(WELL, HERE IT IS, MY SECOND FIC EVER, AND MY FIRST POKEMON FIC. This one's been going through my head almost as long as my Teen Titans fic, and has undergone nearly as many changes. TO CELEBRATE, I EVEN HIRED A NARRATOR. TAKE IT AWAY!)
We meet our young heroes as they arrive in the sleepy little burg of Taupe Town, a tiny community at the far edge of Kanto. Why? Even I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out soon, as yet another adventure unfolds in the World of Pokemon!
The Ultimate Battle
Chapter One: An Amazing Rumor! Battle in Taupe Town!
NOW AND FUTURE DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN POKEMON IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, and the characters "Michael" and "Claire" are owned by MichaelDJ54 and BlueBlossomGurl and used (HOWEVER DIFFERENTLY) with their permission.
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"Well, this is the place." Max said, looking up from his Pokenav, a sort of GPS. "Taupe Town, Kanto."
"Not much to see." May commented. She was right. This was one of, if not the smallest town they'd been to, and had very little scenery: Nothing but a bunch of small houses and shops, with the exception of a Pokemon Center down the road.
"All right, Ash, 'fess up!" May demanded, turning to the Pokemon Master-wannabe. "Why'd you insist that we come to this dump?"
Ash turned to Pikachu, his yellow electric mouse Pokemon currently riding on his shoulder. "Should we tell 'em, buddy?" he asked.
"Chu!" it replied, nodding its head.
"'Kay," Ash sighed, turning to the others. "Ya see, right as we were leaving the Battle Pyramid…"
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Flashback…
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"Ash, wait!" Brandon called as Ash, May, Max, and Brock began to walk out. "I want to speak with you. Alone." He added, staring at May, Max, and Brock. They looked at Ash quizzically, but filed out afterward.
Ash raised an eyebrow, but walked over to Brandon anyway. "What is it?" he asked, staring up at the Frontier Brain. The Pyramid King was a tall, robust man with a gruff attitude that tended to make people slightly nervous around him.
"You did an excellent job in that last battle, Ash." Brandon told him.
"Thanks," Ash replied, turning toward the door. "Now, I really should—."
"Which is why I wanted to let you in on a secret." Brandon continued.
Ash and Pikachu turned back toward him. "What is it?" Ash asked excitedly.
"There's been a rumor going around between Frontier Brains and Elite Four members," Brandon said. "One that we've been forbidden to tell to all but the most talented trainers, and since you conquered the Battle Frontier, I'd say you qualify, Ash."
"Thanks," Ash repeated. "Now what's the big secret?"
"You must promise not to tell anyone." The Pyramid King said. "We cannot allow this to get out."
"I promise!" Ash exclaimed as he and Pikachu raised their hands in an oath. "Now can you tell me?"
"Very well," Brandon said with a nod. "You see, the rumor speaks of an amazing Pokemon gym, with a gym leader who is supposed to be impossible to beat. Not only that, they also say the gym battle tests trainers, and proves whether or not they are destined for greatness."
"Destined for greatness?" Ash interrupted. "How can you test for that?"
"I'm not sure," Brandon replied, stone-faced as ever. "But they say if a trainer passes, the gym leader grants them the Master Badge, which, according to the rumor, grants lifetime clearance into any Pokemon League, no matter what branch.
"At least, that's how the rumor goes."
"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "I gotta get that badge! Where's this gym supposed to be?"
"About 25 miles east from here," Brandon informed him. "A place called 'Taupe Town'. That's why I stayed to let you challenge me one more time: I wanted you to be closer to it. But again, the gym is just a rumor."
"Well, I'm gonna check it out!" Ash exclaimed. "And I'm gonna get that badge!"
"Chu!" Pikachu agreed.
Brandon nodded. "Good luck." He said with a smile.
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End Flashback…
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"So you dragged us 25 miles out of our way for a gym that might exist!?" May screeched.
"Well," Ash said, sweatdropping. "It could be here."
"Look around you!" May yelled. "Do you see anything that looks even remotely like a Pokemon gym?"
"You never know." Brock commented. "We've been to hidden battlefields before. If the payoff for winning is this great, the gym leader'd probably wanna keep things a secret."
"Then how're we supposed to find it?" Max asked.
"Guess we'll have to ask around." Ash concluded. "Maybe we can find a clue at the Pokemon Center."
"Or at least this town's Nurse Joy!" Brock said excitedly as he and Ash ran for the Poke-hospital.
"Hey, wait up!" May and Max yelled, running after them.
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"It's…bigger than usual." May commented, staring at the exterior of the building. She was right again. Most Pokemon Centers were ranch-style, but this one had two stories. It was also longer and wider than most, though it still had the usual "P" logo on the door.
"Well, let's go get some answers." Ash said, pushing open the door. A bell above the door tinkled and the group walked in.
Ash surveyed the interior of the Center. It looked pretty much like any other from the inside. Across the room there was a green counter with a door behind it leading to the operating room where Nurse Joy probably was. There was a line of videophones and Pokeball transporters on the right wall, and some comfy-looking chairs by the the left wall, as well as a door to a room full of bunk beds for trainers who needed to spend the night. In fact, other than the staircase in the back-left corner, the only thing out of the ordinary was a statue of a rotund, pink Pokemon with a nurse's hat on and an egg in the pouch on its stomach in the back-right corner of the center. It was a Chansey, a kindly Pokemon that often worked as a nurse in Centers.
"Nice statue," Max said, walking over to it and reaching out his hand.
"Please don't touch that." Said a gentle voice behind him. "It's very delicate."
It was Nurse Joy, of course—one of the many brown-eyed, redheaded nurses working in every Pokemon Center ever constructed, and she was with a real Chansey, which was currently holding a tray of six Pokeballs.
"I'll be with you in a moment." The Joy grinned before turning toward the stairs and announcing "Claire, we're finished!"
"Coming!" a female voice said from the top of the staircase. At once, a girl about Joy's age with long brown hair and glasses ran down the steps and over to the counter. "Thanks, sis." She said, placing the Pokeballs on her belt.
"Sis?" Ash and May repeated, raising their eyebrows.
"What, you think every girl in my family's a redheaded nurse?" she laughed. "C'mon, that'd be weird!"
"Nurses of not," Brock announced, his squinty eyes bulging into big pink hearts. "Your mere appearance has stopped my heart and left me breathless! Perhaps one of you could talk about your career choices over dinner sometime?"
Max was about to do his self-appointed job of pulling Brock away by the ear when another voice rang out from the stairs, this one male.
"Who are you and why are you hitting on my girlfriend?" it asked. Despite what he said, he sounded cheerful.
"G-girlfriend!?" Brock stammered, his heart-eyes shattering and returning to his squinty ones as he slumped to the floor, depressed.
"That's right." The brown-haired girl said before turning toward the stairs. "Mikey, come on down! We have guests!"
"I figured." The voice replied. "I'll be right down."
At once, a tall, well-built man with a round face, short brown hair and glasses walked down the stairs and over to the counter. "Welcome to Taupe Town!" he announced. "I'm Michael, and this is my girlfriend, Claire, and her sister, Alex."
"Alex?" Ash and May echoed.
"'Joy' is a surname." Alex informed them. "So, who are you?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town." Said Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town. "And this is May, Max, Brock, and Pikachu." He said, pointing to each of his friends in turn.
"Pallet Town?" Claire repeated. "That's pretty far away. What brings you down here?"
"Can't have been the scenery." Michael joked.
"Actually," Brock explained. "My friend here was told of a gym in this town. Is there one?"
Michael laughed out loud. "I can honestly say there's no gym on this barren wasteland of a town." He told them.
"Who told you there was?" Alex inquired.
"Brandon," Max responded. "But he did say it was just a rumor."
"The Pyramid King?" Claire asked.
"Yeah," Ash replied. "But I guess he was wrong."
"So we walked all this way for nothing?" May asked.
"Maybe not," Michael said. "Did you beat Brandon?"
"Yep," Ash said proudly. "I beat all the Frontier Brains."
Ash pulled out his Symbol case and opened it to show off the seven gold Symbols inside.
"A Frontier champion!" Michael laughed, slapping Ash on the back. "Don't see that often, especially in this ghost town! Hey, whaddya say to a battle, just so the trip here ain't a total waste?"
"A battle?" Ash repeated. "You're on!"
"My Mikey battling a Frontier champion?" Claire said, grinning. "This I've gotta see!"
"C'mon outside, then." Michael said, opening the door.
He didn't have to tell anyone twice. Ash, May, Max, Brock, Claire, Alex, Pikachu, and even Chansey ran out into the empty dirt road in front of the Center, and Michael walked out shortly after. "How about a one-on-one match?" he asked as the crowd spaced out to allow room for the battle.
"Sounds good!" Ash said, staring his opponent down. "I'll even choose first: Go, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu yelled, jumping in front of Ash.
"What's your choice?" Ash asked.
Michael didn't say anything. He just put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud, shrill whistle.
"I knew he'd use that one." Alex commented.
"Which one?" Max asked, looking around.
"Give it a minute," Claire replied. "You'll see."
Sure enough, a moment later, something ran through a large pet flap at the bottom of the Center's door that the heroes hadn't noticed until now and sprinted up in front of Michael. It was between two and three feet tall, orange with black paws and yellow cheeks, and had a long, skinny black tail with a lightning bolt shape at the end. Other than that, it looked a lot like Pikachu. "Rai." It said, in a deeper voice than Pikachu's.
"This'll be my Pokemon." Michael announced.
"A Raichu!?" Max exclaimed.
"Raichu?" May repeated, taking out her Pokedex (a sort of portable Pokemon database) and opening it to scan.
"Raichu," the Pokedex said, displaying a picture of the orange mouse Pokemon. "The evolved form of Pikachu. It is capable of delivering electric shocks of over 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious."
"Ash, be careful!" Brock warned. "That Raichu looks really well-trained!"
"Thanks!" Michael said before turning to Raichu. "Ready, bud?" he asked.
"Raichu!" it said with a nod.
"Then let's go!" Michael grinned.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu clenched its cheek muscles and shot a powerful yellow blast of electricity at Raichu.
"Raichu, stand your ground!" Michael ordered. Raichu nodded and stood its ground as the attack hit it head-on. When the attack faded, though, Raichu wasn't even fazed.
"All right, Raichu," Michael grinned. "Now show 'em your Thunderbolt!"
"Rai!" Raichu nodded before jamming the tip of its tail into the road and mimicking Pikachu's last move and sending a blue blast of electricity right back at Pikachu, hitting it dead-on.
Pikachu seemed to have taken a lot more damage than Raichu. It was scratched and charred from the attack.
"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed. "Are you okay?"
"Chu." It replied with a nod.
"Then use Quick Attack!" he shouted.
Pikachu nodded and ran ahead on all fours, leaving a white streak of light behind it.
"Dodge and counterattack with your Quick Attack!" Michael yelled.
Raichu mimicked Pikachu's move, moving full speed ahead, but as it and Pikachu were about to collide, Raichu zipped out of the way and rammed Pikachu from the side, leaving Pikachu dusty and tired.
"Now give it another Thunderbolt!" Michael commanded.
"Raichu." Raichu said with a nod before sticking its tail in the ground and squeezing its cheeks again to send another blue blast of electricity right at Pikachu, causing all the spectators to wince as Pikachu took serious damage.
"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered.
"Pika!" Pikachu said with a tone of pure determination as it got to its feet and charged at Raichu, a yellow aura enveloping its body as it did so.
"Volt Tackle, eh?" Michael said. "Not bad. Raichu, dodge with Quick Attack!"
Raichu sprinted out of the way just in time as Pikachu rammed into the wall behind it. Pikachu's aura faded, and Pikachu looked very tired.
"Volt Tackle's an awesome attack, Ash," Michael told him. "But only when used correctly. Now, Raichu," he said, turning to Raichu. "Finish this with Thunder!"
"Rai." Raichu nodded as it stuck its tail in the ground and squeezed its cheeks.
Then Ash noticed something. "Pikachu," he yelled. "Use Quick Attack to grab its tail!"
"Chu!" Pikachu yelled before sprinting over and yanking Raichu's tail out of the ground.
Raichu's Thunder missed just as planned, as it hit where Pikachu was a second ago, but somehow Pikachu was still surrounded by a blue light and howling in agony before the light faded and Pikachu slumped to the ground with swirls for eyes, not moving.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Alex said, imitating an official judge. "Victory goes to Michael and Raichu!"
"Nice one, Mikey!" Claire said, running over and kissing Michael.
"But how—?" Ash gaped, staring at Pikachu.
"Did Raichu shock Pikachu?" Michael finished when he and Claire were done. "Well, I'll bet you thought when Raichu stuck its tail in the ground it was part of the attack, right?" Ash nodded. "Actually," he continued. "Raichu's just overcharged today."
Seeing the look on the visitors' faces, Claire added "As any Pokedex'll tell you, when Raichu become overcharged they diffuse energy into the ground via their tails."
"So it was just doing that to avoid shocking itself!" Max realized.
"Exactly," Claire replied. "And when Pikachu grabbed it and didn't know what would happen, it really got a shock, pun intended."
"It was a good idea, Ash." Michael said. "Disrupting an opponent's attack pattern is a great way to win. You just need to know the opponent better."
"Well," Alex announced. "Let's get Pikachu some help. Chansey, be a dear and grab Pikachu, would you?"
"Chansey." Chansey said as it came over, picked up the unconscious Pikachu and waddled back into the Pokemon Center with everyone following close behind.
"Pikachu'll be okay, right?" May asked as they entered the Poke-hospital.
"Of course," Alex told her as she walked toward the back room. "It just needs to be revitalized and recharged. It's a simple procedure. Pikachu will be in and out in a few minutes."
Ash sighed in relief as Alex and Chansey disappeared into the back room.
"So tell me, Ash," Michael requested as everyone took a seat around the room. "Why travel this far for a gym on a rumor? There are plenty of gyms in the Kanto region that're, oh, real!"
"Not with this kind of pri—mmph!" Max exclaimed before Brock put a hand over his mouth.
"We're not supposed to tell, remember?" Brock hissed. Max nodded in response, and Brock slowly lowered his hand.
"I'm sorry," Ash apologized. "Brandon told me to keep it a secret."
"Let me guess," Claire said. "You heard the gym gives a badge that lets you into any Pokemon League?"
"How'd you know?" Brock gasped, earning him a glare from Max.
"You're not the first trainers to catch wind of that rumor." Michael said, him and Raichu closing their eyes and nodding in unison. "Though I've gotta admire your trustworthiness. Others tend to repeat this rumor to me as soon as I ask."
"Thanks." Ash told him.
"Another question, though." Claire said. "What is it you want out of entering Pokemon Leagues? The fame? The prizes?"
"I don't really care about those." Ash answered. "I just wanna get stronger and win. My dream is to be the greatest Pokemon Master ever!"
"An admirable dream," Alex said, emerging from the back room with Chansey, who was holding Pikachu. "I hope it comes true someday."
"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed. "You're okay!"
"Pika!" it said, leaping out of the egg Pokemon's arms and onto Ash's shoulder.
"It's the Pika-picture of health," Alex said with a smile. "Though I'd advise against battling for the rest of the day."
"Speaking of battles," Michael said. "I really enjoyed ours. Maybe we could have another one tomorrow?" Then he and Raichu smiled as he added "In the gym?"
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So, it looks like Ash'll get his gym battle, after all. Will it be easy? Will it be difficult? Probably the second one. Find out in the next installment!
(WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK? Feel free to tell me in long, flame-less reviews! 'Til next time!)