender, serpentine creature with bluish scales emerged on Clair''s side of the field. A small white horn sat between its violet eyes, and a shiny blue orb adorned its neck. White, wing-like appendages sat on each side of its head, and it floated above the field, seemingly held aloft by sheer force of will. Jen nodded and took out her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Dragonair, the Dragon Pok¨¦mon. It is said to be capable of changing weather conditions at will, and its body exudes a calming, gentle aura.¡±

    ¡°It may look gentle, but looks can be deceiving. Gotta play this one smart.¡± Jen tossed her first Pok¨¦ball onto the field. ¡°Golbat, let''s go!¡± The blue bat wagged his tongue at Dragonair, but Dragonair''s expression did not change. ¡°Okay, let''s start with one of our new moves. Confuse Ray!¡± Golbat''s eyes glowed red, and they appeared distorted; a similar light appeared near Dragonair, but didn''t seem to have any effect.

    ¡°Thunder Wave.¡± Dragonair emitted yellowish rings of light from its body, and they surrounded Golbat before bursting into small sparks. Those same sparks played across Golbat''s body, and his movements were significantly slower.

    ¡°Oh, no. Golbat, Air Cutter!¡± Golbat tried to fire the bladed air current at Dragonair, but his body seized up and he dropped a few feet in the air. ¡°Golbat!¡± Clair smirked.

    ¡°Paralysis is quite useful, isn''t it? Dragonair, get after it and use Slam!¡±

    ¡°Confuse Ray!¡± Golbat tried to confuse Dragonair again, but Dragonair floated up to him and smacked him with its tail. Golbat dropped towards the ground, only just managing to stay airborne. ¡°Air Cutter as it comes back!¡± Golbat swept the air current at Dragonair, who appeared to wince as the sharp wind struck it.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Twister!¡± Dragonair recovered and kicked up a fierce cyclone that buffeted Golbat, who could barely move by this point. ¡°Now, Slam once more!¡± Dragonair struck Golbat with its tail again, and this time he could barely raise his body from the ground.

    ¡°Quick, try our other new move! Taunt!¡± Golbat struggled to get back up, but waggled his tongue at Dragonair, whose face briefly glowed red before it floated towards Golbat. Jen quickly recalled Golbat before Dragonair could finish him off. ¡°Okay, focus. Taunt will stop Thunder Wave for now, but we''ve got to be ready for when it wears off. Gotta keep at it.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. ¡°Tentacruel, you''re up next!¡±

    <hr>

    Tentacruel landed on the field with his customary splat, and Clair and Dragonair looked on with interest.

    ¡°I''m not sure what you have planned, but it won''t work. Dragonair, Slam!¡±

    ¡°Tentacruel, Surf cushion!¡± As Dragonair closed in, Tentacruel whipped up his watery base and stared his opponent down. ¡°Okay, now use Barrier!¡± Tentacruel''s body shone briefly, and Dragonair''s strike didn''t seem to affect him. ¡°One more new move, then. Toxic Spikes!¡± Tentacruel generated a glowing, violet blob, then launched it into the air, where it broke apart. The resultant shards buried themselves in the field, where they glowed briefly before fading.

    ¡°Trying to set up for later, are we? Well, we''ll have to finish you quickly. Twister!¡± Dragonair caught Tentacruel in another cyclone, which buffeted him with debris and threatened to break his watery cushion. Tentacruel strained with effort as he fought the wind attack, then settled back in as the attack faded.

    ¡°That''s it, Tentacruel! Hit it with Acid!¡± The caustic green fluid drenched Dragonair''s body, and it shrank back again.

    ¡°Slam, Dragonair! Put it away!¡± As Dragonair rushed at Tentacruel, Jen grinned.

    ¡°Hold it in place with Wrap!¡± Several tentacles bound Dragonair as it passed, and the serpentine dragon writhed in panic as it fought to get free. ¡°Okay, Poison Jab!¡± Tentacruel stabbed Dragonair with another tentacle, and Dragonair''s thrashing grew more frantic. ¡°Now finish it with Acid!¡± The greenish spray steamed as it made contact, and Dragonair grew still. Tentacruel unbound its tentacles, and the dragon lay twitching on the ground in front of him.

    ¡°No! How did...?¡± Clair recalled Dragonair with a stunned look. ¡°Very few trainers have managed to take down my Dragonair. You are to be commended.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball, and smiled. ¡°But your triumph ends here.¡± Before Clair tossed the ball, she snapped her fingers, and the floor began to shake. The battlefield split in two, and both halves slid outward to reveal a deep pool of water beneath the field. Tentacruel''s Surf cushion broke, sending him plunging into the water. Several small platforms floated to the surface, and so did the jellyfish. Jen looked on in amazement, and Clair released her next Pok¨¦mon.

    <hr>

    ¡°Gyarados, go!¡± A truly gigantic sea serpent emerged from the ball, and landed in the water with a resounding splash; the Toxic Spikes appeared to have remained in the field, as a violet glow covered Gyarados'' massive form. Its body was covered in shimmering blue scales, and several white, spiked fins were positioned along its back. A dark blue crest sat between its blazing red eyes, and its fangs were bared menacingly. Jen gulped.

    ¡°That''s...one mean-looking Pok¨¦mon.¡± She looked at Tentacruel and took a long breath. ¡°We''ll be okay. Just because it looks dangerous doesn''t mean we can''t still beat it. Tentacruel, Acid!¡± A splash of green fluid flew at Gyarados, who shook it off.

    ¡°Gyarados, Aqua Tail!¡± The lower end of Gyarados'' tail glowed dark blue, and it slammed into the water, spraying water everywhere and hammering Tentacruel. The jellyfish fought to hold his position under the strain.

    ¡°Poison Jab!¡± Tentacruel floated toward Gyarados, and jabbed it with a glowing tentacle. ¡°Now, up-close Acid!¡±

    ¡°Aqua Tail again!¡± This time, Gyarados made full contact with Tentacruel, stopping his attack and sending him flying through the air. He landed on one of the platforms, and struggled to recover his bearings. ¡°Now, Bite attack!¡± The sea serpent swam effortlessly to Tentacruel and picked him up in its jaws, exerting heavy pressure on his body.

    ¡°Tentacruel, get out of there! Acid!¡± Tentacruel tried to generate another fluid spray, but couldn''t get free of Gyarados'' bite.

    ¡°Finish it off, Gyarados. Hyper Beam!¡± Through Tentacruel''s translucent body, Jen saw a yellow-orange glow fill Gyarados'' mouth.

    ¡°Tentacruel!¡± she cried, but she was drowned out by a sudden blast of noise. The beam of light that emanated from Gyarados smashed Tentacruel against the wall behind Jen, and he lay quite still. ¡°I''ve...I''ve never seen that kind of power before. Gyarados may be poisoned, but it''s still gonna be tough.¡± She took out her third Pok¨¦ball. ¡°We''ve got to counter it just as hard. Elekid, get going!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon landed on a platform, and spun his arms in challenge. Gyarados simply stared. ¡°What''s it doing?¡±

    ¡°You''re wasting your own time,¡± Clair responded. ¡°Hyper Beam requires a recharge period after use. I don''t expect you to do much to us, but it''s a good window for an attack.¡± Jen frowned.

    ¡°Well, if you insist! Elekid, Shock Wave!¡± Blue bolts of electricity zapped Gyarados, who winced, but stayed stationary. ¡°Give it another!¡± Gyarados flinched again, then its eyes flashed. ¡°Uh-oh...¡±

    ¡°Aqua Tail!¡± Again, the serpent''s tail slammed the water and hit Elekid head-on. Elekid snarled as he brushed water from his arms. ¡°Now, Bite again!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± As Gyarados approached, Elekid drove his sparking arm down between its eyes, knocking it back. ¡°Way to go! Give it another Shock Wave!¡±

    ¡°Twister!¡± Like Dragonair, Gyarados whipped up a narrow tornado, which was intensified with the added water. Elekid was buffeted by debris, and got caught up in the vortex. Shouting furiously, he spun upwards toward the ceiling. ¡°Take careful aim, Gyarados. Hyper Beam!¡±

    ¡°Get out of there, Elekid!¡± As Elekid fell, and Gyarados began generating another beam of light, Elekid''s whole right fist began to glow and spark. Clair''s smirk faded as she saw it.

    ¡°Quickly! Don''t let it attack!¡± Gyarados fired the beam, which only grazed the rapidly falling Elekid, and as he fell, he aimed his fist between Gyarados'' eyes again. The attack hit with tremendous force, and Gyarados began to fall. Elekid landed awkwardly on a platform, and turned to watch the sea serpent crash backward into the water, soaking him and both trainers. Jen coughed and spluttered, while Clair looked dazed.

    ¡°This isn''t how...how did you...¡± She shook her head to try and regain composure. ¡°I''m not sure how your Elekid learned a new move in the middle of a battle, but it was fortunate timing.¡±

    ¡°New move?¡± Jen asked, and Elekid grinned. ¡°Of course! That must have been a ThunderPunch!¡± Clair recalled Gyarados, and faced Jen with flashing eyes.

    ¡°It will be the last piece of luck you will have in this battle. Kingdra, let''s finish this!¡±

    <hr>

    A blue-scaled Pok¨¦mon resembling a sea horse emerged in front of Jen and Elekid. Its underbelly was covered in yellow scales, and a single white fin protruded from its back. Its snout looked like the barrel of a cannon.

    ¡°What...is...that?¡± Jen asked, trying to hide the fear in her voice. She took out her Pok¨¦dex to learn more.

    ¡°Kingdra, the Dragon Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°Kingdra is the final evolved form of Horsea, a Water-type. It sleeps on deep seafloors, and it is said that its yawns can create violent whirlpools.¡± Kingdra''s body glowed violet just like Gyarados'' had, and Jen recalled Elekid.

    ¡°Elekid, take a break. I get the feeling I can''t lose you just yet.¡± She took out Golbat''s Pok¨¦ball, and sighed. ¡°You''re gonna have to hold the line, Golbat. I''m counting on you.¡± Golbat emerged and chittered at Kingdra, his movements still slowed by paralysis. ¡°Okay, Golbat, Taunt!¡± Golbat waggled his tongue at Kingdra, who didn''t seem to react.

    ¡°Kingdra, BubbleBeam!¡± A stream of glowing bubbles shot from Kingdra''s snout, striking Golbat hard. ¡°Now use SmokeScreen!¡± Kingdra aimed upward, and blasted a cloud of thick black smoke into the air, obscuring the whole battlefield. Jen coughed anew as she was blinded by the smoke.

    ¡°Golbat, focus! Air Cutter!¡± Jen couldn''t see Golbat, but she vaguely saw a wind current cut through the smoke. Whether it had done anything to Kingdra was anybody''s guess. ¡°C''mon, we''ve got to find it! Another Air Cutter!¡±

    ¡°BubbleBeam!¡± The shining bubbles found their mark, bursting as they hit Golbat. Jen heard a thud as Golbat appeared to crash onto a platform. The smoke cleared a little, and Jen saw Kingdra loom out of the fog, aiming right at Golbat.

    ¡°Get clear!¡± she cried, but it was too late.

    ¡°Dragon Pulse!¡± A turquoise sphere formed at the end of Kingdra''s snout this time, and it exploded as it hammered into Golbat. The bat twitched a little, then lay still.

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s more like it,¡± Clair said with a smile, as Jen recalled Golbat. Jen sent Elekid back out, and Elekid spun his arms again, a determined glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Let''s win this, Elekid! Use Shock Wave!¡± Elekid fired a blue bolt of electricity into the fading smoke, and she heard it make contact. ¡°Thank goodness it can''t miss. Give it another!¡±

    ¡°Kingdra, BubbleBeam!¡± The glowing bubbles burst into shining mist as the electric blast hit them; Kingdra''s body briefly glowed violet again. ¡°Now use Twister!¡±

    ¡°Another one?¡± Jen watched as the cyclone kicked up and spun towards Elekid, but then her eyes widened. The wind was blowing bits of debris everywhere, but it also cleared the smoke. ¡°Get after it, Elekid! Use Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°BubbleBeam!¡± Elekid jumped from platform to platform with his fist sparking, but the bubbles slammed into him and slowed his rush. ¡°Let''s turn up the power, shall we? Hydro Pump!¡± A concentrated stream of water flew from Kingdra''s snout like water from a fire hose, striking Elekid square in the chest. Elekid landed in the water, shouting angrily as he struggled to get back onto a platform. ¡°Another! This ends now!¡± Jen watched as Elekid fought to get back onto solid ground, and something clicked in her mind.

    ¡°Quick, back in the water!¡± she called to Elekid, who looked back at her in confusion. ¡°You heard me! Down!¡± Elekid ducked back down as the next Hydro Pump narrowly missed his horns. ¡°Now, Shock Wave that water!¡± The entire pool glowed blue, and Kingdra shuddered from the force of the attack.

    ¡°That won''t stop us! Dragon Pulse!¡± Kingdra fired its next attack straight into the water, forcing Elekid up. Elekid managed to climb onto a platform and glared at his opponent. Kingdra''s body glowed a darker violet. ¡°We''re running out of time! One more Hydro Pump should do it!¡± Kingdra took aim at Elekid, and Jen pointed at the sea horse.

    ¡°Go straight at it, Elekid, and use ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid leaped between platforms as Kingdra aimed, then jumped forwardjust as it loosed another stream of water. The Electric Pok¨¦mon''s fist glowed yellow, and he threw a heavy uppercut right below the base of Kingdra''s snout. The force of the blow threw Kingdra backward, and it landed on its back in the water. Its body glowed violet once more, and it twitched before it went still.

    <hr>

    Clair looked thunderstruck as she watched Kingdra go down. Her eyes were wide and staring, and she shook as she recalled her final team member.

    ¡°I...you...how...?¡± she spluttered, her haughty demeanour completely blown away. ¡°I am the master of the Blackthorn Clan, a Dragon Tamer beyond measure! How did I lose this match?¡±

    ¡°It happens, right?¡± Jen said, a little concerned by this display. Clair appeared to snap out of her fugue when she heard Jen.

    ¡°It does,¡± she said, still breathing hard. ¡°But I don''t believe it. You may have won this match, but you are not yet worthy of the Gym badge.¡± Jen''s eyes widened as well.

    ¡°What?!¡± she shouted, her face reddening. ¡°What are you talking about? I won the battle, so I should get the badge, right? That''s the rule!¡±

    ¡°The rule, my young friend, is that the Gym Leader has final say on whether an opponent receives a badge. I have decided that I will withhold the badge for now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, for now?¡± Jen argued back. ¡°This isn''t fair!¡± James and Hunter arrived, and Typhlosion wandered over to Jen, looking up at her. Jen calmed down a little and scratched the Fire-type''s ears, and Clair looked at the two boys.

    ¡°Which of you two intends to challenge me next?¡± she asked. James and Hunter looked at each other, and Hunter stepped back.

    ¡°I guess it''s me,¡± James said, looking at Jen. ¡°But if you''re going to hold on to the badge, what''s the point?¡± Clair smirked.

    ¡°If you are able to defeat me, both of you will receive a badge. Those are my terms.¡±

    ¡°We accept!¡± Jen shouted before James could open his mouth. ¡°James will take you down much more easily than I did!¡± All three youngsters turned and left the Gym, leaving Clair to fume and plan for the upcoming challenge.

 42-Total Draconic Reversal

    Hours later, the three youngsters sat at a table in the Pok¨¦mon Centre''s canteen, discussing the next phase of their journeys. Even though she''d had plenty of time to calm down, Jen was still furious.

    ¡°I mean, what''s the point of battling a Gym Leader who''s not even going to follow the rules?¡± Jen asked for what seemed like the eighth time that afternoon. ¡°She lost fair and square, even if it wasn''t a blowout, so why...¡±

    ¡°Jen, will you give it a rest already?¡± James groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°I''ve got a plan to take her down and get us both a badge, so can you just drop it for now? You''re giving me a headache.¡± Jen went red, then sighed.

    ¡°Okay. I''m sorry. I should feel like I accomplished something big right now, but I''m just really worked up, you know?¡±

    ¡°You did accomplish something big,¡± Hunter chimed in. ¡°It''s not your fault Clair can''t get over the loss. With the team you''ve got, taking out a couple of dragons is huge.¡± He suppressed a laugh as Jen''s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°What d''you mean, the team you''ve got? Are you saying...¡±

    ¡°Can the pair of you knock it off?¡± James cut in, making both Jen and Hunter jump. Hunter looked at him in surprise.

    ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡± James shook his head and got up, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

    ¡°I''m just tired, is all. I''m going to turn in early.¡± He headed for his and Jen''s room at the Centre, Typhlosion at his heels. Jen watched him leave, then looked back at Hunter with a guilty look.

    ¡°Now I feel bad. I''ve piled all kinds of pressure on him for tomorrow, seeing as he has to win now. I knew the last gym would be the toughest, but I never imagined something like this.¡±

    ¡°He''ll survive,¡± Hunter answered, though his face had fallen too. ¡°We''ve seen him fight his way into and out of trouble before. I don''t doubt he''ll find a way to do the same tomorrow.¡±

    <hr>

    James didn''t sleep well that night, and ended up heading for the training area just after six the next morning, intending to talk to his Pok¨¦mon before their match later on. The sun was only just peeking out over the hills near Blackthorn as he released all six team members.

    ¡°Okay, guys, this is the plan. Ursaring, you''re in the lineup today, so no funny business. Use that aggression of yours properly, and we''ve got a good chance to win.¡± The bear snarled, and James turned to the others. ¡°Pidgeotto, you''re in too. Your aerial skill can cause Dragonair some problems.¡± He scanned the other four. ¡°Which leaves my last slot. Elekid, I know I use you a lot, but you''re my best option against Gyarados and Kingdra. Kingdra may not be weak to electricity, but you''re able to get in close and stop it from getting a good shot off. You up for it?¡± Elekid grinned and began spinning his arms, sparks flying from his horns. ¡°Settle down. Save the lightning for the battlefield.¡± He looked at the full team, and grinned despite himself. ¡°We''ve got this. Let''s get some last-minute work in, then we can get that badge.¡±

    <hr>

    As the group entered the gym later on, they noticed a middle-aged man with shoulder-length white hair talking to the receptionist. He wore a blue tunic over beige leggings, and his eyes were a stormy grey. As they approached, he spotted them and gave them a small nod.

    ¡°Good morning. I presume you are here for a gym challenge?¡± he asked. James nodded back.

    ¡°I''m taking on Clair today. Is she here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. I''m here to observe her match.¡± Jen looked confused.

    ¡°Do you know her?¡± The man''s face remained impassive.

    ¡°Let''s just say I''ve been keeping track of her progress. I''m...something of a dragon trainer myself.¡± Jen remained confused, but shrugged.

    ¡°Okay, then. Hopefully you''ll see James take her down.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    <hr>

    James entered the battlefield, while Jen, Hunter and the stranger took seats in the stands. After a few minutes, Clair emerged from the other end of the high-ceilinged room, and almost looked nervous as she scanned the room.

    ¡°Welcome back, challenger. I hope you have trained hard for this battle. I do not intend to give up the Rising Badge without a major fight.¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry, I''m ready to go. You''ll be handing those badges over and apologizing to my friend once this is done.¡± Clair''s lip curled.

    ¡°Then let us dispense with pleasantries, and begin.¡±

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    Clair

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    Clair snapped her fingers, and the battlefield revealed the pool of water underneath. As the last platform bobbed to the surface, she tossed out her first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Gyarados, go!¡± The sea serpent splashed down and glared down at James, who refused to flinch.

    ¡°Gonna have to go by the book here. Elekid, you''re up!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon landed on one of the platforms, and grinned at Gyarados without fear.

    ¡°Another Elekid? Upstarts of a feather, I suppose.¡± Before James could retort, Clair began her attack. ¡°Dragon Dance!¡± Gyarados'' body glowed dark red, and it swayed from one side to the other. ¡°Now, Bite attack!¡± The sea serpent swam forward and struck out, attempting to snap Elekid up in its wide maw.

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± Elekid delivered a forearm strike to Gyarados'' jaw, knocking it off-balance. Gyarados recovered quickly, though, and made to bite down again; this time, Elekid crossed his arms, and a shimmering greenish bubble surrounded his body. The bubble''s surface distorted and sparks flew from the impact, but Elekid looked unhurt. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°You and your friend have an annoying habit of developing new skills in the middle of a fight.¡± Clair answered, her voice shaking. ¡°Your Elekid knows how to use Protect, a useful way of blocking damaging attacks. It won''t work if used constantly, so you''ll have to learn how to time its uses.¡± She turned to Gyarados. ¡°Sweep the area with Aqua Tail!¡± Gyarados'' tail fin glowed, and soon James and Typhlosion were ducking for cover as water sprayed everywhere. Elekid was knocked off his platform and into the water, and Gyarados took aim at him again.

    ¡°Elekid, Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid''s body sparked, and the whole pool glowed as he generated a current. Gyarados thrashed in pain as the current ran through the water. ¡°I guess she did us a favour. Give them another!¡±

    ¡°Gyarados, Aqua Tail, straight down now!¡± Gyarados'' attack smacked into the water, sending Elekid skyward as the impact splashed upward. Gyarados'' body shook as it waited for Elekid to descend. ¡°Take careful aim, then finish it with Hyper Beam.¡± Glowing energy gathered in the sea serpent''s mouth as it followed Elekid''s trajectory.

    ¡°We''re not going down that easy! Elekid, Thunderbolt!¡± As he gathered himself, Elekid generated another strong current, then fired it down towards the water. Gyarados thrashed again as the current ran through its body, and the Hyper Beam shot towards the ceiling, blasting a hole between two arches in the ceiling. Elekid, distracted by firing off his attack, faceplanted onto one of the platforms, while Gyarados fell forward and landed inches from him, splashing even more water everywhere. James leapt backward, while Typhlosion took off for the edge of the room. Once the chaos had subsided, Gyarados'' eyes bore the dazed look of defeat, while Elekid pushed himself back to his feet, his arms shaking with effort.

    <hr>

    ¡°No...not again!¡± Clair recalled Gyarados with a frustrated groan. ¡°I suppose I should not be surprised. Gyarados is not a true Dragon-type, after all.¡±

    ¡°It''s not a...huh?¡± James stared at the Gym Leader, confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Gyarados is a Water- and Flying-type Pok¨¦mon. It is considered an acceptable choice by Dragon trainers because of its appearance. Many ancient civilizations believed it to be a dragon, before its typing was discovered centuries later.¡±

    ¡°That explains why Elekid took it down so quickly,¡± James murmured to himself. ¡°Those electric blasts would be double-strength against that type combination.

    Up in the stands, Jen looked worried despite the early win.

    ¡°That was too easy,¡± she said to no-one in particular. ¡°She led with Gyarados to give James momentum, or at least to make him think he had it.¡±

    ¡°Opening the pool doesn''t help him either,¡± Hunter added. ¡°Elekid may be nimble enough to jump between those platforms, but if he uses Ursaring like he wants to, are they going to take his weight? He might have to change plans now.¡± He looked at the stranger, who was leaning on the railing with his hands folded. ¡°This guy looks real interested. Maybe he''s scouting Clair for a challenge.¡±

    <hr>

    Almost as if he''d heard Hunter, James recalled Elekid and looked at the field.

    ¡°Well, Ursaring, you''re gonna have to wait for your first match. Clair''s decided to have a pool party, and she forgot to invite you.¡± He took out another Pok¨¦ball and looked at the dragon trainer. Clair looked put out, almost as if she wasn''t fully concentrating on the match. ¡°Gonna have to get creative. Gengar, let''s go!¡± The air chilled as the Shadow Pok¨¦mon emerged, yawning and then grinning wickedly at Clair. The Gym Leader simply took out her own Pok¨¦ball and released her next choice.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Kingdra, go!¡± The big sea horse glared down its cannon-like snout at Gengar, who waggled his tongue mischievously back. ¡°All right, open with BubbleBeam!¡± A stream of glowing bubbles shot at Gengar, who floated carelessly away from them. ¡°Okay, now Dragon Pulse!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Ball!¡± Kingdra''s turquoise energy blast was met by a sparking black sphere from Gengar. The attacks met in midair and burst, showering the area with smoke.

    ¡°SmokeScreen!¡± Thick, black smoke burst from Kingdra''s snout, shrouding the entire area. James coughed and shut his eyes against the smoke, but could barely spot anything. Gengar''s red eyes glowed in the swirling vapour, giving James an idea of where everyone was.

    ¡°Kingdra probably won''t move much. Gengar, get above the smoke!¡± As the eyes floated upward, a stream of water cut through the smoke just inches from where Gengar had been. James ducked to avoid the attack.

    ¡°Kingdra, aim upward. Burst fire Hydro Pump!¡± James looked up too, and saw intermittent water streams shoot into the sky towards Gengar. Gengar floated around at his ease, almost taunting Clair with its movements. ¡°Mock us, will you? Full-spread Twister attack!¡± As the smoke began to fade, James watched Kingdra float to the centre of the pool, then saw its eyes glow. A powerful tornado whipped up and extended to the edges of the pool, catching up water and spinning fiercely as it blew away the remaining smoke. The current shot upward, a swirlwind that threatened to overwhelm anyone caught in it. Gengar watched the twister approach with a nervous look in his eyes. James looked down; though it was generating a wide area of effect, Kingdra was wide open.

    ¡°Drop down, Gengar! Get directly above Kingdra!¡± Gengar did as he was told, and grinned down at his opponent. ¡°Now, Shadow Ball!¡± The attack smashed right down on the top of Kingdra''s head, and it winced from the impact.

    ¡°Kingdra, recover and use Dragon Pulse!¡± A turquoise sphere shot up and caught Gengar full in the face. ¡°Excellent! Another!¡±

    ¡°Shadow Punch!¡± Gengar zipped down and struck Kingdra with a swift jab, but Kingdra was ready for it. It delayed its attack until Gengar struck, then fired its next pulse directly into the ghost''s retreating back. Gengar was thrown forward and landed right in front of James, and he didn''t get up from there.

    <hr>

    ¡°I don''t believe it,¡± Jen said quietly as she watched James pull Gengar. ¡°Gengar didn''t last long, did he?¡±

    ¡°Your friend made a mistake in letting his Pok¨¦mon get too close to Kingdra.¡± Jen turned to her left and nearly jumped out of her seat. The long-haired stranger had moved to sit next to her and Hunter, and they hadn''t noticed him at all. ¡°If Kingdra is allowed to get a clear shot, it will swiftly take down any opponent it fights.¡± Jen nodded, still a bit spooked.

    ¡°I''ve seen its power first-hand. It took two of my Pok¨¦mon to put it away, and that was after poisoning it. If my Elekid didn''t learn ThunderPunch in the middle of the battle, I might have lost to it.¡±

    ¡°Well, you''re gonna see James lose if he doesn''t pull it together quick,¡± Hunter said, gesturing towards the battlefield. ¡°His last pick better be a good one.¡±

    <hr>

    "Elekid, let''s go!" Elekid landed on a platform, and spun his arms to build up power. "Thunderbolt!" The electric blast struck the water, and Kingdra winced.

    "Kingdra, stay strong! Use Dragon Pulse on each platform!" Kingdra fired one turquoise orb after another, blasting the floating platforms out of the water as Elekid jumped between them. As he reached the last one, Kingdra floated forward with its eyes glaring in fury. "Hyper Beam!" A yellow-orange beam of energy blasted the platform up towards the ceiling. Elekid tried to use the wall as a push-off point, but he slammed into it face first and landed behind a stunned James and Typhlosion.

    "Elekid!" The Electric Pok¨¦mon growled quietly before slumping down, beaten by the fearsome attack. As he recalled Elekid, Clair smirked.

    "That''s the kind of victory we expect, Kingdra. Well done indeed." James breathed deeply as he took out his last Pok¨¦ball. This last choice had to take down two of Clair''s Pok¨¦mon by itself, and he hoped it was the right one.

    ¡°We''re behind, but we''ve come back from this kind of thing before. Let''s do this thing, Pidgeotto!¡± The Bird Pok¨¦mon''s red-feathered crest fluttered as she emerged, glaring haughtily down at Kingdra, whose eyes merely narrowed further. Clair watched Pidgeotto with interest.

    ¡°So, a second-stage Flying-type is your final choice? Bold. I will admit that I admire your persistence.¡± She turned back to Kingdra. ¡°Dragon Pulse!¡±

    ¡°Pidgeotto, up!¡± Pidgeotto spread her wings and flew towards the ceiling in a flash. The turquoise Dragon Pulse flew harmlessly past her, and she squared herself to Kingdra as she reached a comfortable height. ¡°All right, Gust attack!¡± Pidgeotto flapped her wings hard, whipping up a swirlwind that surrounded Kingdra and made it wince. Another Dragon Pulse flashed past, and Pidgeotto flew a little lower. ¡°Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Hydro Pump!¡± Kingdra fired a stream of water at the oncoming Pidgeotto, but she rolled to one side and avoided the attack. She collided with the sea horse''s forehead, and swiftly flew out of reach as another Dragon Pulse rocketed past. ¡°Don''t let it escape! Keep up that Dragon Pulse!¡±

    ¡°Another Quick Attack!¡± Pidgeotto maneuvered through Kingdra''s increasingly wild attacks, and took aim again. ¡°Go over its head!¡± The bird trilled in confusion as she adjusted her trajectory and raced over Kindgra. ¡°Now, flip and hit its back!¡± Clair''s eyes widened as she realized what James was up to.

    ¡°Turn quickly and blast it, Kingdra!¡± Before Kingdra could adjust, Pidgeotto flew headlong into the back of its head, and the impact drove it headfirst into the water. The end of its snout slammed into one of the floating platform, and it struggled to regain its composure before its eyes glazed over. Kingdra fell backward into the water, beaten again. ¡°No, no, no! Kingdra!¡± James grinned as he watched the victorious bird fly toward him.

    ¡°Way to go, Pidgeotto! You really came through.¡± Pidgeotto trilled, then, without warning, she flew up toward the ceiling again. As both James and Clair watched, her body took on a bright glow. Her wings and feather crest lengthened, and her whole body grew to almost double its previous size. As the glow faded, her crest had become mostly yellow feathers, and her tail feathers had extended like a red fan. Her sharp eyes now had a black marking behind them. James stared, then took out his Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Pidgeot, the Bird Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Pidgeotto.¡± the device recited. ¡°This Flying-type is capable of kicking up violent windstorms with just a few beats of its wings, and it is capable of reaching flight speeds of up to twice the speed of sound.¡±

    ¡°A timely evolution, challenger,¡± Clair said as she took out her final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°I must be honest, though. This is the...¡±

    ¡°Last bit of luck I''ll have? You said that to Jen.¡± James looked at Pidgeot. ¡°I think Pidgeot has what it takes to take out whatever you throw at us.¡± Clair''s face turned a deepening red, and she snapped her fingers again, making the battlefield close over the pool.

    ¡°Then let us finish this contest. My last Pok¨¦mon will make sure you leave empty-handed.¡± She tossed out her last Pok¨¦ball, which sailed nearly the length of the field before opening and releasing its occupant.

    <hr>

    The creature that emerged towered over both James and Clair. It had a heavy-looking orange body with a lighter underbelly, and two batlike wings opened out from its back. Two antennae floated out from its single-horned head, and its arms and feet ended in three claws. James hadn''t put his Pok¨¦dex away, so he pointed it towards the new opponent.

    ¡°Dragonite, the Dragon Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Dragonair. This Pok¨¦mon is said to have near-human intelligence, and is known to guide ships in distress to safety.¡± James finally stowed the device and looked at the dragon''s calm face.

    ¡°So that''s a Dragonite. This ought to be good.¡± He looked at Pidgeot. ¡°Don''t stay close to it and we''ll be okay! Gust attack!¡±

    ¡°Twister!¡± Pidgeot''s and Dragonite''s wind attacks collided, cancelling each other out. ¡°Now, Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Hit it with your own Wing Attack!¡± Dragonite''s wings glowed as it moved in, but Pidgeot dove down and then rocketed back up, cuffing the back of the dragon''s head. ¡°Good hit! Now use Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Slam!¡± Dragonite spun in midair and met Pidgeot''s headfirst charge with a swing of its tail. Both Pok¨¦mon were pushed back by the impact.

    ¡°Another Quick Attack!¡± Pidgeot''s body was followed by a bright streak of light as she charged in. Dragonite''s face split into a grin.

    ¡°Sidestep them, Dragonite!¡± Clair shouted, and the dragon obliged, watching Pidgeot sail past at breakneck speed. ¡°Catch them in a Twister!¡± The violent wind attack buffeted Pidgeot around, and she trilled in panic as she struggled to keep her balance.

    ¡°Pidgeot! Try to counter with Gust!¡± Pidgeot fought to regain control, but she couldn''t concentrate long enough to generate a countering wind attack.

    ¡°Enough games! We end this now! Dragonite, Outrage attack!¡± Dragonite''s eyes glowed red, and it rushed towards Pidgeot, driving its forehead into her back. Pidgeot tried to get away, but Dragonite kicked out at her, knocking her down towards the floor. More attacks came in quick succession, and Pidgeot''s pained cries echoed through the gym.

    ¡°Hang on, Pidgeot!¡± James watched helplessly as Dragonite and Pidgeot reached the ground. Pidgeot lay still, and Dragonite stood over her, swaying a little. ¡°Pidgeot!¡± Clair smirked.

    ¡°It looks like we''re just about done here. I admit it was a strong challenge, but I do not...¡± She cut off as Pidgeot raised her head, then wobbled to her feet, her eyes mere slits as she glared at the Gym Leader. ¡°This cannot...I don''t...how...?¡± James grinned.

    ¡°We''ve got them on the ropes, Pidgeot! Wing Attack!¡± Pidgeot forced herself into the air, then cuffed Dragonite around the head with her wing again. Dragonite swung a fist wildly at her in retaliation, but nearly overbalanced in the attempt. ¡°All right! Now Quick Attack!¡±

    ¡°Slam, Dragonite!¡± Dragonite swung its tail, but only managed to lose its footing and fall onto its front. ¡°Dragonite! Snap out of it!¡± Pidgeot clipped Dragonite as she flew past, and returned to attack position quickly.

    ¡°Finish it, Pidgeot!¡± Pidgeot flew at Dragonite, gathering speed as the dragon tried to raise its head. She smashed headlong into it, and flew up towards the ceiling, vocalizing triumphantly. Dragonite''s whole body shuddered, and its head dropped, signiying its defeat.

    <hr>

    ¡°No. No, no, no, no!¡± Clair stood in shock as she watched Dragonite fall. She balled and unballed her fists, opened and closed her mouth rapidly, and grabbed at her cape as it gathered around her shoulders. ¡°Two defeats in two days? The Blackthorn Clan would strip me of my rank if they heard of this!¡± She composed herself, recalled Dragonite, and walked towards James. ¡°Well, young challenger, you have won, and a deal is a deal. Call your friend over, and I will hand over your prize.¡± As if on cue, Jen appeared at James'' side and gave him a quick one-armed hug.

    ¡°You did it!¡± she cried as she released him. ¡°And Pidgeot evolved too, that''s useful. You''ll have an easier time at the Pok¨¦mon League with her.¡±

    ¡°And you''ll need these to enter the League,¡± Clair added, holding out a hand. Two badges shaped like dragon''s heads sat in her palm. ¡°This is the Rising Badge. It represents proof of victory at the Blackthorn Gym. You have done well to...¡± Clair went pale, and James turned to look where she had begun to stare. The odd stranger he''d met in the lobby was walking towards them.

    ¡°You have seen sense, Clair.¡± he said. ¡°I hope you have learned a lesson today.¡±

    ¡°M-master,¡± Clair responded, inclining her head. ¡°Yes, I have given these children their due. I still maintain that...¡±

    ¡°You are wrong to do so,¡± the stranger cut her off. ¡°Your status as Master of the Blackthorn Clan does not render you invincible. We have discussed this before.¡±

    ¡°I...I understand, my master,¡± Clair mumbled, looking anywhere but at the stranger. ¡°It is...not easy to accept defeat, but accept it I must.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the stranger said. ¡°Though we set ourselves apart, the Dragon Clans are no stronger trainers than any other. We can fail and fall as easily as anyone.¡± He turned to James and Jen. ¡°You two have done well to defeat a Dragon Master. You should feel proud of your achievement.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jen answered. ¡°It wasn''t easy, believe me. Clair and her dragons were pretty awesome.¡± Clair smiled in spite of herself.

    ¡°I appreciate your kind words, young one. I hope you both do well at the Conference Tournament.¡±

    ¡°Good luck in the future, Clair,¡± Jen answered, and she, James and Hunter left the building.

    <hr>

    Later on, the three youngsters were back in the Pok¨¦mon Centre canteen, working out their next plans.

    ¡°So, Hunter, are you going to go back tomorrow and take on Clair?¡± Jen asked, as James gulped his water. Hunter shook his head.

    ¡°You know, I''m gonna stick around and train a little more. You guys have your last badges, and I don''t want to hold you up.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± James asked, setting his glass down. ¡°We can hang around and watch, we don''t mind the delay.¡±

    ¡°Nah. I''ve got a lot more work to do than you guys. After seeing those dragons twice, I''ve got to really tailor my tactics to hit them hard.¡± James shrugged, and Jen nodded.

    ¡°Well, if that''s what you want to do, go for it. We''ll say goodbye in the morning, and then we''ll see you at the Silver Conference.¡±

 43-Fond Reflections

    The next morning, James and Jen said their goodbyes to Hunter before leaving Blackthorn.

    ¡°Are you sure you don''t want us to stick around?¡± Jen asked, as Hunter scratched Typhlosion''s ears. ¡°We don''t mind waiting for you to take on Clair.¡± Hunter shook his head.

    ¡°Nah, you guys can head out. Like I told you, I want to train a bit longer before I go after the badge. I have even less to take out a dragon than you guys did, and it''s going to take a lot of work to get ready for this one.¡±

    ¡°If you''re sure...¡± Jen mumbled, but Hunter grinned.

    ¡°I''m sure, Jen. You guys should keep moving. The Silver Conference starts soon, after all.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°If you say so. We''ll see you in Silver Town.¡± Hunter shook hands with both of them, gave Typhlosion''s ears a final scratch, then headed towards the Pok¨¦mon Centre battlefield, while James and Jen headed for the videophones.

    After a few moments, Andrea Enfield''s face appeared on James'' screen. Her green eyes widened as she looked at her youngest son.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness, you need a haircut,¡± she said with a knowing smile. James grinned sheepishly and brushed some of it out of his eyes.

    ¡°I''ll get one once we get back home, Mom. How''s everything with you guys?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we''re fine. Your brothers have been wondering what you''ve been up to lately. Did you win all the Johto badges yet?¡± James held up the Rising Badge.

    ¡°Yeah, Jen and I won our last badges yesterday. Clair wouldn''t give Jen a badge at first, but...well, I''ll let her tell it when we see everyone.¡±

    ¡°You two have been looking after each other, then? That was the point of you both traveling together, after all.¡±

    ¡°We have. Well, Jen''s been keeping me from doing anything dumb, for the most part.¡± Andrea nodded.

    ¡°That''s good to hear. It''s important to have somebody watching your back on a journey like yours. How about your Typhlosion? Last time you called, you told us he''d evolved.¡±

    ¡°He has,¡± James said, grinning as he motioned Typhlosion into the frame. The Fire-type grinned and raised a paw in greeting. ¡°You should have seen him at the Cianwood Gym. He was amazing.¡±

    ¡°I''m sure you''ll tell us all about it when we see you. Make sure you''re careful coming home, the route from Blackthorn back to Cherrygrove is treacherous.¡± James nodded, and Typhlosion raised a paw in farewell.

    ¡°I will. Thanks, Mom.¡±

    Meanwhile, Jen was chatting animatedly with her parents.

    ¡°It''s been great, traveling through the region and learning about all the Pok¨¦mon that live here. I''ve put together a good team so far, and we''re gonna really go for it at the Conference.¡±

    ¡°That''s good to hear,¡± John Richards said, smiling at his daughter. ¡°We worried that you might have trouble adapting to new surroundings, that''s why we suggested you and your friend team up. It looks like you''ve taken to Johto well.¡±

    ¡°It feels more like home than it ever has.¡± Jen smiled. ¡°I''d love to travel around Sinnoh eventually, but I''m in no hurry. I just can''t wait to see you guys in person again, it''s been too long.¡±

    ¡°And we''ll be waiting for you, dear,¡± Emma Richards told her daughter. ¡°We can''t wait to meet your team and hear even more about your travels.¡±

    <hr>

    A few hours later, the two youngsters began the treacherous journey down Route 45. James wanted nothing to do with the Dark Cave again, so the trip mainly consisted of scrambling over rocks and picking their way through ditches. The trip was punctuated by intermittent encounters with irritable Graveler, but Golem was usually able to talk his pre-evolved comrades down before things developed into a full-on fight. The most frightening encounter on the journey was when they ran into a large, particularly violent Skarmory two-thirds of the way down the route, and it took both Typhlosion and Magmar working in concert to finally drive the Armour Bird away.

    ¡°And stay away!¡± James shouted as the metallic creature retreated to a nearby outcropping. He scratched Typhlosion''s ears, breathing hard.

    ¡°James, was that really necessary?¡± Jen asked, recalling Magmar. ¡°What if it comes back later? It''s already mad, the last thing we need is to make it angrier.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe it needs to go bother somebody else,¡± James answered, brushing his hair out of his eyes. ¡°I just want to get home in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Don''t we all?¡± Jen muttered, as they continued down a hill.

    Eventually, they passed a signpost marking Route 46, and from there dashed through a gatehouse to Route 29. James grinned even though he was tired out.

    ¡°I caught my first Pok¨¦mon on this route. Things have changed a lot since then.¡± Typhlosion gave a tired, annoyed growl. ¡°Okay, first one besides you. And you helped.¡± Jen rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Don''t forget who had to remind you to weaken Pidgey first,¡± she said with a yawn. James shrugged, and they began looking for a place to camp for the night.

    <hr>

    After a relatively quiet trek from Cherrygrove, the gatehouse to Violet City finally hove into view. To James and Jen, the City of Nostalgic Scents was the most welcome sight they''d had in weeks. After nearly two years, they had returned home. The trip from the eastern gate to their neighbourhood seemed to take no time at all, and as they turned into their street, James and Jen looked at each other.

    ¡°Good thing we live next door to each other,¡± James grinned.

    ¡°Yeah. I might get lost otherwise,¡± Jen answered with a giggle. ¡°I guess I''ll see you when we leave for the Conference.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. We don''t know how our parents have coordinated.¡± They reached Jen''s house, and James patted Jen''s shoulder. ¡°Say hi to your parents for me.¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°You too.¡± She scratched Typhlosion''s ears, then turned and walked to her door. James watched her go, then ran for his own door.

    Jen watched James run with Typhlosion¡ª¡°always in a rush,¡± she muttered to herself¡ªthen knocked on the door. After a few moments, Emma Richards opened the door and smiled.

    ¡°Welcome home!¡± she cried before hugging her daughter. ¡°John, Jennifer''s home at last!¡± John Richards emerged from a side room, a smile on his own face.

    ¡°You''re quite the sight, my girl,¡± he said as he hugged her. ¡°You''ve grown so much since you left.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± Jen said as she took her bag off her shoulders. ¡°It''s good to be home. I can finally sleep in my own bed again.¡± She looked around at her house and grinned. ¡°Why don''t I drop my stuff in my room, then I''ll tell you all about my travelling.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Andrea Enfield had James in a tight hug, while Shane grinned from the couch.

    ¡°Let him breathe, Mom,¡± Shane said with a laugh. Andrea let James go, and looked him over.

    ¡°Like I told you, you need a haircut. You also need a shower.¡± James groaned, but his mother stood firm. ¡°Don''t argue with me. You can rest today, but you''re going with your brother for that haircut tomorrow; he needs one too.¡± Shane frowned and felt around the back of his head. As if able to read his thoughts, Andrea gave him a meaningful look. ¡°Yes, it''s that long. I told you to get it cut last week.¡±

    ¡°Doesn''t miss much, does she?¡± Shane mumbled as he and James headed upstairs. ¡°I hoped she''d forget this time.¡±

    ¡°It''s no big deal,¡± James answered, pushing open the door to his room. The room looked just as it had when James had left. A pile of books sat on the desk, and several posters of the Electabuzz baseball team hung on the \walls. James dropped his bag by his desk chair, then flopped down onto the bed. Typhlosion lay down next to the bed, closing his eyes for a nap.

    ¡°Typhlosion''s calmed down a bit since you guys left, huh?¡± Shane said, sitting down on the chair. ¡°He was all over the place when he was a Cyndaquil.¡±

    ¡°I mean, look at him,¡± James said sleepily, waving a vague hand towards the Fire-type. ¡°He''d knock everything over if he was racing everywhere.¡± Typhlosion gave a sleepy growl. ¡°Easy, buddy. We''re gonna sleep soon.¡± Shane grinned at his brother.

    ¡°Well, you''ve got a few days to relax before we head off to Silver Town. Hey, Mom never told you, but Dad''s entering this year too.¡±

    ¡°He is?¡± James sat up quickly. ¡°I thought he retired from training long ago.¡±

    ¡°I guess he wants to test himself again. He did win the title when he was young, after all.¡± James raised an eyebrow, then realized what Shane was talking about. Matt Enfield had indeed won the Silver Conference once, before he''d met and married Andrea. Shane continued. ¡°If he won it before, he''d probably get in automatically, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± James yawned again, and Shane ruffled his hair.

    ¡°Catch a nap, little brother. I''ll wake you up for dinner.¡±

    <hr>

    Nestled in the foothills of Mount Silver, Silver Town wasn''t very big at first glance. Small houses dotted the landscape, and a small, rustic Pok¨¦mon Centre was the most modern building there. Large tracts of undeveloped land lay across the area, and a sizeable wood dominated the north of the place.

    On the other side of the wood, however, a massive complex sprawled over the land. A hypermodern Pok¨¦mon Centre sat at the end of a wide road, and a variety of shops, dorm buildings, training facilities and auxiliary battlefields were situated in neat rows along various side roads. In pride of place was Silver Stadium, a circular building with large archways surrounding it. Inside the stadium, giant video boards were positioned at either end, and an unlit torch sat at the top of a wide stairway.

    ¡°You can fit sixty thousand people in that stadium,¡± Matt Enfield said as the Enfield and Richards families walked around the perimeter. ¡°It was built so every spectator could see the battlefield clearly, and the video boards are the latest high-definition technology. They weren''t quite as sophisticated when I was young.¡±

    ¡°Heck, when Matt and I were young, the vidscreens were still in black and white!¡± John Richards added with a laugh. Matt chuckled at the bad joke.

    ¡°I''m not sure they''d invented vidscreens yet, John.¡± They reached the Pok¨¦mon Centre, a three-floor building that looked more like a human hospital than the typical Centre. The bulk of the group stayed outside with Typhlosion, and James, Jen and Matt went inside and looked for an open registration counter. Smartly-uniformed assistants were directing competitors around the Centre''s lobby, and each of James'' group joined a separate line to register.

    James reached the front of his line first, and a bored-looking woman gazed at him over the desk. ¡°Trainer card,¡± she said in a flat voice. James handed over the card, and she swiped it through a reader on the desk. ¡°James Enfield, Violet City, registered a little under two years ago, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± James answered. The woman typed a little on a keyboard, and the monitor next to her flashed his picture, along with images of the eight Johto badges. The woman handed back his trainer card, then took a smaller card from a printer behind her.

    ¡°That has your ident number on it. Try not to lose it. Next!¡± James nodded, and he walked away from the desk, and waited in a small hallway for Jen and his father.

    <hr>

    After they''d signed into a dorm building and left Typhlosion to take a nap, the two families headed back towards the Centre to find a place to have dinner. Matt shook hands with various competitors and attendees who recognized him as a past champion, and James and Jen took time to learn their surroundings.

    ¡°After all, we might end up on separate battlefields,¡± Jen reasoned as they headed towards a sleek, many-windowed dining hall. ¡°This competition would last six months if every battle happened in the main stadium.¡±

    ¡°You''re right, Jennifer,¡± Matt said as theey entered the building. ¡°As a matter of fact, I''m pretty sure they don''t even hold battles in Silver Stadium until the Victory Tournament. That''s when things really get interesting.¡± As they entered one of the smaller dining areas, a blond-haired man called out to them.

    ¡°Matt Enfield?¡± he asked as they approached. ¡°Is that you?¡± Matt looked surprised, then grinned.

    ¡°Rick Swinson? I haven''t seen you in ages!¡± The two shook hands, and Matt indicated the group. ¡°Guys, Rick is an old friend of mine, from when I was travelling. Rick, this is my wife, Andrea,¡±¡ªJames'' mother nodded¡ª¡°my sons, Darrell, Shane and James,¡±¡ªall three brothers waved a hand in greeting¡ª¡°and my neighbours, John and Emma Richards, and their daughter Jennifer.¡±¡ªJohn nodded as well, Emma smiled, and Jen waved.

    ¡°Man, you''ve been busy since we last saw each other,¡± Rick grinned, acknowledging each member of the group. ¡°Why don''t we grab something to eat and we can catch up a little?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Matt answered, and before long, all nine of them were sitting at a long table near a window. The adults exchanged stories, while the others discussed the upcoming tournament.

    ¡°Hey, Matt,¡± Rick said after a while, ¡°one thing I''ve been dying to know. How is it that you ended up with a Tyranitar as a first Pok¨¦mon?¡± Everyone turned to look at him.

    ¡°You know, I''d quite like to know myself,¡± John said. ¡°It''s an unusual circumstance, after all. All but the most skilled trainers usually don''t acquire them so early.¡±

    ¡°It''s kind of an odd story,¡± Matt admitted. ¡°The first thing you should know is that my dad was quite the adventurer. He wasn''t really into the whole travelling thing, but he liked to visit major landmarks and explore them. He used to take me with him, when he could convince my mom to let me go. When I was nine, we traveled here, to Mount Silver, and tried to reach the summit. The weather was pretty bad that day...¡±

    <hr>

    Snow whipped the mountainside, threatening to swamp anyone foolish enough to be out in it. The two figures scaling the mountain rested on a ledge, catching their breath.

    ¡°We should turn back!¡± the adult of the pair called to his son. ¡°The high winds could blow us off the mountain!¡±

    ¡°Okay, Dad!¡± the youngster called back. He began to climb carefully back town, gently sliding down the rope he''d secured. He dropped down to a wider ledge, and waited for his father. As the older man slid down his own rope, the boy heard a muffled cry to his left. ¡°Dad! I heard something!¡± His father landed on the ledge and listened too.

    ¡°I don''t hear...¡± he began, but another muffled cry silenced him. Both of them looked over towards a small rockfall, which quivered a little. The boy ran over and began trying to shift rocks aside, and his father helped. Eventually, their excavation revealed a small green creature with red eyes and an odd, blunt spike on his head. Boy and father looked at one another.

    ¡°Is that...a Pok¨¦mon?¡± the boy asked.

    ¡°It is, indeed.¡± his father answered. ¡°I believe that is a Larvitar, a creature that lives on the mountain. It must have gotten buried under those rocks while it was eating.¡±

    ¡°But what''s it doing here? Are its parents around?¡±

    ¡°I...I don''t know, son,¡± the father admitted. ¡°If they are, we''d better get out of here. Its fully evolved form can be quite violent.¡± The Larvitar gave another plaintive cry. The boy looked from his father, to Larvitar, and back again.

    ¡°We should take it with us. If we leave it out here, it might get buried again.¡± His father gave him a worried look, then handed him a Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Ask it if it wants to come, and do it quickly. We can''t battle it, the weather''s getting worse.¡± The boy walked over to the Larvitar, who looked at him with quizzical eyes.

    ¡°Hey, do you want to come with us? When I turn ten, we''ll travel and become the best team ever.¡± The Larvitar looked at the Pok¨¦ball, frowning. ¡°If you don''t want to come, that''s okay too. It''s your choice.¡± Larvitar looked up at the boy, and a smile crossed his face before he tapped the ball. A few shakes later, and a chime indicated its capture. ¡°Okay! Larvitar''s mine!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s incredible,¡± Shane said as Matt finished his story. ¡°How''d you know his parents weren''t around?¡±

    ¡°That, I couldn''t tell you,¡± Matt answered. ¡°They could still be looking for him today, for all I know. I just knew that I couldn''t leave him there in the wind and snow.¡±

    ¡°You picked up a heckuva powerful partner, that''s for sure,¡± Rick said.

    ¡°That I did,¡± Matt said. He looked around at the group. ¡°Well, we''d better catch some sleep. The tournament opens in the morning.¡± Rick shook hands with everyone at the table, and the group headed back to the dorms to prepare for the next day''s events.

 44-Thinning the Herd

    The first two rounds of the Silver Conference passed without incident. James'' first round battle saw a monstrous debut for his Ursaring, who tore through his opponents with frightening ease. Even his opponent''s Scizor, a red-armoured Scyther evolution, couldn''t handle Ursaring''s sheer brute force. The second round was a little more difficult, involving a stubborn Shuckle and a nasty bout between James'' Elekid and the opponent''s Sudowoodo, but the Electric Pok¨¦mon toughed it out to put James in the third round.

    Jen had a rougher go of things than James did. Her first opponent had an unfortunate combination of Ground- and Electric-types that made team selection difficult. Magmar eventually came through for her, roasting the opposing Electrode for the victory. The second battle was a little easier, with the only real test being an very tough Venomoth, and Jen was through to the third round as well.

    No-one could stand up to Matt Enfield''s skill in the first two rounds, however. His Tyranitar took down all comers, and James was astounded that his father didn''t need to use any other team members. Even dealing with all Fighting-type opponents in his second battle, Tyranitar threw them all aside, dealing a particularly devastating finish to a heavily-muscled Machamp. It may have been a long time since he''d entered the Silver Conference, but Matt was a past champion for a reason.

    <hr>

    Spirits were high among the Enfield and Richards families the night before the third round. Hunter had finally tracked them down, but his news wasn''t as good; he''d been beaten in the second round thanks to a Confuse Ray-happy Ninetales. He mentioned that he''d doubled back into the Ice Path to catch a Sneasel for his last gym challenge.

    ¡°Sneasel?¡± James asked, remembering the trouble Pryce''s ice weasel had caused him. ¡°That''s unusual for you, isn''t it? They''re not known for their defensive qualities.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, Clair wasn''t expecting her either.¡± Hunter grinned. ¡°I also went crawling through the wild areas near the mountain, and caught a Donphan out there. I have no idea what it was doing on its own; they usually travel in herds.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it had been ousted,¡± John Richards supplied. ¡°If it lost its place in the herd, maybe that''s why it was by itself.¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± Hunter said with a nod. ¡°Anyway, looks like I rounded out a full team for nothing.¡±

    ¡°It wasn''t for nothing,¡± Jen said, pushing him lightly on the shoulder. ¡°You made it to the Silver Conference, same as we did. For a bunch of beginners, we''ve done all right. Are you going to stick around?¡± Hunter considered, then nodded.

    ¡°I might as well. It''s going to be a long trip back to Fuchsia City, and I''m in no real hurry to go home at the moment. Plus, I can watch you guys in the next round and see if I can pick up some hints.¡±

    ¡°Don''t get too excited. I don''t plan on giving away too much.¡± James grinned, and Jen and Hunter laughed as they headed back to their dorms and sleep.

    <hr>

    James'' battle was scheduled for Battlefield Seven around ten o''clock; Jen would fight on Battlefield Twelve around the same time. Matt''s battle, meanwhile, wouldn''t happen until the late afternoon on Battlefield Two. Predictably enough, the two families'' plan ended up being for the Enfields to watch James'' match, while John and Emma Richards would see Jen, and the whole group would meet for Matt''s challenge.

    As they approached Battlefield Seven, James ran through his plans one more time, while his family went into the small spectator stand. Typhlosion growled, trying to calm his master.

    ¡°I''m okay, Typhlosion. Remember, if we win this, we go to the Victory Tournament.¡± As he looked up, his opponent appeared, a heavyset man wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans. His wispy blonde hair fell into his deep violet eyes. An official in a turquoise shirt and black shorts stepped up to the centre of the field, a pair of flags in his hand.

    ¡°Attention! This is the third round of the Johto League Silver Conference! Each competitor may use three Pok¨¦mon each, with free substitutions and no time limit. The battle will end when all three Pok¨¦mon on either side are unable to continue.¡± The official turned to the blonde-haired trainer. ¡°Caleb will have first move. Begin when ready!¡± Caleb''s uneven teeth showed as he grinned, and he tossed out his first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Houndoom, you''re up first!¡± The ball revealed a lithe, black-furred canine with strange grey horns. Its tail was thin and ended in a triangular point, and above its feet sat a pair of white bands. James considered, then tosssed out his first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Golem, let''s go!¡± The rock-turtle landed with a thud, and sat calmly, waiting for instructions.

    ¡°Houndoom, Flamethrower!¡± Houndoom unleashed a stream of fire, and Golem took the hit without any real effect. ¡°Okay, now power up with Howl!¡± The resultant vocalization made James and Typhlosion cover their ears, but Golem remained impassive.

    ¡°Golem, Rollout!¡± Golem curled up and rolled into Houndoom, bouncing off and spinning back toward it.

    ¡°Sidestep, then use Sunny Day!¡± Houndoom avoided Golem''s next impact, then opened its mouth and generated a pulsing yellow-orange orb, which launched into the sky. The air became hot, and harsh rays beamed from the orb.

    ¡°Oh, boy. This could be trouble. Golem, go for your newest move! Stone Edge!¡± Pointed rocks formed around Golem, and he directed them right at Houndoom. Caleb grinned again.

    ¡°Those stones can''t hold up to my next attack. SolarBeam!¡± Houndoom''s red eyes flashed white, and it fired a blue-white beam of energy from its mouth. The Stone Edge was vapourized instantly, and Golem took the full blast of the attack, skidding along the ground with its eyes glazed over.

    ¡°Golem is unable to battle! Houndoom wins!¡±

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Jen was having trouble with her own opponent, a tall, skinny female with short green hair named Diana. Jen''s Magmar was currently involved in a wrestling match with the young woman''s Sandslash, and Jen was trying everything to try and free her.

    ¡°Point blank Flamethrower!¡± Magmar struggled to aim as Sandslash swiped at her face, and finally managed to blast the Ground-type with a concentrated fire stream. Sandslash landed feet away and swung its claws in challenge.

    ¡°Dig!¡± Sandslash burrowed underground with astonishing speed, and Magmar looked concerned.

    ¡°Easy, Magmar! Just gotta keep an eye on the ground...¡± Jen watched the area around Magmar''s feet, and eventually spotted a small crack. ¡°Quick, jump and use Smog!¡± Magmar leaped off the ground as Sandslash emerged, and exhaled a thick cloud of grey smoke. Violet sparks emitted from Sandslash''s body as it looked wildly around for Magmar.

    ¡°It''s still in the air! Jump and use Slash!¡±

    ¡°Fire Punch!¡± Sandslash swiped at Magmar again, and was met with a flaming fist directly on its nose. The impact sent Sandslash crashing to the floor, while Magmar landed with unexpected grace. Sandslash looked dazed, and the official raised his flag.

    ¡°Sandslash is unable to battle! Magmar wins!¡± Jen smiled as Magmar blew a few flames in triumph.

    ¡°Good work, Magmar! Keep it going, we''ve got two more to take out!¡± Diana didn''t say anything, but just took out another Pok¨¦ball and threw it.

    ¡°Dugtrio, you''re up next!¡± A creature resembling three brown sausages with small, narrowed black eyes and pink noses emerged next. They seemed to be permanently sunk into the ground.

    ¡°Another Ground-type? We''d better be careful...¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Ursaring, Slash again!¡± Ursaring took another swipe at Houndoom, who shied away from the attack. Since James had put him on the field, Ursaring had been unrelenting in its attack, his claws tearing at the Dark Pok¨¦mon. Houndoom had tried to retaliate, but even its juiced-up Fire-type attacks didn''t slow the bear down. As the Sunny Day faded, Caleb''s voice took on a desperate tone.

    ¡°Crunch, Houndoom! Make it count!¡± Houndoom bit down hard on Ursaring''s arm just below the elbow. Ursaring roared and tried to shake it off, but Houndoom held on for dear life. ¡°Now, turn it into a Fire Fang!¡± Flames sprang up in Houndoom''s mouth, and Ursaring bellowed in pain again. He shook his arm and finally knocked Houndoom loose, then his arm glowed and he swung down at the fire dog. The attack slammed Houndoom to the ground, where it lay whimpering. Ursaring simply aimed another attack at it, knocking it out.

    ¡°What was that?¡± James watched for a moment as Caleb recalled Houndoom, then keyed his Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°One of Ursaring''s moves is called Hammer Arm,¡± the device recited. ¡°This Fighting-type attack deals tremendous damage, but lower its user''s speed.¡± As James maade to stow the device, Caleb tossed out his next Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Go, Heracross!¡± A beetle with a blue carapace and a long horn extending between his eyes. His limbs ended in small white claws, and his horn split into two sharp, wedge-like points at the end. James opened the Pok¨¦dex again to scan it.

    ¡°Heracross, the Single Horn Pok¨¦mon. It uses its horn to throw opponents with immense force, and it spends the bulk of its time searching forests for tree sap.¡±

    ¡°Looks like a Bug-type. Ursaring, return!¡± James put Ursaring''s Pok¨¦ball away and looked down at Typhlosion. ¡°All yours, buddy.¡± Typhlosion grinned and ran out towards Heracross, his fiery ruff blazing up. ¡°Give it your all! Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion exhaled the stream of fire, and battle continued.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    <hr>

    ¡°Dugtrio, Earth Power!¡± The ground beneath Magmar''s feet seemed to split open, and golden light poured from the cracks in the earth. Magmar shuddered as she dropped to one knee, winded by the super-effective move.

    ¡°Magmar, hang in there!¡± Jen looked at her first Pok¨¦mon with concern. She hadn''t expected a creature that was rooted to the ground to be so fast; Dugtrio was running circles around Magmar with little effort, hitting Magmar at just the right moments. ¡°All right, we''re gonna use a new move now! Lava Plume!¡± The recently split earth around Magmar exploded, sending fire, dust and debris across the entire field.

    ¡°Dugtrio, use Dig!¡± The Mole Pok¨¦mon dropped under the ground, and Magmar looked around wildly.

    ¡°Try to feel its movement, Magmar!¡± Magmar tried to concentrate, but the next thing Jen knew, Dugtrio had dug the ground out beneath her and extended its heads, knocking Magmar over. The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon struggled to get up.

    ¡°Finish it, Dugtrio! Use Slash!¡± All three sets of Dugtrio''s eyes glowed, and an invisible blade seemed to swipe at Magmar, knocking her down and out. Jen''s eyes were wide as she pulled Magmar.

    ¡°Good work, girl. The rest of the team can take it from here.¡± She considered carefully, then tossed out her second Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Togetic, go!¡± The white-bodied Normal- and Flying-type emerged and squealed happily, flitting into the air high above Dugtrio. Diana simply smirked, and prepared for her next move.

    <hr>

    Typhlosion continued blasting away at Heracross, who was more nimble than he looked. James'' one-dimensional strategy with his best buddy wasn''t serving him very well at the moment, but he didn''t want to risk getting in too close and taking a heavy hit.

    ¡°Heracross, use Aerial Ace!¡± Heracross'' body was surrounded by white streaks of light as he raced toward Typhlosion.

    ¡°Meet that with Flame Wheel!¡± Typhlosion surrounded himself in fire, then ran headlong into the approaching Bug-type. The resultant collision knocked both Pok¨¦mon back, with Typhlosion looking to have gotten the worse of the hit. ¡°Okay, now use Dig!¡± Typhlosion burrowed underground, then quickly shot up at Heracross.

    ¡°Counter!¡± Heracross'' body glowed with an orange aura as Typhlosion made contact, then the aura exploded outward, sending the Fire-type flying. Typhlosion growled in discomfort as he got back to his feet. ¡°Now, Megahorn!¡± Heracross'' horn glowed as he flew back for another attack.

    ¡°Counter attack with Flame Wheel!¡± The two Pok¨¦mon met with tremendous force once again, and this time, Heracross looked winded, but Typhlosion didn''t get up.

    ¡°Typhlosion is unable to battle! Heracross wins!¡± Typhlosion got back to his feet, wobbling a little as he slunk back to James'' technical area. James scratched his friend''s ears as he slumped down, looking upset.

    ¡°Relax, buddy. You put up a good fight. We''ll win this.¡± He tossed Ursaring''s Pok¨¦ball back out, and the Hibernator Pok¨¦mon roared in fury. ¡°Easy, big guy! This bug is tougher than it looks!¡± He watched Heracross, who was breathing hard, and nodded to himself. ¡°Gotta take it out fast. Use Hammer Arm!¡± Ursaring''s forearm glowed as he charged Heracross.

    ¡°Counter!¡± Once again, Heracross'' body glowed, and the explosion of energy knocked Ursaring back. ¡°Now, Reversal!¡± A brighter orange aura covered Heracross as he dived under Ursaring''s claws, then he drove his body upward, slamming into the bear''s midsection. Ursaring flew ten feet in the air and landed with a ground-shaking thud. Ursaring fought his way back to his feet, snarling at the bug. Caleb grinned.

    ¡°Heracross is quite useful against Normal-types like your Ursaring. As a combination Bug- and Fighting-type, he can match up against different threats with ease. Pure aggression won''t take us down.¡±

    <hr>

    Togetic had adopted a strategy of flitting out of Dugtrio''s reach, using her Magical Leaf to strike when she got close enough. Diana didn''t look frustrated by the tactic, merely amused.

    ¡°You''ll have to get closer to really hurt us,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°Dugtrio may be weak to Grass-types, but at that range, they aren''t doing as much as they could.¡± Jen stared, then looked up at Togetic.

    ¡°Then take this! Togetic, get in behind and use Magical Leaf, maximum power!¡± Togetic flew close to the ground, buzzing the top of Dugtrio''s heads, then spun around and blasted the Ground-type with a flurry of glowing leaves. Dugtrio winced from the force of the attack, but its trainer simply smiled more widely.

    ¡°That''s close enough for us! Dugtrio, Rock Slide!¡± Dugtrio''s eyes glowed, and a grey boulder materialized over Togetic''s head. The boulder broke apart, dropping heavy stones onto the Happiness Pok¨¦mon. Togetic fell to the floor and squealed in pain.

    ¡°Togetic! Try to get back in the air!¡± Togetic struggled to her feet, but couldn''t muster the effort to get airborne again. ¡°Alright, try Metronome! That should buy us some time!¡± Togetic''s head began swinging back and forth, a faint ticking noise sounded, and then she stood stock-still. Moments later, a massive blast of electricity flew from her body, but only hit the ground right in front of Dugtrio. ¡°We''re in trouble!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are. Dugtrio, Slash!¡± Dugtrio''s eyes glowed again, and Togetic felt the sharp slice of the attack cut at her. She fell forward, and Jen cried out as Togetic stayed down.

    ¡°Togetic is unable to battle! Dugtrio wins!¡± Jen recalled Togetic and thought through her options quickly.

    ¡°Which one? Golbat or Tentacruel?¡± She stared at Dugtrio, looked down at her left sneaker, then snapped her fingers. ¡°I know who to use. Golbat, you''re up!¡± The blue bat flitted this way and that, its mouth open wide and his tongue wagging in a taunt.

    ¡°Another Flying-type? Interesting. Dugtrio, Rock Slide!¡±

    ¡°Golbat, Air Cutter!¡± Golbat aimed the bladed air current at the falling rocks, breaking them apart and making them fall harmlessly to earth. ¡°Okay, now fire another one at Dugtrio!¡±

    ¡°Slash attack!¡± Dugtrio''s attack just failed to reach Golbat, and it narrowed its eyes even further. ¡°Another Rock Slide!¡± This time, the attack hit home, and Golbat fell towards the ground.

    ¡°Recover and use Confuse Ray!¡± Golbat''s eyes glowed red, and Dugtrio''s did the same. The Mole Pok¨¦mon looked wildly about, its eyes widening and its body twitching fiercely. Jen smiled as Golbat got into position. She wasn''t out of the fight yet.

    <hr>

    ¡°Finish it with Megahorn!¡± Heracross flew at Ursaring again, his horn glowing.

    ¡°Ursaring, step to the right, then use Slash!¡± Ursaring sidestepped the onrushing bug, then swung a claw at him, knocking him to the floor. Heracross'' body slid past James and Typhlosion, then lay still.

    ¡°Heracross is unable to battle! Ursaring wins!¡± Caleb looked stunned, then recalled Heracross.

    ¡°Well, I didn''t expect that. Heracross, well played. Have a rest.¡± He took out his final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Your Ursaring has tremendous stamina, even with a type disadvantage. He stood up some of Heracross'' strongest attacks admirably. But I''m still going to the Victory Tournament.¡± Caleb tossed his final choice onto the field. ¡°Stantler, go!¡± A creature resembling a large deer emerged from the ball. Its yellowish antlers had small black orbs attached to them, making them look like eyes. Ursaring seemed to recoil a little at its appearance. James took his Pok¨¦dex out again to scan it.

    ¡°Stantler, the Big Horn Pok¨¦mon. Its antlers manipulate the flow of the air around them, causing a strange area where reality itself is distorted.¡±

    ¡°Weird,¡± James muttered. ¡°Alright, Ursaring, get it started with Hammer Arm!¡± Ursaring rushed at Stantler with his forearm glowing.

    ¡°Stantler, Calm Mind!¡± Stantler''s real eyes glowed a soft pink, and its body seemed to relax. Ursaring brought his attack down on it, but didn''t seem to do much damage.

    ¡°That should have done more...¡± James said, watching Stantler. ¡°Use Slash!¡±

    ¡°Reflect!¡± Stantler''s eyes glowed again, and a hot pink box of light surrounded it. ¡°Now, stop Ursaring with Psychic!¡± Ursaring''s body was surrounded by a blue glow, and Stantler threw him back.

    ¡°No! Ursaring, Faint Attack!¡± The bear ran at Stantler, faked a hit to its right side, then punched it in the face. Stantler looked a little dizzy after the hit.

    ¡°Stomp attack!¡± Stantler recovered, then reared up and aimed a kick down at Ursaring. The bear took the opportunity to push Stantler over, sending it crashing down. ¡°No! Use Zen Headbutt!¡± The deer''s antlers glowed as it dropped its head and charged headfirst at Ursaring.

    ¡°Finish it off! Hammer Arm!¡± Ursaring took Stantler''s attack, then slammed its arm down onto the deer''s back. Stantler collapsed to the ground, struggled for a moment, then fell back down, its eyes glazing over. The official checked on Stantler, then raised his flag.

    ¡°Stantler is unable to battle, and Ursaring is the winner. James wins the match, and will advance to the Victory Tournament!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± James ran onto the field and congratulated Ursaring. The bear did something James had never seen him do before¡ªsmile¡ªand James recalled him to his Pok¨¦ball. He looked over at Caleb, who looked stunned.

    ¡°I...I lost? I trained so hard for this moment, and I fell short...¡±

    ¡°You really had me on the edge there, Caleb,¡± James supplied, trying to reassure his opponent. ¡°If Ursaring wasn''t so strong, I would have lost.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Caleb conceded. ¡°Well, I''ll just have to try harder next year. Good luck in the Victory Tournament.¡± Caleb shook James'' hand, gave Typhlosion a pat on the head, and left the field. James turned towards the stands, where his family were waiting. If his dad could win later, it would be a very good day for the Enfields.

    <hr>

    Golbat continued to harry Dugtrio, whose confusion was helping keep the fight even. Golbat had hit Dugtrio with a few more Air Cutters, while Dugtrio had only managed to pull off a Slash that only nicked Golbat.

    ¡°Golbat, use Bite!¡± Golbat dove and bit down onto one of Dugtrio''s heads, and a strange violet glow infused his fangs. A small cloud of purple smoke burst into the air as Golbat released Dugtrio. ¡°Was...that was a new move! It must have been Poison Fang!¡± Diana nodded, still smiling.

    ¡°It won''t do much against Dugtrio. But it did get you into range again. Rock Slide!¡± More rocks fell on Golbat, who was visibly winded after the super-effective move had struck.

    ¡°I can''t keep out of its attack range forever,¡± Jen said as Golbat chittered in pain. ¡°Gonna have to hit hard and escape. Golbat, Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Use Slash!¡± As Golbat dove towards Dugtrio, the Mole Pok¨¦mon''s eyes glowed once more, and this time, the attack knocked Golbat off course and sent him careening into the far wall. Golbat chittered a little, tried to get back into the air, then fell forward as his strength failed him. Jen''s eyes widened.

    ¡°No! Golbat, no!¡± The official raised his flag.

    ¡°Golbat is unable to battle! Dugtrio wins! Diana wins the battle, and will enter the Victory Tournament!¡± Jen''s face crumpled as she recalled Golbat. She''d given the match everything she had, but hadn''t even taken down two of her opponent''s Pok¨¦mon. The next thing she knew, Diana was standing next to her.

    ¡°You battled well, Jennifer,¡± she said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Jen nodded, trying hard not to let any tears spill out.

    ¡°I''ve still got a lot of work to do, huh? My team isn''t as strong as some of the others out here.¡±

    ¡°You did well to get this far,¡± Diana reassured her. ¡°When I first entered a Conference tournament, I didn''t get out of the first round. You just have to work hard and believe in yourself, and you''ll do better next time.¡± Jen smiled, her eyes still a little heavy.

    ¡°I appreciate that. Thanks, Diana.¡± Diana gave her a quick, one-armed hug, then walked towards a tall young man who appeared to have accompanied her to the field. Jen turned away, and saw her parents waving to her, big smiles on their faces. No matter what, John and Emma Richards would proud of their daughter''s efforts.

    <hr>

    ¡°Tyranitar, Hyper Beam!¡±

    A yellow-orange beam of light crashed into Tyranitar''s prone opponent, a Jumpluff, and the official counted the blue Cottonweed Pok¨¦mon out; Matt Enfield had ploughed through his latest opponent with ease. He shook his opponent''s hand, then rejoined the group outside the arena.

    ¡°Way to go, Dad,¡± Shane said, grinning.

    ¡°You were incredible,¡± James added.

    ¡°Thanks, boys. I don''t expect the Victory Tournament will be easy. The format switches to full battles now. Six Pok¨¦mon each will require a lot more strategy.¡±

    ¡°You could beat anybody right now, Dad.¡± James said, looking intently at his father. Matt smiled.

    ¡°I suppose we''ll find out.¡± They entered the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and Matt gave his Pok¨¦mon to one of the Joys on duty. As they headed for the waiting room, a chime sounded, and a woman''s voice sounded through the building.

    ¡°Attention, please. The matchups for the Victory Tournament have now been finalized. Please consult the screens around the complex to view the schedule and matchups.¡± The group looked at the large screen inside the waiting room, and the eight battle matchups flashed up. The final matchup was Enfield, J. and Enfield, M. Everyone looked from Matt to James, and the surprise was palpable. Eventually, Matt broke the silence.

    ¡°Looks like James and I will be going head to head.¡± James simply stared at the floor, Typhlosion by his side, already thinking through how he was going to battle against his father.

 45-A Father/Son Battle

    ¡°Step up and let''s go!¡±

    James had been training non-stop since he''d learned that he would face his father in the next round. His whole team would have to be in top form to even stand a chance against Matt''s, and he''d kicked his training routine into overdrive as a result.

    Typhlosion had powered up his Flamethrower, and James had been working with him on his Dig, reducing the time he spent underground. Elekid was putting extra effort into his Brick Break and ThunderPunch attacks, while also learning how to time Protect to provide the greatest possible attacking window. Golem, as usual, was focusing on defense, taking hit after hit from his teammates; if he could blunt Matt''s Pok¨¦mon, he could keep James and his teammates in the fight. Pidgeot sped through the air, flying circles around her teammates; James planned to use her weight and speed to his advantage. As for Gengar, James had decided that Shadow Ball wasn''t enough for the Shadow Pok¨¦mon''s attacking repertoire, and was working on learning Focus Blast, a Fighting-type move that might help him against Tyranitar in particular.

    Ursaring was the team member James was most focused on working with, since his power and endurance could be the key to staying in the battle for the long term. His Slash and Hammer Arm attacks were strong in themselves, and thanks to a new skill, Bulk Up, he could raise his attack power and defensive strength at the same time, giving him an edge. The only thing James had to worry about was the bear''s temper, but he was confident he could keep Ursaring in check.

    Jen watched the training session quietly, and observed her friend as he worked with the team into the late evening. James wouldn''t say it out loud, but he was battling with a point to prove. Even after his defeats against Bugsy and Chuck, James hadn''t trained like this, as if it were the final championship match in the history of ever. If he''d been drawn against any of the other fourteen trainers left in the tournament, he wouldn''t have put this much effort in.

    All in all, it took a strong reprimand from his mother to get James to finally call a halt and get some sleep. Excited though he might be, Andrea Enfield wasn''t about to let her youngest son stay up all night, not even for a match against his father. James and Typhlosion reluctantly obeyed Andrea''s order, and within minutes of reaching their dorm, both trainer and Pok¨¦mon were fast asleep.

    <hr>

    The next day was overcast and muggy, not exactly ideal conditions for a major battle. James, under his mother''s watchful eye, took his time over his toast and orange juice in the canteen, doing what he could to contain himself. Andrea understood that James was a ball of nervous energy at the best of times, and she didn''t intend for him to lose his cool before he even hit the battlefield. Typhlosion stayed close to his trainer''s side, and Jen remained with him as well, doing her own best to keep him under control.

    Soon enough, it was time to head to the stadium. John and Emma Richards walked alongside Jen, and the three Enfield brothers ranged ahead, watching the arches outside the stadium grow larger as they approached. Eventually, they reached the west gate, and the group separated. Andrea gave both Matt and James a hug, Darrell ruffled his little brother''s hair, and Shane clapped James on the back. Matt watched as the group entered the stadium, then looked at his son.

    ¡°I suppose we''d better head inside. They''ll be waiting for us.¡± James nodded, and his father patted his shoulder. ¡°You''ll do fine. Just stay focused on your strategy.¡± The pair walked through the trainers'' entrance, and a yellow-shirted official met them inside.

    ¡°Ah, you''re both here, excellent.¡± He checked his Pok¨¦Gear. ¡°Matt and...James, is it?¡± James nodded, and the official tapped the screen once. ¡°All right then, we''re just about set. Matt, if you could head up the stairwell to the right, there...¡± Matt gave his son one last reassuring smile, then walked away in the direction indicated. ¡°Okay, James, you''ll go to the left, here. Up the stairs, then through the tunnel. Once you guys get to your technical areas, we''ll be ready to start.¡± James nodded silently, and headed up the steps towards the field, Typhlosion at his heels.

    As he reached his technical area, James looked across the battlefield to where his father was standing. For some reason¡ªmaybe it was the venue, or the fact that it was the first time they''d battled, or heck, even the mustache¡ªhe seemed much taller, much more powerful than he did normally. It felt as if this moment had been coming ever since James left Violet City to traverse the Johto region. Of course, James knew that his father was a strong trainer, having watched him for so many years, but he felt like he was finally about to experience how strong he really was.

    ¡°Attention!¡± the battle referee called into his microphone. ¡°Welcome to the last match of the Silver Conference Round of Sixteen! This Victory Tournament battle will now begin!. The battle will be contested by Matt and James Enfield, both from Violet City!¡±

    <hr>

    Matt Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    Both father and son nodded, and the official continued. ¡°This will be a full battle with six Pok¨¦mon on each side. No time limit will be imposed, and each trainer may make unrestricted Pok¨¦mon exchanges. The match will end when all six of one trainer''s Pok¨¦mon are rendered unable to battle.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Matt turned to face James. ¡°Well, this is it, son. It''s time to see how much you''ve grown since you left home.¡±

    ¡°I''ll do my best!¡± James answered, but his stomach squirmed. Typhlosion growled quietly, and James put a hand on the Fire-type''s head. The official motioned towards the scoreboard, and both looked back towards it.

    ¡°We will now select the battlefield, then determine first move.¡± An indicator with four quadrants, each representing a different field type, lit up and began to rotate. After a few moments, it settled on the image of a leaf and flashed. ¡°The battle will be contested on a grass battlefield!¡± The battlefield sank and separated, while a grassy field rose to take its place. ¡°And now, we will decide who will move first.¡± A red light next to each trainer''s picture began flashing on and off, and eventually the light next to Matt''s picture remained lit. ¡°Matt Enfield will make the first move!¡± The official stepped into his box, waiting for the combatants to reveal their first Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Magneton, to battle!¡± The Pok¨¦mon that appeared was made up of three silver spheres, each with a pair of magnets and a screw protruding from its top. More screws were attached closer to its centre, and each sphere had a small black dot inside a larger white circle. James took a deep breath, then threw out his first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Elekid, let''s go!¡± The yellow Electric-type landed and began spinning his arms, already building up a charge. The official took one last look, then raised his arms.

    ¡°Let the match begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Magneton, use Supersonic!¡± Magneton began generating sound waves from its body, attempting to confuse Elekid.

    ¡°Elekid, get after it and use Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s arm sparked, and James grinned, remembering his match with Jasmine. Since Magneton was a Steel-type, he could do some serious damage if Elekid could close the gap. The Fighting-type move hit the mark, and Magneton floated away to recover.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Metal Sound!¡± Even more piercing sound waves emanated from Magneton, and Elekid shied back. ¡°Now, Sonic Boom!¡± A blue-white shock wave formed around Magneton and surged toward Elekid.

    ¡°Brick Break again!¡± Elekid tried to land another strike, but Magneton''s attack send it hurtling to the ground. ¡°Keep it up, Elekid! Try it again!¡± Elekid ran at Magneton again, and Matt sprang into action.

    ¡°Open fire, Magneton! Flash Cannon!¡± Magneton formed a silvery beam of light and aimed it right at Elekid, sending him flying through the air.

    ¡°Elekid, hang in there!¡± Elekid landed and snarled angrily, and James knew he couldn''t keep this up. ¡°Okay, return!¡± Elekid was returned to his Pok¨¦ball, and James looked down at Typhlosion. ¡°We''ve got to improve this start. You ready to go, buddy?¡± Typhlosion grinned, and James pointed to the field. ¡°Go ahead out there, then. You''re up.¡± Typhlosion dashed out and intensified the fire on his back, and Matt smiled.

    ¡°Typhlosion next? He certainly looks confident, so I expect nothing less than your best. Thunder!¡± Magneton surrounded its body with a yellow aura, then shot a beam of electricity at Typhlosion.

    ¡°Duck, Typhlosion!¡± Typhlosion flattened himself to the ground, and the electric blast sailed over his body. ¡°Now, Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion launched a stream of fire at Magneton, which remained still.

    ¡°Light Screen!¡± The magnets on Magneton''s body glowed yellow, and the glow expanded around it. Typhlosion''s Flamethrower slammed into the barrier, its effect cut.

    ¡°That''s going to blunt our attacks. Gotta try something else. Typhlosion, use Dig!¡± The Fire-type burrowed under the grass quickly, and Magneton aimed its magnets down.

    ¡°Get ready, Magneton! Fire Thunder when it emerges!¡± Magneton began building up another electric blast, but Typhlosion jumped up from behind it and slammed it down hard. ¡°Magneton! Use Discharge while it''s in range!¡±

    ¡°No way! Typhlosion, one more Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion blasted the fallen Magneton, and though Light Screen worked again, Magneton didn''t get back up from the hit.

    ¡°Magneton is unable to battle! Typhlosion is the winner!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Way to go, Typhlosion!¡± Magneton had drawn out two of James'' Pok¨¦mon, but the early takedown was just what he needed to calm himself down. Matt smiled from across the field.

    ¡°Impressive, son. Your Typhlosion is much stronger than I thought, since he took out Magneton with Light Screen still up. But we''re not through yet.¡± He took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Golduck, to battle!¡± This time, a blue, bipedal creature emerged from the ball. Its red eyes sat just above its pale beak, and a red gem adorned its forehead.

    ¡°Water-type,¡± James muttered. He motioned to Typhlosion to come back. ¡°We''ve got a disadvantage, buddy. You''ll be up again soon, don''t worry.¡± He took out his next Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. ¡°Gengar, let''s go!¡± The purple Ghost-type yawned as he floated above the ground, then grinned broadly at Golduck.

    ¡°An interesting choice. Golduck, use Amnesia!¡± Golduck closed its eyes, and its body briefly glowed turquoise.

    ¡°Gengar, hit it with Shadow Ball!¡± Gengar generated a black ball of energy and pushed it towards Golduck.

    ¡°Out of the way!¡± Golduck jumped up, and the Shadow Ball blasted a divot in the grass.

    ¡°No way...Gengar, Focus Blast!¡± The ghost formed a blue-white sphere in its hands and prepared to throw it.

    ¡°Aqua Jet!¡± Golduck''s body became surrounded by water, and it slammed into Gengar, dissipating the Focus Blast. ¡°Now, Zen Headbutt!¡± The gem on Golduck''s forehead glowed, and it leaped headfirst at Gengar.

    ¡°Gengar, Shadow Ball again!¡± The resulting energy blast knocked Golduck away as the Light Screen glowed and faded, and Gengar grinned in triumph. ¡°Don''t celebrate yet! Focus Blast!¡± Gengar fired another blue-white sphere down at Golduck.

    ¡°Take the hit!¡± Golduck braced itself, and the Focus Blast hit its mark. ¡°Now Psychic!¡± Golduck''s head gem glowed again, and Gengar was surrounded by a blue light.

    ¡°Gengar!¡± Gengar tried to move, but soon found himself plummeting to the ground. The impact was just enough to put it out.

    ¡°Gengar is unable to battle! Golduck wins!¡±

    <hr>

    In the stands, James and Jen''s families were watching the proceedings intently.

    ¡°Gengar was overwhelmed by that Psychic,¡± Darrell said to no-one in particular. ¡°Its Poison subtype was its downfall. I''m a little surprised James didn''t think of that when he put Gengar out there.¡±

    ¡°There''s no way he knew Golduck could use those kinds of Psychic moves,¡± Jen argued. ¡°I didn''t even know that.¡±

    ¡°Dad''s really going for it today.¡± Shane added. ¡°James may have taken out Magneton, but he''s gonna have his hands full with the rest of his team.¡±

    ¡°James will have to recover quickly,¡± remarked Jen''s father. ¡°His confidence is probably a little shaken after that.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Gengar, return!¡± James put the ghost''s Pok¨¦ball away, then reached for another. ¡°We''ll attack from the air this time! Pidgeot, go!¡± The Bird Pok¨¦mon''s plumage flowed as she was summoned, and she glared at her opponent. ¡°Start off with Quick Attack!¡± Pidgeot''s body was followed by a white glow as she raced toward Golduck.

    ¡°Golduck, counter with Aqua Jet!¡± Golduck surrounded itself with water again and met Pidgeot''s attack in midair. A loud crash signaled the collision.

    ¡°Wing Attack!¡± Pidgeot slapped at Golduck with her wing, striking twice. ¡°Now Gust!¡±

    ¡°Ice Beam!¡± Golduck shot the bird with a jagged blue beam, sending her crashing to the ground. ¡°Alright, Water Pulse!¡± The duck formed a shimmering blue orb and smashed it onto Pidgeot''s back.

    ¡°Get up, Pidgeot!¡± Pidgeot trilled weakly as she managed to get airborne again. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She trilled again, more confidently this time, and James smiled. ¡°Okay, then, Aerial Ace!¡± Pidgeot''s body became surrounded by white streaks as she charged in anew.

    ¡°Zen Headbutt!¡± Golduck''s head gem glowed once more, and it met Pidgeot''s attack again, generating a cloud of smoke. The cloud cleared away to show Pidgeot lying dazed on the ground.

    ¡°Pidgeot is unable to battle! Golduck wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°No, Pidgeot!¡± Now that Pidgeot and Gengar were down, James'' aerial assault was over. He recalled Pidgeot and looked down at his shoes. Typhlosion growled at him, and he tried to smile. ¡°It''s okay, buddy. We''re still in this.¡± He looked across to see his father recalling Golduck.

    ¡°Golduck, take a break.¡± Matt looked at his son. ¡°Your Pok¨¦mon are battling hard. They''ve obviously been trained well.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± James said, a little quieter than he wanted. ¡°We worked really hard to get here.¡±

    ¡°Well, keep it up. Hard work is the key to improvement.¡± He took out his next Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Granbull, to battle!¡± A large, purplish dog-like Pok¨¦mon landed and looked intimidatingly at James.

    ¡°Alright, it''s strong, but we can handle it. Golem, let''s go!¡± The rock-turtle looked calmly at his opponent, and Granbull snarled a challenge. ¡°Defense Curl, then Rollout!¡± Golem rolled up into a ball and sped at Granbull.

    ¡°Headbutt!¡± Granbull met the Rollout with a smash from its forehead, and stepped back, massaging the impact spot. ¡°Get close and use Ice Fang!¡±

    ¡°Golem, Stone Edge!¡± As Granbull''s protruding fangs glowed blue, Golem fired several sharp stones at it. The stones crashed into Granbull and stopped its attack. ¡°Great job, Golem! Now, use Double-Edge!¡± The Rock-type''s body glowed yellow as he launched his attack. The strike hit the mark, and Granbull struggled from the impact.

    ¡°Granbull, Ice Fang once more!¡± The bulldog''s fangs glowed blue again, and this time it bit down on Golem''s arm. Golem shied away from the super-effective attack.

    ¡°Stay strong!¡± James thought for a moment, then looked at Golem. ¡°Use Stealth Rock!¡± Golem''s body glowed, and he generated several sharp gray rocks that stood upright on the battlefield. ¡°That''ll help later on...Golem, Magnitude!¡± Golem jumped up, and the impact from his landing sent shockwaves through the ground. Granbull shuddered as it took the attack.

    ¡°Granbull! Fight through it and use Brick Break!¡± Granbull dashed over to Golem and slammed an extended forearm onto the Megaton Pok¨¦mon''s head. A few moments later, the tired-looking Granbull stepped back, and Golem''s eyes glazed over.

    ¡°Golem is unable to battle! Granbull is the winner!¡± The referee looked at the scoreboard, then raised both arms. ¡°Attention! James Enfield has now been reduced to three Pok¨¦mon! As per the Victory Tournament rules, we will now take a short timeout to allow both trainers to regroup!¡± As the referee finished, James recalled his Golem, then closed his eyes tightly. He was being outgunned and outclassed, and worst of all, this display was surely disappointing his father. After all his training, everything he and his team had learned, this was all he had to show for it? Typhlosion growled encouragement, and James relaxed, but only a little.

    ¡°Thanks, buddy. We can''t let the battle pass us by. We can still get back into this.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°He''s really tense now.¡± Shane looked down at his brother with concern. ¡°Dad''s putting him through the grinder.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he can turn it around, Shane?¡± Jen asked. Shane shrugged, but his eyes looked doubtful.

    ¡°I don''t know, Jen. His best hope is to get a quick knockout in the next battle. That''ll do a lot for his confidence.¡±

    ¡°Your father won''t let that happen easily, though, Shane.¡± his mother told him. ¡°If there''s one thing he''s good at, it''s finishing what he starts. He''s already halfway to the victory, and I don''t think he''s going to let this one slip.¡± Just then, the group heard a tone, and they turned to watch the second half of the battle.

 46-The Cutting Edge

    The referee watched as both trainers stepped back into their technical areas, then keyed his microphone.

    ¡°Alright, we''re ready to start again. Trainers, please send out your next Pok¨¦mon!¡±

    ¡°Pinsir, to battle!¡± Matt''s Pok¨¦ball opened to reveal a large creature with a brown carapace and grey pincers. Its thin arms ended in grey claws, and its wide legs gave it a firm base.

    ¡°Okay, Elekid, you''re up again!¡± As Elekid emerged, James tried to smile. This time, he could use Electric-type attacks, and Elekid would be up for the fight. Matt looked on, then called to the Bug-type.

    ¡°Pinsir, use Swords Dance!¡± Pinsir began jumping from one foot to the other, building its attack power.

    ¡°Elekid, Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid began spinning his arms, and a beam of electricity shot from between its horns. Pinsir was struck by the electric blast, but kept up its dance. ¡°Now Swift!¡± A stream of stars flew from Elekid''s body at Pinsir, who leaped into the air.

    ¡°Begin our attack with X-Scissor!¡± A blue-white X formed between Pinsir''s horns as it fell towards Elekid. Elekid tried to dive to one side, but Pinsir''s attack caught him flush in the face.

    ¡°Get clear, Elekid! Use Thunder and run to the sideline!¡± Elekid fired another electric blast, but it passed between the bug''s pincers.

    ¡°Alright, Pinsir, ViceGrip!¡± Pinsir lowered its head and snapped its pincers around Elekid. ¡°Toss it in the air!¡± The bug swung its head up again, releasing Elekid in the process. ¡°Now! Jump after it and use Superpower!¡±

    ¡°Elekid, try to recover and use Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s forearm began sparking, but Pinsir had already leaped up and driven its body down, catching the Electric-type beneath its feet. ¡°No, Elekid!¡± Pinsir''s attack drove Elekid into the ground, kicking up a huge dust cloud. When the cloud dissipated, Elekid was on his feet, snarling incoherently. James recalled him quickly. ¡°This isn''t working. We need to put Pinsir down now.¡± He tossed out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Ursaring, let''s go!¡± The bear emerged from the ball and growled a challenge. Matt smiled.

    ¡°I''ve been looking forward to taking on your Usaring, James,¡± he said. ¡°He''s been quite impressive.¡± He turned to Pinsir. ¡°Superpower!¡± Pinsir jumped high again and aimed for Ursaring''s head.

    ¡°Hammer Arm!¡± The two Fighting-type moves collided, and Pinsir was tossed back. ¡°Now, Bulk Up!¡± Ursaring flexed his arms, and his body glowed red for a moment. ¡°Awesome. Now use Slash!¡±

    ¡°X-Scissor!¡± Ursaring''s claws raked across Pinsir''s body, while the bug slammed its glowing pincers into the bear. Ursaring snarled and, without waiting for orders, slammed a Hammer Arm attack down between Pinsir''s eyes with his other arm.

    ¡°Ursaring, calm down! Wait for my signal!¡± Pinsir landed feet away, breathing hard. ¡°Okay, now we''re good. Faint Attack!¡±

    ¡°Revenge!¡± Pinsir''s body glowed as Ursaring faked to one side, then punched his opponent in the back. Ursaring shuddered a little, but he looked okay. Pinsir, meanwhile, swayed on the spot, then fell forward, beaten down by the Hibernator Pok¨¦mon''s attacks.

    ¡°Pinsir is unable to battle! Ursaring wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°There''s the knockout he needed,¡± Darrell said with a grin. ¡°Ursaring''s powered up a little, so he should be able to stay in the fight.¡±

    ¡°Don''t get too confident,¡± Shane murmured. ¡°He''s still got four Pok¨¦mon to take out, and we haven''t even seen Tyranitar yet. This battle''s far from over.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Well done, Pinsir,¡± Matt said as he recalled the bug. ¡°Rest up, you did well.¡± He turned back to the field. ¡°Your Ursaring''s got a lot of power, son. It takes a lot to stand up to Pinsir''s attacks.¡± He smiled. ¡°Let''s go for another head-on fight, shall we? Sudowoodo, to battle!¡± A brown-bodied Pok¨¦mon that looked like a log emerged. Yellow spots ran down its body, and its two thin arms each ended in three green orbs. A strange forked crest sat atop its head. The creature stood stock-still, as if it were a statue. James took out his Pok¨¦dex and scanned the newcomer.

    ¡°Sudowoodo, the Imitation Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device recited. ¡°This Pok¨¦mon stands along forest paths pretending to be trees. Their disguise fails when it begins to rain, because Sudowoodo, as a Rock-type, dislikes water.¡±

    ¡°A Rock-type, huh? Well, Ursaring should have no trouble, then. Hammer Arm!¡± Ursaring rushed at Sudowoodo, his arm glowing.

    ¡°Use your own Hammer Arm!¡± Sudowoodo suddenly sprang to life, its own arm glowing brightly. The attacks met, and both Pok¨¦mon fell back. ¡°Now, Double-Edge!¡±

    ¡°Faint Attack!¡± Ursaring didn''t even bother to fake and move, instead slugging the oncoming Sudowoodo and taking the full hit. ¡°That Double-Edge will hurt Sudowoodo too, so we''re...¡±

    ¡°Hold on, not so fast,¡± Matt cut in, as Sudowoodo re-assumed his position. ¡°You think I''d use a risky move like that without considering Sudowoodo''s ability?¡±

    ¡°Ability?¡± James thought for a moment, then slapped his forehead. ¡°Of course! It must have a way of avoiding recoil damage!¡± He looked towards Sudowoodo ¡°Ursaring! Get after it with Hammer Arm! We''ve got to put it down fast!¡±

    ¡°Sudowoodo, Hammer Arm as well!¡± The attacks collided again, and Ursaring looked worse off.

    ¡°Faint Attack!¡± Ursaring''s fake and punch didn''t appear to hurt Sudowoodo all that much, but Ursaring was ready for another attack. ¡°Okay, Hammer Arm!¡± Matt waited until the attack was about to connect, then jumped into action.

    ¡°Sucker Punch!¡± Sudowoodo snapped up and hit Ursaring with a swift uppercut, then took the super-effective move. Ursaring breathed hard as he turned back to face Sudowoodo. ¡°Now, finish with Wood Hammer!¡± The orbs on Sudowoodo''s arms glowed bright blue, and the attack''s force lifted the Rock-type off its feet as it smashed the top of Ursaring''s head. Ursaring''s eyes were glazed over as the official checked his condition.

    ¡°Ursaring is unable to battle! Sudowoodo wins!¡±

    <hr>

    Andrea Enfield watched her husband and son intently as the latter recalled Ursaring.

    ¡°Matt''s got the win in sight now,¡± she said, to no-one in particular. ¡°James needed Ursaring to take down more than just Pinsir. Now that he''s down to just Elekid and Typhlosion, he''ll need a big momentum swing to even stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that means we''re going to see Tyranitar any minute?¡± John Richards asked. Andrea nodded.

    ¡°Matt''s team have done their jobs. They countered James'' team as well as could be expected.¡± She considered for a moment. ¡°But I''m getting ahead of myself. Let''s see what they do next.¡±

    <hr>

    James, meanwhile, looked exhausted. Typhlosion nudged his arm, pointing to the battlefield, and he tried to smile.

    ¡°I know, buddy. We''re not out until all six of you go down. Let''s try to turn this around.¡± He looked up at the scoreboard. Only Elekid''s and Typhlosion''s pictures were clear on his side, while Magneton and Pinsir''s were grayed out on his father''s side; his other three team members'' pictures were clear, and the sixth still bore a Pok¨¦ball symbol, even though James knew who Matt''s sixth team member was. ¡°We''ve got the moves, we just need to execute better. Elekid, go!¡± As Elekid hit the field, Matt raised a Pok¨¦ball and recalled Sudowoodo.

    ¡°Rest up, Sudowoodo. I may need you later.¡± He took out another ball. ¡°For now, we''re going for the win. Tyranitar!¡± He threw the ball, and James gulped. ¡°To battle, my friend!¡± The green-skinned dinosaur creature emerged and slammed down to the ground, flattening the grass at its feet. Elekid spun his arms, and Tyranitar roared its answer. ¡°All right, Tyranitar, begin with Scary Face!¡± Tyranitar''s eyes glowed menacingly, and Elekid looked slowed. ¡°Now, Bite attack!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± As Tyranitar bit down on Elekid''s arm, the Electric Pok¨¦mon chopped down on his opponent''s snout with the other. Tyranitar shied away from the attack. ¡°Way to go! Now use ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid slugged Tyranitar with a yellow-glowing fist, and the Rock- and Dark-type staggered back.

    ¡°Get back after it! Stone Edge!¡± Tyranitar generated several pointed gray rocks, then fired them at Elekid. The Electric-type ducked and dodged, avoiding most of the stones, but took a hit from the last one. ¡°Don''t let up! Fire Fang!¡± This time, Tyranitar''s mouth filled with flames as it took aim at Elekid.

    ¡°Thunderbolt!¡± The electric blast distracted Tyranitar enough to dissipate the Fire Fang. ¡°Now, ThunderPunch!¡±

    ¡°Wait for it, Tyranitar!¡± Tyranitar took the charged punch, then its eyes glinted. ¡°Bite!¡± Tyranitar bit down on Elekid''s arm again, and this time, Elekid couldn''t get into position for a countering hit. ¡°Toss it down!¡± The force of Elekid''s body striking the ground made a slight dent in the battlefield grass. ¡°And now, finish it off! Hyper Beam!¡± A glowing orb formed in Tyranitar''s mouth, then a yellow-orange beam of energy shot straight at the prone Elekid. James'' next command caught in his throat as he watched helplessly, about to see his fifth team member taken out. What came next, however, surprised everyone.

    Elekid''s body was surrounded by a shimmering blue-green force field, blocking the incoming Hyper Beam. Matt looked stunned, and James'' heart leapt. He hadn''t even thought of using Protect, and now, since Elekid had thought of it for him, he had a route back into the match. As the Hyper Beam dissipated and Protect dropped, Elekid pushed himself to his feet, grinning and spinning his arms.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Tyranitar''s stuck in place for a bit! Let''s do some damage, Elekid! Brick Break!¡± Elekid ran around behind Tyranitar, then jumped up and chopped the back of the Armour Pok¨¦mon''s head. Tyranitar winced in pain, but couldn''t move. ¡°Great! Now use ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid delivered another blow, this time to Tyranitar''s shoulder. ¡°Keep it up!¡± Matt watched Tyranitar carefully as Elekid''s attacks continued.

    ¡°Tyranitar, stand firm!¡± Tyranitar took one more Brick Break, then turned its head a fraction towards his trainer. Matt smiled. ¡°Excellent! Concentrate Sandstorm on yourself!¡± A whirlwind of sand and grit kicked up around Tyranitar''s body, buffeting Elekid and knocking him off. ¡°Well done! Turn and use Fire Fang!¡± Tyranitar caught Elekid''s body in its jaws this time, and the flames burst around the Electric-type. Elekid landed as the fire surrounded him, then stood up, spinning his arms and putting the flames out. He glared at Tyranitar for a moment, readying a response...then fell forward, exhausted and beaten.

    ¡°Elekid is unable to battle! Tyranitar is the winner!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That didn''t work, did it?¡± Jen asked as Elekid collapsed. ¡°Those attacks must have caused a lot of damage, but Tyranitar doesn''t look tired at all.¡±

    ¡°Dad raised Tyranitar to take a lot of hits,¡± Shane explained. ¡°Even against a type of attack that it has a double weakness to, Tyranitar will keep going for a while. Elekid didn''t really stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°It''s just Typhlosion left now,¡± Andrea said with a worried look. ¡°It''s do or die for James now.¡±

    <hr>

    James'' body shook as he recalled Elekid. The few moments after deflecting Tyranitar''s Hyper Beam had been hopeful, maybe his best chance of getting back into the match, but that flicker of hope had faded as quickly as it had come. Only his best buddy remained standing now. Typhlosion, his first Pok¨¦mon, his steadiest companion not named Jennifer Richards. Typhlosion, who had taken on the Triassic Admin''s Kabutops, put away Bugsy''s Scyther during their rematch, and whose perseverence had finally won the Storm Badge against Chuck''s Poliwrath. Sensing his trainer''s discomfort, Typhlosion tugged on James'' shorts to get his attention, and grinned when James looked down at him. Through all their travels and battles, Typhlosion had proven that he wasn''t afraid of any opponent thrown his way, and he wasn''t going to back down from a fight, not even against one of the strongest Pok¨¦mon species on the planet. James smiled back and nodded.

    ¡°You got it, buddy. Get out there and let''s show Dad what we can do.¡± Typhlosion ran out onto the field, his fiery ruff bursting into life, and roared his defiance at Tyranitar. Matt nodded in approval as Tyranitar snarled back.

    ¡°You''re not giving in without a fight, that''s for sure. Let''s see how you do. Tyranitar, Stone Edge!¡± The pointed grey rocks sped towards Typhlosion in a menacing volley.

    ¡°Use Dig!¡± Typhlosion dove down and burrowed underground, and the stones flew harmlessly away. After a moment, he jumped out and tackled Tyranitar from behind. The Armour Pok¨¦mon roared its anger to the sky and turned to face his opponent.

    ¡°Bite attack!¡±

    ¡°Flame Wheel!¡± Tyranitar''s jaws opened, but Typhlosion surrounded himself with flames and jumped straight up, catching Tyranitar just below the shoulder. Tyranitar backed off and snarled.

    ¡°Steady, Tyranitar! Dark Pulse!¡± A distorted beam of black energy tinged with violet shot from Tyranitar''s chest, slamming into Typhlosion and knocking him back. ¡°Excellent! Now use Stone Edge again!¡±

    ¡°Dig!¡± The stones raced toward Typhlosion again, and the Fire-type dove underground just like before.

    ¡°Be ready, Tyranitar. Prepare Ice Punch!¡± Tyranitar closed its eyes, and one of its fists glowed bright blue. As Typhlosion emerged and jumped towards his opponent, Tyranitar spun to face him and slugged him in the belly, sending him crashing to the ground.

    ¡°Typhlosion, no!¡± James watched the Volcano Pok¨¦mon struggle to his feet, growling quietly. As both trainers and Tyranitar watched, his ruff of flames burned even more intensely, and his eyes took on a dark orange glow. ¡°That''s Blaze!¡± He looked at Typhlosion, who was grinning broadly. ¡°We''d better stick to Fire-type moves now, buddy! Use Flamethrower!¡± Typhlosion shot a concentrated stream of fire at Tyranitar, who took the hit calmly. ¡°Of course, they won''t do as much against a Rock-type, but who cares? Flamethrower again!¡±

    ¡°Stone Edge!¡± The pointed stones flew haphazardly around Typhlosion, burying themselves in the ground or splintering upon hitting the fire. ¡°Now Dark Pulse!¡± The distorted beam of energy hit the ground in front of Typhlosion, breaking his concentration and stopping the Flamethrower.

    ¡°Get after it, Flame Wheel!¡± The flames around Typhlosion''s neck grew to cover his whole body, and he charged Tyranitar with a roar. Matt smiled as the attack came closer.

    ¡°Take the hit!¡± Typhlosion slammed straight into Tyranitar''s blue underbelly, and the Rock-type was pushed back a little. ¡°And now, Payback!¡± A violet glow surrounded Tyranitar, then the light burst out, sending Typhlosion flying. He skidded along the battlefield surface until he reached the centre circle, and struggled to stand up. For the briefest moment, James thought he was going to keep fighting, but then Typhlosion''s legs shook, and he fell to the floor, his fiery ruff guttering out at last. The official checked on him for a moment, then raised his flag.

    ¡°Typhlosion is unable to battle! Tyranitar wins! The battle goes to Matt Enfield of Violet City, who now moves on to the quarterfinals of the Victory Tournament!¡±

    <hr>

    James stared at the ground, his vision blurring from sudden tears. He''d lost battles before, but never like this. His father had outclassed him, been ready for every strategy he''d tried, and completely dominated from start to finish. The worst, though, was thinking about how disappointed his father must be in how easy the match had been. He could have put up a much better fight than this, and now Matt would think he wasn''t as good as he''d thought.

    Suddenly, he remembered that Typhlosion was still down in the middle of the battlefield, and he rushed to the Fire-type''s side. Typhlosion raised his head a little, and James cradled him in his arms.

    ¡°I''m sorry, buddy,¡± he said, the tears flowing now. ¡°I wasn''t good enough. I let you get beaten again.¡± Typhlosion growled a weak protest, and James shook his head. ¡°No, you gave everything you had. I...¡± A shadow fell over them, and James looked up into Matt Enfield''s face.

    ¡°Typhlosion fought valiantly. I''ve rarely seen a Pok¨¦mon put up such a fight for his trainer before.¡± Matt bent down and rubbed Typhlosion''s head, then looked at James. ¡°You alright, son?¡± James shut his eyes, quickly dried his face, and turned away.

    ¡°No. I let you down. I was completely overmatched from the start, and I let you down. I...¡± James took a shuddering breath, then continued. ¡°I wanted you to see how strong we were, and it wasn''t enough.¡± Matt gave his son a confused look.

    ¡°Let me down? James, I''ve never been more proud of you in my life.¡± James looked up, and saw a smile cross his father''s face. ¡°You gave your absolute best out there, and you refused to give in, right to the end. That''s all I can ask for. I don''t care if you win without losing a team member, or if you lose without taking down a single opponent. All I hope for is that you give absolutely everything on the battlefield, no matter the odds. There''s no shame in defeat if you know you''ve given it your best shot.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. You''ve shown me more today than any trainer has before.¡± Matt helped his son up from the ground, then held out a hand. ¡°Just remember this, son. Win, lose, or draw, always shake your opponent''s hand.¡± James grinned, then grasped Matt''s hand just before his father pulled him into a hug. Typhlosion ran over to James, and he put an arm around the Volcano Pok¨¦mon''s neck.

    <hr>

    The Enfield and Richards families met at one of the side gates as the stadium emptied. Matt accepted a kiss from his wife as congratulations, and Darrell, Shane and Jen gave James and Typhlosion their commiserations. John and Emma Richards complimented father and son on their quality performance.

    ¡°The crowd was buzzing about you two,¡± John said with a smile. ¡°They loved the family angle, and they were quite complimentary about James in particular.¡±

    ¡°It was a fine spectacle,¡± Emma agreed. ¡°Both of you should be quite proud of yourselves.¡± She turned to her daughter. ¡°Jennifer, I''m afraid your father and I need to be getting home.¡± Jen''s eyes widened.

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, you and James are both out, and your father has work to do.¡± Jen looked panicked.

    ¡°You mean I have to go home too?¡±

    ¡°I didn''t say that.¡± Emma turned to Matt. ¡°I know you''ve got a match to plan for, but if Jennifer would like to stay for...¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Matt said instantly. ¡°We''ll look after her, and then take her home once we''re done here.¡± Emma nodded, and turned back to Jen.

    ¡°Behave yourself, now. Give us a call when you''re headed home.¡± Jen hugged both her parents, and watched as John and Emma walked towards the exit to the complex.

    <hr>

    As afternoon turned into evening, James, Jen and Typhlosion took a walk around one of the battle facilities. It was close to a wood, so they occasionally saw wild Pok¨¦mon running around, either heading for their homes or waking up to hunt or exercise. Jen turned to James as she watched a small cauldron of Golbat take flight.

    ¡°Hey, James?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± James had been watching the Golbat himself, and stopped short in front of Typhlosion. The Fire-type ran into the back of his legs, and nearly knocked his trainer over. ¡°Whoops! Sorry, buddy. I forgot to warn you.¡± Typhlosion rubbed his nose and grumbled, and James refocused on Jen. ¡°So what''s up?¡±

    ¡°Well, we''ve finished traveling through Johto. Do you...or we, if that''s the case...have a next move?¡± James thought for a moment.

    ¡°I guess there''s always Kanto, to the east. Hunter might travel there too, since he''s originally from Fuchsia City.¡± The pair had said their goodbyes to Hunter after James'' defeat. Hunter still seemed uneasy about returning to his hometown, but James hadn''t asked why. ¡°The Indigo Conference is supposed to be really tough, too. Might be just the challenge we need.¡±

    ¡°I guess. I just don''t want this to be...it, you know? We''re only twelve, we''ve got a lot of traveling and training that we can still accomplish.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn''t mind a break before then, though. We''ve traveled nonstop since we first left home, so we still have time to figure things out.¡±

    The two youngsters continued to walk along the edge of the building, Typhlosion at their heels. As they passed a clump of bushes, Jen noticed something moving at the edge. She ducked away from James and Typhlosion and went to investigate.

    A tiny, dark-furred creature with a large red feather on one ear lay in the grass, stirring feebly. Yellow markings sat on its chest and between its eyes, and its paws ended in long, curved, bladed claws. Jen recognized it as a Sneasel, just like Pryce had used. The Sneasel gave a plaintive cry as it saw her, and Jen knelt down next to it.

    "Hey, little fella. What happened to you?" As she moved to brush a hand over its forehead, James turned around.

    "What''s that you''ve¡­Jen, get away from there!" James darted over and practically dragged her away from the creature.

    "Hey! What are you doing? Can''t you see the poor thing''s in trouble?"

    "Poor thing? Jen, don''t you remember what the Pok¨¦dex told us in Mahogany Town? Sneasel are really nasty to people they come across." Jen looked scandalized.

    "How can you call it nasty? It can''t be more than a baby. It probably wandered away from its home and needs to be brought back." Jen looked at the clump of bushes, and noticed a small opening. "Here, I''ll bring it over¡­"

    "Jen, this is a bad idea." James watched Jen pick up the Sneasel, who buried its head in her shoulder.

    "See? It''s just scared, that''s all."

    "Seriously, you need to put it down and get out of here. If any more show up¡­" Jen put the baby Sneasel in front of the bushes, where it darted inside.

    "There. That should¡­" Jen stopped as a larger Sneasel emerged from where the baby had just run in. Instead of indicating gratitude, the Sneasel unsheathed a claw as it glared at her. Jen began backing away. "Hey, calm down. Your baby''s safe, I was just trying to¡­"

    Everything after that happened at once. The Sneasel lunged at Jen, who screamed. James pushed Jen away as the creature took a swipe at her, and felt something like two hot knives run down his left cheek. Jen screamed even more as he fell to the ground, and he felt a sudden blast of heat to his left. James briefly raised his head, seeing a dark shape dive back into the bushes, and a small flicker of flame¡­then his head dropped, and his world went black.

 47-The Next Move

    The next few minutes were pure chaos for Jen. She sent Togetic to find the other Enfields, and before she knew it, Darrell came running into sight, closely followed by Shane. As Darrell looked his youngest brother over, Shane asked Jen what had happened.

    ¡°He...he got attacked. A Sneasel jumped out...I was only trying to...I should have listened to him!¡± Jen sobbed, barely able to get the words out. Shane put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

    ¡°Jen. Whatever happened to him, I''m sure it wasn''t...¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was my fault!¡± Jen''s voice went even higher as she tried to shake Shane loose. ¡°He told me not to be so casual around wild Sneasel, and I didn''t...I just wanted...¡± Shane pulled her into a hug as she broke completely, gasping for breath while tears flooded down her face.

    ¡°It''s okay. Everything''s going to be okay. We''re going to make sure he''s taken care of.¡± As Shane released Jen, Darrell lifted James onto his shoulder.

    ¡°C''mon, little brother. Let''s get you looked at, huh?¡± He headed for the Pok¨¦mon Centre building with Jen, Shane and Typhlosion following.

    At the small infirmary in the Centre, Darrell sat with Jen on a bench after James had been checked in. He had sent Shane to get their parents, and Typhlosion leaned against Jen''s right knee, trying to calm her.

    ¡°He''s gonna be fine,¡± Darrell told her as he looked at the door. ¡°They''ll patch him up in no time.¡± When Jen didn''t respond, he looked at her. ¡°You can''t blame yourself, Jennifer. These things happen.¡±

    ¡°It''s not just that he got hurt,¡± Jen said, looking at her shoes. ¡°He got hurt so I wouldn''t. I was...trying to bring a baby Sneasel back to its nest, and I guess the mother got mad at me. I should have listened to him when he told me not to get involved. If James hadn''t pushed me out of the way, I''d be the one getting patched up, or worse.¡± Darrell nodded in understanding.

    ¡°He wanted to make sure his friend didn''t get hurt. Doesn''t surprise me at all.¡± Darrell put an arm around Jen, and she leaned into him, shaking again. ¡°James is tough, Jennifer. He''ll be okay.¡±

    ¡°He''d better be,¡± Jen muttered as Darrell patted her shoulder.

    <hr>

    James slid in and out of consciousness for the next several hours. Once or twice, he vaguely thought that someone was saying his name, but he couldn''t figure out who it might be. What dreams he had inevitably ended with a Sneasel swiping its claws at him, and Jen''s scream of fright echoing in the void, and he would turn over in his sleep whenever this happened.

    After the eighth one of these nightmares, James snapped awake and looked around. He was lying in a hospital bed, and his attempt to sit up was complicated by the fact that he was tangled in the bedcovers. The early evening sky he''d remembered from the attack was now a clear, bright blue. Someone had removed his Pok¨¦Gear from his wrist and put it on the small table next to his bed; the display read 13:42, so it was early afternoon. His cheek felt strange, and he put a hand to it, feeling a light bandage. After a few attempts, he finally managed to extricate himself from the bedcovers and sat up, hoping to see Typhlosion. The Fire-type wasn''t there, but he did see a figure slumped in a chair near the far wall. The figure''s long hair looked familiar.

    ¡°Shane?¡± he asked tentatively. ¡°Is that you?¡± Shane''s head snapped up and he looked at his brother.

    ¡°James! You''re finally awake!¡± James tried to get out of the bed, but Shane shook his head at him. ¡°Stay there. I''ve got to tell everyone you''ve woken up.¡± James gave Shane an annoyed look.

    ¡°I feel fine, Shane.¡± He looked his second-oldest brother over. ¡°Did you sleep in that chair all night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shane admitted. ¡°I said I''d stay with you until you woke up. Mom and Dad were pretty worried about you, but the doctor told them you''d be okay.¡± Shane''s face grew more serious. ¡°You were thrashing around something awful while you were asleep, and you kept asking for us when you were semi-conscious.¡± James looked downcast as Shane continued. ¡°Jen was almost hysterical when we got to you. She told us about how you saved her from that Sneasel.¡±

    ¡°Saved her?¡± James raised an eyebrow. ¡°All I did was push her out of its way. It''s not like...¡± Shane cut him off, unconvinced.

    ¡°James, she could''ve gotten really cut up if that Sneasel had gotten a hold of her. Any way you look at it, you saved her.¡± Shane stood up, stretching as he did. ¡°Listen, I''m gonna go get the others. Sit tight, and we''ll see about getting you out of here.¡± As Shane left, the door slid closed, and James fell back onto the pillow.

    Minutes later, Shane returned, followed by their parents, with Darrell and Jen bringing up the rear. Jen looked a mess. Her eyes were still red and puffy, and by the look of her clothes, she''d spent the whole night spinning a cocoon with her bedsheets too. She wasn''t crying now, though, which James was happy about. His mother looked at his face and breathed a heavy sigh.

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    ¡°I don''t like that my boy is hurt, but given what Jennifer told us, it''s a good thing you were close by,¡± she said.

    ¡°Just try not to do it again,¡± Matt Enfield said, trying to suppress a smile; Andrea glared at her husband, and he straightened his face. As Darrell patted his brother''s shoulder, a young doctor with short dark hair and glasses entered the room, clipboard in hand.

    ¡°Ah, good, he''s awake. I''m Dr. Kyle,¡± he said to James, who nodded. ¡°You gave us quite the fright, son. Fortunately, you were brought in early enough that we should have been able to keep any scarring to a minimum. If you just give me a few more moments of your time, we can have you discharged.¡± James nodded again, and Dr. Kyle started up. ¡°Okay, first off. How did you sustain that injury?¡±

    ¡°A Sneasel took a swing at me,¡± James answered. Dr. Kyle nodded.

    ¡°Okay. Your face feels all right now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Dr. Kyle nodded again.

    ¡°So, here''s the deal. Change that bandage out once a day, and do that for the next few days. You should be able to permanently remove it within the week.¡± He turned to Matt and Andrea. ¡°All right, folks. He''s all yours.¡± The family and Jen thanked Dr. Kyle for his help, and they headed out of the medical building for their dorm complex. As they exited the building, James turned to Shane.

    ¡°Where''s Typhlosion?¡± Shane smiled.

    ¡°He''s asleep, I hope. We didn''t think the hospital staff would let him stay in the room with you, so we left him in our room.¡± Shane grinned at James'' annoyed look. ¡°Yeah, I figured you''d react that way. But, you know how people are. Think about it, he''ll be even happier to see you now.¡±

    As they reached their room on the second floor, James spotted Typhlosion lying at the foot of the bed. Shane went into the bathroom, while James walked over and patted the Fire-type''s head.

    ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± he murmured. Typhlosion perked up, saw his trainer, and immediately popped up, placing his front paws on James'' shoulders in greeting. James hugged him in response. ¡°I''m glad you''re here, pal. I felt you chase that Sneasel away.¡± Typhlosion looked apologetic, but James waved him off. ¡°You kept us safe, Typhlosion. That''s all that matters. We can plan for more adventures now.¡± With that, James clambered into the bed, and fell asleep before he realized how tired he still was.

    <hr>

    ¡°Starmie, end this with Hydro Pump!¡± A violet-coloured double sea star blasted Tyranitar with a concentrated stream of water, and the Armour Pok¨¦mon collapsed to the ground, beaten at last. The match official raised his flag as Tyranitar''s eyes glazed over.

    ¡°Tyranitar is unable to battle, and Starmie is the winner! Jarryd will advance to the semi-finals of the Victory Tournament!¡± Matt recalled Tyranitar, shook hands with his opponent, a stocky male with buzzed hair, and met his family and Jen outside the main stadium.

    ¡°Tough luck, Dad,¡± Darrell said. Matt shrugged.

    ¡°That Starmie wiped out half the team, and Tyranitar took a lot of hits earlier in the match. Jarryd deserved his win.¡±

    As they headed back to the dorms one last time, Matt turned to his youngest son.

    ¡°So, James,¡± he said, ¡°do you have any plans now that the Conference is over?¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°I was gonna spend some time at home, then move into Kanto.¡± Matt nodded.

    ¡°I''m not surprised. Most trainers from Johto, if they choose to continue on to other areas, head for Kanto afterwards, and vice-versa. The Indigo Plateau is just over the border from New Bark Town.¡±

    ¡°How tough is the Indigo League, Dad?¡± Shane asked. ¡°I never got that far, after all.¡±

    ¡°It''s not easy. But then again, no league is easy,¡± Matt answered. He motioned to Shane to catch up to his mother, then turned back to James. ¡°And what about Jennifer? Do you two plan to keep traveling together?¡±

    ¡°Um...¡± James considered. Jen had brought up the possibility the other evening, but the Sneasel attack had ended that conversation. ¡°I guess that''s up to her? It won''t be like traveling through Johto; we''d both be in unfamiliar territory this time.¡± He looked up ahead, where Jen was chatting animatedly with Darrell. ¡°She''s my best friend, so I''d like to keep traveling together, but we''ll have to figure that out later.¡± Matt smiled and patted his son on the shoulder.

    Meanwhile, Darrell and Jen were comparing their respective trips through Johto.

    ¡°I mean, you didn''t end up with four baby Pok¨¦mon at once,¡± Jen was saying. ¡°I''m hoping to add some more...how would you put it...strength behind my team. I got way too reliant on Magmar and Tentacruel, and Elekid got a lot of use too, not to mention Golbat. I want Pichu and Togetic to grow stronger too, so they can contribute more in battle.¡±

    ¡°Well, you''ll have plenty of opportunities,¡± Darrell said with a grin. ¡°If you push into Kanto like you said you might, you''ll find yourself with a lot of options to expand your skill.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t a lot of Pok¨¦mon in Kanto the same as here in Johto?¡±

    ¡°Some of them, ¡° Darrell admitted, ¡°but some can only be found there. It''s that way all over the world.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m gonna go for it,¡± Jen said, clenching a fist to emphasize the point. She yawned. ¡°Once I''ve rested for a little bit, though. I need a break after all that running around.¡±

    <hr>

    The Enfields reached home quickly, and Jen thanked them before running to her own home. John and Emma Richards greeted her warmly, and gave Matt and Andrea a thankful nod as they passed. After a long chat, during which she deliberately left out the Sneasel attack so she wouldn''t scare her parents, Jen went up to her room, which was just as she''d left it. Neat and ordered, just as her mother had asked, even if there were a few stray clothing items lying on the furniture. She picked up a blue t-shirt off the bed and tossed it onto a chair, where it hung limply, and lay down, staring at the ceiling.

    She''d told her parents about her plans to rest for a little while, and they''d agreed wholeheartedly. Once the rest break was over...well, she wasn''t sure about the next step. James had indicated that he wanted to push into Kanto too, but would they do it together? Traveling with him had been their parents'' idea, after all, and he hadn''t been too thrilled at the time. But then again, like he''d also told her, he knew Kanto as well as she did¡ªin other words, not at all. Maybe they''d catch Hunter on their travels, and they''d travel as a group...somehow, Jen didn''t think so. They may be friendly rivals, but that also meant that their brand of friendship was best experienced at a distance.

    Jen yawned, looking at the clock reading early evening. James, Hunter, Kanto, the Indigo Conference, and everything else could wait a while. Right now, it was time to get some rest.

 48-Retooling for Adventure

    The air in Violet City was hot and humid. Heavy rain had soaked eastern Johto overnight, and most people would stay indoors on a day like this, avoiding a great deal of discomfort and profuse sweating. On a small field in the northern part of Violet, though, two people and a massive rocky turtle stood on a soggy baseball diamond. A tall twelve-year-old wearing a black and yellow baseball cap stood on a raised mound in the centre, while a mustachioed man watched him closely. The older man called encouragement to the boy, who stared at the turtle in intense concentration.

    ¡°Last one,¡± the man said. ¡°Hit your spot.¡±

    The rock turtle moved his clawed hand, setting a target. James Enfield fiddled with the baseball in his left hand, trying to find a grip he liked, then pushed off and threw it as hard as he could. The ball whizzed through the air and sailed just below his target, clanking off the backstop behind the rock turtle. James breathed hard as he settled down. His father Matt, standing nearby, shrugged.

    ¡°Didn''t miss by much. Had a lot of venom behind it, but heat is the easy part.¡± As the rock turtle rolled up into a ball, James looked over at Matt with an imploring look.

    ¡°If you''d just let me...¡±

    ¡°No. I''ve seen you sneak that curveball in before, and I haven''t said anything about it. But you''re not throwing it regularly until you''re at least fifteen.¡±

    James sighed. It had been easier to take on the Johto Gym Leaders than it was to convince his father to let him start practicing his curveball. Since he''d finished his journey across the Johto region, James had been pitching in a youth baseball league in his hometown. He had quickly earned a reputation for blazing the ball past most hitters, but also for a wild streak characteristic of young power pitchers; many a hitter had grimaced angrily at him after being hit by one of his fastballs. James wanted to add a pitch to fool his opponents, but Matt had insisted that he learn and maintain proper form before he did. James, though impatient to a fault, had never defied his father''s orders and thrown a breaking pitch in a game, but had gotten away with tossing in one or two of them during practice sessions.

    ¡°Dad, I could really dominate if I could just...¡± Matt shook his head.

    ¡°That''s enough. I''m not letting you blow your arm out at twelve just so you can show off. When you''re older, we''ll look into the more advanced stuff. For now, we''re focused on hitting your spots.¡± He smiled. ¡°Your balance is looking better, though. That will help you improve your control.¡± James grinned in spite of himself, then took a red and white ball from his pocket and aimed it at the rock turtle. A beam of red light surrounded him, and then retreated back inside. Father and son left the diamond and started walking back home.

    ¡°Golem was a good pick for this.¡± James said offhandedly as they walked. ¡°He doesn''t mind getting hit.¡±

    Golem was just one of the six Pok¨¦mon on James'' team, but he''d been a solid presence for the better part of two years. Like most kids his age, James, along with his neighbour Jennifer Richards, had traveled the Johto region and taken on the Pok¨¦mon League challenge. Success and failure had attended each in fairly equal measure, although Jen''s overall win-loss record looked a lot better than his, and they''d both competed in the Johto League Silver Conference. James'' tournament had ended in spectacular fashion¡ªwell, spectacular was the way your average sportswriter would describe it, anyway. He had advanced to the Victory Tournament, and had ended up battling his father in the block''s first round. Matt had lost only two Pok¨¦mon against James'' six, and hadn''t had a particularly difficult time moving on to the tournament quarterfinals. Matt had been knocked out in the next round, and he had spend much of the ensuing time helping James improve his pitching.

    They reached their house, a modest one in the shadow of the Sprout Tower, fairly quickly, and James headed upstairs to take a shower, Matt promising to have an ice pack ready when he returned. Before he even started, James looked himself over in the mirror.

    The most striking part of James'' face were his eyes: deep-set, slightly upturned, and with cold, blue-grey irises that belied his energetic nature. These, combined with his thin face, created a resemblance to some predatory bird or other. His dark brown hair hung into his eyes and kicked out at the back, making it look even longer under a hat, while his long arms hung loosely at his sides. Two thin lines ran along his right cheek, barely visible to all but the closest observer thanks to modern medicine. These scars were the souvenirs of a Sneasel attack after James'' elimination from the Silver Conference, and they always itched the worst after he''d emerged from the shower, much to his chagrin.

    James showered quickly, pulled on his favourite red shirt and black pants, and headed back downstairs, where his father helped secure the ice pack to his shoulder. After Matt had advised him not to leave it on if he fell asleep, James went back to his room. The room was a mess as usual; books were stacked on the desk near the window, and a pile of clothes lay on the desk chair. Posters of the Electabuzz baseball team hung on every wall. In pride of place, facing the bed, was the one of star pitcher Corey Demario, ace of the staff and hero to many fans, James included. At the foot of the bed lay his own ace: the fire badger Typhlosion, James'' starter Pok¨¦mon and best non-human friend, asleep at the moment. James paused to scratch the Fire-type''s ears, then dropped onto the bed, staring at the low ceiling before sleep overtook him.

    <hr>

    In the yard next door, Jen Richards was playing with her own Pok¨¦mon team, keeping particular eye on a small electric mouse. Pichu was shy, unusual for her species, and was rarely seen out of the company of Jen''s Elekid, a creature resembling a power plug, who acted as her self-appointed guard. Golbat, a large blue chiropteran, hung from a nearby tree, trying to sleep. Magmar, a Fire-type whose body looked like a bloated duck''s, sparred with Tentacruel, a blue jellyfish who was using Surf to keep himself from flopping on the grass. Finally, the winged Togetic flitted happily between her teammates, skimming the edges of the nearby trees.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Jen had only lived in Violet City for a few months before starting her travels two years earlier. Shortly after her tenth birthday, John Richards had moved his family from Snowpoint City in the far-off Sinnoh region, leaving the wintry northern port and his job at one of the biggest shipping companies in the region behind. The move had happened just after a relative''s funeral, but Jen doubted the two events had anything to do with one another. John hadn''t told his daughter the reason for their move, anyway, but Jen didn''t think it was very important that she knew. She''d seen people come and go all the time, in both cities, and figured it was just a part of life.

    Jen was tall for a girl of her age, with angular features and straight black hair that reached just above her shoulders. Her most expressive feature was her wide, jade green eyes. She wore faded jeans, white sneakers with blue stripes down the sides, and a white t-shirt that was a size too big, making it look like it was hanging off of her in places. Her mother had questioned Jen''s decision to wear a too-big shirt, but Jen couldn''t explain why if she''d wanted to. The shortest answer was that she felt more comfortable, and her mother had accepted it.

    As she watched her team play together, she thought about her experiences travelling through Johto. She had lagged behind James in terms of straightforward power, but she had successfully compensated for her team''s shortcomings by developing a strong tactical awareness, her first battle with Mahogany Town''s Ice-type specialist Pryce notwithstanding. Her main goal was to bond with her team, and raise them according to their individual strengths. Jen''s ambition was to eventually become a Pok¨¦mon breeder, and her team selection accordingly included four baby Pok¨¦mon, two of whom had evolved during her journey. She was already planning training for the team, looking to shift away from an over-reliance on certain members; Elekid and Magmar had shouldered most of the battle load, and the others needed to catch up.

    Jen smiled as she looked towards the sun as it set over the far side of the city. She and her team had rested well since their return from the Silver Conference. Soon, it would be time to get back to work.

    <hr>

    A few days later, James and Jen sat poring over a map of the neighbouring Kanto region in the Richards'' living room. With the youth baseball season ending in less than two weeks, James was eager to get travelling again.

    ¡°There''s the cut-through to Viridian City,¡± Jen said, pointing to a small red line linking New Bark Town to the small Kanto city. ¡°Once we get there, we can either hit the gym immediately, or start north through the forest.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°If we can, I want to hit the gym right away. It should be similar enough to the ones here.¡± Jen shrugged as she reached for a glass of iced tea.

    ¡°We''ll decide that when we get there.¡± She swallowed half her drink in one gulp. ¡°I mean, I''m planning to keep the same team I have now, since half of them need catchup training.¡± James frowned.

    ¡°I''m still deciding which plan to go with.¡± When Jen looked confused, he clarified. ¡°I haven''t decided whether to bring my whole team, or to just leave with Typhlosion and Elekid. I want to expand my team beyond just the six I have, and there are some solid choices out in Kanto.¡± Jen shrugged again.

    ¡°I guess it''s up to you.¡± She shuffled the maps and landed on a brochure outlining the Kanto gyms. ¡°The gym types are completely different to the ones out here. It''s like looking through different sections of The Beginner''s Guide to Pok¨¦mon.¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°Maybe the two regional conferences took turns picking types out of a hat.¡± He ducked as Jen took a mock swipe at him for his bad joke.

    ¡°Who''s to say, really? I''m sure Kanto trainers who cross into Johto think the gym types here are the oddball ones.¡± As she finished her drink, her father John Richards, his dark hair receding over his grey eyes, entered the room.

    ¡°You kids doing all right?¡± he asked, and they both signalled an affirmative. John smiled as he observed them. ¡°You''re lucky I don''t still have my old shipping maps, Jennifer. Those would keep you guys busy for months.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if we''re bored, we''ll call the company and have them send some,¡± Jen answered with a giggle. A shadow seemed to cross John''s face, but he recovered quickly.

    ¡°Have you decided when you''re leaving yet? I know James still has some baseball to play, but it never hurts to have a plan.¡± Jen shook her head.

    ¡°We''re still working on that. That, and we''re deciding which team members to bring. I''m bringing everybody, but James hasn''t made up his mind yet.¡± John smiled.

    ¡°I''m sure you''ll do fine, whatever you decide. I know you guys will keep an eye on one another as you travel out there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we will,¡± Jen answered. ¡°The Pok¨¦mon in Kanto seem different enough to the ones here, so we''ll have plenty of challenges to keep us going.¡± John smiled, then walked back out of the room as the two youngsters continued their planning.

    <hr>

    The next couple of weeks slid by quickly. James'' team was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, but they didn''t go down easily, which was fine by everyone involved. After a quick roundup with the parents and players, everyone went their separate ways. James returned home with a plan in mind, and he gathered his team in the yard as the sky darkened.

    ¡°All right, guys, here''s the deal.¡± Pidgeot, a large bird with red and yellow plumage on her head, fluttered down from her perch to hear better, and the shadowy Gengar ceased his attempts to wind up Ursaring, an ill-tempered bear. ¡°We went through a lot during the last go-around. You guys have been a strong team.¡± He paused, not wanting to say the next part, but knowing he had to. ¡°But I''m only taking Typhlosion and Elekid out to Kanto. If we''re going to challenge for the league, I''ll have to catch some different Pok¨¦mon, mix it up a little.¡± After he let the other team members voice their frustrations, he continued. ¡°Don''t worry, I may still need you if I get stuck. Just think of it as a long rest. I wouldn''t be in the position I''m in without any of you.¡± After a few moments of resigned quiet, James turned back into the house.

    ¡°That looked like it went better than expected,¡± Matt remarked as James shut the back door. James shrugged.

    ¡°It was kind of my plan all along, I just didn''t know if I could follow through on it.¡± Matt nodded.

    ¡°That won''t be the last tough decision you''ll have to make on your travels. Team lineups, party slots, all that comes with the territory. And that''s not just with your Pok¨¦mon either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know, baseball''s the same,¡± James said with a sigh. ¡°It''s going to be rough out there, no matter who comes with me. I''ve never been through Kanto before, and the only person I know who can tell me what to expect¡ªbesides you!¡± he added quickly, as Matt raised an eyebrow. ¡°The only other person I know who can tell me what to expect...well, Hunter could be anywhere. I haven''t talked to him since the Silver Conference, and Fuchsia City isn''t exactly next door.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of next door,¡± Matt cut in, ¡°when are you and Jennifer planning on leaving?¡±

    ¡°Within the week, I think,¡± James replied. ¡°She wants to do some last-minute planning before we head out.¡±

    ¡°You''d better get some sleep, then,¡± Matt said. ¡°I always plan better when I''ve gotten a good amount of rest.¡± James nodded, accepted a fist bump from his father, then went upstairs to rest before the big adventure ahead.

 49-Upon the Kanto Plain

    Soon enough, James and Jen stood in front of their houses, ready for the off. Typhlosion was slumped next to his trainer''s shoe, not wanting to stand up until it was really time to go. The downside to his refusal to stay in his Pok¨¦ball was that he found himself standing still a lot, or otherwise running alongside his trainer. He didn''t mind too much, since the exercise was good, but the Fire-type had begun to value his down time a lot more.

    Jen adjusted the strap on her bag as she chatted with Darrell, James'' oldest brother, discussing new strategies that she wanted to try out. Darrell looked like an in-between version of his father and brother, a tall and thin eighteen-year-old with short-cropped dark hair and blue eyes. Nearby, James fiddled with a loose thread in his shorts, while his fifteen-year-old other brother, Shane, had an encouraging hand on his shoulder. Of the three Enfield boys, Shane looked the most like their mother; his hair was light brown, long enough to tie into a short ponytail, and he was the only one of the three brothers to inherit Andrea''s emerald green eyes. His soft, calm features contrasted James'' hawk-like gaze.

    Across from their children, both sets of parents had conversations of their own. Jen''s mother Emma, from whom Jen had gotten her jade green eyes, spoke with Andrea, while John Richards swapped old stories with Matt. John, for his part, insisted that his former job was nothing but unrelenting drudgery, while Matt discussed various hikes and fossil hunts he''d been on with his own father. The hike that had resulted in his acquisition of Tyranitar was clearly not routine, to hear Matt tell it, but an exciting exception to an often uneventful rule.

    Eventually, everyone broke off their conversations, and Jen addressed their families.

    ¡°I guess this is the part where we head out,¡± she said, ¡°and we''ll be sure to make you guys proud. We''ll keep in touch as much as we can.¡± Everyone made nods or noises of assent.

    ¡°You''ve already made us proud, Jennifer,¡± Emma said, as she and John moved in to hug their daughter.

    ¡°Watch each other''s backs, both of you,¡± Darrell added. ¡°It''s even more important now, since you''re both headed for a new region.¡± He handed James a small plastic card. ¡°I dug out my old Kanto map card, to make things easier for you guys.¡± James slid the card into his black wrist-mounted Pok¨¦Gear, and the display flashed to a map of the new region. He keyed the screen a few times, and it jumped back and forth between the maps of Kanto and Johto.

    ¡°So...there''s Tohjo Falls...then...right. That''s really going to help. Thanks, Darrell.¡± Darrell clapped his brother on the shoulder.

    ¡°Any time, kid. Can''t have my little brother getting lost, can I?¡± He stepped back, laughing, and Andrea Enfield approached to hug her son.

    ¡°You stay safe, okay? No running after any Sneasel, or anything else dangerous.¡± She smiled a little, then pressed something into James'' hand. James opened his hand, and blinked in surprise at what he saw.

    ¡°It''s the Zephyr Badge I won in my first gym battle.¡± Andrea nodded.

    ¡°I attached it to a hard-wearing string. You can wear it as a necklace, so you''ll always have a bit of home with you.¡± James nodded silently, then put the necklace on, slipping the badge under his shirt.

    ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± Andrea wrapped her youngest son in a hug. Shane squeezed James'' shoulder, and Darrell ruffled his hair. Matt gave his son an encouraging nod.

    ¡°Go get after it, you two. You''ll do fine, just work hard and stick together.¡± Both youngsters gave a final nod, then walked towards the main road out of town, Typhlosion in tow.

    <hr>

    The trip from Violet City to New Bark Town seemed a lot easier when they were headed in the opposite direction. There were more cut-throughs along the road, and they didn''t stop in the Dark Cave this time, something James appreciated despite Jen''s teasing. The route down to Cherrygrove City was peppered with the odd beginning trainer, ordering their Pidgey or Rattata into battle with abandon. Neither James nor Jen was inclined to challenge any of these rookies to a battle; while Jen reasoned that it might make a decent challenge for one of her less developed team members, James didn''t want Typhlosion or Elekid to dominate their competition and discourage the opponents.

    In Cherrygrove City, they stocked up on supplies and trained together on the Centre battlefield. James remembered it as the site of his first proper battle, the kickoff of his rivalry with Hunter. He wondered where the aspiring defensive specialist was now, and thought he might challenge him to another battle if they met along the way. Jen used the time to really start Pichu on a rigourous training program, trying to get her up to her teammates'' level. She continued to use Tentacruel as a target for Pichu''s electric attacks, which were getting stronger, but remained unpredictable. Because of this, Jen was careful to keep the two training partners well back from the rest of the team; the last thing she wanted was a freakish lightning strike to fry one of the others.

    After Cherrygrove, the road was fairly easy to navigate. The two youngsters passed the northbound gatehouse, which led to the treacherous Route 46, and reached New Bark Town in just a few days. Before they headed any further east, they stopped by the Elm Pok¨¦mon Lab, situated on a hill on the northern side of town. Jen keyed the door buzzer, and the young professor appeared a few moments later.

    ¡°Goodness me, I haven''t seen you two in a while!¡± Elm said with a laugh as he repositioned his glasses. ¡°The last time I saw you, you were just starting off on your adventures.¡±

    ¡°We''ve come a long way, Professor,¡± Jen answered. ¡°The Silver Conference was tough, but we both did all right.¡± Elm nodded and turned to James and Typhlosion.

    ¡°And how about you two? You had a Cyndaquil riding on your shoulder years ago. I see he evolved all the way.¡± James nodded, and Typhlosion grinned.

    ¡°He did. Right after taking down Chuck''s Poliwrath, too.¡± Elm gave him a stunned look. ¡°Yeah, I know, sending a Quilava out against a Water-type isn''t the best strategy, but we improvised and got the badge in the end.¡±

    ¡°Well, I congratulate you on your achievements so far. Where are you two headed next?¡±

    ¡°Kanto.¡± Jen said. ¡°Our friend is from the region, and we figured it was the logical next move.¡± Elm nodded again.

    ¡°I see. Professor Oak was my academic advisor when I was studying at the university. He runs the regional Pok¨¦mon Lab in Pallet Town, and there''s no doubt he''s the ultimate authority on Pok¨¦mon in any region. If you end up around there, you should pay him a visit.¡± Both youngsters nodded back.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°We''ll give it a look,¡± James said, then checked his Pok¨¦Gear. ¡°Well, it was good to see you, Professor, but we need to get moving. We''re hoping to reach the border in the next couple of days.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, then. And good luck.¡± Elm shook hands with both of them, scratched Typhlosion''s ears, then returned to his lab, while James, Jen and Typhlosion kept moving towards Kanto.

    <hr>

    Route 27 stretched long and water-swept beyond the small crossing from New Bark Town. After crossing a narrow bridge, a large sign welcomed travellers to the Kanto region, and gave the distance to the Tohjo Falls, which sat in a cave partway down the route. Inside the cave, two falls thundered down. Water sprayed everywhere, annoying Typhlosion, while the noise of the falls made it difficult for James and Jen to hear one another.

    ¡°Look for a ladder or something!¡± Jen yelled as James moved towards one waterfall. ¡°They can''t expect everyone to be able to scale these things, right?!¡± James felt along the wall, searching for a way up.

    ¡°This is insanity!¡± he shouted fifteen minutes later. ¡°I know you''ve got Tentacruel, but you never taught him Waterfall, did you? And it''s not something we can learn that quickly!¡±

    ¡°We can try!¡± Jen said, tossing Tentacruel''s Pok¨¦ball into the water. A moment later, the jellyfish floated on the surface, eyes narrowing at the look of the falls. ¡°Hey, can you try to climb that thing?¡± Tentacruel gave her a narrow-eyed look, then swam quickly at the cascading falls. He made it about six feet up before flopping backward into the pool below. ¡°Oh, dear. Keep trying! We need to get up this thing!¡±

    ¡°I''m more worried about coming down!¡± James shouted. Jen gave him a light punch on the shoulder.

    ¡°First things first!¡± Tentacruel rushed the falls again, making it up a little further before plopping down into the pool again. Undeterred, he made a third attempt...then a fourth...then mustered everything he had to zip all the way to the top. Jen cheered, and James smiled in spite of himself.

    ¡°That didn''t take much, did it? But can he get us up there?¡± As he spoke, Tentacruel plummeted back into the pool, splashing water everywhere and nearly soaking them all. ¡°Maybe a little more practice first?¡±

    As the others slept, Tentacruel kept rushing up and down the falls, determined to get them past this obstacle. When everyone woke up again, James argued with Typhlosion about returning to his Pok¨¦ball for the next few minutes.

    ¡°It''s not like you''re gonna be in there forever, pal,¡± James said, the ball held tightly in his left hand. ¡°It''s either this, or you get soaked.¡± Typhlosion looked from the ball to the water, then growled in annoyance as he nodded. James recalled his buddy and turned to Jen. ¡°I''d better go up first, otherwise he''s gonna be mad at me because I left him in there too long.¡± Jen giggled, and agreed. Twenty minutes later, both youngsters stood at the bottom of the second waterfall.

    ¡°Thanks, Tentacruel.¡± she said, and recalled the exhausted jellyfish. ¡°All right, we''d better leave the cave so you can let Typhlosion out.¡±

    <hr>

    After the relative treachery of Route 27, Route 26 was more of a straightforward uphill. Once travellers reached the northern gatehouse, the road split. Going west, the road developed into the path to Silver Town, while the northern road led to the Indigo Plateau. James, Jen and Typhlosion went east, waving off the guard in charge of inspecting for Kanto badges, and emerged onto Route 22. A signpost told them that they were travelling towards Viridian City. Rocky walls surrounded them, but the path was mostly paved, which made walking easier.

    As they got closer to Viridian City, the two youngsters'' talk turned to their prospective team members in the region.

    ¡°I don''t know what I would catch, honestly,¡± James said as they passed a group of Rattata playing in the grass. ¡°From that brochure, it said that the Viridian Gym uses Ground-types, and Pewter uses Rock-types. The only Pok¨¦mon I''ve got to go after the Pewter Gym is Elekid, and neither he nor Typhlosion is going to be the best option against...¡± He stopped short, watching Typhlosion wander towards a small blue quadruped with large ears and big front teeth. A small horn sat in the middle of its forehead. The creature turned towards the Fire-type, who turned his head away in an unconvincing I''m not looking at you gesture. ¡°What the...?¡± James murmured, taking out his Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pok¨¦mon,¡± announced the device. ¡°The creature you are scanning is this species'' female form. It has small, venomous barbs that can incapacitate predators. Even one scratch from its barbs or horn can be extremely dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should stay away from it,¡± James said, stowing the device. As if on cue, the Nidoran reared up at Typhlosion, who began to back away. ¡°Easy, buddy. No sudden moves...¡± Nidoran''s eyes glowed, and small glowing spikes shot towards Typhlosion. ¡°Hey! What''s with the Poison Sting?¡±

    ¡°It''s not gonna leave us alone now!¡± Jen shouted. ¡°You''re gonna have to beat it or catch it...or both,¡± she added quickly. James raised an eyebrow, then considered.

    ¡°She''s right.¡± he conceded to himself. ¡°Typhlosion! Keep it out of range, and use Ember!¡± Typhlosion shot a few fire bolts that hit their mark, and Nidoran fell to the floor. ¡°That should knock it down enough...¡± James took out a Pok¨¦ball and threw it at the prone Poison-type. The ball sucked Nidoran inside and began to shake. Three shakes later, the capture tone sounded, and James moved to pick up the ball. ¡°That was easy eno-...¡± He was cut off as what looked like a purplish blur shot across his path. As both James and Typhlosion stepped back, the blur was revealed to be very similar to the Nidoran he''d just caught. Its ears, horn and body spikes were larger than its blue counterpart''s, and its hindquarters were wider and heavier, as if this creature was a jumper. While James composed himself, Jen scanned it with her own Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pok¨¦mon. This is the male form of the species. It uses its prominent ears to monitor its surroundings, and its poison-filled horn is its primary weapon.¡± Jen gave James and the purple Nidoran a worried look.

    ¡°I think you just caught his...sister? Mate? Just a friend?¡± James gave her a brief, annoyed glare, and she backed off. ¡°You might have to catch him, too, just to keep the peace.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± James thought quickly, as Nidoran''s eyes flicked from himself to Typhlosion and back again. ¡°Typhlosion, back off. I''ll have our other teammate deal with this.¡± He tossed out his other Pok¨¦ball, and Elekid emerged, spinning his arms and grinning. ¡°Easy, now. We''ve got to knock his strength down so we can catch him.¡± Elekid nodded, and James pointed to the Poison-type. ¡°Get it with ThunderShock!¡± Elekid aimed a short jolt of electricity at Nidoran, who dodged around the blast and leaped into the air. As he descended, his hind feet glowed, and he delivered a pair of short kicks to Elekid''s midsection. Elekid doubled over as Nidoran ran over to the ball containing his friend and poked at it a few times. ¡°Quick, while he''s distracted! Brick Break!¡± Elekid delivered a fierce chop to Nidoran''s back, making him spin around and snarl. Nidoran jumped again, and it dove at Elekid headfirst, aiming his horn between Elekid''s eyes. ¡°Sidestep it!¡± Elekid deftly avoided the attack, and Nidoran crashed into the ground nearby. ¡°Okay, we''ve got it good and winded. Here we go...¡± James took advantage of Nidoran''s position and threw another empty Pok¨¦ball at him. Nidoran converted to red energy and disappeared into the ball. A few shakes later, and he joined his friend as one of James'' team members. James picked up both Pok¨¦balls and let the two Poison-types out. The blue Nidoran smiled a little, but the purple one glared at his new trainer.

    ¡°How are you going to keep their names straight?¡± Jen asked, as she looked at the two creatures. ¡°You''ll drive yourself nuts when you call one but get the other by mistake.¡± James thought about that; it was an issue. He checked the Pok¨¦dex; once evolved, he''d be able to refer to them by their proper names with no confusion, as long as he said -a instead of -o and vice-versa. With this in mind, he turned to the female.

    ¡°Since I caught you first, I''ll give you a nickname until you evolve. How does Blue sound?¡± The blue Nidoran considered, then smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay, then, let''s try this out. Blue, use Poison Sting!¡± Blue screwed up her face and shot a volley of glowing spikes at a nearby rock wall. The stings didn''t make much of a scratch, but James didn''t care.

    ¡°Looks like you''ve caught your first Pok¨¦mon in Kanto, James,¡± Jen said with a grin. ¡°I think you can find them in Johto as well, but that''s not important.¡± James checked his Pok¨¦Gear as he recalled Elekid and his two new Poison-types.

    ¡°Nearly seven. We''d better get to Viridian City before it gets too dark.¡± Jen nodded in assent, and they ran towards the first city of their Kanto adventure.

 50-Prime Viridian

    Viridian City was roughly the same size as Violet City, but with fewer major landmarks. The buildings were fairly uniform, and the Pok¨¦mon Centre sat in the middle of town, providing a hub for travelers and residents alike. James and Jen arrived at the Centre as the sky darkened, and quickly signed into a room before turning in. As Typhlosion made himself comfortable in a corner, the two youngsters checked their map of the region.

    ¡°So...here''s Viridian,¡± Jen said, ¡°and that little symbol next to the town means...what, exactly?¡± James checked the symbol, which looked like a small green leaf, and looked at the small guide to the Kanto gyms he''d taken from the lobby.

    ¡°It says that''s the...Earth Badge.¡± He looked up at Jen. ¡°Remember, the guide said that the Viridian Gym uses Ground-type Pok¨¦mon.¡± Jen looked worried.

    ¡°Do either of us have the team to take on Ground-types?¡± she asked. James shrugged.

    ¡°I''d put Typhlosion up against anybody, but if he went down, I''d have a fight on my hands.¡±

    ¡°And I don''t really have much besides Tentacruel. Maybe Togetic''s Magical Leaf might cause some havoc, but...¡± Jen shook her head. ¡°We may be in over our heads here.¡± James yawned as he shrugged again.

    ¡°We''ll train a little in the morning, then head over to the Gym and find out what''s up. Right now, we need to rest.¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning, both youngsters had a light training session before starting to walk over to the Viridian Gym. Jen was muttering to herself about how she would mix in Tentacruel and Togetic''s moves to fully take advantage of the type matchups, while James contented himself with looking at the buildings they passed. They were a lot more modern than the ones in his home town, with an almost bland, utilitarian feel to them. Even his own house seemed elaborately built compared to these...

    ¡°What?!¡± Jen''s shout jolted James from his trance. He looked over, and saw that they''d arrived at the Viridian Gym. Jen was glaring at a sign on the door, which was locked.

    ¡°It says the Gym''s closed until further notice. Just like the Olivine Gym was when...¡± Jen''s frustrated groan cut him off.

    ¡°This is ridiculous! We travel all this way, get some good training in, and then the place is closed! It''s Olivine City all over again!¡±

    ¡°Without the out-and-back trip to another town.¡± James added, trying to calm Jen down. ¡°It''s fine. We''ll just go back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, ask Nurse Joy what the story is with the Gym, then find the next town and head there. No need to get bent out of shape over it.¡± Jen looked at him impatiently, then relaxed.

    ¡°I guess so. It''s just a bit jarring, you know? We did travel a long way just to hit a roadblock.¡± As they walked back to the Centre, James reasoned about their chances at this stage.

    ¡°I mean, I definitely don''t have the personnel to go after certain types. It''s probably for the best that we''re gonna take on a different Gym first.¡± They walked through the Centre''s double doors, and waited for Nurse Joy to finish directing one of her Chansey before asking about the Gym.

    ¡°You two aren''t the first trainers to ask about it,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°The Viridian Gym has developed a bit of a reputation for high Leader turnover. We must have gone through four or five different Leaders in the past few years. A couple of high-level championship contenders, somebody drafted in from another region, even an Elite Four member took control at one point. The original Leader was even rumoured to be a crime lord, which wouldn''t lend itself to consistent availability.¡±

    ¡°How do you go from Gym Leader to professional criminal?¡± James asked no-one in particular as the two youngsters returned to their room. ¡°That seems like...a bit of a stretch?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Jen replied. ¡°I''d rather be a Gym Leader, honestly.¡± She looked at James, who was fighting to keep his face straight, and punched him lightly on his right shoulder. ¡°Hey, you would too! Aren''t you familiar with the phrase ''crime doesn''t pay''?¡± James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Then why do they end up with really nice cars all the time?¡± Jen groaned at her friend''s poor attempt at humour, and they reached their room moments later.

    <hr>

    Even though it wouldn''t be as dramatic a backtrack as their run from Olivine to Mahogany, both youngsters opted against a trip south to Pallet Town. Because of the more straightforward track of the Kanto region, they were sure to pass through the small hamlet sooner or later. Instead, they planned their trek north, through the Viridian Forest, and eventually to Pewter City. A few days later, they were underway, traversing the relatively calm Route 2. The route was similar to Route 22, flat and relatively open. It took them less time than they thought it would to reach the Viridian Forest gatehouse, where a watchman handed them another map.

    ¡°This brochure shows the best path through the forest, as well as the Pok¨¦mon you can find here. And make sure you keep a tight grip on your belongings; trainers have been known to lose valuable items in the undergrowth.¡± Jen took the brochure and thanked the watchman, and the pair followed Typhlosion into the forest. The tree canopy wasn''t quite as thick as the Ilex Forest''s, but the grass was much longer, making it much easier to trip on twigs and rocks. James considered using one of Typhlosion''s Fire attacks to clear a path, but Jen shot him down instantly.

    ¡°No way are you burning the forest down just for an easier trip. We''ll just have to make the most of things.¡± Undaunted, she continued picking her way through the undergrowth, leaving James to grumble and follow. As they reached a clearing, a small figure was directing a small brown creature with long ears and a bushy tail. A ruff of lighter fur circled her neck. As James and Jen came closer, the trainer was revealed to be a girl with light brown hair that reached down below her shoulders. She was much shorter than Jen, wearing a white short-sleeved jacket over a pink t-shirt, denim shorts and white sneakers that looked almost new. The girl urged her Pok¨¦mon on, as if chasing something.

    ¡°C''mon, Eevee, we''ve almost got it. Just a little longer and we can get out of here...¡± As she instructed her Eevee, James stepped on a stray branch, and the resulting snap brought the attention of both girl and Pok¨¦mon on them. The girl''s red eyes widened as she spotted them. ¡°Don''t I remember you two from somewhere?¡± James and Jen looked at one another, Jen''s eyes narrowing.

    ¡°I think I do...¡± she murmured, as James gave a noncommittal shrug. The other girl''s face broke into a smile as she saw Typhlosion.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I''m Stephanie! Don''t you remember me? I saw you guys at the Pok¨¦mon Centre in Goldenrod City, right?¡± Stephanie looked at James. ¡°Your Typhlosion was still a Quilava then, wasn''t he? And you...¡± her expression faded a little as she looked at Jen. ¡°Do you still have that Elekid?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jen answered, her eyes narrowing further. Stephanie shuddered theatrically before turning back to James.

    ¡°Eevee and I are trying to track down a Caterpie. Can you help us out? We want to get out of here before it gets too dark.¡± James gave Jen a sidelong glance; she had her arms folded, but made no move to stop him, and he shrugged.

    ¡°I guess so. Where did you last see...?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just over here,¡± Stephanie answered, pointing to a small alcove. ¡°Eevee''s been following its trail for a while now. Once we''ve taken away any escape routes, we''ll catch it easily.¡± Typhlosion grinned, eager to join the chase. James put a hand on his back.

    ¡°Steady, pal. Just help follow, don''t get too involved.¡± He turned back to Jen, who gave him a look that said if you have to. He gave her an apologetic grin, then followed Stephanie and Eevee towards the Caterpie''s hiding spot.

    <hr>

    Fifteen minutes later, everything kicked off. A green Bug-type with a yellow underside and red antennae between its eyes inched out of the grass, and Stephanie''s Eevee had pounced, chasing it towards a dead end to their left. Typhlosion set himself up behind the Evolution Pok¨¦mon, ready to shepherd the worm back towards its pursuers. Caterpie turned to face Eevee, its fear obvious in its large black eyes.

    ¡°Eevee, Tackle it!¡± As Eevee charged, Caterpie screwed up its eyes, and a nasty smell permeated the area. Eevee put her paws over her nose, and James felt his eyes water from the stench. Stephanie had both hands over her lower face. Caterpie began moving away from Eevee, but saw Typhlosion and cowered again. Eevee took advantage of the distraction and slammed into Caterpie, knocking it back towards the dead end. James looked over at Stephanie.

    ¡°Quick! Before it makes another run for it!¡± Stephanie squeaked in protest, but then found her voice again.

    ¡°Bite attack, Eevee!¡± Eevee darted in at Caterpie and bit down on its tail, causing it to squirm in pain. ¡°Okay, I think we''re ready!¡± Stephanie took out a Pok¨¦ball and threw it underhand at Caterpie. The ball struck the worm on its side, and it was drawn inside in a flash of red light. The ball shook several times, then pinged, signalling a successful capture. ¡°Yeah! Way to go, Eevee!¡± Stephanie ran over to the ball and picked it up, then swept Eevee up and hugged her.

    ¡°Well done,¡± James said, scratching Typhlosion''s ears. Stephanie put Eevee down and smiled at both of them.

    ¡°Thanks for your help. I might not have been able to stop Caterpie from escaping otherwise.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± James turned to leave, but Stephanie blocked his path. ¡°Uh, what''s up? I''m gonna go find Jen and keep moving.¡± Stephanie''s expression flickered, but she brightened instantly.

    ¡°I''ll come with you! I need to follow the main path back to the entrance anyway.¡± James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°The entrance? Aren''t you traveling through to the next city?¡± Stephanie shook her head as they started to walk towards the path.

    ¡°I''ve got a...well, my dad wants me to travel around, but I hate crawling through bushes and stuff, so a...friend of mine is chauffering me around the region.¡± James'' eyebrow went up even further.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Jen was scrabbling through an even thicker patch of brush, not really sure what she was looking for, or why she was doing so.

    ¡°Stuck-up, vain little...¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°First she insults my Pok¨¦mon, then James falls for her act and follows her like a...no, don''t say that. James would help almost anybody. I can''t let her get to me...¡± As she wandered further, she spotted a small yellow bug wandering through the brush, eating as many leaves as it could reach. Its body was segmented, each one resembling a ball the colour of brown mustard, with small reddish feet on most of them. It had a white horn on its head, a similarly-coloured stinger on the end of its tail, and two black eyes sitting above a prominent nose. Jen quietly reached for a Pok¨¦ball and let Togetic out. The Happiness Pok¨¦mon squealed in delight, but desisted when Jen shushed her. She took out her Pok¨¦dex and turned down the volume control before training it on the bug.

    ¡°Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°Weedle eats copious amounts of leaves in this stage of its development, and uses a strong poisonous sting to deter predators.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Jen said as she stowed the device, ¡°we just have to be careful, then. Togetic, up, then hit it with a Magical Leaf.¡± Togetic swooped into the air, took careful aim, then fired a volley of glowing leaves at the Weedle. The leaves cut at the Hairy Bug''s body, and it turned with a furious expression on its face. ¡°O-kay, we''ve made it mad. Keep moving!¡± Togetic swooped back and forth, but Weedle kept following her with its small eyes. When Togetic stopped to recover for a moment, Weedle launched itself in the air with a force Jen didn''t think was possible, aiming its head stinger at Togetic''s stomach. ¡°Dodge that, and use Magical Leaf again!¡± Togetic barely avoided the attack, and knocked Weedle to the floor with another shining barrage. Weedle bounced a few times before turning to face Jen. ¡°Oh, boy. Now it wants to sting me.¡± Before Weedle could attack, though, Togetic had plummeted headfirst into the bug''s back, flattening it to the ground. ¡°Thanks, girl! I''ve got it now!¡± Jen tossed a Pok¨¦ball at Weedle, and it was sucked in easily. Three shakes and a ping later, Weedle was caught. As Jen went to retrieve the ball, it glowed brightly before disappearing. ¡°Right. I already have six Pok¨¦mon with me, so I have to switch somebody out when I get to a Pok¨¦mon Centre.¡± She patted Togetic''s head as she flitted in the air near her shoulder. ¡°Hey, can you help me find James and Typhlosion. We''ve got to get moving.¡± Togetic flew up high, and Jen followed her towards the main path.

    <hr>

    As Jen reached the intersection where she''d left James, she saw him emerging from a clearing to her right, Typhlosion and Stephanie behind him. She recalled Togetic, and folded her arms as she waited for the others to arrive.

    ¡°...defeat the purpose?¡± James was asking Stephanie as they approached.

    ¡°Trainers spend half their time in the mud and dust, chasing down Pok¨¦mon instead of maximizing their training time. Wouldn''t you prefer to spend more time training than walking?¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°I don''t think so. It''s good exercise, and there''s plenty of time to train along the way.¡± He spotted Jen, and headed over to her. ¡°Hey! What''ve you been up to?¡±

    ¡°Spent some time in the brush. Caught a Weedle.¡± Jen watched Stephanie cringe again. ¡°What? Going to insult that one, too?¡±

    ¡°You know what Weedle evolves to, right?¡± Stephanie asked. When Jen shrugged, Stephanie squeaked in disgust. ¡°Weedle is the first form of Beedrill! As in, nasty toxic bug with big stingers!¡± Jen almost laughed at the look on Stephanie''s face.

    ¡°So, in other words, it''ll be of some use in battle eventually. Why, what does a Caterpie evolve to?¡±

    ¡°Butterfree! Elegant but strong!¡± Jen openly scoffed at this pronouncment, and James stepped between the two girls as they glared at one another.

    ¡°Alright, enough. Can''t we just agree to disagree here?¡± When neither girl spoke, James sighed. ¡°Jen, we''d better get moving.¡± Stephanie pouted as Jen relaxed.

    ¡°You sure you don''t want to come with me? It''ll be easier than spending weeks at a time on the road.¡± James shook his head.

    ¡°I told you, I prefer the grind of it all. Plus, Jen and I are watching each other''s backs out here. I appreciate the offer, but I''ll be okay.¡± Stephanie looked disappointed, but nodded.

    ¡°Okay. Thanks for your help with Caterpie. I hope I see you again soon.¡± Before either James or Jen could react, she had given James a quick hug, made a face at Jen, and darted off with her Eevee towards the gatehouse. Jen scoffed again.

    ¡°She''s enough to drive anyone up a wall,¡± she said. James shrugged.

    ¡°I don''t get her. She doesn''t like the travel aspect, but is willing to crawl into a forest to catch a bug?¡±

    ¡°Either way, she may want to see you again, but I really hope we don''t.¡± James started to laugh, then stopped when he saw the look on Jen''s face.

    ¡°Let''s...just keep moving towards Pewter City, huh?¡± Jen nodded, and she, James and Typhlosion started back along the path through Viridian Forest, intent on reaching the next city.

 51-Fight at the Museum

    The rest of the trip through Viridian Forest went slowly. The dense undergrowth made their footing uneven, and both youngsters came close to tripping multiple times. The only Pok¨¦mon that appeared anywhere nearby were beginner form types like Caterpie and Weedle, although the odd Pikachu darted among the branches of low-hanging trees.

    James spent much of the time in transit working with both his Nidoran, trying to get them up to speed. Blue, in particular, preferred a dodge-and-counter style of fighting, and a scan of her moves indicated that she preferred biting attacks over others. The male Nidoran, however, was much more direct; his Double Kick had already caused Elekid some discomfort, and James was counting on him to take on a big role in upcoming matches. As a result of the fight that had led to the Poison-type''s capture, James had had to separate Nidoran and Elekid twice, since the pair had a tendency to cross the line with each other in training.

    Jen, meanwhile, had managed to figure out the transfer function on her Pok¨¦dex, but wasn''t able to access the storage system through the device. Annoyed, she reasoned that they must have to connect to a mainframe and establish access to their Johto-based Pok¨¦mon. Unable to train with Weedle, she contented herself with building up Pichu''s strength, culminating in her almost knocking Togetic out with a much stronger electric blast than Jen had anticipated. Panicking slightly, Jen recalled both team members, and resolved to wait until they were closer to a Pok¨¦mon Centre to practice.

    Eventually, they worked their way free of the densest foliage, and were soon on their way out of the forest altogether. The last stretch of Route 2 was similar to the opening part, and Jen noticed a large mound of earth near the side of the road leading to Pewter City.

    ¡°What is that, d''you think? Some kind of Pok¨¦mon''s lair?¡± James opened his Pok¨¦Gear map to check.

    ¡°It says that''s...Diglett''s Cave. From the map, it looks like it''s an underground tunnel to another town.¡±

    ¡°Wanna check it out?¡± Jen asked, looking for a path. The pair of them searched the entire side of the road, but the only path to the cave was blocked by a thick copse of trees. Unable and unwilling to burn their way through, the two youngsters continued up the path, and soon found themselves in Pewter City.

    <hr>

    The city was a little bigger than Viridian, with many of the smaller houses built from a kind of dull grey stone. A spacious community garden sat on the southeast part of town, with gardeners spraying Repel over the various plants. As James and Jen walked towards the Pok¨¦mon Centre, James stopped short, nearly causing Jen to crash into him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jen asked, stepping back.

    ¡°I thought I saw...something,¡± James answered. ¡°It looked like the guy turning the corner over there...the pattern on his clothes looked familiar.¡± Jen shrugged.

    ¡°I think you''re seeing things.¡± They entered the building, checked in, and entered their room. James looked puzzled as Jen shut the door.

    ¡°Thought you were going to transfer one of your Pok¨¦mon so you could start training with Weedle.¡± Jen shook her head.

    ¡°The only Pok¨¦mon that can give me a real edge in the Pewter Gym is Tentacruel, and I can''t transfer him yet. I''ll do everything once I''ve got the badge.¡±

    ¡°What about Golbat?¡± Jen shook her head, and James tried again. ¡°Doesn''t Elekid have the moves to take on Rock-types?¡± Jen rolled her eyes.

    ¡°I don''t want to make things difficult on myself. I don''t have your team''s attack power, so I have to take any advantage I can get. Once we clear the Rock-type gym, I can start working through other type matchups.¡± James nodded and conceded the point, and the pair of them began planning their stay in Pewter.

    <hr>

    Among the places of interest in Pewter City was the museum, and James and Jen decided to go visit. Unfortunately, Typhlosion would have to return to his Pok¨¦ball in order to tag along, so James gave him a choice: either he could bear the ignominy of being confined for a couple of hours, or he could sleep in the room and wait for them. Typhlosion indicated that he''d prefer the second option, so fifteen minutes later, James and Jen were walking towards the museum without him at their heels. A smiling young woman greeted them at the entrance.

    ¡°Welcome to the Pewter Museum of Science.¡± She scanned their trainer cards, then continued. ¡°Our museum has two main exhibits: Prehistoric Terrors, and Wonders of the Stars. The second floor includes a video explaining how we got the replica of a spacecraft into the museum. Please enjoy your visit.¡± The two youngsters thanked her, and they turned to one another once they''d left the foyer.

    ¡°So...which exhibit do you want to see first?¡± Jen asked. James considered.

    ¡°You know, I''m keen to see the space stuff. The fossils can wait.¡± With that, they climbed the stairs and emerged into a room with walls painted to look like visitors were actually in outer space. Another room held the massive replica of a space shuttle, with lines of visitors entering and exiting the craft via a side hatch. Jen, to James'' mild surprise, was fascinated by the streamlined craft.

    ¡°To think they managed to get one of these into space all those years ago. I''d be interested to go up in one of these.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± James answered. ¡°Imagine the amount of training you''d have to go through just to get on it, though. Even more than Johto fighter pilots do, I''d say.¡±

    Further on, an interactive display demonstrated James'' point, explaining all the various skills that a shuttle crew had to have, mostly having to do with fixing satellites. They skipped the section where the displays showed a shuttle exploding, but enjoyed the area where various pieces of tech carried by the shuttle sat in a roped-off area.

    The last room of the exhibit was dedicated to moon rocks and meteorites. In pride of place was a massive black rock on a raised platform, a spotlight shining overhead. The light reflected off the shining patches on the rock, as if bits had chipped off and exposed its insides. Jen looked at the information card near the platform.

    ¡°It says this is a meteorite that fell on Mount Moon decades ago. It''s believed to be a...Moon Stone?¡± She shrugged, then read on. ¡°Exposure to a Moon Stone is necessary for certain Pok¨¦mon to evolve. No kidding,¡± she said, as she turned to James. ¡°I think using one this big would be overkill, don''t you? You could break it up and use it on a lot of Pok¨¦mon.¡± James shrugged too.

    ¡°It must here because it''s a record size. I know others exist, but none this big. Where would you carry it?¡±

    ¡°You''d need a lot more muscles,¡± Jen giggled, and James couldn''t help but laugh as they headed for the stairs and the ground floor exhibits.

    <hr>

    Prehistoric Terrors turned out to be all about Pok¨¦mon fossils and the creatures that had been revived from them. James immediately bypassed a replica skeleton of a Kabutops, since he was already too well acquainted with the real thing than he was happy to be. Jen was intrigued by a spiral-shaped shell in another display, whose card listed it as an Omanyte.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°They can revive an Omanyte with just the shell?¡± she asked no-one in particular. ¡°I''d imagine the rest of it wouldn''t be fossilized.¡± A nearby docent overheard her and nodded.

    ¡°Omanyte and Omastar are unique among prehistoric Pok¨¦mon in that their shells are the only part of them that were left behind to become fossils...or at least, among the ones that lived in Kanto. Fossils from other regions may be formed from something other than bones or shells.¡±

    ¡°That''s pretty cool.¡± Jen and James finished their tour of the museum by observing the massive replica skeleton of a flying creature with rows of jagged teeth, named as an Aerodactyl. ¡°Man, imagine reviving one of those. You''d have a time keeping it under control.¡±

    ¡°With enough training, it''d be pretty tough to beat, though,¡± James replied, staring at the skeleton''s empty eye sockets. He could just imagine using one of these monsters, tearing through the league with little effort. Grinning, he turned towards the exit.

    <hr>

    As they left the museum, James thought he saw something move around a nearby corner. Motioning for Jen to stay where she was, he darted towards the corner and peered around. Five figures stood next to a door marked Employee Access Only. Four of them wore black shirts with desert camouflage pants, while the fifth wore a grey jacket over his shirt. The back of the jacket bore a three-toed foot insignia. James didn''t need the insignia, or the spiked white hair, to recognize the interlopers. He ducked back around the corner, where Jen waited with her arms folded.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± she asked, frowning. James shook his head.

    ¡°I just saw five Team Triassic members crowding around a back entrance. Their Admin is with them. I knew I saw one of them yesterday.¡± Jen''s frown intensified.

    ¡°Then let''s get out of here. Everything goes wrong when we tangle with Team Triassic.¡±

    ¡°But they''re probably going to break into the museum. It''s full of fossils and who knows what other stuff they might want to steal.¡±

    ¡°Then let''s get museum security, or the police. This place must have cameras everywhere.¡± Jen said in an exasperated voice. ¡°James, you''re not going to take out Triassic single-handed.¡±

    ¡°That''s right,¡± James answered. ¡°You''re going to help me.¡± Jen shook her head.

    ¡°You go running in blindly if you want to. I''m going for help.¡± James shrugged, then peered around the corner again. The Admin was talking to two of the larger men.

    ¡°...and make it quick. This must be swift and decisive. Dr. Rexel''s notes must be recovered before some fool of a docent reads them, or puts them on display for all to see. Our mission would be ruined, and our plans exposed.¡± The largest grunt nodded, and made to force the door. ¡°No, you fool! Do you want the entire museum security force on us?¡± He ordered the four others out of the way, then banged hard on the door. A few seconds later, a man in a lab coat opened it, looking confused.

    ¡°Who''s hammering on the...¡± The Admin was on him in an instant, stifling the man''s cry of surprise. Moments later, he had dragged the unconscious body behind a row of trash bins, then returned to the now-open door.

    ¡°Let''s move.¡± He motioned everyone inside, then let the door swing behind him. James sprinted for the door and stopped it from fully closing, hoping with all his might that none of the Triassic members would turn and see him. Nobody yelled or attacked, so he slipped through the door and into what looked like a storage room. Rows of metal shelves held either massive pieces that must have been part of past exhibits, or else clearly marked boxes for smaller items. A large shipping crate was leaning against a wall. James looked around, then saw two doors, one marked Main Foyer, and the other marked Archives. He figured the Triassic members must have gone into the archives, so he headed through that door, constantly looking around for his enemy.

    The archives were housed in an even larger room, also lined with shelves. There were boxes of carefully sorted data drives, and several bookshelves held binders full of hand-written notes. He spotted the Triassic members searching a small shelf marked R-Z, and he hid behind a larger shelf so they wouldn''t see him. After fifteen minutes, the Triassic Admin took a binder and a data drive from the top shelf.

    ¡°We have it. We must hope that none of these fools have read the notes before archiving them.¡± The Admin clenched a fist, and the others formed up. They walked calmly toward the exit, and James froze and held his breath. The men walked back into the storage room, and James waited for the door to bang closed before running full tilt out of the archive.

    ¡°Hey!¡± a voice shouted, and he froze again. Another museum worker in a lab coat was running towards him. ¡°What are you doing back here? This area is off-limits to museum guests.¡±

    ¡°You just got robbed!¡± James shouted, pointing to the entrance to the storage room. ¡°A bunch of guys took a data drive and a bunch of notes. Their leader mentioned something about a Dr. Rexel.¡± The man frowned.

    ¡°Dr. Mack Rexel, of Rexel BioTech? He''s one of the pioneers of fossil regeneration technology. We were going to feature his notes in the Prehistoric Terrors exhibit.¡±

    ¡°Well, those guys just stole them. They''re part of a gang called Team Triassic, and they''re dangerous.¡± The man looked skeptical, but nodded.

    ¡°I''ll call security. You see if you can catch up, or see where they''re going.¡±

    <hr>

    As James banged through the storage room door, he saw flashing red and blue lights at the front of the museum, and the Triassic members standing defiantly in front of them. The Admin looked ready to fight, and he''d let his Kabutops out to menace the police.

    ¡°One more chance, tough guy!¡± a tinny voice shouted from a megaphone. ¡°Surrender and this''ll all end okay!¡± James heard the Admin laugh.

    ¡°Surrender? Don''t deceive yourself. We do not surrender.¡± James sprinted past them, and the Admin shouted. ¡°You''re here to meddle in our affairs again, are you?¡± He motioned to his Kabutops. ¡°Take him.¡± James heard gasps as the Kabutops bent to spring at him, and he whipped out a Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Elekid, let''s go!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon grinned as he squared up to Kabutops, sparks emitting from his horns.

    ¡°No fire rat today, kid?¡± one of the grunts snorted. The Admin silenced him with a raised arm.

    ¡°Do nothing without my orders. This one is mine. Kabutops, Aqua Jet!¡± Kabutops surrounded its body with water and rushed Elekid.

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s sparking arm met the top of Kabutops'' head, and both were forced back. ¡°Now, Thunderbolt!¡±

    ¡°Slash!¡± Kabutops dodged the bolt and cut at Elekid''s body with its bladed forearms. Elekid snarled as he turned to face the enemy.

    ¡°ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid''s fist glowed yellow as it swung hard at Kabutops.

    ¡°AncientPower!¡± Kabutops'' body glowed violet, and several heavy rocks materialized from nowhere. The first blocked Elekid''s hook, and a second knocked him back down.

    ¡°Don''t let up! Another ThunderPunch!¡±

    ¡°Mud Shot!¡± Kabutops shot a blue glowing projectile at Elekid, but the Electric-type dodged it and connected with an uppercut, sending the fossil Pok¨¦mon staggering back. The blue bolt splattered mud across the ground. ¡°Stay focused and use Slash!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s sparking fist met Kabutops'' blades, and both were knocked to the floor. As both Pok¨¦mon recovered, a new sound met everyone''s ears: a rapid whuppa whuppa whuppa that caused all the combatants and their audience to look up. A blood-red helicopter was hovering into view, and a rope ladder descended towards the Admin. He smiled as he recalled Kabutops.

    ¡°So sorry to end our game so early,¡± he said, grabbing hold of the ladder as it reached him. ¡°Unfortunately, my mission does not involve further spats with children. By all means, try your hand if we meet again.¡± The ladder began to ascend as the helicopter climbed.

    ¡°Boss!¡± yelled one of the grunts. ¡°What about us?!¡± The Admin gave them a smile that was anything but apologetic.

    ¡°My apologies, friends. But to win a game of chess, one must sacrifice a few pawns. Fret not, though, friends! When Triassic rules a reverted world, you will be remembered as some of the many who made it happen.¡± With that, he dashed up the ladder, and the helicopter raced away in an indeterminate direction. Officers rushed to take the four remaining Triassic members into custody, and James moved towards the line of cars, hoping to find Jen. A hand grabbed his shoulder, and he jumped. A large officer was standing right behind him.

    ¡°Easy, son.¡± The voice was calm and measured. ¡°Your friend came and got us just in time. She''s waiting by my squad car. We need to ask you two a few questions¡ªstandard procedure, you understand¡ªthen we''ll let you go back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre.¡± James nodded, and motioned Elekid over. He recalled the Electric Pok¨¦mon, then followed the officer to where Jen stood waiting. She had her arms folded again.

    ¡°That was really dumb of you,¡± she said quietly. James'' face fell.

    ¡°I''m sorry. I thought it would take too long to get help.¡± The officer smiled.

    ¡°Well, you two can work things out once we get back to the station. Any information you have on these thugs will be immensely helpful.¡± He motioned them to enter the car, and they followed several others back to the Pewter Police headquarters.

 52-Rock Around the Brock

    A couple of hours after the museum scuffle, James sat in a conference room across from the officer who''d brought them to the station. Jen sat in the hallway outside with another officer; she hadn''t been as involved as James had, so her interview had been very short. Since they were still underage, the Pewter Police had contacted their families to let them know the situation and ask permission to question them. Fortunately, Matt Enfield had answered the call, and approved James'' involvement. Emma Richards had scolded her daughter for not informing her of the Triassic threat sooner, but also agreed to let Jen talk to the police. Since James had actually been involved in the incident, his interview lasted a lot longer.

    ¡°So, these Team Triassic guys were after...what, exactly?¡± the officer asked, checking the recorder on the table. James coughed a little before starting.

    ¡°Something about notes. Their Admin said if anyone read them, their plans would be wrecked.¡± The officer nodded.

    ¡°And this Dr. Rexel? Do you know who he''s talking about?¡± James shook his head.

    ¡°No clue. The name sounds kind of dinosaur-ish...¡±¡ªthe officer struggled to keep from laughing at the last word¡ª¡°but I''ve never heard of the guy before.¡± The officer nodded again.

    ¡°So, let''s run through this one more time. This Admin leads a group called Team Triassic. Their goal is to...¡± He checked his notebook. ¡°...to revert the planet to the time of the dinosaurs?¡± James nodded. ¡°And these notes by Dr. Rexel outline the whole thing?¡± James shrugged. ¡°Well, as so-called evil plans go, this one is pretty out there, but we''ll stick a pin in it all the same. I''ll make sure we get the word out to other city departments and tell them to be on the lookout for this guy.¡± The officer stood up. ¡°Well, Mr. Enfield, you''ve helped us figure something out. We''ll do our best to keep those crooks under wraps for as long as we can. Thanks for the assistance.¡± James and the officer shook hands, and they walked out into the hallway. Jen and the officer sitting with her turned as they exited the conference room. ¡°Okay, Mr. Enfield and Miss Richards, you guys are free to go. Good luck with your travels.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Officers,¡± Jen said, as the two youngsters shook hands with the pair of cops. ¡°Hopefully you can catch that Triassic Admin.¡± The officers nodded, and James and Jen left the police station and returned to the Pok¨¦mon Centre.

    It was late evening when they finally returned to the Centre, and Typhlosion looked impatient when they entered their room. James walked over to the Fire-type and scratched his ears.

    ¡°Sorry about the wait, buddy. We got a little sidetracked.¡± Typhlosion growled a little, and James decided not to mention the battle with the Admin. ¡°We''ll get some training done in the morning. The Pewter City Gym is gonna be tough.

    <hr>

    Since Jen''s team was more set than James'', she agreed to take on the Gym first. She stepped up her training as a result, preparing her team to take on the Rock-types they would encounter. She was much more confident than she had been in past battles, since her team had the clear advantage for once. Of course, types weren''t everything¡ªher first match with Pryce had been a brutal lesson¡ªbut she was looking forward to the challenge.

    The Pewter Gym was a large stone building on the west side of town. Large grey boulders were supported by a rust-flecked iron frame, and a pair of double doors led to a foyer lined with rough stone pillars. A young woman sat at a desk near the entrance to the battlefield, and Jen approached with James and Typhlosion behind her.

    ¡°Um, hi,¡± Jen said, as the woman looked up from her computer display. ¡°My name is Jennifer, and I''m here to challenge the Gym Leader.¡± The woman nodded, and pressed a button next to a speaker.

    ¡°Brock, a challenger is here to see you.¡± Moments later, a tall young man walked through the battlefield entrance door. He had a swarthy face, with spiked brown hair and thin eyebrows sitting above eyes that looked permanently closed. He observed the two youngsters and grinned when he saw Typhlosion.

    ¡°A previous challenger told me you guys were coming,¡± he said. When James and Jen looked confused, he continued. ¡°Let''s see. He said he was friends with a tall kid with a Typhlosion...¡±¡ªhe nodded towards James¡ª¡°and a cute girl with black hair. That''s you, right?¡± Jen flushed and nodded as Brock pointed to her.

    ¡°Hunter said that?¡± she whispered to James, whose eyebrows had shot up at the comment. Brock chuckled.

    ¡°I may be paraphrasing a little. So, you guys came from Johto?¡± Both youngsters nodded. ¡°So, there''s two ways we can do this, depending on your team construction. If you''re using a less experienced team, I''ll use less developed Pok¨¦mon, or I can go more advanced if you''ve got a stronger team.¡± James and Jen nodded their understanding. ¡°So, which one of you is my challenger today?¡± Jen raised a hand.

    ¡°I''m Jennifer, and I''m up first.¡± She considered. ¡°I''ve still got my stronger Johto Pok¨¦mon in the team, so if you want to go more advanced, I''m up for it.¡± Brock grinned.

    ¡°All right, let''s head through to the field and get started.¡± James gave Jen a clap on the shoulder, then headed for the stands, while Jen walked through the battlefield entrance.

    <hr>

    The battlefield, like the foyer, was lined with rocky pillars, and the technical areas on the field were raised rock platforms. As Jen stepped onto hers, Brock entered and did the same on his platform.

    ¡°Okay, Jennifer, the rules are pretty standard here. We''ll each use three Pok¨¦mon, only challengers can sub, you know the drill.¡± He took out a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it onto the field. ¡°Rhyhorn, go!¡± A four-legged Pok¨¦mon with thick grey armour and a sharp horn on its nose appeared. It pawed the ground, eager for battle. Jen scanned the creature with her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pok¨¦mon. Rhyhorn''s bones are 1000 times denser than a human''s, but its low intelligence leads it to charge recklessly at its opponents.¡±

    ¡°So we''ll have to use that to our advantage,¡± Jen murmured as she stowed the device. She took out her first Pok¨¦ball and threw it. ¡°Togetic, let''s go!¡± The Happiness Pok¨¦mon squealed as she flitted towards the ceiling, and Rhyhorn''s eyes narrowed. Brock pointed to Togetic.

    ¡°You have first move, Jennifer. Let''s rock!"

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Brock

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    Jen grinned as she and Togetic eyed Rhydon.

    ¡°Togetic, dive!¡± Togetic dropped down towards Rhyhorn, who kept glaring.

    ¡°Horn Attack!¡± Rhyhorn bent its head and charged, the tip of his horn glinting. Togetic was about to get hit when Jen acted.

    ¡°Up and over!¡± Before Rhyhorn could strike, Togetic changed direction at speed and ended up right behind her opponent. ¡°Now, Magical Leaf!¡± Rhyhorn was floored by the super effective move, and got up looking furious.

    ¡°Use that rage, Rhyhorn! Take Down!¡± Rhyhorn ran towards Togetic, who looked out of reach. To Jen''s shock, it managed to leap into the air and hang in midair, then crash down into Togetic, who squealed in pain.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Togetic tried to fly away, but Rhyhorn pinned her foot to the ground with one of its own. ¡°How did it do that?¡±

    ¡°Very few trainers expect a Rhyhorn to jump like that. But it''s come in useful before, just like it has now. Rock Blast!¡± The rocky barrage slammed into Togetic, who squealed even louder. Jen''s hand made an instinctive move to her belt, but then she pulled it back.

    ¡°You can do this, Togetic! Use Magical Leaf to get out of there!¡± Togetic knocked Rhyhorn back with the glowing leaves, and flew up and well out of reach.

    ¡°Nicely done. Rhyhorn''s not easy to escape from.¡± Brock said. ¡°Rhyhorn, another Rock Blast!¡±

    ¡°Metronome!¡± Jen thought she could hear James smacking his forehead as she called the move, but she hoped Togetic could produce a counter. Togetic''s fingers waggled, and a ticking noise seemed to fill the Gym. Moments later, and a bladed wind current cut through some of the rocks, reducing the damage she took. ¡°Air Cutter? I could''ve used Golbat for that.¡±

    ¡°Rhyhorn, let''s slow her down a bit. Scary Face!¡± Rhyhorn''s eyes glowed violet, and Togetic cringed away from the fierce gaze. ¡°Okay, back at it with Take Down!¡± Rhyhorn leaped upwards again, and Togetic tensed.

    ¡°Blast it away with one more Magical Leaf!¡± Togetic screwed up her face as she released yet another volley of glowing leaves. Unable to change direction in midair, Rhyhorn was caught head-on, and it landed hard on the Gym floor, its eyes glazing over. Brock frowned as he recalled it.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    <hr>

    ¡°That was quick,¡± James said as he watched from the stands. ¡°She''s lucky Magical Leaf can''t miss, or she might be in some trouble. And if the next two can shrug it off better than Rhyhorn, or get in closer, Togetic will need to think fast.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Graveler, go!¡± Brock took out his next Pok¨¦ball, which revealed a familiar craggy boulder. ¡°Your Togetic is quick, Jennifer. Let''s see if she can avoid Graveler''s attacks. Defense Curl!¡± Graveler curled into a ball, and Jen gulped. She''d seen James do the same thing many times before. ¡°Now, Rollout!¡± The Rock-type spun quickly forward and bounced towards its opponent.

    ¡°Togetic, up!¡± Togetic raced towards the ceiling, and Graveler''s attack barely grazed her. ¡°Phew. Now we can...¡± Before Jen could react, Graveler had bounced off the Gym floor, the impact rocking the whole building, and rocketed up towards Togetic again. This time, it crashed straight into her, and she slammed hard into the floor. As Graveler plummeted to earth, Jen reached for Togetic''s Pok¨¦ball again, recalling her before she could be squashed. Jen''s breath was faster than normal as she watched Graveler slam down, leaving a big crater in the floor. ¡°Take a break, Togetic. I have a feeling I''ll need you later.¡± She looked at Graveler, whose toothy grin was as big as ever. ¡°Time to break out the big guns. Tentacruel, that''s you!¡± The jellyfish landed with the usual splat on the floor, and Brock looked puzzled.

    ¡°Tentacruel, huh? But isn''t it dangerous to use a Water-type with no water?¡± Jen shook her head.

    ¡°Nope. Watch this. Use Surf!¡± Tentacruel generated a small wave beneath his body, and floated a little above the floor. ¡°All right, now use Acid!¡± Bright green fluid sprayed from Tentacruel''s body, smoking a little as some of it spattered the floor. The bulk of the fluid landed on Graveler, who didn''t look too bothered.

    ¡°A Poison-type move isn''t going to do much to Graveler. Go after it with Rollout!¡± Graveler rolled up again and sped at Tentacruel, who floated calmly in front of it. Instead of making contact, however, Graveler pulled up short and hopped into the air.

    ¡°What the...?¡± Jen gasped as Graveler grinned down at Tentacruel. Brock''s smile grew wider.

    ¡°Let''s change things up a little. Magnitude!¡± Graveler''s landing sent shockwaves through the Gym floor, jarring Tentacruel and nearly breaking his concentration on his Surf cushion. Jen groaned as she tried to think of a counter.

    ¡°Use another Acid!¡± Graveler rolled away from the harsh fluid, and several smoking holes formed in the floor. ¡°No way! Try Waterfall!¡± As Tentacruel sped towards Graveler, Brock sprang into action.

    ¡°Magnitude again!¡± The resulting tremor was even stronger now, and Tentacruel''s cushion broke, leaving him helpless on the floor. ¡°Now, two Mega Punches!¡± Graveler rolled to Tentacruel''s prone body and lifted it off the ground. A swift left jab and a powerful right uppercut sent the jellyfish soaring through the air, and he landed with another, more decisive splat in front of Jen, his eyes unfocused.

    <hr>

    ¡°How did Graveler learn to do that?¡± James asked Typhlosion in the stands; the Fire-type tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Right, forgot you can''t actually talk. But that Graveler moves faster than mine ever did. Throwing two Mega Punches in one sequence can''t be easy.¡± He watched Jen recall Tentacruel and frowned. ¡°She''s gonna have to really reach back and generate some power now, or she''ll get overrun.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen watched Graveler roll back to its position in front of Brock''s platform and sighed. She didn''t want to repeat the same strategy over and over, but Togetic had helped her claim one victory. There was no reason she couldn''t beat Graveler too.

    ¡°Togetic, back at it!¡± Togetic squealed at Graveler, who just grinned. ¡°Let''s go back to what works. Togetic, Magical Leaf!¡±

    ¡°Stone Edge!¡± Pointed grey stones slammed into the glowing leaves, scattering debris over the field. Graveler remained where it was, while Togetic tried to avoid falling pebbles. ¡°Now, follow up with Rollout!¡± The boulder spun in place for a moment before rocketing up at Togetic.

    ¡°Up and out of the way!¡± Jen cried, and Togetic just avoided the attack. As Graveler fell towards the ground, Jen grinned. ¡°Alright, we''ve got it where we want it! Magical...¡±

    ¡°Stone Edge!¡± More pointed stones flew at Togetic, and several connected, knocking her out of the air. Togetic landed with a cry of pain.

    ¡°Togetic, hang in there!¡± Jen shouted, but saw to her horror that Graveler was in position above the Happiness Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°And now, finish this with Gyro Ball!¡± Graveler rolled up as if about to use Rollout, but a blue-white ring appeared around its body as it spun down toward Togetic. The resulting crash shook the Gym again, and Togetic lay beaten as Graveler rolled back to his starting spot.

    <hr>

    Jen''s body trembled as she pulled Togetic. Her plan had been a good one, the moves and types had added up in her favour, yet here she was, down to her last Pok¨¦mon without seeing Brock''s final choice, just like against Pryce. She began thinking quickly.

    ¡°Magmar and Golbat''s moves don''t work. Pichu''s not ready for this kind of fight. Elekid can only use Brick Break. What do I do?¡± She though for another few moments, then shrugged and took out her final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°I''m gonna go with my first team member. Magmar, that''s you!¡± The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon landed in front of Graveler and spat several embers on the ground in challenge. Graveler''s body tensed, wary of the coming fight.

    ¡°A Fire-type next? That''s unusual.¡± Brock grinned. ¡°But we''re ready for anything! Graveler, Magnitude!¡±

    ¡°Magmar, jump!¡± Magmar leaped into the air as the ground shook. ¡°SmokeScreen!¡± Thick black smoke covered the field, shielding Magmar from view.

    ¡°Don''t panic! Use another Magnitude!¡± As Graveler made to launch the move, Magmar jumped out at it from its left.

    ¡°Fire Punch!¡± Magmar slugged Graveler near its left eye with a burning fist. The flames spread across Graveler''s body, but it shook them off.

    ¡°Mega Punch!¡± Graveler tried to punch Magmar back, but she ducked the blow and slipped back into the smoke.

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± This time, a stream of fire engulfed Graveler, making it shrink back. ¡°Alright, now Smog!¡± Choking grey smoke mixed with the black SmokeScreen, and violet sparks jumped from Graveler''s body as the move hit. Brock groaned.

    ¡°Magnitude! Try to clear this smoke!¡± The impact of Graveler''s body hitting the ground did little to dissipate the thick miasma, but it did allow Magmar to leap into the air again, her eyes widening in delight.

    ¡°Okay, girl, this is it! Full power Fire Punch!¡± Magmar landed in front of Graveler, and put her full weight behind the blow. Jen watched in awe as the Fire Punch hit Graveler directly between the eyes, and the boulder was knocked back, bumping Brock''s platform and nearly making the Gym Leader lose his balance. Brock checked on Graveler, and recalled him.

    ¡°Well done. You''ve taken down Graveler at last. Your Magmar is pretty strong.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jen answered, breathing hard. Two down, one to go, she thought.

    <hr>

    ¡°Magmar''s gonna have to pull another win now,¡± James said quietly. ¡°Whatever Brock''s got in reserve, he''s ready for her now. Jen can do this, it''s just gonna be a long, hard fight.¡±

    <hr>

    Down on the battlefield, Brock took out a final Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°This last Pok¨¦mon has been my best friend since well before I took over running this Gym. He doesn''t lose often, and he won''t today.¡± Brock threw the ball. ¡°Onix, go!¡± The Rock Snake Pok¨¦mon roared as he emerged, and Magmar blew a stream of flames into the air in response. Jen gulped.

    ¡°I never did battle Hunter''s Onix, or see it fight, so I don''t know what to expect.¡± She looked at Magmar, who was staring Onix down. ¡°But we''re not scared of anything, right? We''ll take down Onix and win that badge!¡± Brock smiled.

    ¡°Then let''s get going. Onix, Tackle!¡±

    ¡°Fire Punch, Magmar!¡± The two attacks collided, and Magmar shook her fist in pain. ¡°You''re okay! Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Screech!¡± Onix took the scorching fire attack, then dropped to the ground and let out a deafening roar that generated visible distortions in the air. Magmar covered what passed for her ears as the sonic wave buffeted her. ¡°Now, Rock Polish!¡± The rocks that made up Onix''s body glowed for a moment, then faded, leaving their pitted surfaces smooth.

    ¡°SmokeScreen!¡± Magmar blew more black smoke onto the field, hiding her from view.

    ¡°DragonBreath!¡± Onix reared back and breathed a greenish vapour onto the field, cutting through the black SmokeScreen. Magmar darted around, trying to avoid the attack.

    ¡°Flamethrower!¡± Magmar''s stream of fire met the Dragon-type move, and the attacks cancelled. ¡°Okay, now use Smog!¡±

    ¡°Iron Tail!¡± As Magmar exhaled the thick grey smoke, Onix swung his glowing tail at her, striking her in the midsection. Magmar flew backward, smog still trailing from her mouth, and she landed hard in front of Jen.

    ¡°Magmar!¡± The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon shuddered as she stood up, glaring at Onix. ¡°C''mon, girl! You aren''t gonna let that snake beat you, right? Let''s dig deep and win!¡± Magmar grinned, and Jen did the same. ¡°Okay, go after it with Fire Punch!¡± As she ran towards the Rock Snake, Magmar''s body glowed bright orange, and a fiery ball of energy formed above her head and rocketed into the sky. The whole field was illuminated by the new move, and Magmar''s Fire Punch generated a roar as it connected. Onix shrank back, and Brock nodded despite his disappointment.

    ¡°It looks like Magmar''s learned Sunny Day. Her Fire-type attacks will be powered up while it''s in effect. Onix, Double-Edge! Let''s take it out fast!¡± Onix''s body took on a golden yellow glow as it sped towards Magmar.

    ¡°Steady, Magmar! Dodge that attack!¡± Magmar sidestepped the move, and Onix flew towards Jen. ¡°Grab its tail and toss it up!¡± Magmar caught the end of Onix''s tail, which nearly slipped through her clawed hands. Undeterred, she swung her arms upward, throwing Onix towards the ceiling.

    ¡°Wrong move, Jennifer!'' Onix, Double-Edge again!¡± Onix tried to increase the power of the move using its weight and momentum, but Magmar dove out of the way, and it crashed into the floor, rocking the Gym once more. Jen smiled as it fought to get up.

    ¡°Now, Flamethrower! End this!¡± Magmar''s stream of fire exploded across the field, amplified by Sunny Day, and hit Onix in the head. The Rock Snake roared in pain, then its head dropped to the ground, its eyes closed.

    ¡°No, Onix!¡± Brock shouted as the snake collapsed. After a few moments, he shook his head and recalled it. ¡°Well, Jennifer, it looks like you''ve won. That was quite the comeback.¡± Jen''s eyes widened, then she rushed out and hugged Magmar.

    ¡°Way to go, girl! I knew I could count on you for the win!¡± As she recalled her first Pok¨¦mon, Brock hopped off his platform and walked over to her.

    ¡°Congratulations on winning your first Kanto Gym match, Jennifer.¡± He held out a hand, where an octagonal grey badge sat in his palm. ¡°This is the Boulder Badge, the prize for victory here at the Pewter Gym. You''ve earned it well.¡± Jen took the badge, and shook hands with the Gym Leader.

    ¡°Thanks, Brock. It was a tough battle. We had to work hard to win that.¡± She watched as James descended to the field.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said as he reached them, ¡°way to go. You did a good job adapting your tactics.¡±

    ¡°It''s your turn next.¡± Jen answered.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said, looking at Brock. ¡°I''ve got a lot of training to do, now that I know what to expect.¡±

    ¡°Most of it,¡± Brock replied. ¡°Remember, a Gym Leader doesn''t always use the same tactics, especially if there were witnesses to the last fight.¡±

    ¡°I''ll remember that.¡± James said, and he and Jen left the Gym to rest. Tomorrow, his training would have to step up.

 53-Pewter City Punch-Up

    As soon as she reached the Pok¨¦mon Centre, Jen made a beeline for the transfer machine near the Centre''s bank of computers. Within minutes, she''d connected both hers and James'' Pok¨¦dexes to the Kanto regional network, and moments after that, Tentacruel had replaced Weedle in the storage system.

    ¡°If I need him for another match, I can just switch out, right?¡± Jen said as she looked at Weedle''s Pok¨¦ball. ¡°We''re gonna start work first thing in the morning. Weedle''s got some catching up to do.¡±

    And so, the next morning, while James prepared to take on the Pewter Gym, Jen was putting Weedle through his paces, having him battle against her Elekid. Weedle couldn''t do more than fire Poison Stings and String Shots, but her Elekid provided a moving target to help him build his accuracy. As the action died down, she tore a leafy twig off a nearby tree and put it in front of the Hairy Bug, who devoured them faster than she thought something that small was capable off. She''d have to be careful with this one; if she wasn''t, there wouldn''t be any vegetation left within a ten-mile radius.

    For his part, James focused on building Nidoran''s power. The Poison-type had already proven to be an astonishing jumper, delivering Double Kicks with tremendous force. However, even after a few weeks, Nidoran was still extremely distrustful towards James, and seemed to be holding a grudge dating back to his capture. He didn''t outright disobey orders, but he had a bad habit of glaring at James before carrying out an attack. To make matters worse, because of the nature of his capture, Nidoran had also taken a dislike to Elekid, and the pair were almost as aggressive with each other as the Electric-type often was with Ursaring. In lieu of letting the pair knock each other out, then, James had Nidoran attack the tree Jen had been pulling leaves off of, and the tree was near breaking point by the time they finished their training.

    Meanwhile, Typhlosion sparred with Blue, dodging her biting attacks while snapping off fire bolts for her to avoid in turn. The coming fight would be difficult, but James wasn''t worried. Blue definitely needed the most training, but James was confident she would pull through when she had to.

    <hr>

    Later on, James and Jen headed for the Gym, Typhlosion at their heels. The walk through the foyer was less intimidating this time, and Brock met them near the reception desk.

    ¡°Hey, you''re back.¡± he said, looking at James. ¡°So, you''re the challenger today, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s right.¡± James answered.

    ¡°Great. So, just like with your friend, I''ll adjust my team to yours.¡± James considered, then answered.

    ¡°Don''t go as advanced as with Jen. Only one of my Pok¨¦mon has heavy battle experience.¡± Brock nodded his assent, then went to prepare. Jen walked with Typhlosion up to the stands, while James stepped onto the platform that served as his technical area.

    ¡°All right, same rules as when I battled your friend yesterday. Come at me with everything you''ve got!¡±

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Brock

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    James took out a Pok¨¦ball and threw it onto the field.

    ¡°Blue, you''re up first!¡± The female Poison-type appeared on the field, hissing at Brock. The Rock-type Gym Leader gave her a stoic smile.

    ¡°Interesting start. Geodude, go!¡± A familial rock with arms appeared across from Blue, flexing its muscles in anticipation. James grinned as he prepared his attack.

    ¡°I know how to take this on. Blue, use Scratch!¡± Blue rushed at Geodude and swiped at it with her front claws, but did little damage.

    ¡°Geodude, Tackle!¡± Geodude''s attack pushed Blue back, and she snarled in discomfort.

    ¡°Don''t let up! Scratch again!¡± Geodude sat calmly as Blue''s attack hit, and Blue began to shake in frustration. ¡°Hey, relax! What''s going on here?¡± Brock''s smile faded.

    ¡°I think I can answer that. Both forms of Nidoran can have the Rivalry ability. This affects the amount of power a Pok¨¦mon with the ability is willing to apply to their attacks, depending on their opponent''s gender. In this case, it looks like this particular Geodude is a female...which is news to me, incidentally. This means that your female Nidoran is going to put a lot more effort into her attacks than if Geodude were a male. Does that help?¡±

    ¡°So Blue''s doing more damage, just because Geodude''s a girl too? That makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°You''d be surprised!¡± Jen''s voice echoed from the stands. James looked towards her, and remembered how she didn''t get along with Stephanie.

    ¡°Whatever''s going on, this could be useful. Blue, Bite attack!¡± Blue ran at Geodude and sank her sharp incisors into the Rock Pok¨¦mon''s left arm. Geodude winced as Blue started to try and shake her opponent.

    ¡°Okay, Geodude! Toss it aside!¡± Geodude swung her arm up, but Blue hung on tight with her strong jaw. ¡°Not going out quietly, huh? Fine! Geodude, Rollout!¡± With Blue still biting down on her arm, Geodude began to curl up, ready to start spinning in place.

    ¡°Not happening! Point blank Poison Sting!¡± Thin spikes shot from Blue''s body, and though they didn''t do too much damage, they caused Geodude to shrink back and allow Blue to let go. She dashed back towards her trainer and growled at her opponent. ¡°Okay! Now use Tackle!¡± Blue started running at Geodude, but the Rock-type had recovered from the previous attack, and began rolling forward. Blue wasn''t able to get out of the way, and the rolling rock hammered into her, bouncing backward. Before James could issue another command, Geodude had bounced off of Brock''s platform and rolled back into Blue, sending her flying through the air. Blue landed right in front of James'' platform, her eyes closed and her body still. James groaned before he recalled the Poison-type.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°You were solid, Blue. Take a rest.¡± James took out his next Pok¨¦ball. ¡°All right, I''m going to take the battle back right now. Elekid, let''s go!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon spun his arms as he emerged, grinning at Geodude.

    ¡°An Electric-type? Unusual choice for this Gym, but I''m sure you''ve got a plan. Geodude, Rollout!¡± Geodude, still holding momentum from knocking out Blue, sped towards Elekid.

    ¡°Protect!¡± Elekid''s body was surrounded by a shimmering dome. Geodude hit the protective field and collapsed to the ground. ¡°Now, Brick Break!¡± As Elekid''s arm sparked, he ran at Geodude, reaching it in two strides. The strike left Geodude beaten on the ground.

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s more like him,¡± Jen whispered as she watched Elekid take down Geodude. ¡°He knows he has the moves to win this match, and he''s not gonna let any momentum go away. I''d be worried if I didn''t know those guys so well by now.

    <hr>

    ¡°Onix, go!¡± The Rock Snake roared a challenge at Elekid, who simply grinned more widely and spun his arms to build a charge. James couldn''t help but grin as well.

    ¡°Elekid, Brick Break!¡± Elekid jumped at Onix, his arm sparking again.

    ¡°Rock Polish!¡± Onix''s body shone briefly, and the Fighting-type move struck. Onix shrank back a little from the attack. ¡°No worries! Now use DragonBreath!¡±

    ¡°Brick Break again, and stay close to it!¡± Elekid drove his next blow to the back of Onix''s head, and the Rock Snake''s attack dissipated in its mouth. Trying to obey his trainer''s orders, Elekid tried to balance on one of Onix''s tail segments, but the earlier Rock Polish had smoothed out its body, and he slipped and fell. ¡°Elekid! I didn''t say stay on it! We need to take away its ranged attacks!¡±

    ¡°Screech!¡± Onix took advantage of Elekid''s poor positioning by unleashing the fearsome sonic attack. Elekid tried his best to stand his ground.

    ¡°Snap out of it and use Brick Break!¡± James shouted, trying to make himself heard over the Screech. Elekid spun his arms, then leaped up at Onix again.

    ¡°Catch it and use Bind!¡± As Onix rose from the ground, Elekid slammed his arm into the snake''s chin, knocking its head back. ¡°No! Stay with me, Onix! Get it with DragonBreath!¡±

    ¡°One more Brick Break!¡± Elekid used Onix''s head as a platform to leap into the air, then plummeted towards the Rock Snake. His momentum carried him through the harsh draconic wind, and he slammed the super-effective move directly between Onix''s eyes. The impact generated a cloud of dust, and both James and Brock leaned forward to try and find their team members in the chaos. In the stands, Jen did the same.

    ¡°Onix!¡±

    ¡°Elekid!¡±

    Both Pok¨¦mon lay on the ground, neither moving.

    <hr>

    ¡°You...didn''t expect that, did you?¡± James asked, as Brock looked stunned. Both of them recalled their Pok¨¦mon and stared each other down. ¡°One on one to end it? Sounds like my kind of fight.¡± Brock took out his final Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°We''ll see. This match isn''t over by any means. Rhyhorn, go!¡± Even as Brock was releasing the Spikes Pok¨¦mon, James fired his third Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Nidoran, go!¡± Nidoran landed in front of his trainer and immediately turned angrily towards him. ¡°Hey! Focus, will you? We''ve got a badge to win!¡± Across the field, Rhyhorn pawed the ground, ready for the fight.

    ¡°Rhyhorn, Horn Attack!¡± Rhyhorn dropped its head and charged, while Nidoran continued glaring at his trainer.

    ¡°Get out of the way, and use Double Kick!¡± Nidoran turned to face his opponent, just in time to be struck by the charging Rhyhorn. ¡°Hold on!¡±

    ¡°Stomp attack!¡± Rhyhorn slammed a foot down on Nidoran, who cried out in pain.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Nidoran rolled out of the way, then ran towards the opposite side of the battlefield.

    ¡°Don''t let up! Horn Attack again!¡± Once more, Rhyhorn crashed into Nidoran, and Nidoran landed hard in front of James again. James looked down at the Poison-type, and thought he might have a way to motivate him.

    ¡°Look, I know we''re not best pals right now, but you''ve gotta step it up! We lose this, and we have to do it again! That means Blue might get hurt again, and we don''t want that, do we?¡± James still had no idea what the pair''s previous relationship had been, but Nidoran snarled and got to his feet. ¡°That''s right. A little competitive fire at last.¡± Across the field, Brock grinned.

    ¡°Rhyhorn, get ready. Line up your target, and use Take Down!¡± Rhyhorn''s charge was faster than with Horn Attack, and white streaks seemed to follow him as he rushed Nidoran. James waited until Rhyhorn was nearly on top of them, then called to Nidoran.

    ¡°Jump!¡± Nidoran pushed off with his hind legs, and soared high into the air as Rhyhorn ran beneath him. ¡°Now, just like we''ve been practicing! Double Kick!¡± Nidoran dropped down and delivered two sharp kicks to Rhyhorn''s nose, driving it down into the battlefield. ¡°Now, let''s use our own Horn Attack!¡±

    ¡°Stomp!¡± As Nidoran jabbed Rhyhorn with his horn, the Rock-type slammed a foot down on him again, and its body briefly took on a violet glow. ¡°Looks like it''s poisoned? But that''s...¡±

    ¡°Poison Point.¡± Brock said, matter-of-factly. ¡°It''s the other ability the Nidoran species has. If a move makes direct contact, there''s a chance that the user will be poisoned.¡± James looked stunned, but grinned again.

    ¡°Looks like things are looking up. Nidoran, one more Double Kick and let''s get out of here!¡± Nidoran jumped up again, and hit Rhyhorn with the Fighting-type attack. Rhyhorn slumped to the ground, and its eyes glazed over in defeat.

    <hr>

    ¡°All right!¡± James punched the air with his left fist as Rhyhorn was defeated. It hadn''t been the cleanest win, but it hadn''t been too drawn out, either, which was fine with him. He looked at Nidoran, who still had a mistrustful glare. ¡°Way to go, Nidoran. You really came through for me.¡± He recalled Nidoran, and walked to the middle of the field, where Brock was waiting.

    ¡°That was a good fight, James.¡± He held out an open hand. ¡°Your Boulder Badge. Congrats on winning your first Kanto badge.¡± James took the small grey badge and smiled.

    ¡°Thanks, Brock. You gave me a good run.¡± At that moment, Jen and Typhlosion reached him, and Brock waved them out of the gym.

    <hr>

    ¡°You relied on luck a bit there,¡± Jen said as they arrived at the Pok¨¦mon Centre. ¡°Elekid''s the biggest reason you pulled that off. I don''t know if Nidoran could have beaten Onix and Rhyhorn.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± James conceded, ¡°but he got it done. I have to start looking at different moves for him and Blue, so they can be more versatile. I don''t want to overpower the first few Gyms, which is why I''ve been focused on them and not Typhlosion. Elekid should contribute well now that he can use Electric moves.¡± As Jen headed for their room, he waved Typhlosion to follow her. ¡°Stay with her, buddy. I need to talk to one of the others.¡± He walked out to the small training area, and let Nidoran out of his ball. Nidoran glared at him as usual.

    ¡°Look.¡± James said. ¡°I know you''re not happy to be on this team, but you are, whether you like it or not. You have a lot to contribute here, but only if you''re able to work with me. I''m sure as heck ready to work with you.¡± He looked Nidoran straight in the eye. ¡°When we''re taking on the rest of the Kanto Gyms, and the Indigo Conference, I''m gonna need your power. Can you understand that?¡± Nidoran stared, then gave a small motion that James took as a gesture of assent.

    ¡°Good. Everyone''s going to rest for the next couple of days. Tomorrow, we really get to work.¡±

 54-Fly Me to Mt. Moon

    Days later, James and Jen had left Pewter City and embarked along Route 3, towards the imposing Mt. Moon. James, of course, didn''t like that they''d have to travel through the mountain''s tunnels to get to the next city, but Jen just responded with her usual teasing punch on the arm. A short way before they reached the mountain, they had stopped to train, and James was working hard with Blue.

    ¡°Alright, hit it!¡±

    James picked up a Rawst Berry from a pile he''d gathered from nearby trees and tossed it up into the air for Blue to attack. Even though she wasn''t as strong a jumper as her counterpart, she leaped up after the berry and used her Bite attack on it. Pieces of blue berry sprayed everywhere as she bit through it, making James grateful that he''d stood well back. Nidoran watched with interest as Blue landed, looking very pleased with herself.

    ¡°Way to go, Blue,¡± James said, patting her head as she approached. ¡°We''re really building up your bite strength.¡± With the Pewter Gym out of the way, James had resolved to accelerate Blue''s training so she could contribute better in battle. She hadn''t shown signs of knowing Double Kick like his other Nidoran, so he focused on developing her biting attacks. She wouldn''t have many weapons beyond her jaws even when she evolved into Nidorina, but her final evolution was when she would be able to expand her attacking threats. Of course, he''d have to find a Moon Stone first, but the next landmark in his and Jen''s Kanto travels might help him there.

    As Blue jogged back into position, Nidoran stared at his trainer. His behaviour had improved a little bit, but he still had his bad habit of looking at James before he carried out a command, throwing off their timing, and it would leave him taking unnecessary hits. James was determined to get through to the Poison Pin Pok¨¦mon, but improvement needed to happen fast if he wanted to avoid resorting to Typhlosion this early in the region. Most of Nidoran''s training had been dedicated to building his Double Kick power, as well as his already formidable jumping ability. The issue, however, was his body control while he was airborne. If Nidoran was in the air, he would be an easy target if he was facing a ranged attacker. Furthermore, when Nidoran was hanging in the air, it was a lot harder for him to aim, and the strength of Double Kick relied heavily on its user putting their full body weight behind the hit, and concentrating that force into the twin kicks. His Horn Attack also relied on concentrated force, with the added risk that it was a head-on collision. Once they found a way to maintain consistent power, they would work on lowering Nidoran''s recovery time to keep him out of danger after an attack.

    After a couple of hours, James called a halt to the training session. As Typhlosion, Elekid and Blue wandered over towards their small tent, James held Nidoran back.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, ignoring Nidoran''s spiteful look. ¡°Help me figure something out. When I caught Blue, you came flying out of nowhere. Jen brought this up, but I want you to tell me. Is Blue your mate?¡± Nidoran''s eyes stayed hard, then shook his head. ¡°Okay, then. Just a good friend?¡± Same expression, same gesture. ¡°That leaves one option. She''s your sister?¡± Nidoran looked over to where Blue was resting, and gave the slightest nod. ¡°Wow, okay. So it''s a little like Jen''s Pichu and Elekid, except that you guys really are related.¡± Nidoran''s eyes gave nothing away. ¡°That helps a lot. You didn''t want to leave your sister...or for her to leave you behind. Either way, you tried to help her out. I''ll keep that in mind.¡± With that, he walked back to the others, leaving Nidoran to think on what he''d said.

    <hr>

    Over on the other side, Jen''s training with Weedle and Pichu was paying off. Because she''d dropped Tentacruel from her lineup, her Elekid took over as Pichu''s punching bag, which had positive and negative outcomes. On the positive side, Elekid''s ability to absorb Pichu''s Electric attacks allowed her to really build up her power before unleashing it. The negative was that Elekid then had to release the stored power, not easily done with such a large group. Everyone besides Pichu had been forced to run for cover at least twice when Elekid was releasing his pent-up electricity.

    Golbat flitted between training teammates, providing a moving target for ranged attacks. The chiropteran hadn''t featured much since Jen''s elimination from the Silver Conference, and she was doing what she could to make up for his lack of use. He''d added a new move to his arsenal, upgrading his Air Cutter to the more powerful Air Slash. James had also made future plans for Golbat to help Blue learn Poison Fang when she was ready. A last concern was that Jen knew that Golbat had a further evolution, but she didn''t know how to trigger it. That was a piece of research she''d have to do when she had the time.

    Togetic had surprised Jen with another new move: Extrasensory. The Pok¨¦dex listed the attack as one that the Togepi line could learn through breeding, and it would give her an extra offensive move to supplement her Headbutt and Magical Leaf. Her real skill, though, was her elusiveness. Consistent dodging of Magmar''s and Elekid''s ranged attacks had made her much quicker in the air, and she had developed the ability to stop dead in place before rushing off in any direction, disrupting attempts to try and aim ahead of or behind her in flight. She was still fragile, but taking hits wasn''t her game, and Jen would continue to rely on her quick flying to keep her in battles.

    Jen''s real project, however, was Weedle. He''d already grown several times bigger since his capture, having eaten almost every leaf within reach everywhere they stopped, and was beginning to wrap himself in his own String Shot without anyone telling him to. The bug''s true power wouldn''t be available until he made it all the way to the Beedrill stage, but Jen was working him hard to try and accelerate the process. He might not be an early threat in battle, but she was ready to throw a scare into her opponents once he was ready to go.

    <hr>

    There was a small Pok¨¦mon Centre at the foot of Mt. Moon, used as a waypoint for trainers traveling between Pewter and Cerulean City. After dropping their Pok¨¦mon off for a quick once-over, James and Jen sat at a small table and checked a brochure about the Mt. Moon caves.

    ¡°So...it looks like it''s fairly straightforward,¡± James said, tracing a path with his finger. ¡°There aren''t a lot of Pok¨¦mon that we can''t handle in there, so we should be okay.¡± He paused before he continued. ¡°It''s also a place where we can find a Moon Stone, but we''ll have to go fairly deep in the cave to find any.¡± Jen gave him a skeptical look.

    ¡°You''re going to go digging around in a cave? You hate caves.¡±

    ¡°I''ll survive. If it''s anything like Union Cave back home, it''ll be lit, and if we run into anybody along the way, maybe they can tell us where we might find any Moon Stones.¡±

    ¡°And you need a Moon Stone because...¡±

    ¡°Both Nidoran lines reach their final forms with them. Not sure why. And thanks to somebody being loyal to their family,¡± he said as he nearly reached for Nidoran''s Pok¨¦ball, ¡°I''ve got to double up on them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I remember asking about that when you caught them. You finally found out, huh?¡± James nodded.

    ¡°I did, yeah. Turns out Blue is his sister. What a surprise.¡± Jen gave him a half-annoyed look.

    ¡°It''s cute in a way, you know? Nidoran wanted to protect his sister, it makes sense.¡± James'' return look was one of exasperation.

    ¡°But if he doesn''t get over himself, he''s going to get slammed. He still won''t stop glaring at me every time I give him an order. As if I knew what the story was when I caught Blue...¡±

    ¡°That''s part of being a trainer, though, right? Working through any difficulty?¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°I guess.¡± He looked back down at the map of Kanto that lay open next to the Mt. Moon brochure, and checked the area near the eastern side of Route 3. A red arrow pointed to Cerulean City, but only in one direction. ¡°What do you think that means?¡± Jen checked the map carefully.

    ¡°It looks like once we pass a certain point, there''s no going back. We''ll have to make absolutely sure that we''ve gotten everything done that we need to before crossing that point.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn''t be too hard. Everything I want to find is in the tunnels.¡± Jen nodded and heard a chime. ¡°That''ll be our Pok¨¦mon back from their checkup. Ready to head out?¡±

    ¡°As I''ll ever be.¡± James folded the maps and put them away, and the two youngsters headed back to the counter to collect their teams and start the trek through Mt. Moon.

    <hr>

    As predicted, the cave was fairly well-lit. Colonies of Zubat were nestled in dark alcoves, while the odd Geodude dropped from the walls with dull thuds. Typhlosion walked in front of James and Jen, ears perked up for any sign of trouble. Jen was tempted to let Golbat out, but decided not to in case the Zubat reacted to his presence. There were few people in the upper cave, which didn''t surprise Jen at all. If any treasure hunters were around, they''d be in the lower tunnels. As they descended a ladder to reach the lower levels, they saw a man with dark hair picking through a small heap of rocks.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°See if he knows where to find your Moon Stones,¡± Jen said, lightly pushing James'' shoulder. James shrugged and approached.

    ¡°Um, excuse me, but, er,¡± he said, trailing away. The man turned and looked at him.

    ¡°Oh, hello there,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Looking for something? I can help you find just about anything in these tunnels. Been digging down here for years.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± James said, fighting the urge to glance at Jen. ¡°How about a Moon Stone?¡± The man''s smile faded a little, and he turned away briefly, talking to himself.

    ¡°Always with the Moon Stones, trainers. I keep telling them they''re not exactly ten a credit...¡± He recovered himself and turned back to James. ¡°Down the furthest end of the tunnel, there''s a pretty well-excavated cavern. That''s your best bet of finding one. It''s funny, I had a young woman around your age in here the other day, also looking for one. I''ll tell you, she was going after long odds.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Jen asked, moving closer.

    ¡°Well,¡± the young man said, ¡°one of the Pok¨¦mon documented in the Mt. Moon caves is Clefairy. The problem is, they''re one of the rarest Pok¨¦mon out there, and they don''t like strangers. Only time they ever come out in numbers is at the full moon, and that''s not for a week at least. Unless she comes back and finds the right spot, she''s out of luck.¡±

    ¡°Guess so,¡± Jen agreed, looking at James. ¡°Did she at least find the Moon Stone?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. Wouldn''t have helped her unless she found a Clefairy. The Moon Stone is one of the few evolutionary stones that Eevee don''t react to.¡± The man frowned at the look that crossed Jen''s face. ¡°Something wrong? You look all hot and bothered all of a sudden.¡± Jen recovered herself.

    ¡°N-no, nothing''s wrong. I just feel like I know who you''re talking about.¡± She turned back to James. ¡°Well, we''d better get digging. Thanks for your help, mister, er...¡±

    ¡°The name''s Miles. And it''s no trouble, I''m happy to help out fellow miners. Let me know if you find anything.¡±

    ¡°I don''t believe it,¡± Jen muttered as she and James headed in the direction Miles had indicated. ¡°Of all the people he could''ve seen, it had to be her.¡± James frowned.

    ¡°C''mon, don''t let it bother you. She''s not here, right?¡±

    ¡°No, but can you see the issue here? There''s something going on with her, I know it. She says she hates getting dirty, but then she''s rummaging around in caves?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she''s tougher than she wants to let on?¡± Jen let out a derisive shout of laughter.

    ¡°Ha! No way! D''you remember her in the Viridian Forest?¡± Jen put both her hands together under her chin, and her voice rose to a desperate simper. ¡°Oh, pleasepleaseplease help me catch this bug that I''m too scared to chase after myself! I wanna travel and train but not put any effort into it!¡± James blinked as Jen''s expression returned to normal.

    ¡°You have got to get that girl out of your head, Jen. Or at least make her pay rent in there.¡± James turned and headed towards a large rock pile, while Jen put her hands on her hips.

    ¡°C''mon, not even a laugh?¡± she said, then groaned and followed him.

    <hr>

    James spent what felt like several hours digging through various rock piles to try and find at least one Moon Stone. Jen helped, but came up with nothing, and James was ready to give up after finding nothing in the fifth pile he searched.

    ¡°I mean, this can''t be the only place on the planet to find one, right? If there''s a better place to look, I''ll just search there.¡± As they got up and looked for the ladder back to the upper floor, Jen noticed a light at the end of a small, out of the way tunnel.

    ¡°Hey, look at this,¡± she said, stepping closer. James followed her, looking wary.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± he said. ¡°If there''s a colony of Zubat living in that tunnel, they won''t be happy with us if we disturb them.¡±

    ¡°The tunnel''s lit, though. Zubat prefer the dark.¡± Jen edged towards the tunnel, carefully trying to get a look down it. ¡°It looks like there''s...some kind of metal cabinet at the end.¡±

    ¡°Metal cabinet? What would one of those be doing here?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± Jen answered, now stepping into the tunnel itself. ¡°You want to take a look?¡±

    ¡°Just as long as we don''t wake anything up,¡± James replied, following her down the tunnel. The tunnel opened into a small cavern. It looked like some kind of research station, with various pieces of scientific equipment scattered around. A computer monitor had a display showing what looked like Mt. Moon''s summit, where a small cottage was visible. Various cabinets held file boxes and rock samples, including smooth black chippings from...

    ¡°Here''s something,¡± Jen said, interrupting James'' thoughts. ¡°Some kind of science notes.¡± She and James looked at the top page of a yellow notepad. The ink was smudged in places, possibly from damp in the cave, or else the writer hadn''t been too careful with his arm placement.

    Jun 12, the notes began. After three weeks, ~ has designated Mt. Moon as a Priority Yellow Site. Team resources will be placed in caverns within the month. Fossil excavations have proven scarce, however. Further research necessary. Contact with Oceanspray Facility patchy; no explanation given. Orders are to continue as normal. Recorded by S. Raymond, Scientist.

    ¡°Priority Yellow? Team resources?¡± James looked through the note again. The name of the person responsible for these odd orders was blacked out, and none of the other parts made any sense to him.

    ¡°Who''s S. Raymond?¡± Jen asked, looking at the name at the end. ¡°The person who wrote this note? His handwriting could be better...¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry that my writing is illegible,¡± said a voice behind her, and she and James both jumped in surprise. A man who looked to be in his mid-thirties with light brown hair and glasses was standing at the entrance to the tunnel they''d followed, a lab coat over his shoulder. ¡°It often looks like that when I''m in a rush.¡± He looked them over. ¡°And who are you two, anyway? Why are you in my research cavern?¡±

    ¡°We, er,¡± Jen said, looking to James for help, but he shrugged. ¡°We saw the light coming from down the tunnel, and we wanted to check it out. We''re sorry to intrude.¡± The man blinked, then a small smile crossed his face.

    ¡°It''s no matter. Curiosity is the most important quality in a scientist, so why get mad at you for indulging yours?¡± He waved a hand towards the equipment. ¡°I am Seymour, and I research rare stones and Pok¨¦mon. My...ah, benefactors, for lack of a better term, have stationed me here to help them find and collect Pok¨¦mon fossils. You know what fossils are, I''m sure?¡±

    ¡°Better than I''d ever hoped,¡± James murmured. ¡°So, you search for rare stones? Do you know where to find a Moon Stone?¡± Seymour looked at James with interest.

    ¡°Well, it''s become increasingly difficult to find them in the caves. They tend to be close to the summit.¡±

    ¡°Figures,¡± James said.

    ¡°But the summit is where I''m going, after I collect some notes. Would you two like to accompany me? I''m sure you could find what you''re looking for there.¡± James and Jen considered, then Jen nodded.

    ¡°Okay, we''ll go with you, Seymour. Maybe we can help you with your research, too.¡±

    <hr>

    It turned out that Seymour''s ¡°benefactors¡± had built a much more sophisticated ladder system in this hidden series of caverns, one that linked the underground research station to the one at the summit. In what seemed like no time at all, James, Jen, Typhlosion and Seymour had arrived at a flat area of ground with a large pool near the side.

    ¡°Welcome to Mt. Moon Square. At least, that''s what I call it,¡± Seymour said as he pulled himself up the last few feet. ¡°I use this station to observe the skies at night, and to try to find the elusive Clefairy.¡±

    ¡°Why them?¡± Jen asked. ¡°I heard about another trainer searching for a Clefairy. What''s so great about them?¡±

    ¡°The rumour,¡± Seymour replied, looking up towards the sky, ¡°is that Clefairy is originally from outer space. Specifically, they arrived with the meteorite found at the Pewter Museum.¡±

    ¡°That giant Moon Stone?¡± James asked, also looking up. Seymour nodded.

    ¡°Indeed. It used to reside right up here, but they moved it to the museum at great expense and effort. They say that Clefairy still gather here at the full moon and perform a ritual dance near that pool over there.¡± He pointed to the pool on the far side of the square. ¡°Of course, that''s just rumour and speculation. In four years of being stationed here, I haven''t been quick enough to see them.¡±

    The group approached the pool. The surface was still, and it didn''t look deep at all. James looked at Jen.

    ¡°You know, if the meteorite crashed here, bits of it might have broken off and stayed at the bottom.¡± Jen shrugged.

    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± James put his bag down, then dropped onto his stomach and crawled to the edge of the pool. Typhlosion backed away, not wanting to get splashed. Jen crossed her arms, watching James scrabble around for anything. Twice, he came up with regular stones, which he tossed back into the pool, rippling the surface. On the third try, though...

    ¡°You''ve got something?¡± Jen asked, as James plunged his arm into the pool again, all the way up to his shoulder. He got a firm grip, then removed it, his left arm and sleeve dripping water. He had grabbed what looked like an obsidian shard the size of his hand.

    ¡°Goodness!¡± Seymour cried as James pulled himself up. ¡°You''ve found one! You''ve found one!¡± James held the stone out to Seymour.

    ¡°Can you just confirm that real quick? I want to make absolutely sure.¡± Seymour pulled a magnifying glass from his coat pocket and examined the stone, muttering scientific gibberish as he did so. After a few moments, he stowed the magnifying glass and handed the stone back to James.

    ¡°It''s true, my friend. You''ve found a bona fide, certified Moon Stone!¡± James grinned, and turned to Jen.

    ¡°So, I found one.¡±

    ¡°But you need two, right?¡± Jen asked. ¡°Unless it''ll work twice?¡±

    ¡°Something like that. Can you send out Golbat?¡± Jen released the Bat Pok¨¦mon, and James placed the Moon Stone on a big, flat rock.

    ¡°Golbat, I need your help. Can you use Air Cutter to split this stone in two?¡± Golbat chittered, and everyone moved back. A few air blades later, the stone was cut down the middle. James stowed both halves in his bag.

    ¡°Will it work properly after that?¡± Jen asked skeptically. James grinned.

    ¡°Can''t imagine it won''t. Didn''t most Moon Stones break off from the original meteorite anyway?¡± James turned to Seymour. ¡°Thanks for your help, Seymour. We''d still be rummaging around in rock piles if we hadn''t run into you.¡±

    ¡°No thanks necessary, my friend. I''m always happy to help fellow researchers along their way. And if you ever find yourself back here, remember to call on Seymour the Scientist!¡± James and Jen shook hands with Seymour, then headed back down the ladder to the main caves, ready to continue their journey.

 55-Sleepless in Cerulean

    As James and Jen left Mt. Moon Square, Seymour the Scientist hurried into the small house that sat close to the small pond. Inside, there was more scientific equipment including a telescope. Seymour ran to a small radio set near the far window and keyed it.

    ¡°Raymond paging Administrator. Scientist Seymour Raymond paging Administrator Cade, do you copy, over?¡± A few moments passed, then the radio crackled, and a quiet but fierce voice emitted from the speaker.

    ¡°Administrator here. What is it this time, Seymour?¡±

    ¡°Two kids just found our research station. They found my note referring to Mt. Moon''s designation as a Priority Yellow research site. Over.¡± Silence from the other end at first. Seymour looked nervously at the radio dial, wondering when was the last time he''d tuned it properly.

    ¡°First of all, spare me the radio lingo. You are a Scientist, not an air traffic controller.¡± More silence, then... ¡°Did they see anything else? They didn''t know what the station was being used for?¡±

    ¡°I, ah...¡± Seymour felt his face grow hot. ¡°I told them that we were doing fossil research here. Nothing more.¡±

    ¡°You...¡± the Administrator''s voice rose for a moment, but then he seemed to compose himself. ¡°And you made no mention of who you work for? They didn''t mention our organization in passing?¡±

    ¡°No, sir. Why would they? Do they know who we are?¡±

    ¡°If my current suspicion is correct, possibly. Otherwise, we may be safe.¡± The Administrator paused, then continued. ¡°Continue with current operations, Scientist. Await my orders and be ready to move if necessary.¡±

    ¡°As ordered. I shall make the necessary arrangements, Administrator. Otherwise, I shall continue as normal. Seymour out.¡± As Seymour walked towards the house''s small living area, he thought he heard a snarl of anger from the radio speaker.

    <hr>

    The Mt. Moon tunnels turned out to be more complex than either James or Jen had imagined. Each turn seemed to lead them down a dead end, and James nearly hit his head twice as they encountered low ceilings. Typhlosion scouted for the entry points for lower levels of the caves, which was imperative; neither James nor Jen felt like falling down any holes.

    Typhlosion''s presence also kept away a lot of the Pok¨¦mon scuttling through the caves. Once, however, a Paras, combination Bug- and Grass-type creatures with large foreclaws and mushrooms growing from their backs, approached them, but was scared away simply by Typhlosion igniting his fiery ruff. Another Paras drove them back from a promising-looking tunnel by unleashing a cloud of spores into the air, forcing them to double back and try another route.

    ¡°Why didn''t we just blast it?¡± James asked, as they wandered down another tunnel. ¡°Typhlosion could''ve barbecued that thing easily.¡±

    ¡°I saw beyond it, it was another dead end,¡± Jen replied. ¡°And I don''t think we want to be breathing those spores, anyway.¡±

    After several hours, they finally found their way to the exit but, predictably, it was blocked. This time, a rail-thin teenager with a curtain of dark hair stood in their path.

    ¡°Hold it!¡± he said, as he watched them approach. ¡°You wouldn''t be carrying any fossils, would you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± James said, eyeing him with suspicion. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°All fossils found within this vicinity belong to me,¡± the boy said, grinning. ¡°You aren''t the first people to try and abscond with one of these rare, precious...¡±

    ¡°Oh, grow up!¡± Jen said, impatiently walking past him. ¡°Do you really pull this on everyone who goes by?¡± The boy blinked.

    ¡°Um, yeah. The Cinnabar Island research lab pays a lot for rare Pok¨¦mon fossils. I made a thousand credits once, when I found one of the biggest Dome Fossils ever.¡± He grinned. ¡°But I''m rambling. You guys sure you haven''t got any fossils on you?¡±

    ¡°We already told you we don''t,¡± Jen said, tapping her foot as she waited by the exit. ¡°There''s probably a lot near the other end of the cave, why don''t you go look there?¡±

    ¡°And dig up those fossils myself? No way! I''d rather convince people to hand them over after they''ve already done the work.¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Jen''s face went scarlet as she struggled to hold her temper down. ¡°So you''re just a bully and a thief, then?¡± The boy put a hand to his heart in mock pain.

    ¡°I''m stunned. You''d accuse an innocent guy like me of thievery? I prefer to call it...¡±

    ¡°I don''t care what you call it,¡± Jen cut him off, taking out a Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Let''s have a battle. If I win, you''re going to stop bothering people who just want to get through the cave.¡±

    ¡°And if I win?¡± the boy sneered. Jen returned the look with interest.

    ¡°I won''t lose, so there''s no need to speculate. Let''s go.¡±

    ¡°All right, then.¡± The boy tossed out a Pok¨¦ball, and a creature resembling a violet ball with small vents across its body emerged. Its mouth hung open in a vacant expression, and this particular creature''s eyes stared in opposite directions. Beneath the sagging mouth, what looked like a white outline of a skull sat above a similarly-coloured X-shape. Yellowish gas emitted from the protrusions across its body. As Jen sized the creature up and Typhlosion moved towards cover, James took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan the new opponent.

    ¡°Koffing, the Poison Gas Pok¨¦mon. This Pok¨¦mon stores multiple varieties of toxic gas inside its body, and combined with its thin skin and careless demeanour, this makes Koffing prone to explode without warning.¡±

    ¡°Gotta be careful,¡± Jen mused. ¡°One false move and the whole cave goes boom.¡± She tossed out her own Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Golbat, let''s go!¡± The blue chiropteran chittered as he emerged, staring at his opponent with distaste. One of Koffing''s eyes focused on him, while the other stared resolutely in another direction. ¡°Okay, let''s open with Confuse Ray!¡± Golbat''s eyes glowed red, and a distortion appeared in front of Koffing''s eyes.

    ¡°Gyro Ball, Koffing!¡± As if the Confuse Ray hadn''t worked, Koffing spun like a top and was surrounded by a blue-white light. It followed up by ramming hard into Golbat, who flew up towards the ceiling to regroup.

    ¡°Air Slash!¡± Golbat generated what looked like a ball of wind above his wings, then flapped forward to push the attack at Koffing. Koffing took the hit and continued to stare absently at Golbat. ¡°C''mon, hit it again!¡±

    ¡°Protect!¡± As another ball of wind sped towards it, Koffing generated a shimmering sphere around its body, blocking the hit. ¡°Now, Thunderbolt!¡±

    ¡°How can it use Thunderbolt?!¡± Jen cried, as Koffing fired the familiar electric blast towards Golbat. The attack wasn''t a direct hit, but was enough to force Golbat to fall a little in the air. ¡°Okay, we''ve got to finish this real quick. Smack it with Wing Attack!¡±

    ¡°Gyro Ball!¡± Koffing spun towards the onrushing Golbat, and the attacks met in midair. Golbat''s strike sent Koffing plummeting towards the ground. Jen smirked.

    ¡°Okay, let''s end this! Air Cutter!¡± Golbat fired a bladed wind current that cut at Koffing''s body, forcing it down to the ground. The gaseous Poison-type seemed to deflate a little as it landed. ¡°Looks like we won.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± her opponent cried, looking anguished as he called to Koffing. ¡°Koffing! Explode! Fill the room with gas! Do something!¡± Koffing simply lay face-down on the cavern floor. ¡°No...¡±

    ¡°I guess we''ll be on our way, then,¡± Jen said, recalling Golbat. ¡°Do yourself a favour, and just dig up your own fossils from now on.¡± With that, she walked towards the exit, a stunned James and Typhlosion following as her opponent just stared into space.

    <hr>

    ¡°What,¡± said James as they finally emerged onto Route 4, ¡°was that?¡±

    ¡°What was what?¡± Jen said, putting Golbat''s Pok¨¦ball away. James gave her a skeptical look.

    ¡°You''ve been on edge ever since we got into the cave. What''s going on?¡±

    ¡°Nothing''s going on. I just got really mad at that guy for some reason. I mean, ambushing travelers just to steal fossils off them? How much of a jerk do you have to be?¡±

    Jen remained in her bad mood the entire way down Route 4. By the time they reached a turn-off towards Cerulean City, even Typhlosion looked worried. James had given up trying to find out what was wrong, and continued his training with Blue. Unfortunately, she''d become so enthusiastic about practicing that she was now biting everything within reach. James ran out of Rawst Berries halfway down the route, and had to toss sticks for Blue to attack. The upside to this was that there was less shrapnel, but the noise from the snapping twigs irritated Jen even further.

    ¡°Can you guys give it a rest?¡± she demanded as Blue bit through her eighth stick of that afternoon. James and Blue stared at her, bewildered.

    ¡°Sure,¡± James conceded, as he motioned Blue to join the others. ¡°We''re done anyway.¡± He watched as Jen turned away. ¡°Are you sure you''re okay? Is anything annoying you besides broken sticks?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jen replied, an edge to her voice. ¡°I''ve just been...thinking. I...I got rattled by that guy in the cave. Both him and the guy who pointed us towards the Moon Stone. You know, the one who all but told us that Stephanie was...¡±

    ¡°Not her again,¡± James groaned. ¡°Jen, you''ve run into her twice, and you''re letting her get inside your head. So what if she doesn''t want to train the way we do? It doesn''t affect us.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°I know that!¡± Jen answered, stamping her foot in frustration. ¡°I just...I don''t like it when people want to get somewhere without having to do the hard work in between. That guy I battled was just taking other people''s stuff and selling it off, right? How is that fair?¡±

    ¡°But you knocked him off,¡± James responded. ¡°I got a feeling a lot of it was an act, too. I''m sure he would have let us pass if we''d just walked by. How would he have stopped us?¡± Jen''s expression remained defiant. ¡°Look, it doesn''t make any difference. We''re almost to Cerulean City, and we''ve both got the personnel to take down the Gym there. I''m pretty sure it''s a Water-type Gym.¡± Jen said nothing, and James shrugged and returned to talk to his team.

    <hr>

    A large sign stood near the end of Route 4, indicating that this, indeed, had been a point of no return in the past. However, a stairwell had been cut into the hill leading down from the route''s main path to the road into Cerulean City, meaning that trainers could traverse Route 4 in both directions, instead of being unable to return to Pewter through the Mt. Moon caves. Raising eyebrows at the outdated sign, James and Jen descended the steps and hurried down the path that led into Cerulean.

    Cerulean City was not quite as large as Goldenrod City back home, but it still dwarfed Viridian and Pewter by a considerable degree. True to the city''s name, the buildings all seemed to be coloured a light shade of blue. The Pok¨¦mon Centre was in the centre of the city this time, and James and Jen made it their first stop as usual. As they walked inside, they saw a familiar face walk towards them from a side hallway.

    Hunter Scott was a bit taller than James was, with rust-brown hair that was longer than it had been at the Silver Conference, where he''d parted ways with the Violet pair. His black eyes had dark circles under them, as if he''d been losing a lot of sleep lately. His grey shirt and dark jeans were more travel-worn than ever.

    ¡°Hey, guys,¡± he said, waving a hand loosely. ¡°Looks like you caught up to me at last.¡±

    ¡°Took us long enough,¡± Jen answered. ¡°You must''ve been traveling pretty slowly, for us to catch you here. It''s been a while since the Silver Conference.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, you know,¡± Hunter replied with another airy wave. ¡°I''ve been spending a lot of time imrpoving my team''s defensive strategy. The Conference showed me that I have to step up my game a heck of a lot.¡± He sighed. ¡°That, combined with the fact that I''m not in much of a rush to get home, and it''s been pretty slow going.¡± He looked both of them over. ¡°So, you both must have won a Boulder Badge by now. How''d it go against Brock?¡±

    ¡°I just managed to take the win,¡± James said, shrugging. ¡°I''ve all but started from scratch out here. The only Pok¨¦mon I had with me at first were Typhlosion and Elekid, but I added both Nidorans to the team too.¡±

    ¡°Both of them?¡± Hunter asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That''s kind of unusual, for someone who doesn''t specialize in Poison-types.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t have much of a choice. Blue¡ªthat is, the female¡ªwas the one I caught in the first place, but the other one didn''t want me taking his sister away, so I had to catch him too, just to get off Route 22 without any more trouble. Just what I needed, family drama to go with everything else.¡± Hunter''s expression briefly darkened at the mention of ''family drama'', but it was back to normal in an instant.

    ¡°Well, you''ll find a way to integrate them, right?¡± He turned to Jen. ¡°How about you? Did you catch any new team members?¡±

    ¡°I did. I''m training a Weedle right now.¡±

    ¡°A Weedle?¡± Hunter looked skeptical. ¡°Beedrill''s a decent option, I guess, but not one a lot of high-level trainers go for.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this one will make them re-think that,¡± Jen answered, grinning. ¡°It scared the heck out of a girl we ran into in the Viridian Forest, anyway.¡± Behind her, she could almost see James rolling his eyes at the mention of Stephanie. ¡°Gotta get him to the next stage first, though. That''s going to take some time.¡±

    ¡°Just hope he doesn''t develop into an unpredictable mess,¡± Hunter said, rolling his own eyes. ¡°I still have to watch what I say around Forretress, or else it''s duck and cover. He''s still way too eager to explode.¡±

    ¡°You might want to teach one of your team members how to use Protect,¡± James said. ¡°That''d give you some cover if Forretress goes off without warning.¡±

    ¡°That''s a thought,¡± Hunter said. ¡°The question is, who? Forretress can learn it, but that doesn''t help when he''s the one exploding.¡±

    ¡°And Protect wouldn''t cover enough area, right?¡± Jen chimed in. ¡°Unless you found a way for it to expand and cover your whole team.¡± Hunter shrugged.

    ¡°There''s also the risk that I''ll rely on it too much. Part of my style is being able to take a lot of damage, then give a solid amount back. Avoiding it with Protect wouldn''t fit my way of doing things. Maybe we just need to learn when to run when Forretress misbehaves.¡±

    ¡°Could be.¡± Jen yawned. ¡°Man, I''m tired. I guess the trip through Mt. Moon took more out of me than I thought.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°I could use some rest, too. We can check out the city and train tomorrow.¡±

    <hr>

    After a night''s sleep, James, Jen and Hunter decided to check out some of the city before lining up their Gym challenges. Primary among the city''s places of interest was Cerulean Cape, but a note in one of the Centre brochures recommended visiting in the evening, so they''d save that sight for later. Jen was interested in the Bike Shop on the southwest side of town, while James, Electabuzz fan that he was, wanted to look at the Marine Stadium, where the Starmie played their games. Hunter suggested the Cerulean Cave, but another check of the brochure indicated that it was off-limits to all but the most experienced trainers. Since the stadium was furthest from the Centre, the trio agreed to go there first, and work their way up to the Cape.

    Where Kogane Stadium in Goldenrod was a venerable, old-school venue, Cerulean Marine Stadium was a modern baseball palace. A long stairwell sat beneath the brick front entrance, and pictures of notable players were hung along the stadium walls, all wearing the team''s blue caps.

    ¡°It''s not as big as Kogane,¡± James said, as they circled the ground, ¡°but they built it a lot more recently.¡± His face darkened as he saw a pair of championship banners on a far wall. ¡°They''ve also won more titles than the Electabuzz, and they tend to beat them all the time...¡±

    ¡°Isn''t your goal to play for them someday?¡± Hunter asked, as Jen lagged behind, observing the structure. ¡°Maybe you''ll help the Electabuzz beat them.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully they won''t have to wait that long,¡± James said, as they finished a lap of the stadium and moved towards the other side of town.

    The Bike Shop was as the name implied. Rows of shining bicycles lined the inside of the building. Behind the counter, racks of spare parts towered over everything. A sign above the counter read Miracle Cycle: Serving Kanto and Johto since 1927. Though not considering buying one, Jen checked the prices on the bikes, and her eyes widened.

    ¡°A million credits, and that''s the lowest price I can see,¡± she said, walking away from a green model. ¡°I mean, it''s not like any of us need one, but it''s a little high.¡±

    ¡°I prefer walking anyway,¡± Hunter said as they left the shop. ¡°If I had a bicycle, the travel would be a little too fast for my liking.¡±

    ¡°Considering how fast we''ve moved at times, Jen and I don''t need bikes,¡± James answered, scratching Typhlosion''s ears.

    ¡°That pace has gotten us in trouble before, though,¡± Jen quipped. ¡°A bunch of people have told us to slow it down.¡±

    ¡°And we have,¡± James argued back. ¡°We''ve stopped in cities for at least three days, right?¡±

    ¡°I''d settle for five,¡± Jen muttered, as they started towards a wide bridge towards the Cape.

    <hr>

    The sign next to the wooden bridge above a rapidly-flowing river read Nugget Bridge. Hunter informed the others that occasionally, a gauntlet challenge was held on the bridge, with a golden ball as the prize. A Nugget''s only use was to be sold at a high price, so it was typical for trainers short on cash to attempt the run. As the afternoon began to fade into evening, though, the bridge was too crowded with tourists headed either for the Cape or back to the city to accommodate that kind of event.

    Nugget Bridge led to Route 25, a maze-like thoroughfare with tall trees making the direct route impossible. As they tried to find their way through, James and Hunter got into a heated argument about which direction to head in, and Jen, tired of all the antics she''d endured in the past while, ranged ahead of them with Typhlosion at her heels. Neither boy seemed to realize she''d run off, and the topic of the argument shifted to something even less relevant. Without the arguing, Jen found her way through the maze fairly easily, and managed to reach the walkway to Cerulean Cape.

    The view was fantastic. A grassy headland extended over the sea, and a tall lighthouse sat at the very edge. Jen walked to a railing on the west side of the cape and watched the sun drop in the sky, which was darkening rapidly. Typhlosion raised himself onto his hind legs and stared at the sunset himself, and Jen reached over to scratch his ears.

    ¡°It''s spectacular, isn''t it?¡±

    Jen''s head snapped around so quickly that she nearly cricked her neck. A young woman with muted green eyes and orange hair in a short bob stood nearby, having apparently approached unnoticed. Her yellow t-shirt and jean shorts reminded Jen of Stephanie''s getup, but she drove the irritating Eevee trainer from her mind.

    ¡°Um, yeah, it is. You come up here a lot?¡±

    ¡°Of course. The view up here is like nothing else in the world.¡± The redhead sighed, and looked out at the shimmering water surface. ¡°I''ve got big hopes for this place, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jen couldn''t see how this girl, not much older than she was by the look of her, could do much about it.

    ¡°Yeah. I want to make this the hottest date spot in Kanto, if not the whole world.¡± The girl looked at Jen, whose face betrayed her skepticism. ¡°A place where you''d be able to spend a romantic moment watching the sun set over the ocean.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Jen replied, looking back at the water.

    ¡°C''mon,¡± said the redhead. ¡°There''s nobody special that you''d imagine coming up here with?¡±

    ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Jen said. ¡°I''m twelve, aren''t I a little young for that?¡± The other girl''s expression was a mix of amusement and incredulity.

    ¡°No way! I had my first boyfriend at twelve, no reason you shouldn''t either.¡± Jen shrugged.

    ¡°I guess I never thought about it before. I''ve been traveling with my best friend for almost three years now, and almost all our time''s been dedicated to training.¡± She looked towards the path, and saw that James and Hunter had finally made it through the maze, though they were still arguing. ¡°That''s him, on the right, in the red shirt. The other guy''s his rival.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you''ve got two guys in your sights, huh?¡± The redhead grinned mischievously as Jen went scarlet. ¡°You''ve been traveling with the one in the red all this time?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± Jen stammered, trying to compose herself. ¡°I wouldn''t call either of them my boyfriend...¡± The other girl''s grin widened.

    ¡°Aw, c''mon. Do you at least use your feminine wiles to get them to do stuff for you?¡± Jen flushed an even deeper red.

    ¡°Feminine whatsits? And why would I want to get them to do stuff for me? James is my best friend, and Hunter''s my friend too. I couldn''t trick them into doing stuff.¡±

    ¡°You might someday,¡± the girl answered. She gave the two boys a long look. ¡°I''ll bet the one in the grey shirt is your boyfriend. The other guy doesn''t seem your type.¡± Jen nearly squeaked her response.

    ¡°Hunter? I-I mean, maybe eventually? I don''t know, it''s still too early to tell...¡±

    As the boys approached, Jen took a close look to see what in the world she was supposed to see in either of them. James'' hair was sticking up on the left side as usual, a consequence of the many times he unconsciously ran his hand through it. She supposed that was sort of cute in its way. Then she remembered the cuts along his cheek, and felt a twinge of guilt. James had, after all, saved her from having similar marks on her face, or possibly worse, if his brothers were to be believed. Hunter, she noticed for the first time, had a dusting of freckles over his nose, which she didn''t know what to make of. She had always seen him as kind of nondescript, like his battle style.

    James and Hunter finally reached the railing, and both waved a hand in acknowledgment to the redhead. She waved back, and kept looking between them and Jen, still grinning broadly.

    ¡°You guys missed the sunset,¡± Jen said quietly, refusing to look at either of them. ¡°It was really nice.¡± James looked out over the water, which continued to shimmer quietly.

    ¡°Nice view,¡± he said to no-one in particular. Hunter nodded in agreement.

    ¡°It''s the best.¡± The redhead looked at her watch. ¡°Well, I''ve got to get going. Good luck with your boyfriend,¡± she said to Jen, looking surreptitiously at Hunter as she did so. Jen screwed up her eyes in embarrasment, and Hunter looked quizzically at the other girl.

    ¡°Boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°You make sure you keep her happy,¡± the girl said to him with a giggle, and started down the path back to Cerulean. Both James and Hunter spun and stared at Jen, who was now trying to sneak away without them noticing.

    ¡°Jen?¡± James asked tentatively, ¡°What is going on here?¡±

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Jen wanted to scream, but held herself in check. ¡°Let''s...let''s just get back to the Centre, all right? I''ve had enough of things right now.¡± She started to run down the path after the other girl. Typhlosion took off after her, and both boys stared at one another.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡±

 56-Hunter at the Bat

    Nobody in the group slept well that night. Jen, unnerved and unwilling to discuss her conversation with the redhead they''d met at the cape, couldn''t stop turning in her sleep and ended up tangled in her sheets by morning. As she extricated herself, she looked down at the floor and found James'' sleeping bag empty. Reasoning that he was probably nearby, she tried to close her eyes for a few minutes longer, but eventually gave up and pulled herself out of bed. She dressed quickly and checked the time. Nearly nine, which made her double-take at the clock display. If she hadn''t slept well, how was it this late? Shaking her head, she darted out the door and headed towards the waiting area, where she saw a familiar blue-furred Fire-type hanging out near the door. James and Hunter stood just outside, apparently arguing again. Jen approached them as they turned back to re-enter the building.

    ¡°I''m telling you, it works. Eventually.¡± Hunter spotted Jen and waved. ¡°Hey. You''re finally up.¡±

    ¡°Looks like it.¡± Jen tried to smile. ¡°So, how are we going to order things this time? Last time there were three of us, James and I were on our way out of Blackthorn before you even took on Clair.¡±

    ¡°I''m going to have my battle today.¡± Hunter answered. ¡°James said he was going to go first, but then he decided that it was important for me to go first. Can''t imagine why,¡± he added as an afterthought, a knowing grin crossing his face.

    ¡°You know,¡± Jen said, ¡°it occurs to me that we''ve never actually seen you battle, unless you were up against James. We didn''t get to watch your Silver Conference match.¡±

    ¡°And I hurried you guys along before I took on Clair, if you remember. I wanted to train more before I took on that kind of heat.¡± Hunter grinned sheepishly. ¡°The truth is, I didn''t want James to see my team fight that close to the Conference tournament. If we ended up facing each other, I wanted to keep him in the dark.¡±

    ¡°And you''d have seen him battle a few times, so you had the advantage. Makes sense.¡± Jen looked to where Typhlosion was sitting, and noticed that James was now standing next to him, scratching the Fire-type''s ears. ¡°How did he get...¡±

    ¡°Must''ve wanted to slip by us unnoticed.¡± Hunter shrugged, then looked back at Jen. ¡°I guess James and I are going to have to watch each other battle a lot more often. You''d think we didn''t have a rivalry to keep up.¡±

    ¡°Maybe so. I''m technically rivals with a girl I''ve met twice, and she''s got the battle skill of a senior-citizen Magikarp.¡± Jen scowled as she thought of Stephanie. ¡°Well, it''ll be fun to see you take on the Cerulean Gym. Water-types can be tricky to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I''ve got a plan.¡± Hunter replied. ¡°It''s all a matter of carrying it out.¡±

    <hr>

    The Cerulean Gym was a domed building on the east side of town, tucked in behind a residential complex. The building was dominated by a model of a Dewgong, which sat above a fa?ade shaped like ocean waves. Blue and white striped pillars ringed the building, and a sliding door admitted the group to a wide foyer.

    As they entered the gym, three young women were walking from a small hallway off the main foyer. The hall behind them looked as if it was built as a kind of aquarium. All three had long, flowing hair in different colours, and were deep in conversation.

    "We, like, need another vacation," the one with blonde hair was saying. "It''s, like, so stressful having to run this place all the time."

    "Totally," her blue-haired companion answered. "It''s only for two weeks, what''s the worst that could happen?"

    "The gym could blow up?" A third girl, this one with pink hair, spoke up. "Who knows what kind of catastrophe a challenger could cause?" As the trio approached, Jen cleared her throat.

    "Um, excuse me?" she said. "We''re here to see the Cerulean Gym Leader." The blonde looked at her and smiled in apparent recognition.

    "Black hair and and an oversized t-shirt? I think our littlest, not-so-Sensational sister told us about you.¡± When Jen looked confused, the blonde continued. ¡°You''re the girl she met at the cape last night, right? She was talking about you for a while." She pointed to a set of double doors. "The Gym Leader''s right through there, in the pool area. That''s where battles take place in this Gym." Jen thanked her, but once she and the others went through the doors, she stopped short, making James and Hunter to have to sidestep her.

    "Wait, what?! That girl I was talking to last night¡­"

    "You mean the one going on about how Hunter was your¡­" James started, but Jen spun around and glared at him.

    "The redhead up at the cape," she said in a furious hiss. "She''s the Gym Leader?"

    "That''s right," said a voice, and a spotlight snapped on across a huge swimming pool. Standing on a raised platform was indeed the red-haired girl Jen had been talking to the night before. She looked at ease in a blue two-piece swimsuit and matching sandals, and a long-sleeved white jacket hung loosely off of her body. ¡°The name''s Misty, and I''m the Leader of the Cerulean Gym.¡±

    ¡°Nice to put a name to the face,¡± Jen said quietly, and Misty laughed.

    ¡°I''m sorry if I annoyed you last night. It was too much fun.¡± She looked the group over. ¡°So, which one of you three is the challenger?¡± Hunter stepped forward, and James and Jen started towards the stands.

    ¡°That would be me. I''m Hunter Scott, from Fuchsia City.¡± Misty''s smile widened.

    ¡°Right, I met you last night too. Okay, then. Just give me a second. HEY!¡± she shouted over Hunter''s head, towards the foyer. ¡°Can you three come in here and do your jobs, please?¡± The three girls from before walked into the pool area, each one grumbling to the other.

    ¡°Like, we''re here already...¡± groused the blonde, who moved towards a podium at the side of the pool. The blue- and pink-haired girls moved into the stands and sat on either side of the Violet pair. Typhlosion ducked out from under James'' knee and moved to a row behind him so he could see better. As Hunter got into position, the blonde addressed the room. ¡°Okay, like, this is an official Cerulean Gym match. Cascade Badge is the prize, blah, blah...¡± Misty rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Can you show a little enthusiasm, please, Daisy?¡± Daisy stuck her tongue out at her sister and continued in a singsong voice, her voice changing pitch on almost every syllable.

    ¡°Okay, sis! The terms of battle are standard Indigo Conference rules! Three Pok¨¦mon will be used on either side, and the match is over when all three of either trainer''s Pok¨¦mon are defeated! Only the challenger is allowed to substitute!¡± Daisy looked over at Misty. ¡°Is that enthusiastic enough for you?¡±

    ¡°A little too much so.¡± Misty said, then snapped her fingers. Small platforms, like the ones used at the Blackthorn Gym''s field, floated to the surface. As the final platform settled in place, Misty turned to Hunter. ¡°I like to use an all-out offensive approach with my Water-type Pok¨¦mon. Ready to go?¡± Hunter nodded.

    ¡°Let''s do this.¡±

    <hr>

    Hunter Scott

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï

    Misty

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°All right, then! Misty calls Staryu!¡± Misty''s first Pok¨¦mon looked like a brown five-pointed star, with a gold frame in the middle. In the very centre of its body, a red gem shone. It let out a shout like a martial artist as it landed, even though it had no mouth. Hunter considered before he tossed out his own Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Forretress, let''s go!¡± A combination Bug- and Steel-type emerged from the ball. His red body protruded from two halves of a dull metallic shell. His eyes glinted as he spotted Staryu. Across the field, Misty cringed, while Hunter was more focused on keeping his living bomb under control. ¡°Steady, there. We''re not ready for any pyrotechnics yet.¡± Daisy looked from Staryu to Forretress, then nodded.

    ¡°Okay, go for it!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Staryu, attack with Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu''s body began spinning like a wheel, and it sped at Forretress.

    ¡°Forretress, Iron Defense!¡± The Bagworm Pok¨¦mon closed his shell, and it shone briefly. Staryu slammed into the shell and bounced back.

    ¡°Keep up the attack!¡± Staryu began moving at lightning speed, with sparks flying on the occasional hit. The sound of the impacts rang through the gym, a reverberating clang like metal on metal.

    ¡°Use Bide!¡± Forretress'' shell glowed red, and Misty''s eyes widened.

    ¡°Break off, Staryu! Don''t let it build any power!¡± Staryu settled on a platform just in front of Misty, and she watched Forretress sit still. ¡°Okay, no direct attacks yet. Use Light Screen!¡± Staryu''s body was surrounded by a shimmering golden box, which faded quickly. Hunter frowned as the red light encasing Forretress'' body faded.

    ¡°Let''s test that out, then. Flash Cannon!¡± A metallic silver light formed in two of Forretress protruding spikes, and concentrated beams of energy shot towards Staryu. The golden light re-appeared to block most of the damage from the attack, and Staryu looked fine after the light dissipated.

    ¡°Get back on the attack! Rapid Spin!¡± Once again, Staryu began spinning and clashing with Forretress'' shell. Hunter watched the collisions for a few seconds, then acted.

    ¡°Forretress, hit back with your own Rapid Spin!¡± While Staryu continued its attack, Forretress began spinning in place like a top. The resulting collision caused an even louder noise, and Staryu was thrown back and into the pool. Misty grinned.

    ¡°Big mistake! Staryu, Power Gem on the platform under Forretress!¡±

    ¡°Forretress, use Flash Cannon to jump!¡± As a glowing violet stone exploded beneath Forretress, the bagworm used the silver beams to propel himself over to the next platform. Staryu emerged from under the water, and Hunter smiled. ¡°There it is! Get it with Flash Cannon!¡± The next Steel-type move just missed Staryu, but the wave caused by the move threw Staryu into the air. The gem in the middle of Staryu''s body began to flash, and Misty cringed again.

    ¡°Don''t give up! Use Gyro Ball!¡± Instead of using its points as an impact point, Staryu began to spin as Forretress had done, like a top. A blue-white ring circled its body, and it dove at Forretress with its top arm pointed straight between his eyes.

    ¡°Meet it with your own Gyro Ball!¡± Forretress spun just as before, a similar ring of light appearing around him. The bagworm launched himself into the air and collided with Staryu, knocking it back into the pool. Moments later, Staryu floated to the surface, face-down in the water. Daisy looked at the prone Star Shape Pok¨¦mon before raising an arm.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Staryu is unable to battle! Forretress wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That didn''t take long,¡± Jen mused as she watched the match. ¡°Forretress'' defenses were pretty solid, just like Hunter trains for.¡±

    ¡°How did all those Steel-type moves take Staryu out, though?¡± James asked, staring down at the pool. ¡°I thought Water-types resisted those kinds of attacks.¡±

    ¡°Staryu doesn''t have a lot of endurance,¡± the blue-haired girl next to him answered. ¡°It''s fast, but it can''t take a lot of hits. This Hunter guy''s gonna be trouble for our sister.¡±

    <hr>

    Misty recalled Staryu with a sad smile.

    ¡°You toughed it out, Staryu. Have a rest.¡± She turned back to Hunter. ¡°That''s a tough bug you''ve got there. Not many Pok¨¦mon can stand up to a sustained attack like Staryu''s, even a Steel-type.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°But it only gets tougher from here. Misty calls Seadra!¡± Misty''s next Pok¨¦mon was a blue sea horse that looked like it was related to Clair''s Kingdra. Its spiked fins swept behind its body, and its narrow eyes glared down its cannon-barrel snout. In the stands, Jen quietly took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan the creature.

    ¡°Seadra, the Sea Horse Pok¨¦mon. Seadra is able to control its swimming direction without shifting its body, and its barbed fins contain a paralyzing toxin.¡± Hunter grinned.

    ¡°Forretress can take hits all day. No way are you going to tire us out.¡± He turned to the bagworm. ¡°Rapid Spin!¡± Forretress began spinning in place again, waiting for Seadra''s opening attack.

    ¡°Seadra, Agility!¡± Seadra''s eyes glowed pink, and its movements became much faster. ¡°Excellent. Now, use SmokeScreen on the pool!¡± The water turned steadily darker as the concentrated smoke hit the pool''s surface. After a minute, the water was as black as the choking fumes sitting on the surface. Seadra dove beneath the water, and Hunter frowned.

    ¡°Keep your eyes open, Forretress!¡± Misty grinned.

    ¡°That won''t help you! Seadra, Hydro Pump!¡± A powerful jet of water shot out behind Forretress, slamming him in the back. Forretress only just managed to stay on his platform.

    ¡°Blast it with Flash Cannon!¡± Forretress generated more shining energy beams, but they plunged harmlessly into the black water. Hunter growled in frustration, then raised Forretress'' Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Return!¡± He breathed hard as he recalled the bagworm, and considered his next move. ¡°Got to try a different approach here. Being in the water...¡± He tossed out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Quagsire, let''s go!¡± The blue-bodied Water Fish Pok¨¦mon tapped his tail on the platform as he landed, a vacant expression on his face. Misty giggled a bit at its appearance.

    ¡°So you like Water-types too? Quagsire''s not a bad pick.¡± She looked at where Seadra was swimming just below the surface. ¡°Let''s test something here. Use Hydro Pump!¡± Water gushed from Seadra''s snout as if from a fire hose, and Quagsire shrank back. ¡°Okay, good to know. Quagsire doesn''t have Water Absorb.¡±

    ¡°That''s news to me.¡± Hunter answered. In the stands, Jen turned to James.

    ¡°What difference does that make?¡± she asked. James shrugged, but the pink-haired sister answered instead.

    ¡°Water Absorb would heal Quagsire when Water-type moves hit it. In this case, its ability is Damp, which prevents moves like Explosion from working.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense, given how unpredictable Forretress is,¡± James murmured. Back on the field, Hunter laughed to himself.

    ¡°Either way, we''re not losing. Quagsire, into the water!¡± Quagsire fell forward into the pool, and Hunter started watching the surface. ¡°Quagsire''s hearing should help it detect Seadra, right?¡± Misty shook her head in amusement.

    ¡°Not likely! I''ve trained Seadra to be nearly silent as it swims underwater. It expends so little effort, it hardly disturbs the water around it.¡± She looked down at the pool. ¡°Seadra, Whirlpool!¡± The dark water began swirling ominously, and Quagsire was pulled into the vortex as it intensified. ¡°All right! Now add to it with Twister!¡± A roaring wind joined the gurgling black water, making it feel like there was a hurricane inside the gym. Quagsire was buffeted by small bits of debris from the Twister as he fought to hold his ground.

    ¡°Quagsire! Try to break out of the vortex with Slam!¡± Quagsire thrashed his tail, but couldn''t escape the fierce swirlwind. Misty''s smile widened.

    ¡°All right, Seadra! Finish this with Dragon Pulse!¡± A turquoise sphere of energy formed at the end of Seadra''s snout. Holding the unstable-looking orb steady, Seadra waited until Quagsire was washed into its sight before unleashing the attack. Quagsire was struck directly in the midsection, and was pushed into the wall of spinning water behind him. Seadra used another Whirlpool to make him spin faster, and Quagsire was tossed out of the pool and against the wall across from Daisy. His battle was over

    ¡°Quagsire, like, can''t battle! Seadra wins the round!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°I can''t believe that,¡± James said as he watched Hunter pull Quagsire. ¡°Seadra really used the pool to its full advantage there. Quagsire didn''t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Even if you bring a Water-type into this gym, Misty will find a way to counter it,¡± the blue-haired sister told him. ¡°Of course, I taught her the SmokeScreen in the water trick...¡±

    ¡°You did not, Violet!¡± the pink-haired sister interrupted. ¡°That was me and the gym''s Octillery!¡±

    ¡°Sh-yeah, right, Lily!¡± Violet countered. ¡°You''re just mad that I''m better at improvising moves than you are!¡± As the sisters argued, James and Jen found a way to ease around them and reconvene with Typhlosion in another row.

    <hr>

    Hunter watched the pool water settle after Quagsire''s defeat. Seadra floated on the surface, glaring at him over its snout. Somehow, he had to take the pool out of the equation, but he couldn''t think of how to do it.

    ¡°Forretress, hold the line!¡± The bagworm reappeared, and Seadra''s eyes narrowed further. Misty pointed to the bug.

    ¡°Seadra, get back in the water and use Hydro Pump!¡± Intense jets of water burst from beneath Forretress, hammering into him as he spun to try and locate the seahorse.

    ¡°Get above the water and use Rapid Spin!¡± Forretress began spinning like a top again, and the surface beneath him began to distort a little. Misty''s expression faltered.

    ¡°Time to finish this! Dragon Pulse, under the platform!¡± A turquoise blast of energy exploded underneath Forretress, pushing him into the air. Before either he or Hunter could react, Seadra leaped out of the water. ¡°Alright, Focus Energy, then another Dragon Pulse!¡± A harsh light focused at the end of Seadra''s snout, then it launched another pulsing turquoise sphere. This one hit Forretress between the eyes, and the bagworm was sent plummeting to the bottom of the pool. A few seconds later, Forretress floated to the surface.

    ¡°Forretress is unable to battle! Seadra wins!¡± Hunter recalled Forretress in disappointment. He was still at a loss as to how to counter Misty''s advantage in the water. Thinking hard, he ran through his options. Most of them weren''t usable; Venusaur was too heavy, while Donphan and Steelix were bad type matchups, and also too big to use in this kind of environment; so much for his defensive tactics. Only one of his team members was of any use now. He took out his final Pok¨¦ball and hoped it would turn the match around.

    ¡°Sneasel, you''re up!¡± The black ice weasel landed softly on one of the platforms, giving Seadra a challenging sneer. Misty nodded as she prepared to strike.

    ¡°Seadra, same routine!¡± Seadra dropped beneath the surface, and Hunter grinned.

    ¡°Sneasel, Ice Beam!¡± A jagged, cold, blue-white beam hit the pool''s surface, and it began to freeze. Misty, realizing the danger, cried out to Seadra.

    ¡°Get out, quick!¡± As Seadra leaped out of the pool, Sneasel turned to face it, glee all over its face.

    ¡°Slash!¡± Unable to maneuver in midair, Seadra couldn''t avoid Sneasel''s claw attack, and it landed on the edge of a platform. Sneasel was all over Seadra in moments, delivering a rapid sequence of slashing attacks. The Sharp Claw Pok¨¦mon backflipped to another platform, drawing gasps from Misty''s sisters and a look of dismay from the Gym Leader.

    ¡°Seadra! Focus and use Dragon Pulse!¡±

    ¡°Ice Beam! Try to hit its snout!¡± As the draconic sphere formed, Sneasel shot another cold beam that managed to form ice on the front of Seadra''s snout. The sphere, unable to expand, detonated in the barrel, the resultant shockwave launching Seadra into the air. ¡°Now, finish this! Pursuit!¡± Sneasel darted back over to Seadra, and swiped at it with a red-tinged claw. Seadra crashed on its back on a platform, twitched for a moment, then lay still.

    ¡°Seadra is unable to battle! Sneasel wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°That was an unusual pick,¡± Jen said, watching the proceedings. ¡°I guess he couldn''t use anything else in this kind of gym. Doesn''t he still have Venusaur?¡± James shook his head.

    ¡°Hunter had the same problem I had with Ursaring in Blackthorn. Unless he found a way to drain the pool, he was stuck with something small and quick. He''s going to have to work hard to bring this one home.¡±

    <hr>

    Misty pulled Seadra and smiled a little.

    ¡°Thanks, Seadra. You were great out there.¡± She took out her final Pok¨¦ball and a determined look crossed her face. ¡°Sneasel''s fast, I''ll grant you. And it looks like it can give a good hit.¡± She tossed the ball onto a platform. ¡°But let''s see if you can keep up with my last Pok¨¦mon. Misty calls Starmie!¡± The ball released a Pok¨¦mon similar to Staryu, but coloured violet, and boasting a second, spinning star on its back. Its core gem, unlike its pre-evolution, was faceted. James took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan it from the stands.

    ¡°Starmie, the Mysterious Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Staryu. Its body acts as a propeller when in water, and its core emits strange signals during the night.¡±

    ¡°Looks a lot heavier than Staryu,¡± he said to Jen, who simply gave him a confused look. ¡°Sneasel shouldn''t have a problem out-maneuvering it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she replied, looking from one Pok¨¦mon to the other.

    Down on the field, Hunter signaled Sneasel.

    ¡°Get after it, Sneasel! Fury Swipes!¡± Sneasel unsheathed her claws and jumped from platform to platform, ready to strike.

    ¡°Starmie, Protect!¡± Sneasel''s rapid claw swipes were deflected by a shimmering greenish dome that covered Starmie. Misty watched until the dome dropped, then called to the starfish. ¡°Now, Thunderbolt!¡± Sneasel was blasted backward by the Electric-type move, landing on a platform several yards away. It was all she could do not to fall in the pool.

    ¡°Starmie can use Thunderbolt?¡± Hunter shouted, his eyes wide.

    ¡°That''s right,¡± Misty said, her expression triumphant. ¡°And that''s not all! Starmie, Hydro Pump!¡± The resulting jet of water forced Sneasel down into the pool, where she fought to try and escape. ¡°Now, Thunderbolt again!¡± Hunter''s breath quickened as he saw Starmie surround itself with yellow electricity.

    ¡°Sneasel, get up and out of there!¡± Sneasel barely managed to swim up and catch hold of a platform before Starmie released the attack. The impact point of the electric blast smoked slightly afterward. ¡°That''s it. Now, close the distance and use Slash!¡±

    ¡°Flash Cannon!¡± A silvery beam like the one Forretress had used formed in front of the gem at Starmie''s core. Sneasel leaped into the air and drove her body down towards Starmie, her claws ready. As Starmie released the beam, Sneasel''s attack slashed directly across the central gem, knocking Starmie backward and into the pool. ¡°No problem. Starmie''s an even better swimmer than Seadra. Out of the pool and use Hydro Pump!¡±

    ¡°Not happening! Pursuit, Sneasel!¡± Sneasel''s claw glowed red as she slashed at Starmie again. The move interrupted Starmie''s Hydro Pump, and a small crack appeared in the gem, which started to flash slowly.

    ¡°Starmie! Be careful!¡± Misty watched Sneasel land and sneer at Starmie. ¡°Okay, aim carefully and use Flash Cannon!¡±

    ¡°Dodge and use Slash!¡± Starmie released another shining silver beam, watched Sneasel''s movements, then fired. Sneasel took a running leap and jumped over the attack, landing in front of Starmie. Another swipe of her claws knocked Starmie into the pool. As the Mysterious Pok¨¦mon jumped back out, its core gem flashed more rapidly.

    ¡°We''re running out of time, Starmie! One good hit should finish Sneasel! Get it with Thunderbolt!¡± Starmie generated a cloud of electricity around its body, then fired it at Sneasel. This time, the blast hit the ice weasel hard, and she dropped to one knee in pain.

    ¡°Hang in there, Sneasel! You can handle that!¡± Sneasel forced herself back to a standing position, her sneer gone, replaced with a furious look. ¡°That''s the way. Get after it and use Pursuit!¡± Another swipe from a red-tinged claw made Starmie''s core gem flash like a strobe light. ¡°We''re getting there! Slash and finish this up!¡±

    ¡°Starmie, Gyro Ball!¡± Starmie floated upward, spun on its axis, and aimed its top point at Sneasel. The attacks collided with a thud, and both Pok¨¦mon fell into the water. Everyone in the gym stared at the pool as they saw the water ripple. Sneasel struggled to the surface and pulled herself onto the nearest platform. Starmie floated face-up, its core gem no longer shining. Misty groaned, and Daisy checked Starmie''s condition.

    ¡°Like, Starmie can''t battle! Sneasel is the winner, and Hunter is our winner! Super awesome!¡± Misty glared at Daisy, who stuck her tongue out at her sister and leaped down from her own platform. The Gym Leader shook her head and recalled Starmie.

    ¡°Thanks, Starmie. You took a beating, but you never gave up.¡± She walked around the edge of the pool, where Hunter was congratulating Sneasel. ¡°Well done, Hunter. You adapted well to the gym''s layout, and you put on a show for your girlfriend too.¡± Misty winked as Hunter stared. ¡°I''m kidding! I''m just a romantic.¡± She pressed a blue teardrop-shaped badge into Hunter''s palm. ¡°Here''s your Cascade Badge. Congrats again.¡± James, Jen and Typhlosion approached Hunter, with Misty''s other sisters bringing up the rear.

    ¡°Way to go, man,¡± James said, clapping Hunter on the shoulder. ¡°That was some battle.¡±

    ¡°Sure was,¡± agreed Jen. Typhlosion growled his own appreciation too.

    ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± Hunter said, recalling Sneasel. ¡°Of course, you didn''t get to see me really go defensive, so you''ll have to watch me battle again someday.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± James looked at Misty. ¡°I''ll battle tomorrow, Misty. I want to really put my attack style to the test.¡±

    ¡°I''ll look forward to it. See you tomorrow.¡± Misty retreated to the gym''s office, and the three youngsters and Typhlosion started back to the Pok¨¦mon Centre to rest and reload.

 57-How to Strike Out a Mermaid

    Through the afternoon and evening, James was pushing Nidoran and Blue harder than ever. Hunter''s victory hadn''t been easy, but it illustrated how far behind his rival James really was. Starting with just two team members had seemed like a good idea at the time, but Hunter still had the team he''d finished the Silver Conference with, and would probably roll through the next few gyms with ease. Not every gym would have the limitations of Cerulean''s, and he could employ his heaviest hitters with abandon.

    Blue eagerly bit through everything James threw to her. Sticks, berries, even a rock that popped up from one of her landings, she attacked them all with vigour. Her attacking moves were limited, but she''d built up her bite force to a tremendous degree; not many opponents would want to find themselves anywhere near her jaws. Nidoran, for his part, kept trying to improve his mid-air control. Seadra in particular was extremely accurate, and if Nidoran couldn''t reduce his hangtime, he would be an easy target for the sea horse. The Poison-type''s Double Kicks were shattering the rocks James tossed up to him now, forcing everyone to duck as bits of shrapnel and dust scattered everywhere.

    Off to the side, but key to the battle, was Elekid. Typing aside, he was the strongest of James'' planned lineup for the gym. He''d proven that he was nimble enough to navigate the platforms in Blackthorn City''s pool, and would put that skill to use here too. His ThunderPunch had increased in force, nearly knocking Typhlosion out cold with a left hook. James was looking forward to using Elekid''s wider set of moves, rather than just relying on Brick Break as usual. He was in a position to use his Electric-type attacks much more freely than in past matches, and that could only help.

    <hr>

    As the group approached the Cerulean Gym the next day, Jen noted the large number of people leaving the building.

    ¡°What do you think they were there for?¡± she asked as they walked through the doors. ¡°Gym matches don''t usually have such a big crowd.¡± Her answer came courtesy of some of the people walking out, who were talking excitedly.

    ¡°Did you see that flip from Daisy?¡±

    ¡°See it? You couldn''t miss it! It was perfect, I tell you.¡±

    ¡°D''you think Lily would autograph my poster?¡±

    ¡°If you can beat the rest of the crowd to her, maybe. Violet''s better-looking, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Man, that''s a cold take if I''ve ever...¡±

    ¡°Something to do with Misty''s sisters, I guess,¡± James told Jen as they worked their way through the crowds. They found the reception area, and spoke to the young woman manning the desk today. ¡°Hey, we''re here for a gym battle?¡±

    ¡°Just a second,¡± the young woman said, tapping out something on the keyboard. ¡°Okay, that''s done. You''re here for a match? I''m afraid you''ll have to wait a little bit, since the set needs to be taken down.¡±

    ¡°Set?¡± Jen asked. ¡°Set for what?¡±

    ¡°For my sisters to show off,¡± Misty''s voice said behind her, and all three youngsters and Typhlosion jumped. The Gym Leader was wearing her yellow t-shirt and long jeans today, and she looked annoyed. ¡°C''mon, we can wait in my office until the place clears out.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°My sisters,¡± Misty said, rolling her eyes as she sat down behind her office desk, ¡°are more interested in their water ballet than in actually running this gym. Of course, they never really took Pok¨¦mon battles particularly seriously anyway. They couldn''t hand me the Gym Leader title fast enough.¡±

    ¡°Then why do they stick around?¡± James asked. ¡°If they don''t like running a gym, what''s keeping them here?¡±

    ¡°Well, they''ve been doing the whole modeling and performing thing for most of their lives.¡± Misty waved an indifferent hand towards a set of framed pictures on the far wall, all of which depicted her sisters in varying outfits. ¡°This gym also happens to be the biggest indoor venue in the city...well, it''s really the only one, but that''s beside the point. I''m sure if they could flood Marine Stadium, they''d use that instead. Anyway, I''ll admit that they have a certain...flair, and their shows sell out in minutes, but it''s not really my kind of....¡±

    ¡°Isn''t that you in one of their shows?¡± Jen cut in, pointing to the picture directly behind Misty''s desk. In it, the Gym Leader was wearing an aqua-coloured mermaid costume, her red hair longer than it was now. Misty nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, it is. I mean, I''ll be part of their show on occasion, but like I said, performing wasn''t ever my thing. I was more into studying Water-type Pok¨¦mon, and I really got into competitive swimming when I was old enough. I''ve spent most of my life in the pool...not that I''m complaining.¡± She smiled as she reminisced. ¡°My dad knew I didn''t really care for performing, and he encouraged me to do my own thing. He was always my biggest cheerleader, and my toughest critic. He''s still the swim coach at the university, and they''ve won four regional championships.¡± She giggled. ¡°It''s funny. My mom is more involved with the other three and their activities, but Dad''s the one who started calling us the Sensational Sisters...¡±

    ¡°The three of us, of course. You''re not quite as Sensational as we are.¡± All three youngsters turned around to look at where the voice came from, and Misty''s smile disappeared. Daisy had entered, standing halfway in the door. ¡°Hey, Viv wanted me to tell you that, like, the pool''s back to normal and stuff, so you guys can have your battle now.¡± She grinned. ¡°Me, Lily and Violet are going to the mall. Violet wants a new clutch, and Lily saw the cutest shoes on sale at...¡±

    ¡°Hang on!¡± Misty broke in. ¡°I need you to officiate! You can''t just go rushing off to...¡±

    ¡°Just get Viv to do it,¡± Daisy retorted, checking her watch. Misty sighed in annoyance.

    ¡°Viv''s not a qualified referee yet,¡± she began, ¡°and I need her to run the reception...¡± Before Misty could finish, Daisy rushed out the door, and it swung shut with a bang. ¡°...desk.¡± Misty groaned, then rose slowly from her chair. ¡°I guess Viv''s refereeing. Whatever. It''s not like the Indigo Conference is going to do anything to us. They''ve got more important things to worry about than receptionists calling battles.¡± She moved past the group towards the door. ¡°Give me ten minutes, and we''ll get started.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen and Hunter found seats in the stands, and James told Typhlosion to join them. The Fire-type was only too glad to obey; he didn''t want to risk getting splashed anyway. As James took out his first Pok¨¦ball, the woman called Viv walked into the pool area and mounted the official''s platform. Her short green hair offset her dark eyes, which flicked from James to Misty as the Gym Leader ascended to her own platform.

    ¡°Um, okay then,¡± Viv said, sounding unsure. ¡°This is an official Cerulean City gym match! The challenger is James from Violet City, and he will face our Gym Leader, Misty!

    <hr>

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Misty

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Each trainer may use three Pok¨¦mon. The match will end when all three Pok¨¦mon on either side are rendered unable to battle. Only the challenger is permitted to substitute.¡± Deb looked at Misty. ¡°Was that all right?¡±

    ¡°It''ll do,¡± Misty said, giving her receptionist an encouraging smile. She turned to James. ¡°Well, if you''re anywhere near as good as your friend Hunter, this should be a fun match. Ready to start?¡±

    ¡°Always,¡± James answered, tightening his grip on the Pok¨¦ball in his hand. Mistys smile widened, and Viv signalled with her arm.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Misty calls Staryu!¡± The Star Shape Pok¨¦mon emerged and let out a shout at James, who grinned back.

    ¡°Just like against Hunter, huh? Should be an interesting test. Let''s go, Blue!¡± As she emerged from her ball, Blue growled menacingly at Staryu, which just stood in place.

    ¡°Okay, challenger goes first. Come on!¡± Misty called, and James nodded.

    ¡°Blue, Poison Sting!¡± Blue screwed up her face and shot a volley of toxic barbs at Staryu.

    ¡°Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu began spinning until its body became a whirling gold-ish blur, deflecting the poisonous spikes. ¡°Now, get after it!¡± It bounced into the air and rushed Blue.

    ¡°Counter it with Tackle!¡± Blue pushed off and met Staryu in midair. The two Pok¨¦mon collided, and Blue was knocked back and nearly fell into the pool. ¡°Hang on!¡±

    ¡°Keep after it, Staryu!¡± Staryu raced towards Blue again, and she looked wildly around. James pointed to the pool.

    ¡°Start jumping to the other platforms!¡± Blue nodded and leaped to the nearest platform, and Staryu splashed into the pool. As Blue jumped to another platform, Staryu emerged from the water and landed awkwardly in front of her. ¡°Bite before it recovers!¡± Blue rushed at Staryu and bit down hard on one of its arms. ¡°Awesome! Don''t let go!¡±

    ¡°Staryu, back in the pool!¡± Staryu fought to try and shake loose from Blue''s jaws, but she held on tight. ¡°C''mon, Staryu! Fight it off!¡± Staryu lurched forward, and managed to drop into the water, pulling Blue in with it. James'' eyes widened.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Blue paddled to the surface, but looked down to see a violet glow underneath her. ¡°Oh, no...¡±

    ¡°Power Gem!¡± The attack blasted Blue out of the pool, and she landed hard on a platform, breathing hard. Before she could recover, Staryu had jumped up and landed right in front of her. ¡°Okay, finish it with Swift!¡± Blue was buffeted by a series of star-shaped projectiles, and her eyes glazed over as her legs gave way.

    ¡°Nidoran is unable to battle! Staryu wins!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Blue didn''t last long, did she?¡± Jen murmured as James recalled the Poison-type. ¡°She fought hard, but Staryu was way too fast.¡±

    ¡°And she''s not the jumper that the other one is,¡± Hunter added. ¡°Harsh as it is to say, James might have to wait until she evolves to really use her in this kind of match.¡± Jen gave him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Don''t say it like that. Blue''s like her trainer. She''s determined...not to the really dumb degree that James is, granted, but she does her best. He''ll turn this around.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    <hr>

    James pulled Blue and grimaced.

    ¡°Thanks, Blue. You fought hard.¡± He took out his next Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. ¡°Let''s go, Nidoran!¡± Blue''s counterpart emerged and stared at his trainer. ¡°No, don''t look at me!¡± James pointed to Staryu. ¡°Focus! We have a match to win! Use Leer!¡± Nidoran pulled a nasty face at Staryu; the effect was impossible to tell. ¡°Now, get after it with Horn Attack!¡± Nidoran hopped between platforms as he aimed his horn at Staryu. When he was only one platform away, he leaped high into the air.

    ¡°Staryu, Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu began spinning on its axis again, and crashed hard into Nidoran before he could begin his descent. Nidoran slammed down hard on a platform, growling in frustration.

    ¡°Settle, Nidoran! Try it again!¡± Once more, Nidoran jumped up, and this time, he drove his body down towards Staryu much more quickly, reducing his time in midair. The attack hit home, and Staryu was knocked into the pool.

    ¡°Big mistake, letting Staryu back in the water. Power Gem!¡± Staryu began generating another violet energy blast, and James growled in annoyance.

    ¡°Up, and prep Double Kick!¡± Nidoran grinned, and jumped even higher than before, his hind feet beginning to glow. Staryu''s Power Gem exploded beneath the platform, and it hopped back out of the water. Nidoran chose that moment to plummet out of the air and deliver two swift kicks to Staryu''s central gem. Staryu fell onto its back, and James grinned. ¡°Okay! Now use Horn Attack!¡± Nidoran prepared to spring up again, but James shook his head. ¡°No! Just hit it on the ground!¡± The Poison-type growled before charging headfirst at Staryu. The attack jolted it back to a standing position, and the two Pok¨¦mon squared up to one another.

    ¡°Water Gun, Staryu!¡± Staryu bent its top arm and shot a stream of water at Nidoran. Nidoran sidestepped the jet and aimed another Horn Attack. ¡°Rapid Spin!¡± Nidoran was knocked aside as Staryu began spinning again.

    ¡°Easy! Focus Energy!¡± A shimmering light surrounded Nidoran, then slowly focused onto the point of his horn. ¡°All right! Get after it with another Double Kick!¡±

    ¡°Counter with Gyro Ball!¡± Staryu spun on its other axis now, and a blue-white light encircled its body. It met Nidoran''s twin kicks with a crash, and both Pok¨¦mon fell onto separate platforms. Nidoran was visibly struggling, but Staryu worked itself up, though its limbs were shaking. ¡°End it! Water Gun!¡±

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± James shouted, but Staryu''s jet of water knocked Nidoran into the pool. James, knowing the outcome, recalled the Poison-type before he was left unconscious in the water.

    ¡°Nidoran is unable to battle!¡± Viv shouted. ¡°Staryu wins!¡±

    James looked at Staryu and stared in disbelief. The Water-type had set both Nidoran down without that much of a fight. Winded as it looked¡ªit was impossible to tell when your opponent had no face¡ªit would take a big hit to put it out of commission. He reached for Elekid''s Pok¨¦ball, but hesitated to throw it. He worked to compose himself, and thought about his father''s advice. When you''re behind the hitter, he had said, don''t panic. Focus on throwing strike one. It was time to put that advice to use.

    <hr>

    ¡°That wasn''t in his plans, was it?¡± Jen watched with concern as James pulled Nidoran. ¡°I really thought Nidoran''s power would take Staryu down.¡±

    ¡°He can''t really get a solid hit in when he''s running for his life, can he?¡± Hunter replied, watching next to her. ¡°I thought he''d do better too, but Staryu''s just too fast.¡± He watched as James sent Elekid out to face the Star Shape Pok¨¦mon. ¡°He''s going to have to get a quick takedown, and hope Misty''s next picks don''t draw out the match.¡±

    Nearby, Typhlosion watched intently through the railing. Elekid had been his teammate for a while, and he knew how strong he was. He''d fought opponents multiple times his size and strength, and if he hadn''t won, he''d made them earn the victory/ Still, he''d need to put every amp he had into this fight, or James would have to do this all again.

    <hr>

    Elekid appeared on the field and spun his arms with a grin. James relaxed a little; Elekid''s constant confidence was a welcome antidote to his nerves.

    ¡°Ready to keep going?¡± Misty asked, and James nodded. ¡°Okay, Staryu, Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu spun like a wheel and rushed at Elekid.

    ¡°Sidestep, then ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid waited until the last moment, then spun away from Staryu''s attack. His right fist glowed yellow, and he punched Staryu hard in the back. Staryu flopped forward, the momentum from its own attack carrying it over the edge of the platform and into the water. After a moment, it floated back up to the surface, face down. One hit had been enough to put it away.

    ¡°Staryu is unable to battle! Elekid wins!¡± As Viv counted Staryu out, James let out a long, slow breath.

    Strike one.

    <hr>

    Misty recalled Staryu with a frown.

    ¡°Rest up, Staryu. You toughed it out like a pro.¡± She turned back to James. ¡°I''m impressed with your Elekid''s power. Staryu didn''t stand a chance.¡± Misty took out her next Pok¨¦ball. ¡°But can you keep up the pace? Misty calls Seadra!¡± The Sea Horse Pok¨¦mon glared at Elekid, who just grinned back as sparks flew from his horns.

    ¡°Let''s keep the momentum up, Elekid! Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid generated a blast of electricity and fired it at Seadra.

    ¡°In the air and use Hydro Pump!¡± Seadra jumped out of the water and shot a stream of water at Elekid. The water nicked Elekid in the side, and he staggered a little. ¡°Okay! Now Dragon Pulse!¡±

    ¡°Thunderbolt!¡± The electric blast shattered Seadra''s unstable turquoise sphere, causing a small explosion. ¡°Alright, get close and use ThunderPunch!¡±

    ¡°SmokeScreen!¡± Seadra covered the area with thick black smoke, and Elekid''s blow missed the mark. ¡°Now, Hydro Pump!¡± Elekid was hit in the side again, and he nearly fell into the pool.

    ¡°Hang in there, Elekid!¡± James called, hearing the Electric Pok¨¦mon''s frustrated yell. ¡°Gotta clear this smoke...or hope Seadra drops into the pool...¡±

    ¡°Twister!¡± Misty cried, and Elekid was buffeted by wind and debris. The tornado cleared some of the smoke, and Seadra was just visible two platforms away.

    ¡°Okay, get after it!¡± Elekid nodded and jumped to the first platform. Just as he prepared to leap to the next one, Seadra made the mistake James had been hoping for.

    ¡°Elekid, shock the pool!¡± he called as Seadra dropped into the water. ¡°Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid spun his arms, then fired his next electric blast straight into the water. James thought he could hear Seadra groan as it felt the full force of the blast, and watched it struggle to the surface.

    ¡°No way that''s finishing us! Seadra, Dragon Pulse!¡± Seadra began charging another sphere of draconic energy, but Elekid was on top of it in an instant.

    ¡°ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid''s fist glowed yellow again, and it slugged Seadra right under its snout. The uppercut sent Seadra flying back, and it landed hard on a nearby platform. Its eyes were glazed over, and its body bore scorch marks from the electric attacks. Viv observed its condition, then made her call.

    ¡°Seadra is unable to battle! Elekid wins!¡±

    Strike two.

    <hr>

    ¡°That''s quite the comeback,¡± Hunter said as Elekid finished off Seadra. ¡°I mean, okay, type advantage and all that, but Elekid''s really improved if he can take out two opponents that quickly.¡±

    ¡°He''s beaten a few opponents pretty solidly,¡± Jen replied, watching Elekid. ¡°James has the momentum now, so he''s got to make it count.¡±

    ¡°Misty''s Starmie will be a tough ask. That''s if she uses it at all. We don''t know what she''ll use next.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Man, Elekid''s strong,¡± Misty said to herself as she recalled Seadra. ¡°I''ve really got to break out the big guns if we''re gonna take it down.¡± She took out her last Pok¨¦ball. ¡°You''re doing pretty well, James. But don''t think we''re finished yet. My last Pok¨¦mon should be tough enough to beat you and Elekid.¡± She tossed the ball into the water. ¡°Misty calls Gyarados!¡± A truly massive sea serpent emerged from the water, large enough for its body to rest on the bottom of the deep pool. Elekid just grinned again; he''d beaten Clair''s Gyarados, and even though he''d lost to Matt''s Tyranitar, he''d put up a good fight.

    ¡°Okay, Elekid, let''s move! Thunderbolt!¡± Elekid''s electric blast hit Gyarados full-on, but the sea serpent barely seemed to notice.

    ¡°Gyarados, Dragon Dance!¡± Gyarados'' body swayed back and forth, and a dark red light briefly surrounded it before fading. ¡°Okay, now Aqua Tail on the pool!¡± The sea serpent''s tail fin glowed blue, and it smacked it straight down into the water. Elekid flattened himself onto his platform, holding on as water splashed over him. ¡°Okay, get after it with Tackle!¡± Gyarados rushed Elekid with surprising ease, and laid a solid hit on the Electric Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°ThunderPunch!¡± Elekid slugged Gyarados'' underbelly, but this attack didn''t seem to register either. ¡°Okay, try Brick Break!¡± Elekid''s left arm sparked, and he karate chopped Gyarados in the side; again, Gyarados seemed unmoved. ¡°Don''t give up! Brick Break again!¡± Misty grinned.

    ¡°Fighting-type moves will get you nowhere against Gyarados. Bite attack!¡± Gyarados tried to catch Elekid''s arm in its maw, but Elekid jumped away just in time. ¡°Okay, now Aqua Tail!¡±

    ¡°Protect!¡± James breathed a sigh of relief as the shimmering barrier blocked Gyarados'' attack. ¡°Now...¡±

    ¡°Headbutt as Protect drops!¡± Misty shouted, and Gyarados'' attack was timed perfectly. The Atrocious Pok¨¦mon drove its crested forehead squarely into Elekid''s face, and Elekid was knocked away, landing in the water just feet away from the next platform.

    ¡°Elekid! Hang in there!¡± Elekid struggled to get out of the water, and Gyarados slammed another Aqua Tail into the water. The Electric Pok¨¦mon was dumped onto the platform as the water formed another wave, and he got to his feet briefly, then dropped to one knee.

    ¡°Looks like Elekid''s tired out,¡± Misty said. ¡°Gyarados, let''s finish this quickly. Hyper Beam!¡± A yellow-orange orb of light formed in Gyarados'' mouth, and it aimed carefully at Elekid.

    ¡°Elekid!¡± James cried. ¡°You''ve got to hold on! I know you''re tired, but we''ve got a badge to win!¡± Elekid''s legs shook as he got up, but nearly dropped again. ¡°Hey! You''ve got this! Don''t forget all the matches you''ve won before! We just need one good burst to win this!¡±

    Gyarados released the energy it had generated, and the destructive energy beam headed straight for Elekid''s face.

    ¡°Elekid!¡±

    <hr>

    Moments later, an explosion splashed a lot of water out of the pool; Misty and James both braced against the deluge, and both were soaked when the wave subsided. As the smoke and water cleared, they looked at the impact site. Gyarados stood stock still in the middle of the pool, and standing on a platform in the now much shallower pool was...Elekid. Just like against Tyranitar, he had used Protect to block the attack, and was grinning in spite of his fatigue. His barrier dropped, and he fell to one knee again. James couldn''t believe it.

    ¡°Elekid! Can you keep going?¡± Elekid let out a defiant yell, and his body began to glow. ¡°No way...¡± Elekid''s body grew taller, and his head and body became much more distinct from one another. A long tail grew out, and his power plug-shaped horns became a pair of antennae with yellow spheres at the ends. Black stripes ran up his arms and tail, and fangs sprouted at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°Your Elekid''s evolved.¡± Misty gulped. ¡°Something tells me I''m in big trouble here.¡± Electabuzz grinned, and his horns began to spark.

    ¡°Let''s wrap this up, Electabuzz. ThunderPunch!¡± Electabuzz ran and jumped up at the immobilized Gyarados, his fist taking on its yellow glow. He delivered a ferocious overhand punch directly between Gyarados'' eyes, and the impact knocked Gyarados backwards. The sea serpent crashed into the pool, his head resting just in front of a stunned Misty. Viv waited for Gyarados to respond, but it never did. She raised her arm.

    ¡°Gyarados is unable to battle! Electabuzz is the winner, and the victory goes to James of Violet City!¡±

    Strike three. Misty was out.

    <hr>

    James'' face broke into a triumphant grin as he rounded the pool towards Misty. The redheaded Gym Leader recalled Gyarados with a sad smile.

    ¡°Well done, Gyarados. That was a tough match, but you battled hard. Get some rest.¡± She turned to James. ¡°I''ll tell you this, that Electabuzz is strong. And even though they didn''t manage to beat Staryu, both your Nidoran were difficult to take down. Keep training them, and you''ll have no trouble winning the next badges.¡± She handed him the blue teardrop badge. ¡°Your Cascade Badge. You did well to earn it.¡± She saw Jen and Hunter descending from the stands, Typhlosion close behind them.

    ¡°Good work, James,¡± Jen said, smiling. ¡°Elekid evolved just in time.¡±

    ¡°He was putting up a good fight until then,¡± James said, a little more defensively than he would have wanted. ¡°All he needed was an energy boost.¡± He took out his Pok¨¦dex to scan his newly evolved Electric-type. The device whirred a little before announcing its data.

    ¡°Electabuzz, the Electric Pok¨¦mon, and the evolved form of Elekid. Electabuzz is consistently searching out lightning strikes in order to absorb the electricity. It can also cause blackouts by consuming the electricity produced by generators and power stations.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m not going to go looking for lightning,¡± James said, a little worried, and recalled Electabuzz. ¡°Still, having Electabuzz is going to really help. With him, Typhlosion and the two Nidoran, we can cause some havoc in the next few gyms.¡± Jen nodded, then turned to Misty.

    ¡°I guess it''s my turn next,¡± she said, and Misty smiled.

    ¡°I''ll expect nothing less than your best.¡±

    <hr>

    Back at the Pok¨¦mon Centre, James dropped his team off with Nurse Joy before joining Jen and Hunter in the canteen. As she sipped her water, Jen looked thoughtfully at the ceiling.

    ¡°What''s up?¡± Hunter asked her, and she shook her head. James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Jen shook her head again, and took another sip of water before looking at them.

    ¡°I''ve decided to do something different in my gym match tomorrow.¡± James and Hunter looked at each other.

    ¡°Different how?¡± Hunter asked. Jen smiled.

    ¡°It''s beyond time for this one. Pichu''s going to participate in her first battle.¡±

 58-Pichus Big Battle

    ¡°You''re sure about this?¡±

    ¡°James, if you ask me that again, I''m going to have Pichu paralyze you and leave you here while we take on the gym.¡±

    Jen was wrapping up her training session for the morning before she headed for Cerulean Gym. Ever since she''d told James and Hunter that her plan was to use Pichu in the upcoming match, both had been questioning her decision every other chance they got. Jen was confident that Pichu was ready for this kind of battle, though, and for most of the time since they''d returned from James'' match, she''d been working hard with the Tiny Mouse, fine-tuning her electric blasts. Pichu had learned a new move, Nasty Plot, which would boost her ThunderShock''s power if she could stay out of danger.

    Along with Pichu, she''d chosen Elekid and Golbat to round out the side. Elekid was the obvious choice because of his own Electric typing, but she''d bounced between Golbat and Togetic for her final pick. Ultimately, she''d picked Golbat because his ranged attacks were stronger than Togetic''s, and even though he didn''t have her maneuverability, his raw speed would keep opponents like Staryu chasing shadows. His Air Slash was even more potent these days, and with the added wrinkle of Confuse Ray, he''d be just as influential as Elekid, just less direct.

    Jen recalled her team except for Pichu, and she scooped the Electric-type up in a hug.

    ¡°Hey, you ready?¡± she asked. ¡°Today''s your big debut, you know. You get to show everybody what you can do.¡± Pichu buried her face into the space between Jen''s neck and shoulder as a response. ¡°Hey, I know you can do it. You''ll be just fine.¡± She recalled Pichu, then turned to look at James, whose expression was skeptical. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Jen, I think this is a big risk. Pichu hasn''t been in...¡± Jen held her hand up to cut him off.

    ¡°James, I know what I''m doing. Did I question you when you kept sending Typhlosion out against Chuck''s Poliwrath?¡± James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes, you did. Several times.¡± Jen blinked, taken aback, then recovered.

    ¡°Well, this is different. First off, Pichu''s not at a glaring disadvantage like Typhlosion was. Second, I need her to catch up to my other teammates so she can contribute more. Elekid and Magmar have done the bulk of the work, and Togetic''s not far behind.¡± She paused, waiting for James to respond, then kept going when he didn''t. ¡°I''m not worried about her losing. She''ll have plenty of opportunities after this, but it''s been long enough. She needs that first match to get her moving.¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°It''s your decision. I''m just not sure it''s the best one.¡± Jen went red with anger, and James turned and walked away before she could let loose on him. Jen grumbled to herself, then tried to slow her breathing.

    ¡°Just stay calm. It''ll all turn out okay in the end. I''ll show them...Pichu will show them. She''s gonna do great, I just know it.¡±

    <hr>

    Misty was wearing her blue two-piece and white jacket again when the trio arrived at the Cerulean Gym. James and Typhlosion followed Hunter into the stands, while Jen took her place on the challenger''s stand. Daisy, looking disgruntled, had returned to officiate the match, and she didn''t even bother over-selling her enthusiasm this time.

    ¡°Okay, Cerulean Gym match, blah blah, Cascade Badge at stake, yawn. Only challenger can sub out, three Pok¨¦mon per side, yada yada yada...¡±

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Misty

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°We get it, Daisy, you''re bored. Just ref the match.¡± Misty rolled her eyes before turning to face Jen. ¡°So, your two friends have given me interesting battles. Let''s see if you can match them.¡± She tossed out her first Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Misty calls Staryu!¡± Like the previous two matches, the sea star landed and let out its martial artist''s shout. Jen grinned and threw her first Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Pichu, let''s go!¡± The Tiny Mouse emerged, took one look at Staryu...and made a flying leap back onto Jen''s platform. She scurried behind Jen''s right leg and hugged her ankle tightly, like a terrified kindergartener on the first day of school. ¡°Aw, c''mon, Pichu, not this again.¡± Jen gave Misty an apologetic smile as she knelt down to detach Pichu from her leg. ¡°Sorry about her. She''s just a little...let go, Pichu...just a little shy, that''s all.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Misty said, watching Jen struggle with the Electric-type. So Pichu scares easily , she thought. Good to know. Jen finally managed to pry Pichu''s paws off her leg and motioned her to jump back into the fight. Pichu did so, but looked back at her trainer with fear in her eyes.

    ¡°Pichu, concentrate. You''re going to be okay.¡± Pichu cried out in frustration, then turned to face Staryu. ¡°Okay, let''s get going. Use Charm!¡± Pichu''s eyes shimmered, but Jen couldn''t tell if Staryu was affected or not. ¡°Now use Nasty Plot!¡±

    ¡°Staryu, Rapid Spin! Don''t let it boost!¡± As Pichu''s frightened face became a smirk, Staryu began rotating like a wheel and sped right at her. Jen gasped as Pichu shrieked in terror.

    ¡°Get out of there! Jump between the platforms!¡± Pichu began hopping around the pool, doing her best to stay ahead of Staryu. The Star Shape Pok¨¦mon was skimming the water surface as it pursued Pichu, kicking up a spray from the pool. Eventually, it caught up and knocked Pichu down. ¡°Pichu! Before it gets away, Thunder Wave!¡± Pichu screwed up her face and shot a single bolt of electricity at the retreating Staryu. The bolt caught the end of one of Staryu''s arms, and its rapid rotation immediately slowed. ¡°Yes! See that, Pichu? You paralyzed it! That''ll make it...¡±

    ¡°Staryu, Water Gun!¡± Staryu landed in front of Misty, and fired a jet of water from its top arm. The water caught Pichu full in the face, and she nearly fell in the pool. Sparks played across Staryu''s body after the attack. Pichu struggled to her feet, and looked back at Jen.

    ¡°Keep at it, Pichu! Nasty Plot!¡± Pichu turned back towards Staryu, and her face became a smirk again as she raised a paw to her chin. ¡°All right! Now ThunderShock!¡±

    ¡°Staryu, into the pool!¡± With a major effort, Staryu dropped into the water with a splash. Jen''s eyes widened as she realized what was coming.

    ¡°Pichu, start platform hopping again! Power Gem''s next!¡± A violet glow shone somewhere to Pichu''s left as she began jumping between the platforms. Just as Pichu leaped from the platform nearest to Jen, the glow exploded upward, blasting the platform and spraying water everywhere. Fortunately, Pichu had gotten clear of the blast, but Jen wasn''t so lucky. ¡°I''m gonna need to dry out after this...Pichu, ThunderShock into the water!¡±

    ¡°Get out and use Rapid Spin!¡± As Pichu aimed her electric shock, Staryu burst out of the pool and spun straight at Pichu, crashing straight into her. Pichu was thrown back into the water, and she struggled to get back to the surface.

    ¡°Pichu, hang in there!¡± Pichu managed to clamber back onto her platform, but she shook with terror and looked back at Jen, hoping to be returned. Jen shook her head. ¡°No, you''ve got to keep going. It''s only going to be tougher later.¡± She looked at Staryu, who was struggling to stay upright. ¡°It''s feeling the paralysis. Hit it with ThunderShock!¡± A small blast of electricity slammed into Staryu, and the boost from Nasty Plot made it hit even harder, but the sea star remained upright. Jen groaned; it was impossible to tell how much damage Pichu was causing because Staryu didn''t react like most opponents. ¡°Give it another one!¡±

    ¡°Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu leaped up and sped towards Pichu again. Pichu blasted it with another ThunderShock, but Staryu crashed into her at full speed and knocked her down. ¡°Finish it off, Staryu! Power Gem!¡± As Pichu fought to get back up, Staryu dropped into the pool and gathered another surge of violet energy. One blast later, and Pichu flew into the air, landing hard and face-down on her platform. Daisy observed her before making the call.

    ¡°Pichu is unable to battle! Staryu wins!¡± Jen jumped lightly to the platform where Pichu lay and carefully picked her up. Pichu recovered just enough to look at her trainer with eyes full of tears.

    ¡°Hey, you were great,¡± Jen said, hopping back to her own technical area. ¡°For your first battle, that was really good.¡± Pichu buried her head in Jen''s collarbone again. ¡°C''mon, take a rest,¡± Jen said as she recalled the Tiny Mouse. Misty looked on with a smile.

    ¡°Your Pichu did a number on Staryu. You said it was her first battle?¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Jen said, her pride in Pichu taking over her mood. ¡°She wasn''t thrilled to be out there, but she gave it her all."

    <hr>

    ¡°She did better than we expected,¡± James said, watching Jen recall Pichu. ¡°Staryu''s been slowed down, and Jen''s got some speed in the lineup behind Pichu.¡±

    ¡°So does Misty,¡± Hunter answered, shrugging. ¡°And a lot more maneuverability, if she uses Seadra. It''s going to be an uphill fight, and losing Pichu early doesn''t help.¡± James frowned.

    ¡°Hey, let''s quit putting her down. For her first fight, she held her own.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Hunter shrugged again, and they turned back to the battlefield to watch Jen''s next move.

    <hr>

    Jen couldn''t help shooting a half-triumphant look up at the stands as she took out her next Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°I''ll accept their apologies later,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Right now, I''ve got a badge to win. Elekid, let''s go!¡± The Electric Pok¨¦mon began spinning his arms as he landed. ¡°Easy, there. We''ve got to pace ourselves.¡± She looked over at Staryu, who was visibly struggling to stay upright. ¡°Or we can hit it hard right now. Shock Wave!¡± Elekid generated a crackling cloud of blue electricity around himself, then fired it at Staryu. Unable to evade the attack, Staryu simply braced itself, and its body shuddered as the blast finished its work.

    ¡°Keep fighting, Staryu! Water Gun!¡± Staryu fired off another jet of water, weaker than the last few, and Elekid sidestepped it with ease. Jen''s face broke into a grin.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Finish it off, Elekid! Brick Break!¡± Elekid took a flying leap off his platform, then fell towards Staryu with his forearm sparking. Misty''s eyes widened in panic.

    ¡°Rapid Spin!¡± Staryu tried to attack, but paralysis sparks shot across its body again, and it couldn''t move. Elekid swung his right arm as hard as he could, slamming it into Staryu''s central gem, and knocked Staryu into the pool. Staryu dropped a few feet in the pool, then floated back to the surface, face-down in the water.

    ¡°Staryu is unable to battle! Elekid wins!¡± Jen let out a breath as Elekid jumped back towards her.

    ¡°Way to go, Elekid. One down, two to go.¡± Across the pool, Misty pulled Staryu with a small smile.

    ¡°Thanks, Staryu. You really toughed it out.¡± She took out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Your Elekid''s looking strong, Jennifer. I hope it doesn''t evolve on me in the middle of the match.¡± Jen giggled in spite of herself, remembering the havoc James'' now-Electabuzz had caused in his match. ¡°Let''s see how you handle my next pick. Misty calls Psyduck!¡± A pudgy, yellow anatine creature appeared in front of Misty,. Wide, pained eyes sat above a cream-coloured beak, and it held its hands on its temples, like it had a bad headache. Jen trained her Pok¨¦dex on the new arrival.

    ¡°Psyduck, the Duck Pok ¨¦ mon. Psyduck is plagued by chronic headaches, and releases powerful psychic blasts when the tension becomes too much for it. However, it is unable to remember producing these attacks afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Doesn''t sound great,¡± Jen said as she stowed the device. ¡°Eyes up, Elekid! It could drop a psychic attack at any moment! Shock Wave!¡± Another blue cloud of electricity coalesced and hammered into Psyduck, who screwed up its eyes in discomfort.

    ¡°Steady, Psyduck! Try Amnesia!¡± Psyduck''s eyes opened a little, and its expression became a little more vacant. ¡°That should take the sting out of those Shock Waves...¡± Jen''s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°So that''s her game. Wait us out. Elekid!¡± The Electric-type turned to look at her. ¡°Get in close and don''t let it set up! Brick Break!¡± Elekid jumped along several platforms and hit the top of Psyduck''s head with a sparking chop.

    ¡°Fury Swipes!¡± Before Elekid could retreat, Psyduck began scratching at his face, alternating between hands while keeping the other pressed to its head. Elekid snarled and threw a regular punch at Psyduck''s beak, breaking its attack and running to the edge of the platform. Jen watched as Psyduck''s eyes bulged in its head, and a blue aura began to rise from its webbed feet as its eyes screwed up from agony.

    ¡°Elekid, get clear, quick!¡± Misty grinned as Elekid started his jump.

    ¡°Confusion!¡± Psyduck howled in pain as the blue aura surrounded Elekid and lifted him into the air. As the aura broke, Elekid fell into the pool, yelling the whole way. As he dragged himself back onto a platform, Psyduck looked calmer, but it turned its head this way and that, unaware of where it was. ¡°Get a grip, Psyduck! You''ve still got a match to win here!¡± Psyduck looked back at Misty, its eyes unfocused. Jen watched and signalled to Elekid.

    ¡°Looks like Psyduck gave us an opening. Elekid, Brick Break again!¡± Elekid repeated his earlier attack, and Psyduck grabbed its head in response. ¡°Oh, boy. We''re giving it another headache...¡±

    ¡°Disable!¡± Psyduck''s eyes glowed green, and Elekid''s body was surrounded by a similarly-coloured aura. Jen blinked.

    ¡°I''m guessing that shut down one of our moves. Not sure which, though. Try Shock Wave!¡± Elekid gathered another cloud of electricity, but it dissipated almost instantly. ¡°Okay, no Shock Wave. We''ll do it Misty''s way, then. Brick Break!¡±

    ¡°Counter with Ice Punch!¡± One of Psyduck''s hands glowed blue, and it clenched the hand into a fist as it met Elekid''s sparking karate chop. Elekid fell back, frost forming on his arm.

    ¡°Elekid! Hang in and use another Brick Break!¡± Elekid swung his arm again, but the frost lessened the amount of force he could put into the blow. Psyduck groaned as its headache continued to intensify.

    ¡°Steady, Psyduck!¡± Misty called, watching the Water-type grasp its head anew. ¡°Get after it with another Ice Punch!¡± Psyduck shook its head, crying out in discomfort. ¡°We don''t have time to build up another Confusion! Elekid could regain Shock Wave any moment!¡± As if on cue, blue sparks shot from Elekid''s horns, and Jen grinned.

    ¡°Blast it, Elekid!¡± Elekid formed another cloud of electricity and zapped Psyduck. The Water-type, despite its earlier use of Amnesia, slumped a little under the strain. ¡°Okay, we''ve got it winded! One more Brick Break should do it!¡± As Elekid jumped towards Psyduck, the duck''s eyes screwed up in pain again, and the blue Confusion aura formed around it.

    ¡°Hit it, Psyduck! Confusion!¡± Psyduck''s pained cry echoed through the gym as it transferred the aura to Elekid''s body. Elekid''s Brick Break connected, catching Psyduck right between the eyes. Both Pok¨¦mon collapsed onto the platform as the blue aura burst around Elekid, and both Jen and Misty looked closely to monitor their team members. Elekid lay face-down on the platform, while Psyduck remained on its feet, but with its eyes glazed over. Daisy checked both of them, then raised both her arms.

    ¡°Both Elekid and Psyduck are unable to battle! This round is a draw!¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Hunter watched the two combatants fall and shook his head. ¡°Elekid should have been able to make quick work of something like Psyduck, right?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± James answered, looking at the fallen Psyduck. ¡°Amnesia cut down on the amount of danger from Shock Wave, and once Elekid had the frost on his arm, Brick Break wasn''t as effective either.¡± Hunter gave him a skeptical look.

    ¡°Why would the frost do anything?¡±

    ¡°I guess the cold was distracting, or limited his range of motion? I know that I don''t throw as hard in the cold.¡±

    ¡°That could be it,¡± Hunter said, turning back to the field. ¡°One on one to end the fight. Who''s Jen gonna pick?¡±

    <hr>

    As Jen recalled Elekid, she looked across at Misty. Jen had seen several of her potential choices over the past two matches, and felt confident that Golbat could handle any of them. Gyarados would be the least palatable option, given its ferocity, but Starmie or Seadra were no slouches either. Misty recalled Psyduck and looked up at Jen.

    ¡°I didn''t expect that. Psyduck doesn''t often get the chance to let fly with two Confusion attacks in one match. Elekid must''ve given it one awful headache.¡± She took out her final Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Let''s end the match on a high note. Misty calls Corsola!¡± A roundish pink creature with an ice blue underside emerged onto a platform. Thick growths protruded from the top of its body, and smaller growths branched out from the main ones. A smaller growth that looked like a horn poked out above its small eyes. Jen took her Pok¨¦dex out again and trained it on the newcomer.

    ¡°Corsola, the Coral Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°It consistently regenerates the growths that snap off of its body, but it is unable to survive in polluted water.¡±

    ¡°What Pok¨¦mon could?¡± Jen asked herself as she put the Pok¨¦dex away and took out her last Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Golbat, let''s go!¡± The chiropteran chittered as he flew high above the pool, staring down at Corsola. Misty grinned, and Jen''s face fell when she saw. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. C''mon, then. Let''s finish this match.¡± Jen stared for a moment, then looked up at Golbat.

    ¡°Golbat, you can handle this. Air Cutter!¡± Golbat generated a blade-like wind current and blew it at Corsola with his wings.

    ¡°Take the hit, Corsola!¡± Corsola braced itself, and the wind current buffeted its body with little discernable effect. ¡°Okay, now use Mirror Coat!¡± Corsola''s body shone brightly, and a shimmering aura coalesced at the tip of its horn. It shot the aura straight at Golbat, who shied away as it struck.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Jen asked, as Golbat fought to recover his bearings. Misty chuckled.

    ¡°Mirror Coat allows Corsola to take a special attack, then hit back with double the force. Of course, Golbat''s Air Cutter isn''t going to do much to her, since Corsola is a Water- and a Rock-type...¡±

    ¡°She''s a what?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Misty giggled at the annoyed expression on Jen''s face. ¡°C''mon, just because I like to go on the attack doesn''t mean I''m just gonna leave myself open. ¡±

    ¡°I don''t believe this,¡± Jen said to herself. It was Mahogany Town all over again, with her inexperience biting her at the worst possible time. She shook herself out of her annoyance. ¡°Hey, just because I didn''t know about Corsola''s typing doesn''t mean I can''t pull this off. Golbat!¡± Golbat turned to look at her. ¡°We can''t risk any more ranged attacks, so we have to get in close. Come up from behind and use Poison Fang!¡± Golbat raced to the opposite end of the pool, then flew at top speed towards Corsola, his fangs taking on a violet tinge.

    ¡°Power Gem!¡± Corsola''s body glowed violet, and the light exploded up towards Golbat. Jen shouted in surprise.

    ¡°Break off the attack!¡± Golbat forced himself upward out of his charge as the light barely missed him. ¡°Okay, try it again!¡±

    ¡°Put it off with another Power Gem!¡± The violet light just missed its target again, and Misty groaned. ¡°How are we missing this badly? Hustle doesn''t affect Power Gem...¡± She broke off as Golbat bit down on one of Corsola''s growths, and violet sparks shot across the Water-type''s body. ¡°C''mon, don''t let poison kick in, please don''t let poison kick in...¡±

    ¡°Golbat, back in the air!¡± Golbat flitted high above the pool, facing Corsola with narrowed eyes. Corsola reacted by launching a wayward Rock Blast that broke against the gym''s ceiling, scattering dust and grit around the area. Misty pointed to Golbat.

    ¡°Keep at it! BubbleBeam!¡± Corsola shot a stream of glowing bubbles that buffeted Golbat, and Jen shook her head.

    ¡°Keep moving! Don''t let it target you!¡± Golbat began flying back and forth, up, down and sideways, not allowing Corsola to lock its focus on him. Corsola fired off attacks out of frustration, but neither opponent made much headway. Golbat was too far away for Corsola to get a solid read on him, but his ranged attacks were rendered useless by Mirror Coat. Too many of those, and Golbat would be done for. Misty was looking more and more annoyed by the lack of action.

    ¡°C''mon, Corsola! One good hit and we''ll win! Rock Blast!¡± Jen''s eyes lit up as Corsola generated the attack.

    ¡°Quick, use Astonish!¡± Golbat seemed to teleport from near the ceiling to directly in front of Corsola, letting out an unusually loud chitter. The suddenness of the noise startled Corsola, whose attack dissipated quickly. ¡°Okay, now Poison Fang!¡± Golbat bit down on another of Corsola''s growths, and this time, the violet sparks that shot across her body lingered.

    ¡°No!¡± Misty pointed at Golbat again. ¡°While it''s in range, use Power Gem!¡± Corsola''s face was twisted in pain, but she generated another violet glow, and the attack blew Golbat back toward the ceiling. Somehow, he hung on, and glared furiously at his opponent. The violet sparks grew wilder as both Pok¨¦mon came set.

    ¡°We''re nearly there, Golbat! Confuse Ray!¡± The air in front of Golbat shimmered, and Corsola''s eyes became unfocused. ¡°Yes! It worked!¡±

    ¡°BubbleBeam!¡± Misty''s shout didn''t register with Corsola, whose stream of bubbles shot off in the wrong direction. Jen grinned.

    ¡°Finish it off, Golbat! Air Slash!¡± Golbat generated a ball of wind and pushed it at Corsola. Misty''s eyes widened.

    ¡°Quick, snap out of it and use Mirror Coat!¡± Corsola tried to generate the shimmering move again, but the light burst on her instead. The Air Slash caught her full in the face, and as more violet sparks played across her body, Corsola''s eyes glazed over. Golbat had managed the win.

    <hr>

    ¡°Corsola is, like, unable to battle!¡± Daisy called. ¡°Golbat wins the round, and Jennifer the challenger totally wins the match! Way cool!¡± Before Jen or Misty could recall their Pok¨¦mon, Daisy had hopped off the referee''s platform and started walking quickly towards the door.

    ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± Misty called after her sister. Daisy turned just long enough to stick her tongue out at Misty again, then dashed through the field doors towards the foyer. ¡°Probably off to buy another eighty-credit cardigan,¡± the Gym Leader groaned, but she brightened as Jen approached. ¡°Well, enough of her. I think I owe you a Cascade Badge.¡± She pressed the blue teardrop into Jen''s hand. ¡°All three of you gave me solid matches. You should be well-prepared for the next few gyms.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Misty,¡± Jen said, shaking the Gym Leader''s hand. ¡°And for what it''s worth, you''re just as sensational as any of your sisters.¡± Misty grinned.

    ¡°Good luck with those two boys,¡± she said, a teasing look in her eye. Jen flushed, but didn''t respond. ¡°Hey, don''t take it so seriously. You''ve got plenty of time to figure things out with them.¡± She laughed and moved towards the office, while Jen met James and Hunter by the foyer door.

    ¡°Good match,¡± Hunter said. James nodded his agreement.

    ¡°You almost sound surprised,¡± Jen responded, and both boys looked a little guilty.

    ¡°Listen,¡± James said, not looking at her. ¡°We shouldn''t have questioned your decisions today. Pichu did pretty well for a first battle.¡± Jen raised an eyebrow, and James went on. ¡°You know your team best, and it''s not up to us to criticize them. Sorry if we upset you.¡± Jen considered, then nodded.

    ¡°And I''m sorry I got mad at you guys. We all want to help each other do well, right? We''ve got to listen to each other''s advice.¡± She checked the time. ¡°C''mon, let''s get back to the Centre. We can start planning for the next town there.¡± With that, the three youngsters exited the gym, Typhlosion hot on their heels.

 59-Cant Get There From Here

    ¡°So that''s the gatehouse there...and over here...¡±

    Jen had turned her Pok¨¦mon over to Nurse Joy once she and the others had returned to the Centre after her win over Misty. She, James and Hunter were sitting in the Centre''s canteen once again, looking over Jen''s map of Kanto. James had taken off his Pok¨¦Gear and displayed the map function there too, so they could compare the two; although Jen didn''t think it mattered, the Map Card that Darrell had given his brother could well be outdated. The main point of interest was the two paths that led from Cerulean. One continued east towards the sea, with the Rock Tunnel and Lavender Town on the way, and the other led south towards Saffron City, Kanto''s massive commercial hub, and ultimately Vermilion City, the port of call for the SS Anne. The ship would be well into another cruise this time of year; even if it was almost impossible for most trainers to snag an invite to one of the parties that took place on the infamous luxury liner, Jen reasoned that it would be cool to catch a glimpse of the ship, at least.

    ¡°I think the best option would be to go straight through Saffron,¡± Jen said as she traced the path with her finger. ¡°We can check which...why are there two gym buildings marked here?¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± James asked, distracted. Hunter leaned over to check the map.

    ¡°Two gyms marked, but only one badge,¡± he said, indicating the small yellow circle near the two markings. ¡°Maybe they rotate year to year. You know, give each other a break?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± James murmured, looking over the map himself. ¡°Most likely they competed for Saffron''s slot as the Indigo Conference representative, and one gym beat the other.¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± Hunter replied, gulping some water. He looked at the map again, and sighed. ¡°I''ll have to find out a lot later than you guys, though.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jen asked. ¡°Aren''t you taking the same route as us?¡± Hunter shook his head.

    ¡°No. I''m going to chance the Rock Tunnel.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± James looked up in surprise as Jen stared. ¡°Why? Isn''t it easier to use Saffron as a central point?¡±

    ¡°I want to train against the Pok¨¦mon in there,¡± Hunter said with a shrug. ¡°I know it''s supposed to be pitch dark in there, but I''ll find a way through.¡± He paused. ¡°Lavender Town is past the other end of the tunnel, so I''ll just loop through there and dive through Saffron when I need to.¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°It''s your decision,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I don''t think we''re equipped to go through that tunnel, so we''ll keep heading south. Maybe we''ll cross paths again, eventually.¡±

    ¡°That''d be cool,¡± Hunter replied. ¡°We''ll have to have a battle when we do see each other again. Now that Electabuzz is evolved, I''m hoping to take him on in a proper fight.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± James answered. ¡°I''ll develop my team further and be ready.¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning, all three youngsters headed for the eastern edge of Cerulean City, preparing to go their separate ways. None of them said much, and Typhlosion stayed close to his trainer''s leg, watching the city go by. James scowled as they passed Marine Stadium, and Jen laughed a little when she saw him. She wasn''t much of a baseball fan, but it was funny to see how seriously her best friend took the game. Sometimes, when he wasn''t training his team, and even occasionally when he was, Jen had seen James balancing on his left leg and holding his right knee in the air, as if he was getting ready to throw a pitch. It was important, he''d said, for him to have good balance so he wouldn''t get hurt too easily, since pitchers tended to have a lot of odd injuries. It made sense to Jen, but it was still strange.

    As the group approached the outskirts of Cerulean, a signpost indicated the split path they would embark on. Further east lay Route 9, which would eventually lead to the Rock Tunnel. To the south was Route 5, a mildly hilly thoroughfare that would take a traveler to Saffron City. Hunter walked towards the signpost, then turned to face James and Jen.

    ¡°Well, I''ll see you guys at some point,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°You definitely picked an easier route than I did.¡±

    ¡°We''ve still got six badges left to earn each,¡± James reminded him. ¡°It''s never easy, no matter which way you travel.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Hunter shook hands with both James and Jen, gave Typhlosion a scratch behind the ears, then turned and headed towards the rocky eastward route. The two Violet youngsters looked at one another.

    ¡°Let''s go.¡±

    <hr>

    Route 5 was fairly straightforward, like the previous routes they''d traveled. The main highway was bordered mostly by open fields, with the odd building here and there. There were a lot of trees close to the road, which suited Jen just fine. Her Weedle was now devouring leaves faster than she could pull them off the trees, and his String Shot wrapping was becoming thicker, indicating that he might be preparing to evolve soon. He was at least ten times bigger than he had been when Jen had caught him in Viridian Forest.

    The days spent travelling the route passed quickly, and they passed a moderately sized house with a sweeping backyard. The sign in front of it read Pok¨¦mon Day Care, but it was difficult to tell because of a red sticker that obscured the name. The sticker read Closed Until Further Notice.

    ¡°Why is that, d''you think?¡± Jen asked, as James tested the locked door. ¡°I would''ve liked to visit.¡±

    ¡°I guess they didn''t do enough business,¡± James said, abandoning the door. ¡°It''s weird, though. It''s not exactly difficult to get here, and there''s got to be enough traffic to hold up a place like this.¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Jen said as they moved on. ¡°Maybe there''s another one in Kanto, we just have to find it.¡±

    From the Day Care building, they approached another small complex with two low-slung buildings. One of them was the gatehouse leading to Saffron City, and they headed there first. An attendant met them in the foyer with a frown on her face.

    ¡°Are you guys trying to get to Saffron?¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°Yes. Why, is there a problem?¡± The attendant nodded back.

    ¡°I''m afraid we''ve had to cordon off this particular entrance to the city.¡± When both youngsters looked confused, she continued. ¡°The police department are currently responding to an emergency in the northern part of the city. We have been asked to restrict access to the city until the situation is resolved.¡±

    ¡°So where does that leave us?¡± James asked. ¡°We need to go through Saffron to get to Vermilion City.¡±

    ¡°In that case, you should take the Underground Path,¡± the attendant said. She pointed to the window of the gatehouse to indicate the other building in the complex. ¡°It was built as a footpath so travelers could cross Saffron without traveling through the city itself, which is quite dense, and the Saffron Metropolitan Rail Company developed the train as part of the city''s broader subway system. It was quite useful to travelers and civilians back when Team Rocket was causing trouble here years ago.¡±

    ¡°Team Rocket?¡± James asked. ¡°Do they have anything to do with Team Triassic?¡± Jen rolled her eyes, and the attendant looked confused.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Never mind,¡± James said quickly. ¡°So, this Underground Path will take us towards Vermilion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are two of them, actually. One goes north to south, the other east to west, from outside Lavender Town and Celadon City. There are two ways to traverse them. You can take the subway, or use the footbridge above the rail line. The train will get you across Saffron in an hour or so; needless to say, walking will take a significantly longer time. Either path will take you to Route 6, and that in turn will get you to Vermilion.¡± The attendant looked from one youngster to the other. ¡°Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma''am,¡± Jen said, as James nodded. Typhlosion gave a small growl of assent too. ¡°Thanks for your help. I hope the police can handle the disturbance.¡±

    ¡°The SCPD is quite capable,¡± the attendant replied. ¡°They should have the situation well in hand. Good luck on the rest of your travels.¡± With that, James and Jen turned back to the gatehouse doors, and made their way towards the Underground Path.

    <hr>

    Jen turned to James as they approached the underground terminal.

    ¡°So...train or footbridge?¡± James considered.

    ¡°I say train. As much as I like the walking, being underground doesn''t really appeal to me.¡±

    ¡°Because it''s one big cave.¡± Jen knew full well what was behind her friend''s hesitancy. ¡°D''you have the time?¡± James tapped his Pok¨¦Gear screen, and the display showed 14:38. ¡°Okay, so the next train leaves soon. We won''t have to wait long.¡±

    The underground station was bigger than either James or Jen thought. Bright lights illuminated the cavernous area above the platform, and the aforementioned footbridge spanned above them, supported by strong beams along the way. Typhlosion balked when he saw a sign near the entrance, and James read it with a frown. The sign showed a silhouetted Pikachu under some bolded text.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Any Pok¨¦mon larger than...of course,¡± he groaned. ¡°Sorry, buddy, but you''re gonna have to put up with being confined for a bit. I want to keep moving as quick as possible.¡± Typhlosion gave him an annoyed look, but James shook his head. ¡°C''mon, work with me here. It''s only an hour or two.¡± The Fire-type sighed, but nodded, and James recalled him with his own sigh. ¡°I''ll make it up to him when we hit Route 6. We''ll go after some wild Pok¨¦mon in training or something.¡±

    They bought tickets at a machine near the tracks; two lines ran side by side, so a train could run in either direction. As they joined the small queue to wait for the next train to depart, James was struck by a sudden thought.

    ¡°Wait, she said the path runs in two directions. I get that that works on the bridge,¡±¡ªhe pointed to the footpath overhead¡ª¡°but what about the rail lines? It''s not like the tracks can just crisscross, right?¡± A nearby guard overheard him, and grinned.

    ¡°You''re not the first person to wonder that,¡± he said. ¡°The truth is, this north to south line is actually one level above the east to west line.¡±

    ¡°How does that work?¡± Jen asked. ¡°You''re saying the east to west line is below us?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This particular Underground Path was built first, and the other was built below it. Not sure why, but it certainly made it simpler when SaffRail set up the rail lines. If the paths had intersected, they''d have to use a turntable, which could cause trouble if it malfunctioned, and be extremely careful about timing the trains. They''re very strictly timed anyway, but if the lines crossed, even a small delay could cause a problem.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± James said, looking at the still-vacant rail line. ¡°So the trains leave every hour?¡±

    ¡°On the hour,¡± the guard said, checking his watch. ¡°If you''re going east to west, they leave on the half hour.¡± He looked up as a horn sounded. ¡°Here it comes, look.¡± The approaching train consisted of four rectangular cars; their top halves were painted blue, and the bottom white. Sparks flew intermittently from the rails as the train slid smoothly up to the platform. The doors opened, and the guard grinned. ¡°Gotta shepherd some passengers. It was a good talk, guys.¡± As he dashed away, an announcement sounded over the crowd noise.

    ¡°This is the 3PM departure from Saffron North to Saffron South. Please keep personal belongings with you at all times. When boarding, please mind the gap.¡± James and Jen walked with the crowd of passengers onto the train, and found seats near the back of the first car. As James leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, the doors slid shut, and as the clock hit the hour, the train shot out of the terminal and started towards the southern end of the line.

    <hr>

    Before they knew it, James and Jen were emerging from the Underground Path''s southern terminal and onto Route 6. The route was a little less straighforward than Route 5. A large lake forced travelers to work their way around, and large patches of tall grass lined the road. James let Typhlosion back out, and the Fire-type amused himself by chasing some Oddish¡ªsmall bluish creatures with green fronds on their heads¡ªaround the area.

    A few days into their trip down Route 6, Jen spotted a young boy looking downcast. He had a large net on a pole in his hand, and his straw hat was askew. He looked over at the pair of them.

    ¡°Hey, be careful going down the route,¡± he said, fiddling with the net in his hand. ¡°There''s a crazy Doduo running around, scaring the bugs away.¡±

    ¡°Doduo?¡± Jen asked, looking over at James. James stopped egging Typhlosion on and shrugged. The boy shook his head.

    ¡°Doduo. Big bird, two heads, running wild in the grass. I haven''t found any bugs for three days.¡± James and Jen looked at each other, and Jen checked her Pok¨¦dex.

    ¡°This doesn''t make sense,¡± she said. ¡°Doduo don''t usually live in this area. How did it get out here?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it was abandoned by its trainer? Or just migrated here by accident? I don''t know much about them.¡± James looked to the boy. ¡°You said it''s a bird of some kind?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, which is why the bugs are skittish. They can hide from Pidgey and Spearow just fine, but something that big? They won''t even come out of their homes.¡± The boy shook his head sadly and walked away, while James turned to Jen.

    ¡°We''d better keep our eyes open. That Doduo doesn''t sound friendly.¡± He released Electabuzz, who grinned mischievously as he eyed his trainer. ¡°Easy. We need you to be on the ball here. There''s a rogue Doduo roaming around here, so you''ve got to be ready to blast it if it attacks.¡± Electabuzz nodded, and Typhlosion growled his own affirmative. ¡°Yeah, you be ready too. We need all the firepower we can get.¡±

    While Typhlosion and Electabuzz ranged a little ahead of the two youngsters, James and Jen kept watch for the rogue Doduo. Twice, Jen thought she saw something in the long grass, but it just turned out to be the wind rustling the grass, or else a smaller Pok¨¦mon running here and there. As they moved towards a thicker patch of grass than usual, Typhlosion stopped short, his ears perking up.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jen asked, as Electabuzz looked around as well. Typhlosion growled for her to be quiet, and tilted his head to the left, as if that was where he heard something.

    ¡°What do you...¡± James cut himself off as he and Jen heard the sound: a high-pitched ha-ha noise, like mocking laughter, but played on a slowed-down record. Jen looked in the direction Typhlosion was listening, and gulped.

    ¡°Um, guys?¡± she said, starting to move behind Electabuzz. ¡°I think we found the crazy Doduo.¡± The next moment, the lot of them scattered as a round-bodied bird with two heads came charging through. Its beige legs left huge, four-toed prints in the ground, and both its heads bobbed on black necks. The heads and body were covered in a fine, brown, downy coat. Every ten yards or so, both heads ducked and pecked at the ground with long beaks, leaving holes in the dirt. It barely took any notice of any of the group, and various small Pok¨¦mon fled from the intruder.

    ¡°So that''s a Doduo,¡± James said as he took out his own Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    ¡°Doduo, the Twin Bird Pok¨¦mon,¡± the Pok¨¦dex announced. ¡°Despite its Flying subtype, Doduo''s short wings make flying difficult. It makes up for this by running at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.¡±

    ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Jen asked, as she watched Doduo run haphazardly across the route. James thought for a moment, then signaled Typhlosion and Electabuzz.

    ¡°Get ready, guys,¡± he said, taking out another Pok¨¦ball. ¡°We''re gonna catch that bird. Jen, can you send out Weedle?¡± Jen whipped around and stared.

    ¡°Are you nuts? You''re gonna use him as bait?¡±

    ¡°Only until it gets in range. You can recall him once the shooting starts.¡± Jen glared at him.

    ¡°I don''t think any of our Pok¨¦mon can comfortably handle that thing. Even Electabuzz will struggle when it charges.¡±

    ¡°That''s why we''ll keep it at arm''s length,¡± James replied. ¡°Typhlosion and Electabuzz''s ranged attacks should do enough damage without taking it out completely.¡± Jen shook her head.

    ¡°You are nuts...¡± As she reluctantly let Weedle out, James grinned and called out to Electabuzz.

    ¡°Get its attention with a ThunderShock.¡± Electabuzz aimed at the oblivious Doduo, then fired a small jolt of electricity at it. The attack hit, and both of Doduo''s head swung up and focused on the Electric-type. ¡°Oh, boy, here we go.¡± Both sets of Doduo''s eyes narrowed, and it started sprinting hard at Electabuzz. ¡°Brace yourself!¡± As the Flying-type charged, both its beaks began rotating like drills. Electabuzz grinned as he waited for impact. Jen looked from one Pok¨¦mon to the other in horror.

    ¡°James, this is ridiculous! Blast it and let''s keep moving!¡±

    ¡°No way! Typhlosion, get it with Flamethrower!¡± Off to the bird''s left, Typhlosion loosed a stream of fire that barely missed, but scorched and blackened the surrounding grass. Doduo lowered its heads as it aimed at Electabuzz''s chest. ¡°Quick, Protect!¡± The shimmering barrier deflected Doduo''s attack, and it sprinted several yards past its target. ¡°Okay, hammer it! Thunderbolt!¡± But as Electabuzz''s horns began to spark, Doduo recovered and leaped into the air.

    ¡°I thought it couldn''t fly!¡± Jen cried as she looked for cover. ¡°James, you have to get everybody clear! That thing could flatten us!¡±

    ¡°We''ve got this! Electabuzz, hit it!¡± Electabuzz fired the electric blast towards the still-airborne Doduo, but like Typhlosion, missed by inches. Doduo plummeted towards the ground, this time hammering hard into Electabuzz. The Electric-type flew back and landed hard on the ground, and Doduo''s momentum caused it to trample over him. Electabuzz was very slow to get up after the impact.

    ¡°James, enough already!¡± Jen shouted as Doduo forced itself to stop. She opened her mouth to speak again, but her voice died away as Doduo heard her and stared her down. Its eyes glinted as it spotted Weedle in front of her. ¡°Oh, no...¡± She fumbled for Elekid''s Pok¨¦ball as the Twin Bird got ready to charge again. James saw what was happening, realized his error, and his eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Hey, ugly! Leave her alone!¡± Doduo turned his attention to him, and he picked up a rock. ¡°C''mon, I dare you!¡± He whipped the rock at Doduo as it began another charge, and quickly grabbed for his other two Pok¨¦balls. ¡°Nidoran and Blue, help us out!¡± The Poison-type siblings emerged and immedately fanned out as Doduo thundered towards them. James ran out of the way as well, and Doduo ran straight past him.

    ¡°Those two can''t put Doduo away!¡± Jen called as Doduo skidded to another halt. As if they''d heard her, the two Poison-types squared up to the bird. James watched as they both vocalized at Doduo, daring it to attack again.

    ¡°Hold your ground!¡± he shouted, as he signalled Typhlosion. ¡°While it''s focused on them, blast it.¡± Doduo charged once more, and Typhlosion readied a Flamethrower. Before he could fire, though, Blue had leaned away from Doduo and bitten down hard on its trailing left leg. Doduo cried out in pain as Blue''s jaws gripped hard, but to everyone''s astonishment, her body began to glow.

    ¡°No way!¡± Jen said as she and Weedle watched. The small blue Poison-type''s body grew, and her front legs extended while her hind legs and tail widened, causing her to stand more upright. The barbs on her back now resembled spikes. ¡°Blue evolved! I didn''t see that coming!¡± James grinned.

    ¡°Let''s finish this job, then. Blue, slam it!¡± Blue jerked her head, and Doduo fell onto its side. As James readied an empty Pok¨¦ball and threw it at Doduo. Just as the ball struck, Jen''s Weedle shot a glowing violet spike at the bird. ¡°Hey, watch where you''re shooting!¡±

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Jen shouted as she shooed Weedle aside. ¡°C''mon, don''t do that. They''ve already got it handled.¡± Weedle responded by forming a String Shot and twisting himself so the thick fibrous substance covered his body. ¡°Alright, keep doing that. We''ll find you some leaves soon.¡±

    Meanwhile, the Pok¨¦ball continued to shake. Typhlosion watched carefully, ready to attack if the bird broke out. The ball shook a few more times, then the light on the front of the ball winked out, accompanied by the capture tone. James reached down and picked up the ball, then brushed his hand over his forehead.

    ¡°I didn''t expect it to be that intense,¡± he said as he tossed the ball up and down. He looked over at Electabuzz, who was bent double with his hands on his knees. ¡°Easy, there. You took a big hit there.¡± Typhlosion, Nidoran and the now-evolved Blue moved over to their winded teammate. Jen let out Magmar and ordered her to watch Weedle, then walked over to James.

    ¡°I don''t know whether to congratulate you, or punch you in the face,¡± she grumbled. ¡°We had no business going after that Doduo.¡± James'' face fell.

    ¡°We caught it, didn''t we? Now the route will be a bit safer...¡±

    ¡°That''s not the point!¡± Jen shouted, and James took a step back. ¡°You''re lucky it worked out, or we''d have bigger things to worry about than a crazy two-headed bird. Vermilion City is still a long way away, and I''d rather not have to backtrack. We...¡± Jen''s voice trailed away as Magmar vocalized towards her, pointing to Weedle. ¡°What now?¡± As she looked over to her Pok¨¦mon, she gasped.

    The Hairy Bug''s String Shot had hardened and turned a polished yellow. His head was now rounded, and his eyes were black and narrow with small white pupils. His body came to a point at the bottom, and thin dark lines seemed to imitate interlocking plates. Jen took her Pok¨¦dex back out and scanned her newly evolved partner.

    ¡°Kakuna, the Cocoon Pok¨¦mon. Kakuna is almost immobile as it prepares for further evolution, but it can extend poisonous barbs if it needs to defend itself.¡± Jen stowed the device and looked down at Kakuna.

    ¡°So, you''re one step closer to evolving, huh? All those leafless trees along the way must''ve paid off.¡± She looked back at James. ¡°Let''s find a place to camp. I need a rest after all that.¡± She didn''t wait for an answer before recalling Magmar and Kakuna, and started looking for a good spot to set up.

 60-Contest By The Sea

    Jen, miffed at James'' recklessness, didn''t say anything to him for the rest of the evening. In the morning, she introduced her team to Kakuna, allowing them to come to terms with their teammate''s new form. Pichu kept her distance as usual, with Elekid standing in front of her. Togetic and Golbat flitted above their heads, and Magmar shooed them away from Kakuna when they tried to get too close.

    Jen chewed thoughtfully on a power bar as she watched the sun rise. The first two gyms hadn''t been too difficult, but both her and James'' inexperience with the Kanto gyms made each challenge a little tougher than most. Her team composition didn''t help matters, but she didn''t want to break up the side just to ease the challenge. Elekid and Pichu would evolve when they were ready, and the others could be counted on to step up and give their all when asked. Jen crumpled up her power bar wrapper and stuck it in a pocket of her bag. She just needed to keep working hard, and the results would come in time.

    James, meanwhile, had kept Doduo in his ball until the morning, wanting the team rested before integrating the incorrigible newcomer. Electabuzz''s condition was the most worrying, but the Electric-type had more or less just had the wind knocked out of him, and was in good spirits when he joined the others. Nidoran, for his part, just looked at his sister in awe. Blue was now much bigger than he was, and her heavy jaws looked ready to snap shut on anything¡ªor anyone¡ªthat happened to cross her path. Her red eyes watched her teammates eagerly, and focused particularly on the Pok¨¦ball in her trainer''s hand.

    ¡°Okay, guys,¡± James said, lightly tossing the ball in his hand. ¡°No sudden moves. Electabuzz...¡±

    ¡°Don''t let that thing out near the tent!¡± Jen shouted from his right. James blinked, then moved several yards away from their tent and supplies.

    ¡°Let''s try that again. Electabuzz, be ready in case he goes berserk again. Typhlosion, you too. Nidoran and Blue, hang back. We don''t need a four-on-one brawl before we''ve even introduced ourselves.¡± He took a long breath, then hurled the ball as hard as he could. The ball released the two-headed bird, who looked wildly around with both heads, trying to get his bearings.

    ¡°Hey! Over here!¡± Doduo''s heads turned, and all four eyes narrowed a little as he recognized James. ¡°Relax. We''re not going to fight...not anymore, anyway. We did all our fighting yesterday.¡± He took a step closer to the bird, and tried to keep his breathing steady. ¡°I figured you should meet the team, so we can work you into our training.¡± Doduo''s heads turned to each of the others in turn, and he lingered on Electabuzz. ¡°Yeah, that''s Electabuzz. He''s the one you ran over. This,¡± he swept his arm to indicate the Poison-types, ¡°is Blue, and her brother Nidoran. Blue was the one who bit you.¡± Blue growled an apology to her new teammate. ¡°Right. And this,¡± he pointed to Typhlosion, whose ruff was ablaze, ¡°is Typhlosion. He''s the first Pok¨¦mon I ever got.¡± James watched Doduo warily, but the bird seemed to have expended his manic energy in the previous day''s scuffle. ¡°So that''s it. You''re part of the team now. Does that sound good?¡± Doduo''s heads both focused on James, tilted sideways, then he chirped happily. ¡°Excellent. We''re gonna be unstoppable soon enough.¡±

    <hr>

    The rest of Route 6 passed by without much incident. With Doduo, Typhlosion and Magmar at the ready, the two youngsters could ward off the various Grass- and Bug-type Pok¨¦mon that lived in the wild areas along the road. In time, a vast lake hove into view, and they carefully worked their way around it, watching the anglers and younger trainers fish along the edge. Several times, a Magikarp or Goldeen would leap out of the water, startling nearby fishers, and then plummet back into the water with a noisy splash.

    Eventually, they saw the Vermilion City skyline appear in the distance, and their pace increased as they got closer. The route narrowed as they neared the city limits, with rows of bollards marking the approach to the gatehouse. As they passed through the well-traveled building, Jen noticed several posters on the wall.

    ¡°What''s the...¡± Jen moved closer to one of the posters, ¡°the Vermilion City Classic? Is that some kind of tournament?¡±

    ¡°It is, kind of,¡± a voice said, and Jen turned abruptly to face the speaker. A girl with auburn hair in twin braids stood looking at the posters as well. She had a light tan, with violet eyes and a small smile. Her navy cardigan sweater covered a white blouse, and her dark skirt reached a little below her knees, leaving a small gap to the tops of her stockings. The only thing that looked out of place on her were her red sneakers. Jen gave the new girl a quizzical look.

    ¡°Um, hi?¡± she said, raising a hand in a half wave. The girl gasped.

    ¡°Oh, goodness, I''m sorry. I haven''t introduced myself, have I? I''m Kimmie, Kimmie Johnston.¡± She held out her hand, and Jen shook it.

    ¡°My name''s Jennifer Richards, but you can call me Jen.¡± She looked for James, but didn''t see him. ¡°My friend''s around here somewhere, but I''ll let him introduce himself. What is the Vermilion City Classic, Kimmie?¡±

    ¡°It''s the first Pok¨¦mon Contest of the season.¡± Jen looked confused.

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon Contest? Is that like a Gym battle?¡± Kimmie shook her head.

    ¡°A Pok¨¦mon Contest is different from a typical battle. A coordinator¡ªthat''s what participants are called¡ªpractice with their Pok¨¦mon to emphasize their appearance, and the visual appeal of their moves. There is a battle component, but it''s not the slugfest that most battles are. It''s not easy to cause reliable damage and make the moves look good at the same time.¡±

    ¡°My mom''s told me some wild stories. She was a coordinator when she was young.¡± James said as he walked over. ¡°Sorry, couldn''t help overhearing.¡± Jen rolled her eyes at her best friend''s lack of decorum.

    ¡°Kimmie Johnston, meet James Enfield,¡± she said, and James and Kimmie shook hands. James put a hand on Typhlosion''s head as the Fire-type growled at him.

    ¡°Relax, buddy, I''ll introduce you. Kimmie, this is my Typhlosion. He and I have been through a lot together, along with Jen.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you two are traveling together?¡± Kimmie asked as her eyes widened, and James nodded. ¡°Are you guys from Kanto? You look like seasoned travelers.¡±

    ¡°Seasoned is a stretch,¡± Jen said, smiling at last. ¡°We''ve been traveling together for nearly three years now. We both live in Johto, but James is the native. I''m originally from Snowpoint City, in Sinnoh.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Kimmie grinned as she looked at the pair of them. ¡°How''d you two end up out here?¡± James and Jen looked at each other, and Jen gave him a you tell it look.

    ¡°Well, we traveled through Johto together, and we both made it to the Silver Conference tournament. My friend slash rival Hunter made it through too, but he got dumped out in the early rounds.¡±

    ¡°So did I,¡± put in Jen. ¡°James made it to the Victory Tournament, but his dad beat him.¡±

    ¡°Your dad''s a trainer too?¡± Kimmie looked impressed. ¡°That must''ve been fun, getting to battle him in such a big match.¡± James felt his mood drop for just a moment, but recovered.

    ¡°It was...interesting. He didn''t make it past the next round, though.¡± As James said this, Jen looked away. ¡°Dad actually won the Silver Conference when he was younger, but he didn''t challenge the Elite Four like conference champions get the chance to do.¡± James laughed. ¡°He said my mom distracted him.¡± Kimmie laughed too.

    ¡°Aw, that''s cute. Your mom and dad sound like cool people.¡± She turned to Jen. ¡°What about you? Were your parents trainers?¡±

    ¡°Um, no, actually,¡± Jen said, going a little red. ¡°My mom tried it, but never really took to it. My dad...well, he never even tried. He was all-in on going into business.¡±

    ¡°It''s not for everyone, I guess,¡± Kimmie said. ¡°What''d he do?¡±

    ¡°He ran the business office for a shipping company in Snowpoint City. We left after my uncle died at sea, though.¡± Jen composed herself for a moment before continuing. ¡°He gave me a Magby and a Togepi to keep me company when we moved, though. So I guess you could call Magby my starter.¡± Kimmie looked impressed, but a little solemn.

    ¡°Sorry to hear about your uncle. But it sounds like you''ve gotten on okay since?¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡± Jen smiled sadly. ¡°Are you from around here? You certainly know a lot about this contest, at any rate.¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Kimmie said with enthusiasm. ¡°I''m from Vermilion City, actually. I''ve watched the Classic almost every year since I was old enough.¡± She looked at the time. ¡°Why don''t we head over to the convention centre and you guys can see for yourselves. I''m competing in the appeal round this afternoon, and I''ll be meeting a friend of mine over there too.¡± Jen looked at James, who shrugged, and she smiled.

    ¡°Sure, Kimmie. I''ve never seen a Contest before, so it''ll be interesting to see how different it really is.¡±

    <hr>

    The Vermilion City Convention Centre was a low-slung, rectangular building at the end of a long pier. Various shops, arcades and restaurants lined the pier, with flashing lights everywhere. The pier was packed with tourists, contest participants and residents out shopping, appropriate for such a bustling area.

    James, Jen and Kimmie worked their way through the crowds and entered the Convention Centre through a revolving door. Inside, banners of past Classic winners hung from the rafters, and a life-sized cutout of a particularly popular coordinator stood in a well-populated corner. A long line of visitors waited to get pictures taken with the cutout, which struck James as odd. If he was going to take a picture with a member of the Electabuzz, he''d want to meet the real player.

    James and Jen hung back while Kimmie joined the line for the registration desk. Kimmie gave her trainer card to the woman behind the counter, and the woman handed her back the card along with a smaller, lime green card with a blue ribbon embossed on the front, and a numbered sticky note. Kimmie waded back through the crowd and rejoined the Violet pair.

    ¡°Okay, I''m registered and ready. Now, all we have to do is wait.¡±

    ¡°Is your friend entering too?¡± Jen asked, looking for a calm area in the crowded foyer.

    ¡°Uh, no, she''s not,¡± Kimmie admitted. ¡°She''s not really the coordinator type. I think she was taking on the Vermilion Gym this morning.¡± Jen''s eyebrows raised.

    ¡°The Vermilion Gym? That''s where we''re heading eventually. Maybe she can give us pointers.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Kimmie giggled. ¡°She''s not really the coordinator type.¡±

    Just then, an announcement sounded over the PA system.

    ¡°Attention, please. Welcome to the Vermilion Convention Centre, home of the Vermilion Classic! Staging for Appeal Round One will begin in thirty minutes. Participating coordinators, please check your registration number against the chart on the video screens around the complex to locate your staging area. Spectators, please begin to make your way to the seating area. Again, staging for Appeal Round One will begin in thirty minutes...¡± Kimmie turned to James and Jen and took a big breath.

    ¡°Well, I guess I''d better go get ready. Let''s meet back here when the first appeal round is over.¡± She checked her mobile device. ¡°My friend just messaged me, she''s done at the Gym. I''ve told her to meet us here as well. I hope she gets here in time to see me appeal.¡±

    ¡°She will, don''t worry.¡± James said, and he and Jen headed for the spectator entrance while Kimmie started looking for a video board. They flashed their trainer cards to the usher, who looked at Typhlosion as she handed Jen a small brochure.

    ¡°He''s a little big, but he can stay out. Just keep an eye on him.¡± James put a calming hand on the annoyed Fire-type''s head as they moved through and found seats in the second level of the arena. Jen consulted the brochure as James looked around.

    ¡°It says here...two appeal rounds, then the top eight competitors compete in three battle rounds. Battles last five minutes, so it won''t go on all day. Should be all right, huh?¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°I never did see my mom compete. She''d given it up by the time I came around. I''ll have to tell her I was here, she''ll find it funny.¡± Jen rolled her eyes, then focused on the arena floor as the lights dimmed, and a spotlight focused on a woman in a blue dress. As the crowd cheered, she addressed them through her headset microphone.

    ¡°Hello, Vermilion City!¡± she called, and the crowd cheered again in response. ¡°Welcome to the 48th annual Vermilion Classic! We''ve got a big one for you today, folks! Coordinators from far and wide have come to open this new Contest season, which will of course culminate in the Grand Festival at the Indigo Plateau, just two weeks before the Indigo Conference!¡± She waited for the crowd noise to subside, then continued. ¡°Before we begin, let''s meet our esteemed panel of judges! First, from the Pok¨¦mon Activities Committee, please welcome Raoul Contesta!¡± A grey-haired man in a red blazer and a black bow tie waved from his podium. ¡°From the Vermilion City Pok¨¦mon Fan Club, Richard Thomas!¡± A man with a bushy white mustache, this time in a pinstriped suit and wide fedora acknowledge the crowd. ¡°And last but not least, from the Vermilion City Pok¨¦mon Centre, Nurse Joy!¡± The pink-haired nurse waved cheerily to the crowd, receiving the loudest roar of all.

    The MC waited for the crowd noise to lower again, then keyed her mic. ¡°All right, enough housekeeping! Let''s get this Contest season going! We''ll start with a local competitor. She''s competing in her first Contest today, so let''s encourage her with a nice hometown cheer! Please welcome Vermilion''s own Kimmie Johnston!¡± The lights came back up, and James and Jen applauded as Kimmie approached the centre of the stage.

    Kimmie looked over at the MC, and she gave her an affirmative nod.

    ¡°Okay, here we go,¡± she whispered to herself, taking a steadying breath. ¡°Oddish, you''re up!¡± The blue Grass-type emerged onto the stage and waved its fronds as it faced the crowd. Kimmie steadied herself again before jumping into action. ¡°Okay, start with Sweet Scent!¡± Oddish released a small cloud of pink powder that seemed to calm the crowd down. ¡°Now, combine it with your Stun Spore!¡± Another cloud of powder, this time a golden yellow, mixed with the Sweet Scent, and Oddish managed to keep it contained to the area around it. ¡°Let''s finish up with Moonlight!¡± Oddish screwed up its eyes, and a small white orb flew into the air above it. A bluish light, resembling a spotlight, illuminated Oddish and the swirling cloud of powder, drawing gasps from parts of the crowd. The light and powder dissipated, and Kimmie and Oddish bowed in several directions. The MC gave Kimmie a thumbs-up before addressing the crowd again.

    ¡°All right! Let''s hear what our panel has to say!¡± She indicated the three judges, and Contesta spoke first.

    ¡°A tried-and-true appeal with multiple coloured powders, but highlighted in a unique way!¡±

    ¡°Creatively done, too.¡± Richard Thomas added.

    ¡°The use of Moonlight as a finale to this short performance was a nice touch.¡± Nurse Joy finished.

    ¡°Well, there you have it! Thank you, Kimmie! Let''s give her a big hand!¡± Kimmie curtsied to the judges, then left the stage.

    It seemed to Jen that it was easy to tell how experienced a coordinator was based on how elaborate their appeals were. One in particular pulled off a stunning light show with his Magneton, combining the red, blue and yellow beams of Tri Attack with Mirror Shot and Gyro Ball until it resembled a multicoloured disco ball. Of course, the next performer tried a complicated routine involving a Slowpoke using Psychic to manipulate multiple Water Pulse orbs at once, only to have the orbs fall on it and explode when Slowpoke lost its concentration. James was glad they weren''t sitting too close, since the result was a flooded main stage and many drenched spectators. Eventually, though, the appeal round ended, and they headed back to meet Kimmie during the intermission.

    <hr>

    ¡°That was awesome!¡± Jen said as she and James met Kimmie in the foyer. ¡°The way you combined those powders was so cool!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Jen,¡± Kimmie answered, looking a little embarrassed. ¡°We''ve been practicing that for weeks, and I''m glad it came off. I don''t know if it''s going to be enough to move on, but I''ve got the first-time jitters out of the way, at least.¡±

    ¡°You''ll be okay,¡± Jen reassured her. ¡°My Pichu had her first battle back in Cerulean City, and I know she''s eager for more now.¡±

    ¡°I know I''m ready for more,¡± Kimmie agreed. She looked up, and her face brightened as she spotted someone in the crowd. ¡°Oh, hey, she made it. Chelsea! Over here!¡± Kimmie waved her arms to catch someone''s attention, and a girl in a purple vest came over. Curly blonde hair poked out from under a black stocking cap, and her white shirt was tucked into dark jeans. Her ochre eyes were intense, but her soft features offset them.

    ¡°Hey, Kim,¡± the girl said, smiling a little. ¡°Your appeal looked great.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Kimmie replied, smiling more broadly. ¡°You softie. I''ll make a Contest lover out of you yet, girl. Just you wait.¡± She looked at James and Jen. ¡°Oh, I met these two at the gatehouse. Chelsea Bridgeman, this is Jen Richards and James Enfield. They''re both from Violet City, out in Johto.¡± Chelsea nodded at both of them, and she gave James a lingering, appraising look.

    ¡°Kim''s been trying to get you to become coordinators too?¡± she asked with a light laugh. ¡°She''ll never convince me. I''m too focused on battling to do anything else.¡± James nodded, then noticed a pin on the left side of her vest.

    ¡°Tell me that''s not a Starmie pin,¡± he said, squinting to get a better look, and Chelsea raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Not even close. It''s actually a Staraptor pin. I''ve been a fan since I was little. Why, what team do you like?¡±

    ¡°Electabuzz all the way,¡± James said, relaxing a little. ¡°Wait, if you''re a Staraptor fan, are you not from Kanto either?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Chelsea replied. ¡°I''m originally from Hoenn. Rustboro City, to be exact. I grew up a short way from the stadium.¡±

    ¡°No kidding,¡± James grinned. ¡°Kimmie told us you were taking on the Vermilion Gym. How''d you do?¡±

    ¡°I got beat, but it was close.¡± Chelsea shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Nothing I didn''t expect. I left my team at the Pok¨¦mon Centre, so I''ll have to head back quick once this is over.¡± She looked at one of the video boards, and nudged Kimmie''s arm. ¡°Hey, looks like they''re posting the results. You''d better check it out before you get crowded out.¡± Kimmie moved towards the nearest board, and the crowd swallowed her up.

    ¡°We''d better stay here,¡± Jen said, watching the waves of people surging towards the screens. ¡°We don''t want to lose each other in this crowd.¡± James and Chelsea agreed, and they waited for Kimmie to emerge. A few minutes later, she did, looking downcast.

    ¡°I, uh, didn''t advance,¡± she said, her eyes a little moist. Jen patted her on the arm, and Typhlosion gave her a sympathetic growl.

    ¡°I''m sorry. You were so excited to compete, too.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Jen,¡± Kimmie replied. She brushed the developing tears out of her eyes with her hand. ¡°It''s okay, I didn''t expect to advance in my very first Contest, anyway. And I learned a lot watching the other appeals, so I know how to improve.¡±

    ¡°I''ll help if you want,¡± Chelsea said, also patting her friend on the shoulder. ¡°Once we''re back at the Centre, we can start up some training.¡±

    ¡°That''ll be nice. But let''s stay for the rest of the Contest. The best way to learn right now is to see how the successful coordinators compete.¡± Kimmie started towards the spectator doors, and James, Jen, Typhlosion and Chelsea followed her to watch the rest of the Vermilion Classic.

 61-Forked Lightning

    ¡°So what made you decide to travel through Kanto first?¡±

    James, Jen, Kimmie and Chelsea had returned to the Pok¨¦mon Centre once the contest ended. The final battle had been quite spectacular: the winning coordinator''s Venomoth had used powder combinations and various ranged Bug-type attacks to overcome its Magneton opponent. Kimmie had applauded the loudest of any of the group, and the winner''s face was sure to be all over the various fan magazines. Now, the group was in the canteen, discussing their various travels.

    Chelsea swallowed a bite of her sandwich before answering Jen.

    ¡°To be honest, I didn''t just want to travel my home region first. I wanted to experience some new things, meet new people and Pok¨¦mon, that sort of thing. That way, when I do get back home, I''ll have a better chance of winning the Ever Grande Conference.¡±

    ¡°I see what you mean,¡± James replied, gulping some water. ¡°I mean, I always planned to go through Johto first. After seeing my brothers take it on, I wanted to show them I could do it too.¡± Jen nodded her agreement.

    ¡°If I hadn''t moved, I would''ve tackled Sinnoh first. But then again, I''ve had a great experience so far, and I''ll get there eventually. No rush, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kimmie chimed in. ¡°So Chelsea, you said you got beat at the Vermilion Gym. What''s that challenge like?¡±

    ¡°It''s rough,¡± Chelsea replied quietly. ¡°The Gym Leader had me battle two on one. Something about not being able to handle him with just one Pok¨¦mon. It''s annoying, but after the fight he and his Raichu gave me, he was probably right. I''ve gotta train hard and maybe catch one more team member before I go take him on again.¡±

    ¡°The Vermilion Gym Leader has a Raichu? He must be strong if he can handle something like that.¡± Jen looked down at her own half-eaten sandwich. ¡°It''s gonna be a while before Pichu gets to that stage.¡±

    ¡°You have a Pichu?¡± Kimmie exclaimed, her eyes brightening. ¡°You''ve got to show me, they''re so adorable!¡± Jen smiled despite herself, while James looked confused and Chelsea rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Let''s finish up here, then we can meet the teams. This sandwich isn''t going to finish itself.¡±

    <hr>

    A short time later, once Chelsea had gotten her Pok¨¦mon back from Nurse Joy, the four trainers went to the small training yard behind the Centre to introduce each other''s teams. Chelsea went first, and released a small raccoon-like creature with alternating stripes of white and brown fur. Its brown eyes were almost hidden behind a black mark across its face. Next, she let out what looked like a brown sausage with a pink nose and small black eyes. The earth was distorted next to its body, as if it was buried in the ground. Jen gave a small gasp of recognition.

    ¡°Is that...a pre-evolved Dugtrio?¡± Chelsea nodded.

    ¡°It is. This is my Diglett. The cave outside of town is full of them. How''d you recognize her?¡±

    ¡°I fought against a Dugtrio at the Silver Conference,¡± Jen replied. ¡°It sure gave me a lot of trouble.¡±

    ¡°I caught her when I found out that the Vermilion Gym uses Electric-types. Figured the book move was to counter them with a Ground-type,¡± Chelsea explained. She turned to the raccoon. ¡°Zigzagoon here is my first Pok¨¦mon; I like to call her Ziggy. I found her wandering through an alley near Rustboro Ball Park. Took me a little bit to convince her to come home with me, but as soon as I was able, I made her my partner.¡± Zigzagoon cooed happily as she nuzzled her trainer''s leg.

    Kimmie, it turned out, had two Oddish, not just the one she''d used at the contest. For whatever reason, they kept bumping into one another as they marched back and forth, small clouds of powder falling from their fronds onto the ground.

    ¡°Why two Oddish, Kimmie?¡± Jen asked as she watched the clumsy Grass-types. Kimmie giggled at her Pok¨¦mon''s antics.

    ¡°Oddish has a split evolution path. One kind of element stone will net me a Vileplume, and the other a Bellossom. I feel like they''ll both help me out in future contests.¡±

    ¡°Still don''t know where you''re gonna get the stones, Kim,¡± Chelsea remarked, as she stroked Zigzagoon''s ears. ¡°Leaf Stone, okay, you can buy them in Celadon City, but they don''t come cheap. As for the Sun Stone, they don''t exactly grow on trees.¡± Kimmie frowned, but stuck her tongue out at Chelsea all the same.

    ¡°I''ll think of something. Maybe we''ll have to...ohmygosh, that''s your Pichu?!¡± Kimmie broke off as Jen started letting her own team out. As Pichu emerged, Kimmie dashed over and scooped her up. Pichu cried out in fear as the coordinator hugged her, and Elekid started to march over before Jen stopped him.

    ¡°Elekid, no. Kimmie is our friend, so don''t shock her.¡± She turned to Kimmie, who had put Pichu down when she saw the other Electric-type coming. ¡°Sorry, Pichu''s kind of skittish around strangers...well, around everybody, really. And Elekid won''t hurt you, he''s just really protective of her. He sees himself kind of like her big brother slash bodyguard for some reason.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry, Pichu,¡± Kimmie said as Pichu hid behind Jen''s leg. ¡°It''s just that you''re so cute, and I''m a sucker for that sort of thing.¡± Jen smiled.

    ¡°Don''t worry about it. She''ll get used to you.¡± Off to the side, Chelsea smirked, and turned to James.

    ¡°What about you, Electabuzz fan? Let''s see your lineup outside of your Typhlosion.¡± James raised an eyebrow before he let the others out. Electabuzz''s horns sparked, Doduo gave an excited chatter, and the Poison-type siblings vocalized greetings. Nidoran glared at Zigzagoon, who returned the expression with interest. Chelsea noticed and tried to calm the Normal-type down. ¡°Whoa, easy, there, girl. We''re here to make friends, not get into a fight.¡±

    ¡°She''s right,¡± James added, holding a hand out to keep Nidoran at bay. ¡°That, and Zigzagoon''s already been in a match today, right?¡± Chelsea looked at Nidoran, then a sly grin crossed her face.

    ¡°They wouldn''t be able to handle us anyway, Ziggy. That Nidoran doesn''t look so tough.¡± Nidoran bristled at the comment, and James stiffened.

    ¡°Are you looking for a fight? Because we''ll take on anyone, any time.¡± Chelsea nodded, her eyes glinting.

    ¡°Boys are so predictable. C''mon, then. Just a one on one match, Nidoran against Ziggy here.¡±

    ¡°You''re sure about this? I don''t want her to get seriously hurt from overdoing things.¡± Chelsea''s smirk became more pronounced.

    ¡°I think you''re just scared that you might lose to a girl.¡± James felt his face grow hot as his eyes narrowed.

    ¡°You know what? You''re on. Let''s do this thing.¡±

    <hr>

    Moments later, James and Nidoran stood across from Chelsea and Zigzagoon, ready for battle. Jen and Kimmie stood off to the side, both looking concerned.

    ¡°Ready when you are!¡± James called to Chelsea. Chelsea grinned.

    ¡°At least you''re a gentleman, letting me go first. Ziggy, Headbutt!¡± Zigzagoon ran toward Nidoran, her head slightly lowered. James grinned too.

    ¡°Jump, Nidoran!¡± Nidoran tensed, then leaped high into the air, and Zigzagoon ran underneath him. Kimmie gasped as Nidoran hung in the air above them. ¡°Now, Double Kick!¡± Nidoran aimed, then drove his body down, his hind feet glowing.

    ¡°Hold steady, Ziggy! Tail Whip!¡± Zigzagoon wagged her tail up at the falling Nidoran, whose body seemed to loosen just a bit. Chelsea watched as the Poison-type plummeted to earth, then pointed. ¡°Dodge to the right!¡± Zigzagoon stepped away as Nidoran kicked out at her, striking the ground twice and kicking up a cloud of dust. ¡°Okay, Headbutt before he can recover!¡± This time, Zigzagoon jumped a little bit in the air and drove her forehead into Nidoran''s side. The strike barely missed one of the barbs on his back, and Nidoran slid to the side, growling in annoyance.

    ¡°Stay calm! Keep her in your sights and use Horn Attack!¡± Nidoran turned until he spotted Zigzagoon, then charged, aiming the point of his horn at her.

    ¡°Sand-Attack!¡± Chelsea shouted, and Zigzagoon turned her back on Nidoran, using her hind feet to kick up more dust. Nidoran faltered as the dust stung his eyes, and Zigzagoon darted to attack him from the side. ¡°Tackle!¡±

    ¡°Sidestep and use Horn Attack!¡± Nidoran ignored his order to sidestep, and instead spun to face Zigzagoon, lowering his head again. ¡°Really? We''re doing this again?¡± Chelsea snickered at Nidoran''s disobedience as the two attacks collided.

    ¡°Sounds like your Nidoran needs a talking-to. Ziggy, one more Headbutt!¡± Zigzagoon jumped up again, and dove towards Nidoran. The hit knocked Nidoran off his feet, and he struggled to get back up. ¡°Tackle, one more time! Finish them off!¡± Before Nidoran could respond, Zigzagoon crashed into him, and he slumped to the ground, his eyes glazed over.

    ¡°Nidoran!¡± James ran over to the Poison-type and checked him over. ¡°You okay?¡± Nidoran growled a subdued affirmative. ¡°Relax, pal. You''re gonna be all right. Let''s have Nurse Joy take a look at you.¡± He recalled Nidoran and looked up at Chelsea. ¡°Nice moves. Zigzagoon''s pretty fast. That''s one up to you, for now.¡± As James walked into the Centre and Jen began recalling her team, Kimmie walked up to Chelsea, who was stroking Zigzagoon''s ears.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Kimmie asked, as Chelsea fixed the zipper on the side of her boot. Chelsea frowned.

    ¡°Huh? What are you...¡±

    ¡°That challenge came out of nowhere. And you were taunting him like you wanted him to get mad or something. What''s going on?¡± Chelsea said nothing, but tugged her stocking cap a little lower over her head. Kimmie thought for a moment, then smirked. ¡°You...you like him, don''t you?¡± Chelsea''s ochre eyes flashed as her head snapped up.

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    ¡°What? No! I barely know him, Kim. I just wanted to see how he stacks up, is all.¡±

    ¡°Don''t lie,¡± Kimmie teased, her voice shaking with amusement. ¡°I saw that look you gave him at the convention centre. You couldn''t keep your eyes off him all afternoon.¡± Chelsea shook her head.

    ¡°I just...wondered what was up with his face. Those cuts were...hey! Jen!¡± Jen, who had been talking to Pichu, looked up in confusion. ¡°What happened to your friend? How''d he get cut up like that?¡± Jen flushed.

    ¡°A...a Sneasel got him. He got a little too close to a nest, and the mom took a swing at him.¡± This was not, of course, strictly true, but Jen wasn''t about to recount the real story to someone she hadn''t known for more than a few hours. That harrowing evening still haunted her.

    ¡°So he''s as reckless off the field as he is on it,¡± Chelsea said, trying hard to ignore Kimmie, who was still smirking. ¡°Makes sense. He''s just a kid, after all. He can''t be older than twelve...¡±

    ¡°You''ve only been thirteen for two weeks,¡± Kimmie shot back. ¡°Stop trying to deny it, Chelsea.¡±

    ¡°I''m not trying, I am denying it. I mean, he didn''t even insult me back, or go out of his way to prove he was better. Who does that?¡±

    ¡°Most people?¡± Jen said, finally recalling Pichu. ¡°James is reckless, but he''s not typically going to rise to that kind of bait.¡± She checked the time. ¡°I''m going to turn in, if I''m heading for the Vermilion Gym tomorrow.¡± Jen turned and walked into the Centre, and Kimmie stuck her tongue out at Chelsea before following her. Chelsea let out a frustrated groan as she recalled Zigzagoon and left the yard.

    <hr>

    The Vermilion City Gym stood a short way from the docks. It was a bland, grey, utilitarian building with a few lightning bolts painted on the facade. A set of automated double doors admitted the group inside, James in the lead with Typhlosion at his heels. The foyer was just as featureless as the outside, with a small reception desk providing the only furniture in the area. No receptionist sat at the desk, but Jen found a small button and pressed down on it. A buzzer sounded through the gym, so loudly that everyone covered their ears, and a minute or so later, two figures emerged from a side door. A stocky man with a wicked grin and a buzz cut stood next to a slightly taller woman with short-cropped red hair and watchful dark eyes. Both wore military-style clothing, and neither looked to be in a particularly helpful mood.

    ¡°Whaddya want?¡± the man asked. His counterpart elbowed him in the side.

    ¡°Where''s your decorum?¡± she asked with more than a hint of contempt. The man gave her a sardonic look as she turned to the group, nodding as she noticed Chelsea. ¡°You, I recognize,¡± she said to the blonde-haired girl. ¡°The rest of you, not so much.¡±

    ¡°We''re here to challenge the Vermilion Gym,¡± Jen told her, fighting to keep her voice steady.

    ¡°Hey, boss!¡± the woman shouted. ¡°A couple of pipsqueaks are here for a challenge!¡± A few moments later, the largest man either James or Jen had ever seen walked through the door leading to the battlefield. The only people James knew who were even close to this man''s height were his own father and his brother Darrell. The man had spiked blonde hair and sharp blue eyes, and his muscles bulged beneath his dark green fatigues. A pair of metallic objects hung from a chain around his neck, and a silver bar sat on each point of his collar. Lieutenant Surge looked down on the group; despite his size, he had a wary, almost nervous look in his eyes.

    ¡°So, you''re here for a Gym challenge?¡± His voice was low and harsh, and he had a distinct big-city accent. Jen nodded in response.

    ¡°Yes, sir. We...¡±

    ¡°I dunno why you''re wasting time with these kids, Boss,¡± interrupted the male gym trainer with a grin. His voice was unlike his superior''s, high and nasal, somehow amplifying his contempt. Surge frowned.

    ¡°Bash,¡± he said, throwing the other man a warning look, but his subordinate kept going.

    ¡°I mean, c''mon! They look like they''d never keep up with you, Boss! You already took down the girl in the hat!¡±

    ¡°Bash!¡± Surge''s frown grew even harder, but the man called Bash didn''t take the hint.

    ¡°I mean, okay, maybe this girl can hold her own,¡± he said, indicating Jen, ¡°but this guy here,¡±? he pointed to James?¡°this one looks like he''d have a hard time...¡± As Bash rambled on, Surge finally lost patience.

    ¡°Dismissed, Sergeant!¡± the lieutenant bellowed. The order reverberated through the foyer. Bash''s grin faded as he blinked, embarrassment colouring his face, then he saluted.

    ¡°As...as ordered, Lieutenant.¡± Bash walked away through the side door, and Surge turned to the female gym trainer.

    ¡°Go with him, Tilda. Make sure he stays in the building.¡± Tilda saluted as well, and followed Bash out of the foyer. Surge sighed, then turned back to the group.

    ¡°Sorry about him. He never knew when to shut up, even when we were on deployment together.¡± He looked them over. ¡°You, in the hat. You''re not looking for a rematch this soon, right?¡± Chelsea shook her head. Surge turned to James and Jen. ¡°As for you two...I apologize if this sounds rough, but I think Bash might be right. You came via Cerulean, correct?¡±

    ¡°That''s right,¡± James said, wondering where Surge was going with this.

    ¡°Let me tell you this, then,¡± Surge continued. ¡°I have a lot of respect for Brock and Misty. They''re good kids, strong competitors. But this gym is a step up from them. I don''t hold back, whether a trainer''s got one badge or seven. My Raichu isn''t exactly a casual fighter, either.¡± He looked them over once more. ¡°So here''s what we''re gonna do.¡± Surge pointed to each of them in turn. ¡°You two are gonna team up. You''ll send out one Pok¨¦mon each, against my Raichu. Win, and you''ll both get a badge. Lose...and we''ll talk about what''s next. What do you say?¡± James looked over at Jen, whose eyes were wide, but she nodded quickly.

    ¡°You''re on.¡± James'' eyes flicked to the insignia on Surge''s collar and added, ¡°Um, sir.¡± Surge waved his hand dismissively.

    ¡°Surge is fine. You''re not under my command, so I''m not worried about titles.¡± He gave the pair one last searching look. ¡°Whenever you''re ready.¡±

    <hr>

    As Surge left the foyer, Jen turned to James.

    ¡°So...how do we approach this? I''m thinking Magmar for my pick, since she''s my strongest Pok¨¦mon.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°I''m gonna go with Blue. She just evolved, so she''ll be the most eager to tackle that Raichu.¡±

    ¡°What about Typhlosion?¡± Jen asked. ¡°His firepower could really put us over the top.¡±

    ¡°I don''t want to make the fight too easy,¡± James said. ¡°I''m kind of holding him back until we hit the later gyms. That way, the others can catch up.¡± Jen frowned, but couldn''t find an argument.

    ¡°Okay. Magmar and Blue. We''ll have to really watch each other''s backs out there.¡±

    ¡°We''ll be pulling for you guys,¡± Kimmie said, and Chelsea nodded her assent. ¡°Good luck.¡± The two girls headed for the stands. James sent Typhlosion to sit with them, and he and Jen walked through the doors into a dimly lit room. Surge stood on the other side of the battlefield, his arms folded over his chest. A rodentine Pok¨¦mon with orange fur and a long tail ending in a lightning bolt stood by his side, a smug grin on its face. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan it.

    ¡°Raichu, the Mouse Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°Raichu is the final evolved form of Pichu. This Pok¨¦mon is capable of storing over 100,000 volts of electricity in its body, but it becomes aggressive if it has stored too much electricity.¡±

    ¡°So that''s what I have to look forward to,¡± Jen murmured as she stowed the device. ¡°I''m in no rush, but Pichu''s gonna be strong when she evolves all the way.¡± As she spoke, industrial floodlights in the ceiling snapped on, illuminating the whole area. Both youngsters briefly screwed up their eyes against the sudden brightness. As their eyes adjusted, a familiar nasal voice sounded over a loudspeaker.

    ¡°Attention, please!¡± Bash''s voice called. ¡°This is an official Vermilion Gym match! The challengers will choose one Pok¨¦mon each for this battle. The Gym Leader, Lieutenant Surge, will be using a Raichu. This is a two-on-one battle. If Raichu is knocked out in the course of battle, the challengers will each win a Thunder Badge. If Raichu knocks out both of the challengers'' Pok¨¦mon, Lieutenant Surge is the winner. Challengers, please select your Pok¨¦mon.¡± Jen looked at James, then tossed out her Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Magmar, let''s go!¡± The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon blew out a mouthful of flames as she emerged, squaring to face Raichu. James grinned as he threw his own ball.

    ¡°Blue, come on out!¡± Blue reared up on her hind legs as she emerged, trying to intimidate her opponent. Since she barely reached Magmar''s shoulder, it didn''t have the effect she intended, but James liked her spirit. The loudspeaker sounded again.

    ¡°The challengers have chosen a Magmar and a Nidorina. Let the battle begin!¡±

    <hr>

    Jen Richards

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    James Enfield

    A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï

    Lt. Surge

    A: ¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    <hr>

    A bell sounded, and Jen turned to James.

    ¡°Who starts? Me?¡±

    ¡°Don''t ask me, just go!¡± James answered, watching Raichu already starting to target them. Jen nodded quickly and called to Magmar.

    ¡°Magmar, SmokeScreen!¡± Magmar inhaled deeply, then let out a cloud of choking black smoke that obscured the whole battlefield. James squinted into the dark gas as Blue disappeared behind it.

    ¡°Can''t really see...Blue! Find Raichu with Poison Sting!¡± Violet spikes shot erratically from the smole, none of them finding the target. Through it all, Surge watched calmly as Raichu stepped into the black cloud.

    ¡°Raichu! Use your tail to clear that smoke!¡± A second later, the bolt-shape on the end of Raichu''s long tail slammed onto the ground, blowing the smoke aside. Blue growled as she kept searching for her enemy. ¡°Okay, now give that Nidorina a ThunderShock!¡± Raichu gathered a small cloud of electricity around its body, then fired it at Blue. The shock drove her to her knees, and her body shuddered as the attack dissipated.

    ¡°Blue! Raichu''s to your left! Get after it and use Bite!¡± Blue spun to match James'' instruction, then ran towards Raichu with her jaws wide. Jen watched Blue and turned to her own Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Magmar, Flamethrower! Box it in!¡± Magmar unleashed a stream of fire to try to cut Raichu off, and Blue caught Raichu''s arm in her jaws as it was forced towards her. Raichu growled in discomfort from the heat and the bite pressure on its arm, but couldn''t move quickly because of Blue''s weight. Surge just kept watching calmly.

    ¡°Raichu! Try to get close to Magmar!¡± Raichu struggled to move towards Magmar, dragging Blue along the floor; the Poison-type twisted her neck, trying to cause more damage.

    ¡°Hit it with Fire Punch, Magmar!¡± Jen cried, and Magmar ran up to Raichu and slugged it in the face with a burning fist. Raichu slid back a few inches, but Surge smiled for the first time.

    ¡°Okay, Raichu, we''ve got ''em where we want ''em! Discharge!¡± Raichu''s body glowed yellow, and a massive cloud of electricity exploded from its body. Magmar was thrown backward and struggled to get up, and Blue released Raichu''s arm as she took the worst of the blast.

    ¡°Blue!¡± James looked at Jen, whose eyes were wide in panic. ¡°We might be in over our heads here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you think?¡± Jen responded, looking back to Magmar. ¡°Magmar! Get back up and use Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Blue, get after it again with Bite!¡± Blue, visibly slowed by the recent damage, tried valiantly to charge Raichu, but the mouse easily sidestepped her attack. Surge pointed to Blue.

    ¡°ThunderShock on that Nidorina!¡± Raichu jolted Blue with another short burst of electricity, and she fell to the floor.

    ¡°Challenger Nidorina is unable to continue!¡± Bash''s voice sounded over the loudspeaker. ¡°Challenger Magmar remains conscious.¡± Jen groaned as James recalled Blue.

    ¡°Magmar, we''ve got to pull it together! Jump and use Smog!¡± Magmar jumped up and exhaled a cloud of thick grey smoke. Violet sparks jumped through the choking fumes, but Raichu seemed unaffected.

    ¡°Raichu, use your tail to jump, and use Focus Punch!¡± As Magmar dropped back to the ground, Raichu used the lightning bolt-shaped end of its tail to push itself towards her. Its left fist glowed blue-white, and Magmar received a powerful blow just below her beak. The attack knocked Magmar to the floor, and she struggled to get back up again.

    ¡°Magmar, hang in there!¡± Jen cried, but as Magmar tried to climb to her feet, Raichu was all over her.

    ¡°Give it another Discharge, Raichu! End this fight!¡± Raichu''s body glowed again, and the next electric blast dropped Magmar for good.

    ¡°Challenger Magmar is unable to continue! The victory goes to Lieutenant Surge and Raichu!¡±

    <hr>

    Jen recalled Magmar and turned to James. Her best friend looked stunned. They''d been completely unprepared for this kind of battle, and it had shown. Surge''s reputation for being a difficult matchup had been well earned.

    Surge approached the pair with Raichu at his side.

    ¡°You guys all right? I wasn''t joking when I said I don''t hold back.¡±

    ¡°We''re...okay,¡± James said, his eyes still wide. ¡°Looks like we need to do a lot more training.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jen agreed. ¡°I think we''d better swing back to this gym after we''ve done some more traveling, too.¡± Surge nodded.

    ¡°Word of advice: work as a team more often. In any battle, Pok¨¦mon or, heaven forbid, a real war, you need to work well with your compatriots. If you guys want to win in this format, your teamwork has to be fluid and coordinated. Fighting a two-on-one as two individuals will lead to an easy defeat.¡± Jen smiled sadly.

    ¡°Thanks, Lieutenant. We''ll definitely keep that in mind, and we''ll be back eventually.¡±

    ¡°I''ll look forward to it.¡± Surge turned and headed towards a door at the far end of the battlefield, and Jen followed James to meet Kimmie and Chelsea. They''d figure out their next move once they''d rested.

 62-The Long Way Round

    The mood among the group was subdued in the Pok¨¦mon Centre yard for the rest of the day. Magmar and Blue were none the worse for wear after treatment, and they stood off to the side as the others trained. Despite wanting to continue bringing Nidoran up to the same level as the rest of his team, James had to keep the Poison-type back from the main group, since he and Ziggy were giving each other challenging looks again. Instead, he paired Nidoran with Doduo, whose bulk gave him a large target to aim for while they worked on reducing his hangtime during Double Kick attacks.

    As Jen directed her team through a few basic drills, Kimmie wandered over.

    ¡°Hey,¡± she said quietly, almost as if she was afraid of setting Jen off. Jen looked up from giving Pichu instructions and smiled.

    ¡°Hey, Kimmie. What''s up?¡± Kimmie shrugged.

    ¡°Just ''hey''. You and James had a tough fight back there.¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°I didn''t expect that sort of battle. Two on one, I mean,¡± she added, as Kimmie looked confused. ¡°Chelsea did say Surge would be hard, after all.¡± She looked over towards James, a gesture Kimmie couldn''t miss. ¡°And he was right when he said we had to improve our teamwork. James may be my best friend, but we''ve never been in that kind of scenario before.¡± Kimmie raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Really? I remember you saying that you guys have traveled together for a few years now. How is it you''ve never battled together?¡±

    ¡°It''s not something we ever had to do. All our battles were one on one. If we''d had to battle together, we would''ve taken a lot longer to get through Johto.¡± Jen sighed as she watched Magmar chat with Togetic. ¡°We''ve got a lot of distance to cover before we hit another gym. That should give us plenty of time to practice.¡±

    ¡°Which gym are you going to next?¡± Kimmie asked. Jen shrugged.

    ¡°The closest one is probably in Saffron, but we might not be able to get there right away. They''d shut down the northern gate when we were heading down here.¡±

    ¡°You don''t want to challenge the Saffron Gym too early,¡± Kimmie replied, a hint of panic in her voice. ¡°I''ve heard about the Gym Leader up there, and she''s even more dangerous than Surge. I''m serious!¡± she added, as Jen looked skeptical. ¡°She uses Psychic-types, and they''re really difficult to stop.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t there ways to take them down, though?¡± Jen asked, eyebrows still raised. ¡°I mean, any Pok¨¦mon has a weakness. It''s just a matter of figuring it out.¡±

    ¡°I''m just advising you, steer clear of the Saffron Gym until you guys figure that out. You don''t want to get held up because you''re focused on one leader.¡± Jen shrugged again, and went back to working with the team.

    Across the yard, James was directing his own team as Chelsea held Ziggy in her arms, keeping her from charging Nidoran again. Both Pok¨¦mon had clearly not settled down after their battle the night before, and Chelsea kept having to tighten her grip on the squirming raccoon, who was putting up a terrific fight.

    ¡°Hold still, Ziggy,¡± Chelsea scolded as the Normal-type made another bid to charge the Poison-type. ¡°You''d think she wanted to do more than battle,¡± she added, and James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I think they''re both overeager, to be honest. Nidoran''s been itching for a fight with just about anybody since I caught him. And I think he''s frustrated that his sister''s managed to evolve, and he''s still in his basic form.¡± Chelsea looked over at James team members, and nodded.

    ¡°He''ll get there. Once he gets all the way to the Nidoking stage, he''ll be a force to be reckoned with.¡± Chelsea adjusted her stocking cap, not an easy feat with her arms full, and then turned back to James. ¡°So I''ve got to ask. What can I expect from the Pewter and Cerulean gyms?¡± When James didn''t answer right away, she continued. ¡°I don''t want you to plan my whole strategy for me. Just give me an overview.¡± James thought for a moment.

    ¡°Catch something that can fight out of water and at range, for one thing. Diglett''s going to be no use against Misty, since she''s anchored to the floor.¡±

    ¡°Not to mention the type advantage,¡± Chelsea interrupted, and James nodded.

    ¡°That too. Ziggy will be a tricky one to use as well; she''s quick, but she doesn''t have much punch to her attacks yet.¡± Chelsea scowled, and James held his hands up. ¡°Hey, it''s true. She took down Nidoran, yeah, but against more maneuverable and resilient opponents, not to mention ones that actually listen to their trainer?¡± He snapped a glance at Nidoran, who was busy aiming a Double Kick at Doduo and couldn''t hear him anyway. ¡°She''s gonna be on the losing end.¡± He watched Chelsea''s face relax, and continued. ¡°I''d recommend a Grass-type for Misty, since Electric-types are kind of few and far between around here. Elekid managed to bring me home the win, but I already had him in the team.¡±

    ¡°That''ll help in the Pewter Gym too. Diglett can do well there, but Ziggy? Not so much against Rock-types.¡± Ziggy started to fuss again, and Chelsea stroked her ears to calm her. ¡°Easy, girl. You''re gonna be a big help wherever you battle.¡±

    ¡°She''s certainly got a lot of energy. That''ll be an asset when the time comes.¡±

    <hr>

    The rest of the day passed without much incident. None of the group spoke much more to each other beyond a few pleasantries, and then each pair spent their evening time planning their next route. Kimmie and Chelsea would head through the Diglett''s Cave back towards Pewter City, and retrace the same route the Violet pair had taken after clearing Viridian Forest. James and Jen, for their part, had several options, and argued over which one to use. James was all for heading back into Saffron and using the Kanto capital as a swingback point as they traversed the nearby cities. Jen, remembering the hassle they''d gone through after they''d left Cerulean, wanted to take the route by the eastern coast, which would eventually land them in Lavender Town.

    ¡°That way, if Saffron is blocked off from the east, we can take the other Underground Path and bypass it until we''re ready.¡± Jen reasoned as she checked the map, while James pulled on a long-sleeved black shirt to sleep in. ¡°Heck, even if it isn''t blocked off, we can bypass it and double back later. Kimmie said the Saffron Gym will be a heavy challenge.¡±

    ¡°Worse than Surge?¡±

    ¡°Apparently. The Saffron Gym uses Psychic-types, according to Kimmie, and I don''t know if we have the personnel to take on that kind of fight just now.¡± Jen looked at the map again, noting the symbols by the cities. ¡°It looks like Celadon Gym is the next one over, and they appear to use Grass-types. We''re in a lot better shape to fight them.¡±

    ¡°Definitely. I might even let Typhlosion loose for that one. He''s gone a while without a real match.¡± James rotated his left shoulder as he moved to pull out his sleeping bag. ¡°So...¡± Jen held up a hand as she approached the bed.

    ¡°Is this a ''quick'' so, or a ''we''re going to be here for a while'' so? I do want to sleep at some point.¡±

    ¡°Bit of each?¡± James said, and Jen almost smiled. ¡°What do you think of the other two? They seem all right.¡± Jen considered as she lay down.

    ¡°Well, Kimmie''s really nice. I may not know a lot about contests, but she''ll be pretty good at them once she develops her team a little. Chelsea...¡± She paused, trying to gather her thoughts about the blonde girl. ¡°She''s a bit too aggressive for my taste. I mean, challenging you out of left field, hours after she''d had a gym match? I''m not sure anyone should push their Pok¨¦mon that hard, especially one like her Zigzagoon.¡± Jen thought a little more, staring at the ceiling. ¡°You''re the baseball guy, you tell me. Would you want to pitch too many games in a row?¡±

    ¡°Do you want the short answer, or the detailed one?¡± James waited for a response, but Jen''s silence told him he should keep things brief. ¡°I mean, I couldn''t even if I wanted to. My summer league has rules about how much rest I have to get, depending on how many pitches I throw.¡± He stretched his left arm reflexively as he spoke. ¡°I did call Chelsea on that one, though, remember? Before she, ah...¡±

    ¡°Before she resorted to schoolyard taunts? Yeah, I was there. She acted like she wanted you to lose your temper.¡±

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    ¡°I didn''t, though. I''ll admit, I was annoyed, but I wasn''t going to get too worked up over it.¡± James yawned and tensed his hand a few times. ¡°We''d better get some sleep before we head for Lavender Town. See you when I get up.¡± Jen mumbled an assent, and the pair drifted off to sleep.

    <hr>

    The next morning dawned bright and cool. Once the group had snagged a quick breakfast, they moved out towards the city limits and prepared to go their separate ways. Kimmie scratched Typhlosion''s ears as she chatted with Jen, speculating about which new Pok¨¦mon she might catch for herself.

    ¡°I mean, having both Oddish with me is going to be fine, but I need to have other options too, right?¡± She looked towards James, who was looking out at the Diglett''s Cave and the next route. ¡°You know, I should take a cue from him on something.¡±

    ¡°What''s that?¡± Jen asked, snapping a quick glance at her friend.

    ¡°I should figure out a nickname for at least one of my Oddish. Otherwise, they''ll both come running when I call. James did the same with Blue, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s true,¡± Jen said. ¡°I was the one who brought that up to him, you know. Spotted that issue the moment he caught both of them.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Kimmie responded. ¡°I mean, I''m sure he would''ve figured it out the eighth time they both answered him.¡±

    ¡°Twelfth,¡± Jen said, then without warning, the two girls burst out laughing. James looked over, confused, but shrugged and turned back to the route. Chelsea walked over to him, her eyes wide at her companions'' behaviour.

    ¡°What''s got them going?¡± she asked, and James shrugged again. ¡°Meh, Kim finds all kinds of weird stuff funny. You never know what''s gonna set her off.¡±

    ¡°Some people are like that, I guess,¡± James said, stretching his arm again. Chelsea looked at the cave entrance herself, and smiled.

    ¡°Diglett''s gonna be happy to travel through her old home again. Plus, she can keep the other ones off our case.¡± She looked at James again, adjusting her stocking cap. ¡°So...when am I gonna get to see you again?¡± James turned to face her, taken aback by the tone in her voice. He thought he saw a slight pink tinge touch her face, but overlooked it.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± he said. ¡°We''re bound to cross paths again some time, right?¡± Chelsea''s face fell, and he waved a hand to calm her. ¡°C''mon, think about it. Ziggy and Nidoran will want a rematch at some point. Can''t do that if we never see each other again.¡± As Chelsea nodded slowly, Jen and Kimmie walked up, Typhlosion at their heels.

    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Jen asked, looking from James to Chelsea. Both nodded, and Kimmie smirked.

    ¡°Don''t worry, Chelsea, we''ll see them again. The Staraptor play the Electabuzz every so often, why shouldn''t you two knock heads the same way?¡± Chelsea glared at her best friend, and James grinned.

    ¡°That''s right. Every player has a pitcher they can''t hit.¡± Chelsea''s glare turned to him now, as Kimmie started giggling.

    ¡°I''m gonna be the hitter you can''t get out,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Better add a pitch or two before we meet again, ''cause otherwise Ziggy and I will be sitting on the fastball, ready to crush it.¡± At Chelsea''s words, Kimmie clamped both her hands over her mouth to try and stifle her giggles, and Chelsea''s eyes got even narrower.

    ¡°Oh, don''t worry,¡± James replied, oblivious to the girls'' antics. ¡°I''ll be ready for any approach.¡± Jen checked the time and coughed pointedly.

    ¡°All right, we''re calling time on this. We''ve got to get going.¡± She turned to Kimmie. ¡°Good luck to you guys. Don''t push too hard,¡±¡ª she resisted looking at Chelsea as she said this¡ª¡°and be careful going through Mt. Moon on the way back. Some idiot was ambushing travelers to try and steal their stuff when we went there.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Kimmie said, startled. ¡°I don''t want my stuff to get stolen!¡±

    ¡°It won''t, Kim,¡± Chelsea told her friend, a soothing tone in her voice now. ¡°Good luck to you guys, too. Be careful at the Saffron Gym, when you get there. Kim''s not wrong, the Gym Leader is dangerous if you''re not prepared.¡±

    ¡°Will do. See you around.¡± Jen watched as Kimmie and Chelsea headed towards the cave, then turned back to James and Typhlosion. ¡°Let''s go, then.¡±

    <hr>

    Route 11 seemed just as straightforward as some of the other routes the pair had traveled along in Kanto. The route had broad paths that were bordered with large patches of grass, and various wild Pok¨¦mon would run past, staring avidly at passers-by. The only complaint Jen had was that the paths tended to take odd turns or double back on themselves, making the trip take a lot longer despite the even terrain.

    With the discussion of the Celadon Gym in mind, James focused his attention on building up Doduo''s speed and attacking strength. The Flying-type looked bulky, but he would be more reliant on quickness and an ability to hit hard than getting hit in return. Battling James'' team before his capture had been the exception; the element of surprise wasn''t going to be in very good supply in future. Using the opportunity to build his own arm strength, James started throwing baseballs for the Twin Bird to chase down, and Doduo took to the training with enthusiasm, even if he did get hit by the occasional fly ball.

    As both youngsters had hoped, Golbat and Blue began their effort to help the latter learn Poison Fang. James was hopeful that Blue would get the hang of the move quickly, so she could make the Celadon Gym even easier in theory. Jen just wanted Golbat to be able to stay sharp, since his battle usage would probably drop after Celadon. Golbat was still showing no signs of triggering his next evolution, and Jen scolded herself for not looking it up yet. Unfortunately, the Pok¨¦dex was vague on the subject.

    ¡°High friendship? How do you even tell that?¡± Jen asked, after stowing the device with a groan. ¡°I''ve had him since the Dark Cave, you''d think we''d be pretty good friends by now.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he''s closer than we think. You never know.¡± James watched Typhlosion miss Nidoran with a fire burst and shrugged. ¡°Maybe I should leave the area when Nidoran battles. Then he won''t glare at me instead of following orders.¡±

    ¡°He''s gotten better,¡± Jen answered, watching the Poison-type dart back and forth. ¡°And he''ll catch up to the others soon enough. Hard work works, as they say.¡±

    From the Route 11 gatehouse, they moved to Route 12, heading north along what the signposts called Silence Bridge. Just outside the gatehouse, they saw a massive depression in the ground between bridge segments, and Jen nearly tripped because she didn''t expect the change in incline.

    ¡°What do you think could''ve made that?¡± she asked after she recovered. ¡°Something that size must weigh half a ton, at least. I''m glad it''s not here right now, because I don''t think we could handle something that big.¡±

    As they moved up the route, Typhlosion stayed as far away from the edge of the wooden walkway as he could, so he wouldn''t be splashed. Along the route, a group of middle-aged men were fishing in the slow-moving river, occasionally hauling a Magikarp or Goldeen from the water. James and Jen watched them for a short while, intrigued by how Magikarp in particular could put up a terrific fight, despite the species'' reputation for hideous weakness. Of course, Jen then remembered that the weak fish eventually became the fearsome Gyarados, and James'' skepticism died; Electabuzz had taken out two of the sea serpents in his career already.

    <hr>

    Silence Bridge ended with another gatehouse, and beyond here was Lavender Town. The first thing the two youngsters noticed was the high tower in the northeastern corner of the area, which had a large antenna poking out from the top. James talked Jen into checking out the tower before they went to the Pok¨¦mon Centre, and they soon found themselves in the building''s foyer. Posters for various shows hung on the walls; a blue-haired woman named DJ Lily seemed to be the most popular host at the station, since her face adorned at least two thirds of the posters. James, however, was most intrigued by one near the service elevator. This one featured three baseball players, each wearing white uniforms with red pinstripes, as well as navy caps with a picture of a smirking bird with red, white and navy plumage on it. One player was holding a bat on his shoulder, another reached up as if to catch a fly ball, and a third was winding up to pitch. The words KSEL: The Radio Home of the Saffron Swellow sat beneath the player''s pictures.

    ¡°Saffron Swellow?¡± Jen asked, looking at the poster. ¡°Another baseball team, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± James said, his smile fading a little. ¡°Another team that beats the Electabuzz all the time.¡± Jen tried not to smile.

    ¡°Isn''t there a team that doesn''t do that?¡± she asked, and James shook his head.

    ¡°Doesn''t seem like it a lot of the time.¡± As they turned to leave, they saw an elderly man in a purple shirt and khakis leaving the building. He spotted them, and smiled.

    ¡°Hello, there. Nice to see young people touring our little town.¡± Jen smiled.

    ¡°It seems like a quiet place, but there''s still quite a bit to see.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the man replied. ¡°My name is Mr. Fuji, and I live nearby.¡± He pointed to a small house not far from the tower. ¡°If you have time, please visit the House of Memories. I am the caretaker there, and can show you around the public areas if you''d like.¡± Jen looked at James.

    ¡°Why don''t you lead us there? We''ve got some time before we head to the Pok¨¦mon Centre.¡± James nodded his agreement, and the two youngsters and Typhlosion followed Mr. Fuji to his house.

    <hr>

    ¡°You see, what is now the Radio Tower used to be known simply as the Pok¨¦mon Tower,¡± Mr. Fuji said as they entered the small entrance annex of the House of Memories. ¡°The tower was meant to be a final resting place for the spirits of deceased Pok¨¦mon, and a place for people to pay their respects. Some in town were quite unhappy when the plans to convert it into a radio station were revealed.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Jen said, looking around at the various photos and drawings on the walls. ¡°If the tower was meant to be such an important place, it seems disrespectful to just up and change the building.¡±

    ¡°I did have that thought at first, young lady,¡± Mr. Fuji said with a nod. ¡°However, I worked with the town and the radio people and we worked out a compromise. This House of Memories was that compromise. ¡±

    ¡°So they moved everything in the tower here?¡± James asked. ¡°This place doesn''t seem big enough to hold that much stuff...¡±

    ¡°Well, there is much more to the house than meets the eye. Unfortunately, I do not generally allow visitors into most areas. People only see this annex, and that''s generally enough.¡± Both youngsters nodded, and Jen noticed a picture near the main door. The picture showed a man who had to be a young Mr. Fuji, and two other men in lab coats standing next to him.

    ¡°Who are these men, sir?¡± she asked. Mr. Fuji looked at the photo, and his face fell a little.

    ¡°One of them is an old colleague, with whom I lost contact years ago. The other is...was...my brother.¡±

    ¡°Your brother?¡± James asked, moving over to look at the picture. Jen, however, looked shocked.

    ¡°W-what do you mean, was?¡± she asked, her eyes wide. Mr. Fuji considered for a moment, then sighed.

    ¡°Why don''t we move to the living area and have some tea? This is not a story that can be told simply, nor can it be told briefly.¡±

 63-The Caretakers Story

    ¡°Suffice it to say, my brother was quite brilliant,¡± Mr. Fuji said as he poured tea in his small kitchen. James and Jen sat at a small square table, while Typhlosion napped in a corner. ¡°He was the top genetics student at the university when we were younger.¡±

    ¡°Genetics?¡± Jen asked, her brow furrowed. Mr. Fuji smiled.

    ¡°The study of how living things pass on their traits from one generation to the next, and what is responsible for those traits.¡± Mr. Fuji took a sip of tea and his expression fell a little. ¡°My brother was outperforming students with several years'' worth of study after just his first semester, and his papers were featured in the most prominent journals in the world. Even the great Professor Samuel Oak''s research was overshadowed by my brother''s achievements.¡±

    ¡°What kind of genetics did he write about?¡± James asked him. Mr. Fuji''s mouth tightened.

    ¡°At the time, cloning was all the rage. The idea of being able to replicate Pok¨¦mon without resorting to breeding was a revolutionary idea at the time, especially for critically endangered species. Some scientists even thought that with the correct technological breakthrough, extinct Pok¨¦mon could be brought back to life.¡±

    ¡°Fossil Pok¨¦mon, right?¡± James'' face had fallen just like Mr. Fuji''s had. ¡°Like Aerodactyl or Kabutops?¡±

    ¡°The very same.¡± Mr. Fuji pointed to the photograph of himself and his companions, which he''d removed from the annex wall. ¡°Now, my story has three lead actors. You can tell which one I am.¡± He indicated the middle figure, who looked just like the current Mr. Fuji, except with a bit more hair. ¡°This one is my brother,¡± he said, tapping the picture. The thin man to his right, his brother, wore glasses above his prominent nose. His grey hair was in a pompadour style, and his pointed beard protruded from his chin. He didn''t look all that much like Mr. Fuji, but Jen took the old man''s word that they were brothers.

    ¡°And the third?¡± she asked. Mr. Fuji followed her hand as she pointed to the third subject. The man to Fuji''s left was much taller than the brothers, and out of all three, he looked the least like a scientist. He had broad shoulders and an easy smile, and his shoulder-length hair was straight and dark. Mr. Fuji waited for the two youngsters to look up before he continued.

    ¡°Mackenzie Rexel. Another one of the most driven people I''ve ever known, and one of my best friends for a time.¡± he said with a sombre nod. Both youngsters'' expressions changed in an instant; Jen''s eyes widened in shock and fear, while James looked enraged. Mr. Fuji frowned at both of them. ¡°You''ve heard the name?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we''ve heard the name,¡± James said, nearly standing up before Jen grabbed his arm. ¡°His notes were stolen a while back when we were in Pewter City.¡±

    ¡°I heard something of that nature on the news. He was scheduled to give a talk at the Pewter Museum of Science around the same time.¡± Mr. Fuji cleared his throat. ¡°Er-hem. Anyway. Where my brother was tremendously gifted in theoretical genetics, Rexel was an engineer at heart. Oh, he was well versed in genetic theory too, but he took up the burden of turning theory into action while my brother was buried in his books. Rexel spent half his time on fossil digs, and the other half in the lab, studying and improving the gene sequencing equipment the university had been trying to develop.¡±

    ¡°What was the university doing with that kind of tech?¡± James asked, taking a long sip of tea.

    ¡°Like I said, cloning was a big scientific leap.¡± Mr. Fuji sipped his own tea, then kept going. ¡°Now, my brother was brilliant, but he was...shall we say, obsessive about his work? He could never be truly satisfied when a project was finished. If he had even the slightest doubt, he would try to fine-tune whatever was troubling him. It caused issues once we graduated and began our research, let me tell you. He was respected by his peers for his attention to detail, but donors often became skittish about funding his projects. He would endlessly revisit projects even after their funding had long been used up. Fortunately, Rexel was able to help. His father had been a high-ranking executive at a¡ªlet''s call it a fairly prominent company¡ªand he helped to fund a lot of our research. It helped that Rexel managed his cloning breakthrough around the same time as we began to rely on his father''s money, and museums and bioengineering companies were willing to pay top credit for the technology. Rexel never felt he owed his father a debt; in fact, he felt he had more than given him a return on his investment.¡± James and Jen both nodded.

    ¡°So, Rexel''s dad funded your research.¡± James said quietly. ¡°And it really is true that Rexel is the reason museums can restore Pok¨¦mon fossils? One of the guards at the Pewter Museum mentioned that.¡±

    ¡°Just so.¡± Mr. Fuji almost smiled as he sipped more tea. ¡°Now, the next part of my story is the main reason why I care for this house, and haven''t stepped into a research lab in over thirty years.¡± He paused, took a breath, and continued. ¡°Science wasn''t my brother''s whole life, of course. As one does, he married a fellow researcher, and they had a daughter a year later. That little girl was the only thing that could ever distract him from his work. He could be fretting over the minutest detail, be it a gene sequence or a typo in his latest paper, but he always had time for his daughter.¡±

    ¡°He sounds like a good guy,¡± Jen said quietly. Mr. Fuji looked sombre again.

    ¡°He was. But when his daughter was six, she fell ill. Both her parents took her to the best doctors in the world, but they never found a cure for her illness. Eventually...she died, just before her seventh birthday.¡±

    ¡°No...¡± Jen''s eyes filled with tears, and James gripped the table hard. ¡°That''s...that''s awful. To lose a child that young...¡±

    ¡°Indeed. It changed my brother forever.¡± Mr. Fuji recomposed himself, and took a sip of tea. ¡°Now, before I continue, are you familiar with the idiom ''the definition of insanity''?¡±

    ¡°Never heard it before,¡± James said, while Jen nodded her agreement. ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    ¡°In common parlance, it is performing the same actions over and over, and expecting to obtain a different result. My brother''s actions from this point fit the idiom perfectly. After his daughter died, my brother and his wife were devastated. In his grief, my brother stopped trying to clone Pok¨¦mon and started a far more dangerous and ethically suspect project. He intended to clone his daughter and bring her back to life.¡± Mr. Fuji''s expression became its darkest yet. ¡°His wife pleaded with him not to try, but once my brother became obsessed with an idea or a project, he would never let it go. Predictably, it never worked. Every time he thought he had something to work with, it disintegrated before his eyes. The rift between him and his wife grew with every unsuccessful attempt, and finally, after a year of failure, she left him. I tried to counsel him over the affair, tried to convince him that his daughter''s spirit was at rest, and replicating her would do no good. She had been so well-loved in life that it would mean nothing but pain if he kept trying to bring her back. He was not to be persuaded, though, and I am ashamed to say that things became heated between us. I said some things I could never take back.¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°You had to set him straight,¡± James said. ¡°He wasn''t listening to sense.¡± Mr. Fuji nodded quietly.

    ¡°Right. Unfortunately, Mackenzie Rexel was...less concerned than I was about the risks involved. He offered the use of the technology he had developed himself, and my brother accepted. That was the end for me. I told them both that they were meddling with nature in a way that I would not tolerate, and that they would regret it in the end. My career as a scientist meant less to me than my conscience, and I would not allow even the bond of family to affect that.¡± Mr. Fuji brushed a tear of his own from his eye. ¡°Well, even though I had left the field, I still kept tabs on my brother and my former colleague. From what I gathered, Rexel had underestimated the kind of financial power they needed to keep the project going, and they were soon forced to go their separate ways. Rexel moved into more practical areas of the bioengineering field, but my brother would not cease his attempts to bring back his daughter. And then...¡± Mr. Fuji''s face became furious. ¡°He approached my brother.¡±

    ¡°Who''s he?¡± Jen asked. Mr. Fuji breathed hard before answering.

    ¡°I swore I would never speak his name. Let us simply say that he was a...well, I won''t mince words. A common criminal, that''s what he was at the end of the day. The leader of an organization dedicated to stealing and reselling rare and dangerous Pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°That''s terrible,¡± Jen said. ¡°How could they...?¡± Mr. Fuji waved an impatient hand to cut her off.

    ¡°I never wanted to know. Anyway, his ''scientists''¡ªmy heavens, it is such an insult to the profession to refer to them as such¡ªhad found a piece of genetic material from one of the rarest Pok¨¦mon of all. This man wanted to use that material as a base to create the most powerful creature the planet has ever seen. Well, for the most part, this was unheard of. One company created a Pok¨¦mon completely out of programming code, decades ago, but that was probably a one-off event. This project would mean taking the DNA of an existing creature and then re-engineering it to make a totally new one. I knew it would involve dangerous and unethical gene-splicing techniques, combining the material with that of other creatures, but I never thought my brother would accept something like that.¡±

    ¡°But he did.¡± James closed his eyes and grimaced. Mr. Fuji nodded again.

    ¡°Yes, he did. As it happened, Rexel had sold a great deal of his technology to this criminal outfit, and it was like he and my brother had never separated. The man gave my brother five years to complete the project, and wrote him what was essentially a blank check. Money was no object, this man said. It would be worth it when he possessed whatever weapon my brother designed.¡±

    ¡°Weapon,¡± Jen said under her breath, but her tone sounding like the word was poisonous. ¡°To think someone could abuse a Pok¨¦mon like that, natural or created.¡±

    ¡°This man had no conscience, young lady. Monsters like him only care about the kind of power they can obtain.¡± Mr. Fuji sighed again. ¡°Well, my brother assembled a team of researchers, and set to work. He was, of course, running two experiments at once. One was the project for which he was being paid, the creation of the world''s most powerful Pok¨¦mon. The other¡ªwhether it was unknown or irrelevant to his financier, it matters not¡ªwas his continued attempt to recreate his daughter.¡±

    ¡°The guy didn''t care whether your brother was using the funds for his own personal project?¡± James asked. ¡°That doesn''t sound like normal behaviour.¡± Mr. Fuji looked impatient.

    ¡°This was not a normal man, haven''t I stressed that enough?¡± He coughed, and continued. ¡°Well, after the end of five years, success was nearly in my brother''s hands. The artificial Pok¨¦mon project was nearly complete...and he''d managed to create a facsimile of his daughter as well. According to the information I obtained, it was nearly an exact reproduction of her form, almost perfectly copied from the original. You''d have thought that he''d actually managed to bring his daughter back from the grave. That brief moment of success was the high point before the fall.¡± Mr. Fuji shuddered, looking like he might break down any moment. ¡°From what I gathered, the clone of his daughter wasn''t stable enough to survive. The artificial Pok¨¦mon did live, through sheer force of will or otherwise. I have no doubt that they''d infused its genetic makeup with something that would keep it alive no matter what. There was too much at stake to risk losing that one. That was the last anybody ever heard from that research team.¡±

    ¡°Why? What happened to them?¡± Jen looked stunned again.

    ¡°The creature turned out to be too powerful. With nothing restraining its strength, it broke free from containment and destroyed the laboratory in which it was made. None of the lab''s human residents survived the destruction.¡± Mr. Fuji really did have tears in his eyes now. ¡°Learning of my brother''s demise was probably the worst I''ve ever felt in my life. Sometimes I wonder...whether, in his last moments, my brother ever considered how foolish he''d been...¡± Mr. Fuji brushed his eyes clear. ¡°Well, I can only hope that his spirit is at rest now. That he found peace where he''d lost it in life.¡± James and Jen stared for a moment, then Jen spoke.

    ¡°What about the Pok¨¦mon they created? What happened to it?¡± Mr. Fuji shrugged a little.

    ¡°I don''t know. The most popular rumour is that it took up residence in a cave outside Cerulean City, using its psychic powers to control the other Pok¨¦mon living there and defend the area. The other major rumour is that it fled to a remote mountain range in Johto, content to live on its own. Regardless of what is true, I would certainly advise any trainer against going after it. I don''t even want to imagine the use that creature would have been put to, had my brother''s financier secured ownership.¡±

    ¡°And what about Rexel?¡± James put in. ¡°Did you ever find out what he did after he separated from your brother?¡± Mr. Fuji shrugged.

    ¡°Again, I couldn''t tell you. He founded a bioengineering company, that I do know. They have found several breakthroughs in health and medicine, I believe. Perhaps he saw the error of fiddling with nature for gain, and instead put his skills to improving the lives of others.¡± Mr. Fuji drained the last of his tea and sighed again. ¡°As for me, I have been caretaker of Lavender''s Pok¨¦mon Tower and the House of Memories for over thirty years now. I do not regret leaving the scientific profession, even if my own gifts could have helped to benefit others. I am content to calm and care for the spirits of the departed, Pok¨¦mon or human.¡± The old man smiled, then looked at the clock. ¡°Goodness gracious, it''s nearly six o''clock already? I did say that my story was not brief, didn''t I?¡± He looked across at the two youngsters. ¡°You''d better get moving, I''ve kept you far too long.¡±

    ¡°It''s no trouble, Mr. Fuji,¡± Jen said as she finished her tea. ¡°Thanks for the tea, and for telling us about your brother. I hope he did find some peace after all.¡± Mr. Fuji smiled.

    ¡°I appreciate that, young lady. And I thank you and your friend for listening to an old man''s ramblings. A cup of tea with willing listeners is worth more than you think.¡± James and Jen both waved, and James roused Typhlosion before they left the House of Memories.

    <hr>

    Neither youngster spoke much as they walked to the Pok¨¦mon Centre. Jen''s green eyes were full of fright all the way from the House of Memories, and James stared into space, thinking about Mr. Fuji''s story, particularly Dr. Rexel''s part in it. The name had roused suspicion in his mind, but he didn''t want to frighten Jen further. They checked into the Centre as usual, and only when Jen looked calm did he voice his thought.

    ¡°Hey, Jen?¡± he asked, and Jen looked over at him. ¡°Mr. Fuji told us how Dr. Rexel worked with fossil technology, and how he helped his brother?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Jen responded, her eyes narrowing. ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°Well, the Triassic Admin stole Dr. Rexel''s notes from the museum, and I remember him saying that he couldn''t let the public read them. What if...¡±¡ªJames paused, taking one last moment to think¡ª¡°what if Dr. Rexel is working with Triassic? Or did in the past?¡± Jen rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Not this again, James. I know you don''t like Triassic, but can you just let the police handle them? This isn''t a movie, and that Admin is dangerous. I''m still shocked you didn''t get hurt in Pewter City.¡±

    ¡°C''mon, Jen. It makes sense. The guy''s name sounds like somebody who''d mess around with dinosaurs, right? If...¡±

    ¡°It makes no sense at all!¡± Jen cut him off, an edge to her voice, and Typhlosion snapped awake from his nap. ¡°Just because somebody''s name sounds odd, that doesn''t make them part of some criminal outfit. You''re too worked up about Triassic, and now you''re connecting dots that have nothing to do with each other. Just let it go for once. We''ve got two gyms nearby, and we need to plan for them.¡± James considered responding, but then slumped in his chair.

    ¡°You know what, you''re right. We do have bigger plans right now. I''ll try to keep the Triassic stuff down for a while.¡± Jen nodded in triumph, and the two youngsters set about preparing for the next leg of their journey.

 64-Battle on the Green

    Route 8 was unusual among the thoroughfares the Violet pair had traversed so far in Kanto. Instead of having a direct path, the road wound around a large, fenced-in area where wild Pok¨¦mon ran freely through the grass. Trainers dotted the landscape here and there, either tracking down or battling those wild Pok¨¦mon as they traveled. There were some Pok¨¦mon that neither youngster had seen in the region yet, like Vulpix and Growlithe, but since both James and Jen had Fire-types already, they used them as targets to train their teammates instead. The presence of so many of these Pokmon was a problem for Jen, since she was trying to prioritize Kakuna in her training, holding out hope that he could evolve and contribute to her team selection against the Celadon Gym.

    ¡°C''mon, Kakuna, one more. Hit him with Poison Sting!¡± Kakuna fired a sharp, glowing violet spike at Nidoran, who shrugged off the attack easily. ¡°This is ridiculous. We can''t just build up power against another Poison-type all the time.¡± As she sighed and looked down at the bug, Pichu let off an electric blast out of nowhere. The blast hit Elekid, who was standing nearby, and he sank to his knees from the strength of the charge. ¡°Hey, way to go, Pichu! You''re getting more powerful every day!¡± Pichu, for her part, had already dashed over to Elekid and was patting her protector''s arm in apology. James looked on with interest.

    ¡°She''s even knocking Elekid down now? That''s gotta be a strong charge.¡± He turned back to his own group, where Blue was conversing with Golbat. ¡°Try it again, Blue. Doduo''s ready to take the hit this time.¡± Blue rushed the Twin Bird, her jaws taking on a dark violet tinge, and bit down hard on his leg. Doduo cried out in pain from the bite, then yelled out again when the poison effect kicked in. James, sensing danger, ran over to Doduo and pulled a yellow spray bottle from his bag. The liquid inside misted as James spritzed it onto Doduo''s leg, and the purplish tinge to his body faded. ¡°Thank goodness for that two-for-one sale, right?¡±

    ¡°Considering the amount of Poison attacks our teams have, I''d have bought them full price,¡± Jen responded, looking down at her Pok¨¦dex as she watched Magmar firing at Togetic. ¡°Keep moving, Togetic! Watch for your opening!¡± Togetic flitted away from an extra-hot Flamethrower attack, then her eyes glowed, and an iridescent beam of light hammered into Magmar. The Spitfire Pok¨¦mon backed away in surprise, and Jen laughed. ¡°She''s not just a mobile target any more, Magmar. I think you''ve got competition again.¡± Magmar spat out a mouthful of flame, then aimed at her teammate once more. ¡°Keep it up, you two. We can only get stronger.¡± As she reached to adjust the hem of her t-shirt, she jumped and let out a yell as Typhlosion burst from underground, sending bits of earth flying everywhere. ¡°Typhlosion! Don''t scare me like that! At least give a girl a warning.¡±

    ¡°But that would defeat the purpose,¡± James said, struggling to keep his face straight. Jen glared at him. ¡°No, I didn''t put him up to it, if that''s what you''re thinking.¡± He looked over at Electabuzz, who was now absorbing Pichu''s ThunderShock and Elekid''s Shock Wave. ¡°Good on you, pal. That takes care of two problems. Those two can let off their excess electricity, and you won''t wander off and kill the power in any buildings nearby.¡± Electabuzz had the decency to look sheepish at this; he''d certainly been tempted by at least three power substations they''d passed along their route. James grinned and turned towards Doduo, who looked to have shaken off the poison effect entirely now. ¡°Ready for another round?¡± Doduo chattered excitedly and ran straight at Electabuzz, his two beaks spinning like drills. ¡°Hey, I didn''t say to do...¡± James broke off with an exasperated groan as Doduo collided with Electabuzz, knocking the Electric Pok¨¦mon over. Pichu and Elekid had jumped clear, and the latter was yelling incoherently at the Twin Bird, who looked bemused. ¡°Don''t give us that look, you knew exactly what you were doing.¡± James rolled his eyes as Doduo continued to feign innocence, and looked at Nidoran. The Poison-type was glaring at the scene, barely noticing that Kakuna was still shooting ineffective stings at him. When he noticed his trainer looking at him, Nidoran growled and leapt into the air, aiming a Double Kick at Kakuna.

    ¡°Hey! What''s he up to?!¡± Jen cried as Kakuna braced for impact. The bug''s shell glowed briefly, and looked shinier after the Harden finished. Nidoran''s kicks still drove Kakuna back, but the damage was limited by the defensive move. Jen shooed Kakuna back towards her own team. ¡°I know Kakuna can take the hits, but Nidoran needs to get a grip.¡±

    ¡°He does,¡± James agreed, looking at Nidoran, who glared back. ¡°C''mon, stop with the glare. You''re not frightening anybody. I get it, you''re frustrated, but staring at me instead of following orders isn''t going to make you evolve any faster.¡± Nidoran growled and turned away. ¡°Hey! D''you want to be in contention for a spot against Celadon Gym or not?¡± Nidoran didn''t answer, but skulked away towards the tent. ¡°Guess not.¡± James groaned and looked over at Jen. ¡°Kakuna''s okay?¡±

    ¡°He''s...¡± Whatever Kakuna was, Jen never got to say. Doduo had chosen that moment to start chattering at the top of his voice, and started running this way and that, nearly trampling several of his teammates. Elekid grabbed Pichu and dove for cover, while Electabuzz fired a Thunderbolt to try to stop the bird''s tirade. Doduo shrank back from the electric blast, but didn''t go down. Electabuzz growled and prepared to shock the bird again, and Typhlosion shot a Flamethrower from the other side, knocking Doduo over and reducing the grass around him to cinders. Doduo went still, his rampage over.

    ¡°What was that?¡± James asked wildly as he ran over to check on Doduo. Electabuzz kept his eyes squarely on the bird, and Typhlosion began checking the positions of his teammates. Blue had run over to see what was happening, and Nidoran followed his sister over. Elekid glared at both James and Doduo as he continued to shelter Pichu. ¡°I knew Doduo was pretty wild when we encountered him, but I''ve never seen him go off like that before.¡± As James continued looking Doduo over, Jen turned and spotted a couple of people walking toward them.

    ¡°Heads up,¡± she warned, signaling her team to form up. Magmar placed herself behind her trainer, and Jen winced from the Fire-type''s latent heat. Elekid didn''t move, but stayed crouched in front of Pichu, while Golbat and Togetic flew up onto either side of Magmar and their trainer. As the distant figures grew more distinct, Jen narrowed her eyes. An older man in what looked like a chauffeur''s uniform was approaching, followed by someone shorter and lighter-haired than she was, someone familiar.

    ¡°That was some Uproar,¡± the man said, looking over at where James was kneeling next to Doduo. ¡°Quite the performance. We could hear it from the road.¡± Jen nodded, but glared at the girl behind him. Even without the Eevee at her heels, she''d recognize the pink shirt, jean shorts and ruby eyes anywhere.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jen asked, a little louder than she expected. Stephanie Anderson just smiled.

    ¡°We were passing along when we heard that noise,¡± she said, smoothing her white jacket. ¡°I didn''t know you guys had gotten here already.¡± Eevee ran over to where Doduo lay on the ground and cooed sadly. ¡°He''ll be okay, Eevee. Don''t worry.¡± The man next to her pulled a red and yellow spray bottle from his coat pocket, and handed it to James.

    ¡°Here. This Super Potion should have Doduo up and running in seconds.¡± James accepted the bottle with a nod of thanks, and began spraying it on the bird''s body. Just as the man said, Doduo popped up almost instantly, and looked around curiously at the newcomers. ¡°There we are.¡±

    ¡°Hartson thinks of everything, doesn''t he?¡± Stephanie asked admiringly, as the man bowed. ¡°I don''t know what I''d do without him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you''d train properly instead of city-hopping,¡± Jen muttered, turning away from them. The man called Hartson simply chuckled; either he hadn''t heard Jen''s comment, or had ignored it.

    ¡°I am here to help, Miss Anderson. But you have not properly introduced me to your friends here.¡± Stephanie gasped and nodded.

    ¡°You''re right! Um, the cute one over there is...¡± she broke off, flushing. Jen spun around while James stiffened at the implied compliment, then the latter turned to Hartson.

    ¡°I''m James, from Violet City. Thanks for the help, Mr. Hartson.¡± Hartson waved the comment aside.

    ¡°It''s nothing, my boy.¡± He turned towards Jen. ¡°I never caught your name, young lady.¡± Jen flushed herself now, and fought to control herself.

    ¡°I''m Jennifer. Sorry if I was rude.¡± Hartson laughed.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°No apologies necessary. Miss Anderson has told me of previous run-ins you two have had in the past.¡±

    ¡°No kidding,¡± Jen muttered again, her eyes shifting to Stephanie. The lighter-haired girl just stuck her tongue out. ¡°So, have you caught any new Pok¨¦mon since Viridian Forest?¡± Stephanie nodded, pulling three retracted Pok¨¦balls from her jacket pocket.

    ¡°Eevee''s got three friends now. Well, besides me and Hartson. C''mon out, everyone!¡± Stephanie tossed all three balls in the air, and their occupants appeared in a flash of light. The Caterpie she''d caught in Viridian Forest emerged, followed by a grey humanoid with reddish eyes and three tan ridges on his head. The third arrival was a reddish-brown fox with a split orange tail; Jen had seen a few of its kind along the route. ¡°You''ve met Eevee and Caterpie, and this is Machop and Vulpix.¡± Vulpix gave a shy bark, and Machop flexed his muscles, giving Jen and her team what he clearly thought was an intimidating look. Magmar looked less than impressed, though, and he desisted.

    ¡°Miss Anderson and her team have been training hard since we passed through Vermilion City,¡± Hartson explained as Stephanie recalled everyone except Eevee and scooped the Normal-typed fox up into her arms. ¡°Once she saw the Classic, she told me that she''s finally decided on her future goal.¡±

    ¡°You''re going to become a Coordinator?¡± Jen asked, and Stephanie nodded. ¡°I mean, you''ve got the vanity part down...¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Stephanie cried, and Eevee squeaked in agreement. ¡°Just because you catch scary-looking Pok¨¦mon doesn''t mean the rest of us...¡±

    ¡°Ladies, please,¡± Hartson interrupted, interposing himself between the two girls, who were now glaring at one another. ¡°This is hardly the time or place for an argument, wouldn''t you agree?¡±

    ¡°No, I think it''s the perfect time and place for an argument!¡± Stephanie shouted, and Eevee squeaked again from her arms. ¡°Just because I don''t spend all my time falling into ditches and getting mussed up doesn''t mean I''m no good at training!¡±

    ¡°Just because my Pok¨¦mon aren''t all beauty contestants doesn''t make them useless either!¡± Jen shot back. ¡°This gang''s gotten me two Kanto badges so far, and we''re heading for a third.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn''t you have three? Or was Vermilion too much for you?¡± Stephanie smirked as Jen struggled for a comeback. James, finishing his checkover on Doduo, got up from beside the bird.

    ¡°We took on Vermilion Gym together. Not having a Thunder Badge is more my fault than hers.¡± Stephanie looked at him, her expression softening, but James saw through it. ¡°Don''t try to reframe it. It''s the truth.¡±

    ¡°But...but...¡± Stephanie stammered, unable to respond. Jen smirked with triumph, and Stephanie rounded on her. ¡°All right, then. Let''s have a battle, two against two. I''ll show you that beauty doesn''t mean weakness.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Jen, this is a bad idea,¡± James said quietly as Jen looked her team over, trying to choose her two Pok¨¦mon. Jen scoffed in response.

    ¡°She can''t beat us. We''ve been training harder than she ever will. I''ll show her...insult my Pok¨¦mon, will she? I''m going to...¡± James groaned.

    ¡°Jen, will you get a grip? You''re taking this way too far.¡± Jen glared at him, but James didn''t back down. ¡°So you and she don''t have the same taste in Pok¨¦mon, big deal. No need to start a fight over it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is,¡± Jen hissed as she looked from Elekid to Pichu and back. ¡°I''m gonna show her what I can do.¡± She pointed to Elekid, then to Togetic. ¡°You two are up. Let''s put this show-off in her place.¡± Elekid growled, and Togetic looked worried. ¡°C''mon, Togetic, work with me here. This is a chance to get some real practice in.¡± Togetic sighed and followed her trainer, while Elekid dashed forward to keep pace. The rest of the team settled down to watch, and James'' team joined them. James himself moved to the side, where he could watch both sides better.

    Hartson moved between the two girls as Stephanie motioned for Eevee to stay behind her. ¡°Ladies, this is a two versus two match. Once both Pok¨¦mon on either side are unable to continue, the match will be over. There can be no substituting once the battle begins. Are you both ready?¡± Jen nodded as Elekid squared his shoulders and Togetic floated nervously above him. Stephanie smiled as she took out two of her Pok¨¦balls.

    ¡°So it''s your Elekid and Togetic? At least one of your Pok¨¦mon has a nice appearance.¡± As Jen fumed, Stephanie tossed out her Pok¨¦ball. ¡°Let''s go, Machop and Vulpix!¡± Machop hit the field and flexed his muscles again, while Vulpix barked in excitement. Elekid snarled at Machop, and the Fighting-type pointed in an obvious challenge. Hartson watched all four Pok¨¦mon get into position, then nodded.

    ¡°Begin the battle!¡± Stephanie pointed quickly at Elekid.

    ¡°Machop, Scary Face!¡± Machop grabbed his face and pulled a grotesque expression in Elekid''s direction. Elekid looked unimpressed, while Jen sneered.

    ¡°Like we''re afraid of that! Elekid, rush in with Brick Break! Togetic, up, then use Magical Leaf on Vulpix!¡± Elekid''s fist sparked as he ran towards Machop, and Togetic gathered a cloud of shining leaves around her.

    ¡°Machop, counter that with your Karate Chop! Vulpix, Captivate!¡± Machop moved to intercept Elekid''s attack, while small pink hearts formed in Vulpix''s eyes and shot towards Jen''s Pok¨¦mon. One hit Elekid and dissipated, while another caught Togetic full in the face and burst; Togetic lost control of the Magical Leaf she was preparing and the move exploded, causing her to have to fight to regain her composure. Meanwhile, Machop and Elekid''s attacks met, shaking the area and sending both opponents sliding back towards their trainers.

    ¡°Don''t let up! Togetic, Extrasensory on Machop! Elekid, Shock Wave on Vulpix!¡± Elekid''s body was surrounded by a cloud of blue electricity, and he zapped the fox with a grin on his face. Machop was hit by Togetic''s beam of iridescent light, but the attack did less damage than Jen anticipated. ¡°What the...? That should''ve put Machop away easily!¡±

    ¡°Not after Captivate!¡± Stephanie retorted in a teasing voice. ¡°Togetic''s ranged attacks won''t be as strong now that Vulpix has dealt with her.¡± She turned to the fox. ¡°Fire Spin!¡± A funnel of scorching flame exploded from Vulpix''s mouth, and Togetic was caught inside it.

    ¡°Togetic!¡± Jen cried, looking wildly from her airborne team member to Elekid, who was locked in a wrestling match with Machop and growling in discomfort. ¡°Quick, get away with Brick Break!¡± Elekid managed to free an arm and hit Machop across the chest with a sparking forearm shiver.

    ¡°Get it back, Machop! Knock it over with Low Kick!¡± As Elekid retreated, Machop dropped to the ground and swept the Electric-type''s leg out from under him. Elekid crashed to the floor, snarling at his attacker. Machop gave him a hard Karate Chop for his trouble, and sparks played across the Fighting-type''s body.

    ¡°Thank goodness for Static,¡± Jen breathed, then looked up to where Togetic was still wreathed in flames. ¡°Ranged attacks are no good now, girl! Get after Vulpix and use Headbutt!¡± Togetic plummeted out of the air, her head aimed straight at the fox''s.

    ¡°Not happening! Vulpix, sidestep and use another Fire Spin.¡± Vulpix watched Togetic to gauge her speed, but before he could obey his trainer, Togetic''s forehead hammered into his, causing the fox to shy away in fear. ¡°No way! You can''t be scared of that, can you?¡± Jen laughed at Stephanie''s and Vulpix''s predicament.

    ¡°Looks like Elekid''s not the only scary one. Another Headbutt, girl! End this!¡± She swung back to Elekid and Machop''s fight. ¡°Shock Wave, Elekid! There''s no way that thing can stand up to your electricity!¡± Stephanie''s eyes widened with fear, then took on a defiant edge.

    ¡°No way I''m letting you beat me like that! Machop, Karate Chop! Vulpix, Fire Spin!¡± Machop pushed through the blue lightning and chopped down hard between Elekid''s horns, while Vulpix let fly with another fiery cyclone as Togetic bore down on him. Elekid yelled as Machop struck, while Togetic barreled into Vulpix, the fire dissipating on impact. The grass around the combatants was singed as the fire was blown outward, and James instinctively leaped backwards as the cinders scattered. Only Hartson remained unruffled, watching all four Pok¨¦mon as they moved back to their starting positions. One by one, they dropped. Elekid''s knees buckled and he fell forwards onto his face; Vulpix barked weakly as he slumped to the ground; Togetic let out a weak squeal as she slowly descended and hit the ground with a dull thud; and Machop briefly raised his arms in celebration before his eyes glazed over and he pitched forward just like Elekid. Hartson watched the whole scene play out before nodding.

    ¡°It looks like all four Pok¨¦mon are done for the day. I believe we can call this match a draw.¡± Both Jen and Stephanie burst out with angry protests.

    ¡°A draw?! No way, there has to be a way to settle this!¡± Jen cried in disgust. Stephanie gave Hartson a pleading stare.

    ¡°That''s not fair! Machop was the last one to fall, so I should be the winner!¡± Hartson shook his head at both of them.

    ¡°No, a draw is the correct result, Jennifer. There can be no further hostilities in this situation.¡± He saw Stephanie''s pleading look, and shook his head. ¡°I''m afraid it doesn''t work that way, Miss Anderson. Even if Machop was last to go down, he''s still down, and it''s still a draw.¡± He looked at the sun sinking in the western sky, and gasped a little. ¡°Dear me, is it that late already? We must move on, Miss Anderson, before night falls.¡± Hartson handed Jen several Super Potion bottles. ¡°Use them well. Your teams both fought valiantly, if a little too separately. Miss Anderson?¡± Stephanie huffed as she recalled Vulpix and Machop. ¡°Very well, we will treat them later.¡± As Stephanie started towards the road, Hartson bowed to the Violet pair. ¡°Jennifer. James. Best of luck on your remaining travels.¡± He noticed Stephanie tapping her foot out of the corner of his eye, but he remained smiling. ¡°Until we meet again, then.¡± As he moved to join Stephanie, James walked over to Jen.

    ¡°A draw''s not that bad, is it?¡± Jen looked over at him with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°I''ll get her next time. I''ll be ready for her tricks, and now that I know which Pok¨¦mon she has, she''ll be no match.¡± James raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Man, I thought I could get worked up. She really brings out something in you, you know that?¡± Jen didn''t answer, but just walked over to Togetic and began spraying Super Potion on her. ¡°Guess she knows, but doesn''t want to say it.¡± He shrugged, and walked back to where his own team was waiting for him, ready to continue the journey.

 Keep Off the Grass

    Jen continued to fume about her draw with Stephanie the rest of the way along Route 8. James tried in vain to get her to calm down, but every time he showed signs of interrupting, she would give him a glare and continue grumbling. Eventually, James lost patience.

    ¡°Will you give it a rest already?¡± he asked, an edge to his voice. ¡°I get it, all right? You don''t like Stephanie, you''re annoyed that you didn''t beat her. You don''t hear me grousing about losing to Chelsea, do you?¡± Jen groaned.

    ¡°I don''t know why I can''t get this out of my head. Maybe it''s because I know I''m better than her...¡±

    ¡°Maybe you are, but these things happen.¡± James responded. ¡°You know her lineup now, so you can adjust for the next time. Think of it like a baseball game.¡± Jen rolled her eyes, but James persisted. ¡°Seriously. When I pitch, I have the best results against guys the first time through the lineup, and it''s even better if they''ve never faced me before. Once somebody knows where I like to throw the ball...¡±

    ¡°Usually at them,¡± Jen interrupted, and James blinked before laughing a little.

    ¡°Okay, I don''t try to hit them. It''s hard to aim when you''re throwing as fast as...anyway. Once a hitter knows where and how I like to throw the ball, they can change their swing, where they stand, all that. Then it''s my turn to change things up, to throw something they''re not expecting, and then the whole thing starts all over again.¡± Jen still looked annoyed, but slightly calmer. ¡°When we left Vermilion City, Chelsea basically said the same thing. And you helped me figure that out when I was stuck on the Cianwood Gym.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Jen asked. ¡°That was when you kept throwing Typhlosion in against Poliwrath.¡± James nodded.

    ¡°Exactly. I kept throwing the same pitch, right down the middle. And until I changed my tactics, I was getting smoked. You yelling at me kind of helped break me out of that funk, too,¡± he added with another laugh. Jen stared, then her face relaxed.

    ¡°I guess you''re right. Sorry I''ve been wearing on you with this.¡± James shrugged.

    ¡°It''s fine. Who else have you got to vent to?¡± Jen laughed, and they moved on towards the approaching Underground station.

    <hr>

    One Underground ride and fast trek down Route 7 later, the two youngsters found themselves in Celadon City in the mid-afternoon. Even on the outskirts, the streets were packed with tourists and shoppers, eager to avail themselves of the many storefronts and attractions that lined the area. Mercifully, the Pok¨¦mon Centre in the northeast part of town was relatively calm, and James and Jen stopped there to rest before they looked around the city. Jen checked a brochure, and two main landmarks stood out: the Game Corner and the Department Store.

    ¡°I''d stay well clear of the Game Corner,¡± James said uncertainly as he flipped through the brochure. ¡°If it''s anything like the one in Goldenrod City, you can get wrapped up in playing the games and before long, you''ve been there six hours and burned through most of your money.¡± He checked a small piece of advertising copy. ¡°Something about...under new ownership?¡±

    ¡°Same as the old, I''m afraid.¡± Nurse Joy had passed by, carrying a tray of Pok¨¦balls. ¡°Sorry, kids, couldn''t help overhearing. That place was called the Rocket Game Corner, once upon a time. They used it as a way of distributing the Pok¨¦mon they stole, while making money off the poor fools they lured in. After the Rockets were broken up, their leader maintained ownership, but took the Rocket branding off it. It may fool tourists, but us locals know better.¡± She sniffed once, then realized what she was doing and walked towards the counter. Jen turned to James.

    ¡°Okay, looks like you were right. No Game Corner for us. So I guess we''ll look in the Department Store...if we can get through the crowd, that is.¡±

    ¡°It''s four o''clock in the middle of the week. How bad can the crowd be?¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Why do you have to ask questions like that?¡± Jen asked half an hour later as she and James wended their way through the bustling crowd towards the department store''s floor guide. They''d left Typhlosion at the Centre, since his bulk would make it even more difficult to navigate the area. James looked over at her and shrugged.

    ¡°It could be worse, right?¡± Jen stared incredulously at him.

    ¡°How could it be worse? This is the most crowded place I''ve ever seen, and the Silver Conference was pretty crowded from what I remember.¡± James shrugged again, and she groaned. ¡°We''re never going to be able to move through this place and still stay together.¡±

    ¡°Can we not?¡± James asked, looking around as they finally reached the floor guide. Jen considered.

    ¡°Well, okay, maybe we can. How d''you want to do this? Start at the top floor and work down, or some other way?¡± James thought for a moment as Jen watched the mass of shoppers.

    ¡°The first one sounds best.¡± He checked the floor guide. ¡°Highest floor not counting the roof...Drug Store...could be useful. Then after that, fourth floor, Wise Man Gifts...perfume, fine china...elemental stones?¡± As James looked at Jen in confusion, Jen suddenly fought to suppress a giggle.

    ¡°Of course. All the essentials in one place.¡± James just shook his head, and they worked their way through the crowd to an elevator to the fifth floor. The Drug Store was lined with display cases full of vitamin bottles and odd-looking items that appeared to contain variously-coloured pills. Jen looked at a case of blue-lidded Carbos bottles and shook her head.

    ¡°Almost ten thousand credits for that little bottle? What is it, made of gold?¡± She turned back to where James was examining a dispenser of yellow Dire Hit pills. ¡°I''m not sure about those.¡± James gave her a quizzical look as he put the dispenser back on the shelf.

    ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± He looked at a sign near the display case. ¡°Let''s see...''only one dose per battle is recommended. Not intended for use outside of battle. Not for human usage.¡ªwell, that makes sense¡ª''excessive usage known to cause dependence.''¡± He looked back at Jen. ¡°Sounds like these are pretty risky to use, you think?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I feel like these are for more advanced trainers. I don''t think we should be messing around with them.¡± They turned away from the Dire Hit display and moved to the stairwell that led down to the fourth floor. As soon as they left the stairwell, they noticed that half the floor seemed dedicated to the various elemental stones. There were faceted blue Water Stones with what looked like small bubbles embedded in their crystalline depths; Fire Stones that shone gold, red and orange; long, green and yellow Thunder Stones; Leaf Stones that almost looked like fossils, and many more besides. James examined a particularly elaborately cut Water Stone and his eyes widened.

    ¡°Fifteen thousand credits?¡± he asked, a little louder than was necessary. ¡°Who has that much to spend on a one-use item like that? It''s a wonder there are any fully evolved Pok¨¦mon that needed to use them.¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°I hope Kimmie''s got a nice, big trust fund. She''ll need it to afford even part of her Leaf Stone.¡± As she spoke, an assistant passed by, checking the display and making notes on a pad that she was holding in her left arm.

    ¡°Hello, there. Help you kids find something?¡± James shook his head.

    ¡°No, thanks, we''re just looking. No way could we afford any of these.¡± The assistant grinned.

    ¡°You know, you''re looking at the display-grade ones. They''re more like fine jewelry than anything a trainer might be using. The kind of thing that collectors and fancy people buy to put in their trophy case instead of actually using them. You guys should be looking at the competition-grade stones, over that way.¡± She pointed to a separate section to the left, where the stones were much less elaborately cut and polished, and many more shoppers were browsing. Jen smiled as James looked astounded, and she nodded to the assistant.

    ¡°Thanks. We''ll look over there instead.¡± The price tags on the competition-grade stones were a lot more reasonable than the display ones. A banner above the main stones read BIG SALE! COMPETITION-GRADE ELEMENTAL STONES UP TO 60% OFF!. There were several tables with segmented bins, each holding a different stone. The mainline stones looked to cost around 2100 credits, which wasn''t so bad, but still fairly steep. Neither James nor Jen had a Pok¨¦mon that needed one anyway, so they left the display and moved to the next area of the floor.

    <hr>

    Two minutes after entering the perfume department, James grimaced.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Jen asked, noticing her friend''s discomfort. James shook his head.

    ¡°The scent''s just a little strong, is all.¡± He considered for a moment. ¡°Listen, I''m gonna move through to the next department. You''re more their target market than me, anyway.¡± Jen looked at him warily, then nodded. James walked past the various counters where people were looking at different-coloured bottles of fragrance, and Jen moved slowly along after she saw him disappear. The various displays didn''t particularly interest her, but a rustic-looking counter display caught her eye. A young woman in a green kimono sat behind a sign reading Celadon Gym Natural Perfumes and Fragrances. Jen walked over and looked at the different scents on offer.

    ¡°Hello, there,¡± she counter said. ¡°Care to sample any of our fragrances?¡±

    ¡°Um, no thanks,¡± Jen replied. ¡°Just looking.¡± She examined a rounded bottle full of violet liquid. The saleswoman saw Jen looking and smiled.

    ¡°Ah, our Lavender Sweet Scent blend. Quite the popular one these days.¡±

    ¡°It is?¡± Jen asked as she looked up from the bottle. The saleswoman kept smiling and picked up the bottle.

    ¡°Here, hold out your arm,¡± she said, and Jen did so. The saleswoman spritzed a bit of the perfume onto Jen''s left wrist, and the younger girl sniffed the spot.

    ¡°Hey, that''s not too bad,¡± she said, taking another sniff.

    ¡°We use the distilled vapour from the move Sweet Scent to make our perfumes,¡± the saleswoman explained as she put the bottle back down. ¡°Different Pok¨¦mon provide different scents, you know, and we combine those scents with various herbs and natural oils.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like fun,¡± Jen said. The saleswoman smiled again.

    ¡°It is. We''re based out of the Celadon City Gym, which of course specializes in Grass-type Pok¨¦mon. The Gym Leader took over the perfume business from her mother as a side project, and it just exploded from there. She may be a bit...well, spacey sometimes, but she''s got a real flair for business.¡± Jen smiled herself.

    ¡°She sounds like a real character. I''ll look forward to challenging her.¡± The saleswoman looked a little surprised.

    ¡°Oh, you''re a trainer? Good luck to you, then. Our Leader is no pushover, believe that.¡±

    ¡°I''m not either,¡± Jen answered. ¡°I''ll be looking to have that badge this time tomorrow.¡±

    <hr>

    The next morning, Jen was up before James was, so instead of waiting around for him to wake up, she headed for the Pok¨¦mon Centre canteen and let Pichu out before starting to plan a strategy.

    ¡°You''re not gonna have to fight today, Pichu,¡± she said as the Electric-type munched on some of her toast. ¡°You and Elekid don''t match up well against Grass-types.¡± Pichu squeaked happily, and Jen patted her head. ¡°Don''t worry, I''ll need you soon enough. You did great against Misty, after all.¡± As Pichu returned to the toast, James appeared, yawning and holding a glass of orange juice as he slumped into the chair opposite Jen. She giggled. ¡°Well, don''t you look active today?¡±

    ¡°I couldn''t sleep,¡± James mumbled, draining the whole glass in one go. ¡°I think my pillow decided I was resting too much.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to knock some sense into it later,¡± Jen responded, struggling to hold back even more laughter. James'' hair was standing on end again, and he looked ready to pass out right in front of her. ¡°C''mon, you''re not challenging the gym today. I''m still working on a plan for this one.¡± James looked up and gave her a quizzical look.

    ¡°Thought you''d have knocked it out already. We''re both pretty well equipped to hande Grass Pok¨¦mon, right?¡±

    ¡°That''s the thing, though,¡± Jen said, taking a bite of toast. ¡°I was really hoping to have Kakuna evolved into a Beedrill by this point. From what I know, Grass-types don''t match up well against bugs like him.¡± When James didn''t respond, she sighed. ¡°I guess it takes a lot of work, but I thought we''d have a bigger advantage with a Beedrill in the mix.¡±

    ¡°Don''t get too worked up,¡± James answered. ¡°Magmar and Golbat have more than enough firepower to make up the difference, and Togetic has been pretty good too.¡±

    ¡°Togetic doesn''t have any real way of hitting Grass-types, though,¡± Jen said, sipping some water. ¡°I''ll have to get creative in how I use her today.¡± She checked her Pok¨¦Gear. ¡°Alright, it''s almost nine. We should head over.¡±

    <hr>

    The Celadon City Gym was similar to Azalea Town''s back in Johto. It looked for all the world like a gigantic greenhouse, with a flat glass roof and floral motifs plastered across the front. As Jen entered the building with James and Typhlosion in tow, a familiar figure waved from the reception desk.

    ¡°Hello there!¡± Jen looked over, and saw the young woman from the department store''s perfume counter sitting at the desk. She smiled as the group came nearer. ¡°Here for a Gym match?¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°I''m ready to go.¡± The receptionist pointed to a door to their right.

    ¡°The battlefield''s right through here.¡± She looked at James and Typhlosion warily. ¡°Normally I''d insist on your Fire-type being confined, but...¡±

    ¡°Typhlosion doesn''t like staying in his ball,¡± James answered without thinking. Typhlosion nodded and growled, and the receptionist nodded back.

    ¡°Just keep an eye on him. Stands are through the door to the left.¡± James motioned to his starter, and they settled in seats close to the field as Jen entered her technical area. Across the roughly-cut grass field, a young woman wearing a red and yellow kimono stood in the opposite box. Her dark hair was tied with a red headband, and she looked to be...Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Um, miss?¡± Jen asked quietly, her voice failing to carry, and the woman kept on dozing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Another kimono-clad gym attendant entered the battlefield through another door and bowed before hurrying over to the Gym Leader.

    ¡°Sorry about that!¡± she shouted as she reached the opposite technical area. ¡°Leader Erika? There''s a challenger.¡± The woman called Erika started as her eyes opened, revealing dark green irises.

    ¡°Challenger? What...how long was I...?¡± She shook her head to clear it as the attendant hurried to the midfield line, and then focused on Jen. ¡°I must apologize, young friend. I seem to have dozed off. Welcome to the Celadon Gym. I am Erika, the Gym Leader, specializing in Grass-types. Victory in my gym will earn you the Indigo Conference Rainbow Badge. Our battles are standard League rules: three against three, and only you are permitted to substitute. Are you ready to begin?¡± Jen nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Let''s roll.¡±

    <hr>

    Jen Richards             Erika

    A: ¡ï¡ï                       A: ¡ï¡ï¡ï

    D: ¡ï¡ï                      D: ¡ï¡ï

    S: ¡ï¡ï                       S: ¡ï

    <hr>

    ¡°Gloom, it''s time to battle!¡± A dark blue plant Pok¨¦mon with orange-red petals on its head emerged, its eyes closed as though it were asleep too. Its mouth hung slightly open, with a trail of sticky drool hanging from its lower lip. Jen nearly pinched her nose when the creature''s stench became apparent¡ªthe sickening odour of meat left out in the sun all day¡ªbut she held firm.

    ¡°All right, then. Golbat, go!¡± The blue chiropteran appeared and chittered in excitement, sizing up his opponent. Erika looked from Gloom to Golbat, then held out a deferential hand to Jen.

    ¡°You have the first move, challenger. Make it a strong one.¡±

    ¡°You bet!¡± Jen responded, turning to Golbat. ¡°Air Slash!¡± Golbat flew a little closer to Gloom, generated a ball of wind, and pushed it at the Grass-type with his wings. Gloom barely moved, even as the super effective attack tore at its body. Erika remained serene through the whole exchange.

    ¡°Gloom, fortify with Ingrain and Lucky Chant.¡± Gloom''s feet glowed brightly for a moment, then it began waving its petals to a smooth, legato beat, generating a shimmering field around its body. Jen grinned.

    ¡°Don''t know what that does, but I''m gonna hit hard. Golbat, Wing Attack!¡± Golbat slapped Gloom''s face with an outstretched wing, but the Grass-type didn''t even react. ¡°It must have felt that...Air Cutter!¡± The bladed air current sliced into Gloom''s body, and its eyelids seemed to tighten a little. ¡°It sure felt that one.¡± Erika remained calm, gazing almost dreamily at her Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Sweet Scent!¡± A pinkish vapour gushed from Gloom''s petals and spread across the field. Golbat''s efforts to stay elusive died down, but where it might have been sweet to the bat, it smelled awful to Jen. She really did pinch her nose this time, as Gloom continued to stand in place.

    ¡°She calls that sweet?¡± Jen muttered to herself, as Golbat flitted close to her, waiting for orders. ¡°Get after it. Wing Attack!¡± Golbat flew headlong at Gloom, which simply stood its ground. ¡°All right, Air Cutter!¡± Erika watched Golbat unleash one attack after the next, then smiled.

    ¡°Mimic.¡± As the air tore at Gloom again, its eyes sprang open and glowed bright green. Golbat flitted up and away, readying his next move as Jen watched and nodded.

    ¡°There''s no way it can stand up to much more. Time to finish this off. Golbat, one more Wing Attack!¡± As Golbat raced in, Erika''s calm smile became more of a knowing smirk.

    ¡°Gloom, an Air Cutter, if you please.¡± Gloom shook its petals, and Golbat was knocked off course by a countering current of air. As the bat recovered and chittered his frustration, the glow from Gloom''s feet briefly rose up its body, and it looked refreshed.

    ¡°What the...?¡± Jen shouted, watching the plant Pok¨¦mon carefully. ¡°How did it do that?!¡±

    ¡°It''s quite simple, really.¡± Erika''s smirk had faded to a more pleasant expression. ¡°This Gloom had learned Mimic before I captured it years ago; Mimic allows it to copy moves that it''s targeted with. Gloom doesn''t necessarily have the power to sustain these unfamiliar moves¡ªtradeoffs are par for the course in this game¡ªbut until the move wears out, we now have a reliable way of striking back against your attackers. Not only that, but with Ingrain, Gloom will gradually regain its energy, and Lucky Chant will block its weak points.¡± Jen''s eyes were wide as she listened to Erika''s explanation.

    ¡°No way. Golbat, we''ve got to put that thing away fast. Use your Wing Attack and get clear right away!¡± Golbat rushed in and struck Gloom with an outstretched wing once more, but the Grass-type stayed upright. Erika''s expression became a smirk again.

    ¡°Throw a Stun Spore on it, Gloom.¡± As Gloom shook its petals again, a yellowish powder spread around the field, and some of it fell on Golbat, whose movements immediately slowed. ¡°Now, another Air Cutter, please.¡± The next attack slashed at Golbat and nearly knocked him out of the air. Jen groaned.

    ¡°Hold on! Try your own Air Cutter!¡± Golbat tried to whip up another attack, but his body seized up and he failed to move. ¡°No way! Paralysis at this time?¡± Erika nodded serenely.

    ¡°It''s quite the useful countermeasure against opponents like your Golbat.¡± She turned to Gloom. ¡°Mimic''s charge is nearly worn out. One more Air Cutter, and make it count.¡± Golbat tried to evade, but couldn''t stand up to the renewed current, and he crashed face-first onto the gym floor. The attendant waited a moment, then called out.

    ¡°Golbat is unable to continue. Gloom wins the first round!¡±

    <hr>

    Jen looked at Golbat lying on the floor, her eyes wide.

    ¡°I thought for sure he''d be a lot more effective than this,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Guess I didn''t fully learn my lesson from the Mahogany Gym.¡± She thought through her options. ¡°You know what, I''m going to use James'' strategy...or is it lack of strategy? Oh, who cares?¡± Jen tossed her second Pok¨¦ball out, and Magmar stood facing Gloom, spitting a puff of flame into the air. ¡°Be careful, Magmar! It might copy one of your moves, but you''ll be able to stand up to them.¡± Erika smiled.

    ¡°Another direct approach? Interesting. Gloom, use PoisonPowder!¡± This time, Gloom''s petals sent violet powder into the air, and sparks flew across Magmar''s body. ¡°Now your Magmar is on a timer, challenger. Use your remaining time wisely.¡± Jen frowned at the taunt.

    ¡°You bet I will. Magmar, Fire Punch!¡± Magmar reached Gloom in three strides as flames erupted around her right fist, and she slugged the flower right in the face. The attack should have sent Gloom flying across the field, but Ingrain still appeared to be active, and a straining sound was audible as the impact registered. Gloom''s eyes snapped open in shock from the blow, while Erika''s calm face flickered briefly as she gave the flower new orders.

    ¡°Soak it in Acid, Gloom!¡± Gloom inhaled hard, and then spat a mouthful of a foul-smelling greenish fluid at Magmar. The Fire-type stepped back from the attack, but a little of the fluid splashed onto her arm and she winced.

    ¡°Hang on, Magmar! Let''s make some barbecue cabbage with Flamethrower!¡± As Magmar recovered, she took a deep breath and blew a heavy stream of fire right into Gloom''s face. When the fire dissipated, Gloom''s eyes were now open and glazed, and its entire body looked charred and ragged. As the attendant counted Gloom out, Erika looked at her burnt-out team member, then recalled it with a sigh.

    ¡°Well fought, Gloom. You did everything you were asked and more. Have some rest.¡± She turned to Jen. ¡°I was not jesting about that timer, young friend. Your Magmar may have an overwhelming advantage, but it will have to win quickly. Of course, my next team member will be just as difficult to take out.¡± She pulled another Pok¨¦ball and tossed it out. ¡°Time for battle, Victreebel!¡± Erika''s next choice had a yellow body dotted with several dark marks. Two large leaves grew from either side of its body, with another leaf masking a pink-rimmed mouth above its narrow eyes. Small white growths that resembled teeth sat on the pink rim. This creature''s scent was different from Gloom''s; still sickening, but sweetly so. Magmar simply glared at the new opponent, and looked back at Jen in surprise when she raised her Pok¨¦ball.

    ¡°Sorry, Magmar,¡± Jen said as she recalled the Fire-type. ¡°That poison is going to cause trouble down the line.¡± She tossed out her third pick for the match, and Togetic squealed happily, then cough hard as Victreebel''s scent reached her. ¡°Togetic, I need you to hold out as long as you can. Try your best to beat this thing, because Magmar''s fading. Can you handle this?¡± Togetic nodded and put on her most determined face, only to break down giggling a second later.

    ¡°Your Togetic looks like she''s having a good time,¡± Erika remarked from the other side. ¡°But don''t underestimate Victreebel. He''s not one to wilt under pressure.¡± Jen grinned.

    ¡°Let''s test that. Togetic, up, then Extrasensory!¡± Togetic flitted up out of Victreebel''s reach, then clapped her hands together to generate an iridescent beam of light. The light surrounded the living plant and burst, causing it to wince. ¡°All right! Hit it with another one!¡± Erika waved a casual arm to her team member.

    ¡°Victreebel, Razor Leaf!¡± Victreebel shook its body and sent a volley of spinning leaves scything towards Togetic. Togetic stopped her attack and started darting back and forth, evading the attack, but her movements seemed to be taking her closer to her opponent. Erika watched intently as Togetic moved this way and that.

    ¡°Togetic! Try to get some space and try Magical Leaf!¡± Jen sighed. ¡°It won''t do much, but it might put Victreebel off enough to get her out of reach.¡± Togetic tried to generate the attack, but Victreebel kept firing sharp leaves at her and she couldn''t focus. As the Happiness Pok¨¦mon dropped in the air, Erika''s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Catch it with Wrap, Victreebel!¡± Without warning, the leaf above Victreebel''s eyes shot up towards Togetic and wrapped around her, almost like a hand grabbing a fly from midair. Togetic struggled hard, but she couldn''t stop herself from being drawn inexorably towards the plant''s open mouth. Jen looked at her team member and started to panic.

    ¡°Keep fighting, Togetic!¡± It was no use; Victreebel pulled Togetic down towards its mouth, and stopped just short of dropping her in. Erika''s expression had turned back into a smirk.

    ¡°Wring Out!¡± Togetic wailed in pain as the leaf holding her constricted, squeezing her hard. ¡°Now, soak it in Acid!¡± Greenish fluid erupted from Victreebel''s mouth and splashed onto Togetic''s body; steaming red patches erupted where the acid had burned her. ¡°Toss it on the floor.¡± As Togetic fell to the ground on her back, Jen''s breath quickened.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡± Togetic fought to escape, but her wings were pinned beneath her body and she couldn''t muster the strength to get up. Erika''s smirk faded, but her eyes still looked excited.

    ¡°End this round, Victreebel. Leaf Storm!¡± Jen watched helplessly as Victreebel generated a cloud of glowing green leaves, then funneled them right at Togetic. The attack lifted Togetic off the ground and back towards Jen, who adjusted her body to catch the Flying-type. Togetic squeaked feebly, her eyes glazed. Victreebel let out an unnatural shriek as if celebrating victory.

    <hr>

    ¡°That doesn''t help,¡± Jen murmured to herself as she recalled Togetic. She looked at the ball in her hand. ¡°Thanks for the effort, Togetic. You did all you could.¡± Jen breathed hard, then looked out at Victreebel. ¡°Magmar''s got enough power to burn that thing to its roots, but she''s gonna have to do it quickly. We''ve got no other option.¡± She tossed out Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball, and the Spitfire Pok¨¦mon turned to look at Jen with a determined look. ¡°Get after it, girl. Flamethrower!¡±

    ¡°Sludge Bomb!¡± Victreebel flipped its body so that its mouth faced directly at Magmar like a cannon, and contracted its lower bulb, firing several clods of dark mud towards her. The clods burst as the fire hit them, and blunted the super effective attack''s impact as Victreebel took it. ¡°Okay, now Razor Leaf!¡± Jen looked from Victreebel to Magmar, and shook her head as she saw violet sparks shoot across her body.

    ¡°We''ll get nowhere from range, so get in there and use Fire Punch!¡± Magmar grinned and rushed in at Victreebel, flames erupting as she clenched a fist.

    ¡°Slam, Victreebel! Keep it away!¡± Victreebel tried to strike Magmar with its outstretched vine, but she ducked underneath and swung a hard uppercut into the space between its mouth and eyes. The plant was lifted off the ground and landed with a dull splurt noise. For the first time during the match, Erika looked unnerved. ¡°No! Try to...¡± Jen grinned as she cut the Gym Leader off.

    ¡°Full power Flamethrower, Magmar! Turn that thing into well-grilled salad!¡± Magmar''s grin widened as she drew her head back to inhale, then blew an even hotter stream of fire onto Victreebel. The plant twitched as the fire torched its body, then lay still and smoking. The attendant counted it out, and Erika recalled it with her serene look back in place.

    ¡°Well battled, Victreebel. Rest up.¡± She turned back to Jen. ¡°You''ve impressed me, challenger. Victreebel doesn''t normally go down that easily, even against a Fire-type. But your Magmar is still on a timer, and she won''t last long against my final selection.¡± She took out a final Pok¨¦ball and threw it to the field. ¡°Exeggutor, it''s time for battle!¡± The ball released a tall Pok¨¦mon that looked like a palm tree with two short legs. Three cream-coloured growths, each with a different expression on its face, hung beneath its green fronds, and they chattered in high-pitched voices. Jen took out her Pok¨¦dex to scan the creature, unsure of its power.

    ¡°Exeggutor, the Coconut Pok¨¦mon,¡± the device announced. ¡°This Pok¨¦mon relies on its potent psychic abilities during battle, and is most effective in the brightest sunlight.¡±

    ¡°I''ve never seen one of these before,¡± Jen mused as she looked at Magmar. The Fire-type looked a little winded, but determined all the same. ¡°We''ve got to be quick and decisive here, girl. Erika''s gonna look to stall us out.¡± She looked back down at the still-open Pok¨¦dex display. ¡°Although if she does what I think she will, that might be harder than she thinks...¡± Jen grinned. ¡°Open up with Flamethrower!¡± The fire stream blasted Exeggutor right in the midsection, but it remained upright. Erika''s smirk returned.

    ¡°Time to fortify. Layer Reflect and Light Screen!¡± A pink, spherical energy field materialized around Exeggutor, and Light Screen''s familiar yellow box appeared at the same time. ¡°And now, Sunny Day!¡± A fiery ball of light shot straight upwards from the fronds on Exeggutor''s head, and hung in the air, bathing the whole field in sunlight. Jen''s grin faded.

    ¡°Gotta hammer it right away! Flamethrower!¡± Even though Light Screen blunted the effect, the stream of fire that Magmar released was intensified by the sunlight. Exeggutor took the hit with no ill effects. ¡°Now SmokeScreen!¡± Thick, black fumes covered the battlefield, hiding Magmar from view. More violet sparks played across her body.

    ¡°Track it, and hit it with Seed Bomb!¡± Bright green spheres dropped from the air, bursting as they hit the ground. Jen didn''t hear Magmar react, so she hoped the attack hadn''t damaged her.

    ¡°Sneak up on it and use Fire Punch!¡± Magmar tried to be stealthy, but one of Exeggutor''s heads saw her and yelled a warning.

    ¡°Psychic!¡± A blue glow appeared to Exeggutor''s left, outlining Magmar''s body, and she was thrown backward. The SmokeScreen was blown away by the impact, and more sparks crossed her body. Magmar looked tired as she got up.

    ¡°C''mon, Magmar!¡± Jen cried as Exeggutor turned to face her. ¡°Don''t let that poison take you down! You''ve fought too hard to go down now!¡± Magmar spat out a few embers, then turned to Jen and gave her a tired smile. Jen grinned in response. ¡°That''s the way. Get after it and use Fire Punch!¡±

    ¡°Barrage!¡± Erika instructed, and small coconuts started flying at Magmar as she charged. She batted most of them away with one hand, clenching the other into a burning fist, and winced periodically as a projectile struck her. ¡°If you think that''s gonna put Magmar off, you don''t know her that well!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not. Exeggutor, Wood Hammer!¡± Exeggutor''s whole body glowed blue as it planted its feet and swung its upper body at Magmar. The two moves collided with an earsplitting crunch, and flames erupted along Exeggutor''s frame. Both Pok¨¦mon were pushed back from each other; the violet sparks on Magmar''s body intensified, while bluish ones ran over Exeggutor. ¡°We''ve nearly got her! Leaf Storm!¡± Magmar was doubled over by this point, and Jen cried out in panic as the glowing leaves formed a tornado just like Victreebel''s had.

    ¡°C''mon, Magmar! Hit it with Flamethrower and let''s end this fight!¡± Magmar pulled her head up, stepped away from the Leaf Storm, and took the biggest breath she could before blasting Exeggutor with the fire stream. Everything seemed to happen at once; the Light Screen briefly appeared before fading, the ball of fire in the air shrank and popped into nothing, and the Flamethrower caught Exeggutor full in one of its faces. The attack knocked Exeggutor off its feet, and it landed hard in front of Erika, its faces all showing glazed eyes. Jen jumped nearly a foot in the air as the attendant counted Exeggutor out.

    <hr>

    ¡°We did it, Magmar!¡± Jen cried as she ran over to the Fire-type. Magmar was doubled over again, her hands on her knees. ¡°Hey, relax. You were fantastic. Best battle you''ve ever had, hands down.¡± As she reached for Magmar''s Pok¨¦ball, Erika left her technical area and walked over to Jen.

    ¡°Congratulations on a hard-fought victory, challenger,¡± she said, bowing slightly. ¡°Your Magmar truly is exceptional. She was responsible for all three knockouts. Not unexpected for her species, but still impressive.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Erika. Your Pok¨¦mon were really tough, too. Victreebel is kind of scary when it gets going.¡± Erika chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, it does that. I have to rein in its more, ah, predatory behaviours.¡± She withdrew a hand from the sleeve of her kimono, holding out a sweet-smelling pink berry to Magmar. ¡°Here. This Pecha Berry will help clear up the poisoning.¡± Magmar took the berry and popped it into her mouth, smiling as the effect took hold. ¡°There, that''s better isn''t it?¡± Erika''s hand disappeared back up her sleeve for a moment, then re-emerged holding a small badge resembling an eight-petaled flower. Each petal was a different colour, with a small grey centre. ¡°The Rainbow Badge is proof of victory here at the Celadon Gym. You''ve certainly earned it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Erika,¡± Jen said, pocketing the badge. ¡°The name''s Jennifer, by the way, I don''t think I told your attendant that.¡±

    ¡°Well, Jennifer, it was a pleasure.¡± Erika motioned towards the door, where James was moving to the exit. ¡°Will your friend be taking the gym on soon?¡± Jen nodded.

    ¡°He''s got an even stronger Fire-type than Magmar, believe that. I wouldn''t underestimate him.¡±

    ¡°Never.¡± Erika smiled and bowed, then walked back across the field. Jen recalled Magmar, then headed to the foyer where James and Typhlosion were waiting.

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± James said, looking at Jen. ¡°Magmar had to do most of the work.¡±

    ¡°Always the optimist,¡± Jen replied, lightly punching his arm. ¡°So, you''ve seen Erika in action. Got a plan yet?¡±

    ¡°I don''t do plans, remember?¡± James said, grinning. Then his face grew serious. ¡°But if I''m going to win, I''m going to have to keep one thing in mind.¡± Jen gave him a confused look.

    ¡°What''s that?¡± For once in his life, James looked worried.

    ¡°If I could smell her Pok¨¦mon from the stands, what''s the effect going to be when I''m right across from them?¡±