2 - You Are The Reason I Am Strong
"Here we are."
"Oh!"
Jasmine stared in quiet awe at the spectacle.
She last visited Celadon six months ago, before I assumed the full title of Gym Leader and had all the renovations implemented. The gym has always catered to a particular segment of green-thumb enthusiasts, but under my ownership it has been transformed into a veritable palatial garden. The dazzling display of Rose-Mallow, Purple Wave Petunias, Zinnias, Globe Amaranths, Stella de Oro Daylilies, Evergreen Candytufts, Marigolds, Cinderblooms, Sunskirt Gladioulus, Nagrand Arrowheads, and Dusclops-eye Chrysanthemums had rendered my friend speechless.
She herself had become a colorful display of gaiety, quite in contrast to her typically modest outfits and glum demeanor. Even though it was quite a battle to find something she would acquiesces to wearing, in the end I believe I made an excellent selection. We had found her a short-length sunflower-pattern sundress. The bright and cheerful outfit matched her mood as she romped around the indoor gardens. Once she found the sunflower stalks, she jumped in among them and crouched.
"What are you doing?" I asked with a chuckle.
"Shh! I'm camouflaged! You can't see me!"
I stifled myself, in order to not let my chuckle turn into a full torrent of laughter. It was so extremely rare for her to make a good joke, I feel guilty for not rewarding her humor. Alas, I must maintain my composure. We are in my gym now, and challengers are watching. I have to keep up appearances, less the trainers begin to think I am not worthy of the respect due the position.
Yet, here is another supposed Gym Leader, acting nothing like a Gym Leader, nor even an adult.
"What are these?"
"Eucalyptus trees."
"And these?"
"Mossdeep Magnolias."
"And these?"
"Bellsprout."
"Oh!" She was trying to smell the plant in question when it nibbled on her cheek. She squeaked and leapt away. "I've never seen them shaped like this!"
"It's a foreign breed, raised in the savanna."
"Is that why its snout is so narrow?"
"Yes, in order to reach through the thick grass and get at the insects in the soil." I motioned for her to follow me. "And with that, let us finish our sight-seeing and move on to the matter for which you are here for."
Jasmine perked up.
I know that she likes gardening, aromatics, flower arrangement, fashion, and sightseeing, that these subjects interest her and she has some competency in each, and that she will indulge my passion for these topics for hours on end. Deep down in her heart, though, her true love is and will always be Pokémon. Nothing else excites her more.
"I understand Mr. Beret has turned nearly all functions over to you now," I said.
"He's completely retired."
Mr. Beret was her predecessor as Olivine City's Gym Leader.
"What about the things you aren't allowed to do because of your age?"
"My dad handles the financial stuff, and Mr. Pryce takes care of the League representation."
"I see. Well, if you are sixteen now, then you have about two years to get ready for the transition."
"Yep."
"Splendid. More time than what was afforded me. Let's get to it."
The Pokémon League does not allow youth under the age of eighteen to be in charge of a gym. Teenagers cannot be trusted with all of the legal and financial duties that come with the position. However, it is not uncommon for an under-aged trainer to be appointed Acting Gym Leader, on account of their raw talent and prowess on the battlefield. Such was the case for both me and Jasmine.
I had recently turned eighteen and completed the strenuous battery of tests needed to take full control of the gym. It was now my turn to impart my knowledge upon my young friend so that she may become a Gym Leader in her own right. It was for this purpose that Jasmine is taking a three week vacation in Celadon.
"Are we going to battle?" she asked.
"Not today. I have challengers shortly, I'd like you to observe. In the meantime, let me show you how the match-recording system works."
"Okay."
I dislike technology. No gadget is better than a means to an end to me. I've begrudgingly learned how to operate these machines because it is necessary to my job. Jasmine, however, is a natural-born technophile. She had no trouble whatsoever navigating the digital menus and myriad of data options. It got to the point where she was skipping ahead of my instructions, guessing what to do before I told her. Twenty minutes into the lesson, and…
"What's this?" she asked.
"I don't know."
She clicked.
"It's a filter option. Hey, I bet if you sort it this way *click* *click* you can arrange all of the ineligibles and no-shows and then you don't have to click each one to check if they need a battle report or not."
"Huh." I thought it through. "That would save a lot of time."
…she was the one teaching me how to operate the program. What a wonderful little genius I've befriended.
"Oh, it's time."
Jasmine eagerly followed me out to the main arena. From beyond the foliage the sounds of violence reached our ears. Challengers were making their way through my subordinates, the best inevitably working their way towards me. I readied three Pokeballs.
A foul odor wafted into the area. The cry of a Gloom fainting could be heard; I recognized it as Lisa's. She was my lieutenant and last line of defense. A challenger was coming.
"Good luck," Jasmine said.
A Raticate jumped through the stalks of Willowbrush, Cutting them to shreds in the process. Its trainer followed behind it, swatting aside more stalks as he passed. Completely unnecessary, there was a path.
"Hi there Erika."
He greeted me with a high-pitched, nasally voice, quite fitting for the little slime of a man it belonged to: balding, bespectacled, comically oversized snout, overgrown grey beard, hunched posture, dirty white lab coat, patched up jeans, a badge with the name "Lepert" labeled upon it. I was confronted with this unsavory sight, and although my personal tastes were highly offended, I was forced by custom to greet him with professional courtesy.
"Hello, and welcome. I am Erika, as you know, the Gym Leader of the Celadon City Pokémon Gym. I will test your ability as a trainer of Pokémon, to see whether you have the skills and knowledge to merit the Rainbow Badge and move closer to your goal. Prepare yourself, for I am not accustomed to losing."
"Hooo! You're a formal one! Very formal! And very be-u-ti-FULL! What a catch! Hehehehe! Don't mind if our acquaintance lasts a little bit longer than this battle. Mmm? Sound fun? Erika?"
"I'm not sure about that…"
How rude! I had wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but his words are quickly vindicating my initial assessment of this man: he is a major creep!
But I mustn't say anything.
I must maintain my composure.
"Oh honey, you look nervous. Relaaaaaax. Quickest way to lose is ta start doubting yourself." He has both hands behind his back, approaching the field in a zigzagging line. He didn't stop once he reached the sideline, but continued, deliberately plodding his way across until he stood directly before me. "Pleased to meet you."
He held his hand out. I flinched.
"Aww, you flinched. Am I that ugly? I coulda wore my toupee today but the youngsters like to make fun of it. It's no fun being laughed at, is it?" The strange old man leaned forward, twisting so that he could look up into my bowed face. "Nice tots," he casually remarked with a disgusting grin.
"Please," I muttered.
I don't know what to do with these kinds of men. I try putting up a brave front, show the world my best impression of dignity and calm, and pray that the people I meet see that and return it in kind. Perverted men with no sense of shame, decency, or compunction, I don't know how to respond to. This man is giving me goosebumps.
"May we begin the battle?" I asked, almost desperately.
"Battle? I suppose, but why? Why why why why? So much violence, violence, VIOLENCE! It's so banal, so unbecoming of a gentle-looking lady like yourself. Why don't you just hand over that Rainbow badge and we'll have a nice little chat over tea? We can talk about art and philosophy and all that liberal art prattle."
Is there any excuse I can think of to pardon myself from this situation? I can't think of any off the top of my head.
"You're such a pretty girl. Tell me, pretty girl, do you get a lot of attention from the men folk? You're a good-looking lady, hooo, and a Gym Leader! And how formal, how regal! It must be nice being you. You get to pick and choose which men you'll entertain, right? If one's boring you, but say the word and he is dismissed. They're not good enough for your imperial majesty, are they? Kinda arrogant, kinda arrogant if you ask me. Hey, you ever been rejected before? I bet you haven't."
"No…" I murmured.
"But I'm pretty sure a pretty girl like you's done your fair share of rejecting. All one-sided. You ever feel for the poor schmucks you've turned down? Ever thought how bummed that can be for them? How embarrassing! How infuriating! It's insulting when a man puts his best foot forward and gets snubbed for no discernible reason. I'd hate to be in his shoes. Rather be in your shoes, dictating and lording over and thinking myself too good for the low-life skullduggery. But that's all aside the matter, maybe I'm jumping to conclusions."
"What do you want?" I whispered.
The old man began licking his forefinger, his wide-eyed stare never leaving my chest area.
"Hey! Are you going to battle or not?!"
Jasmine's yelling jerked the man to his senses.
"Oh, what's this? Another beauty! Teehehe!"
"We're in a gym! If you're not going to battle then get out of here! You can pick up women at a bar if that's what you're after!"
"She's fiery! Who's this, Erika?"
I did not like the way the man kept calling me by my given name. It seemed too casual, too intimate, for a stranger to be using, let alone a disturbing creep such as him.
"Erika, if you're not going to call security, I will," Jasmine threatened.
"Oh fine, fine! No need for that. A Pokémon battle it is. Bunch of amazons around here."
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until it all came whooshing out. The stranger scampered his way back to the challenger's stand at the other end of the arena. With him vacating my personal space, I felt like I finally had the breathing room to reproach him.
"Lepert, I would appreciate it if you kept your visit professional. That was very rude and uncivil."
"Meh, meh. It's not like you're the one getting rejected here. Hurts, you know, stings! Like sulfuric acid! I would know, I've worked with the stuff."
"Your Pokémon, please."
"Oh poo. Alright, Ratty-Daddy, you're up!"
The Raticate scampered to the center of the arena.
"Tangela, go forth."
The Raticate bristled and jumped side to side. Judging by its entrance, it knew Cut, and would try to use that attack to negate my Grass-type attacks.
"Very well. Let us begin."
"Mmm. Aha!" Lepert shouted, as if he had figured something out. "Hyper Fang!" he ordered. His Pokémon dashed in to execute the command.
"Poison Powder."
"Nuh uh uh!" Lepert waggled a finger.
The oversized rat pulled its head down and rammed Tangela with a Headbutt, knocking her onto her back. She tried righting herself and releasing poisonous spores, but the opponent had already backed out of range.
"I believe your call was for Hyper Fang, not Headbutt," I said.
"Was that it? I don't know. Maybe that's a good idea. Headbutt!"
There was no way to know if the foe would Headbutt as ordered or revert to Hyper Fang; this trainer was playing mind-games. What poor sportsmanship. "Constrict," I commanded. This should counter either attack.
Yet, just as Tangela's vines began encircling the charging Pokémon, Raticate lashed out with both teeth and claws, shredding the vines. It followed with a Tail Whip. Tangela was turned around and made defenseless against the final Skull Bash. She landed face-first in the dirt, and although moving, she could not get up.
"Look pretty, talk pretty, and you battle pretty too. 'Fraid that doesn't do you much good in a street fight."
"Return, Tangela."
"Fearow, your turn." Lepert had Raticate retreat and replaced it with a Flying-type. He now has both the numerical and type advantage. This isn't going well for me. "What's next?"
"Victreebel, it is your turn. I need your best," I implored.
This isn't over. Now I know to expect his Pokémon to ignore his orders and fight independently. To counter free-style, one must go on offense.
"Drill Peck."
"Sludge."
Fearow dove straight towards Victreebel, making for an easy target for Sludge. Yet, the bird took the ball of poison head on and kept diving. Victreebel couldn't dodge the Drill Peck.
"Swallow! Constrict!"
Unable to dodge or stop Fearow, my Pokémon did the only thing it could do to survive the deadly beak- it ate the attack. Quite literally. Fearow's beak, head, and neck disappeared down Victreebel's gullet. My Pokémon clamped down, trapping its prey. Her vines wrapped around Fearow's wings and legs, preventing escape.
"Gust!" Lepert called out.
Fearow's wings broke free and let loose a powerful flap, lifting the entangled Pokémon into the air. They arced to a peak and then hurtled to the ground, landing with a dull thud some yards away. The effort did not succeed in freeing the bird. Victreebel renewed and strengthened her Constrict, immobilizing the foe for good.
"Aww! Fight! Drill Peck!"
"Acid!"
Victreebel's bell shivered and shook violently, evidence to the desperate conflict taking place within. Fearow's Drill Peck would be causing damage all around Victreebel's internal orifice, even as the plant Pokemon's Acid acted upon the bird's head.
After a minute of thrashing and lurching, the Flying-type finally came out, stumbling towards its trainer.
"Did ya get it?" Lepert said, hopeful grin on his face- quickly turning to disgust as the Fearow flopped to the floor.
"Vic-tree," my Pokémon growled, asserting its victory.
"Bah! Scum-suckle. Get your flap-a-flap back in the ball, ya useless egg-whelp."
Even to his own Pokémon, he's crude and abhorrent. I want to say something, but should I? I'm afraid…
"Your Pokémon fought hard! Don't call it names!"
Oh no.
"You need to treat your Pokémon with respect! Say you're sorry!"
Jasmine was yelling at the challenger. Lepert looked at her in bemusement.
"Appreciate your advice, little girl," he said.
"I am not a little girl, I am a Gym Leader!" she shouted back.
"Well then, I may need to talk with whoever put you in charge of a gym, tell them a professional institution is no place for loud-mouth precocious brats."
Jasmine looked about to start a war. This isn't good. There's no telling what a man like him would do if antagonized. I can't let this escalate.
"Jasmine, please, let's not antagonize him."
"But-!"
"No matter how disagreeable you or I might find him, he is a guest in my gym," I hastily explained. Truthfully, I just wanted to finish this battle and pray he leaves without further incident.
She scowled at me and reluctantly slunk back into her seat.
"Now, let us continue." I turned to the challenger. Lepert was picking at his ear.
"Weezing's up."
The origin of the foul smell from earlier revealed itself. A trio of interconnected gas bags spewing noxious poisons floated into the arena.
"That Victreebel looks mighty tired. Should be easy," he commented.
He has a point, my Pokémon didn't appear to be ready for another fight.
"Victreebel, come back." Instead of recalling her to her Pokeball, however, I waved for her to come back to the sideline. Once she arrived, I kneeled down and whispered a hint to her. Victreebel nodded.
"Vileplume will be next."
We each now have two Pokémon.
This is an unusual match-up. How will Weezing fight? Vileplume is part Poison-type, so that Poison is not super-effective against her Grass-typing. On the other hand, Weezing's typing resists all of Vileplume's attacks. Neither of our Pokémon were fit to counter the other.
"Vileplume, let's try Sleep Powder," I ordered first.
Lepert spat out one succinct word from the side of his lips:
"Ka-boom."
Before I could comprehend or react, Weezing tackled Vileplume and Exploded. Both Pokémon, and a good portion of the arena, were engulfed in a single massive fireball. The sudden roar made me flinch and raise my arms to protect myself. Heat and debris washed over me. When I could finally let my arms down, I found my kimono dirtied with ash and dust. No creature could be seen moving amidst the remnants of the blast.
"Why?!" I uttered. "Explosion is a move of last resort!"
"Simple and elementary. Hehehehe! Ha! What a hoot. Victor-sphincter over there is a farting breeze from blowing over, while my Ratty-Daddy is pretty much tip-top ready-ta-rumble. Heh heh ha ha. G.G. princess."
Vileplume was shriveled up, most of her body buried and hidden underneath her ashened flower petals. This is not good. Actually, it is somewhat dire. I hurriedly recalled her to her Pokeball.
"Jasmine, come here."
My friend hopped up.
"Please take Vileplume to the healing machine."
"But I'll miss your fight!"
"Sorry, but Vileplume needs treatment right away."
"I'm worried that he'll beat you!" she protested.
"Then that will be that. He will have his badge and then he will leave. Sometimes a Gym Leader has to accept defeat," I said, sounding- and feeling- already defeated.
"You don't understand! A creep like that… if he wins, do you think he'll settle for a badge?"
I froze up.
In my time with her, I have seen many negative emotions pass across Jasmine's face. Fear was not one of them. Fear was now etched into her expression.
This isn't right. She has too many burdens, too many worries, to be allowed to fear for my safety. When confronted by such a menacing man, I began doubting myself, preparing myself to lose simply to appease him and avoid incurring any sort of ill will from him. That is the sign of a victim, and I will not become a victim, and I will not cause Jasmine to worry.
"Don't worry. By the time you return, I will have won this battle. Go." I clasped her hands, the Pokeball held between our palms.
"Cocky cocky!" Lepert overheard us and let out a yowling insult.
"I'll hurry." Jasmine grasped my hands hard. "Don't lose," she commanded, looking me straight in the eyes. A chill ran through my body- no, not quite, for a chill is cold and denuding, but this jolt was warm and uplifting, and made me feel empowered. She took Vileplume in the pokeball and dashed away.
She's fast- almost as fast as Whitney, and much more agile.
"Ah, good, the brat's gone."
Lepert's voice took on a lower, more sinister tone.
I turned to him.
"I will defeat you, and then I will personally escort you out of my gym," I asserted.
"Beat me? Ain't happening. Time to teach you a little lesson in humility. Best get you re-acclimated to your place on the totem pole, Erika."
What did he mean by that?
"Ratty-Daddy, get up there."
"Victreebel, just as we discussed."
My Pokemon bobbed in acknowledgment.
Raticate began scampering to the center of the field, but unexpectedly took a tight turn and positioned itself on the far left side.
"Ugh! That's not good. Victreebel, try to corner it with Razor Leaf!"
"Cut! Screech!"
The barrage of slicing leaves were slashed apart and then blown away. Victreebel flinched under the subsequent ear-splitting sonic assault.
"Quick Attack!"
"No you don't! Sludge!"
Victreebel recovered faster than Lepert or Raticate anticipated. The foe managed to dodge aside, letting the Sludge hurl harmlessly past. My heart jumped. Raticate had jumped into the center, right where I wanted.
"Screech!" Lepert ordered.
Raticate had no intention of staying at range, though. It began a zigzag dash towards Victreebel. Once in melee range, anything- a Cut, a Bite, a Scratch- would probably faint my Pokémon.
"Ratty!"
It's fast!
Lepert opened his mouth in excitement.
"Now!"
Vines burst through the dirt, tripping up Raticate as it ran over them. They began writhing and whipping, entangling the creature in their grasp.
"Ha! What?! Oh! Well-played!" Lepert said, clapping. "I bet you had Victreebel set those up while it was "resting" on the sideline! Too bad. Ratty-Daddy, Cut yourself free."
Raticate jerked around and gnawed the roots apart with Cut, quickly liberating itself.
"That's not all. Did you know that the most toxic part of poison ivy is, in fact, its roots?" I asked, with just a trace of conceited smugness.
"Pffha! Wow! You're just full o' tricks!"
Raticate lurched, spitting and coughing.
"So you poisoned Ratty-Daddy. Con-grapes! So tell me, how long does the poison take to faint a Pokémon? Two minutes? Five?"
I stared blank-face in reply.
"Thought so."
Lepert sneered.
"Eat 'em."
Raticate hopped into a run, then a mad-dash towards Victreebel. The Grass-type was stuck. Her vines were ingrained into the earth, necessary to control the root network it had planted as a trap. She was trying to extricate herself, but it would take just a few seconds too long.
Raticate closed the last three yards with a pounce- and then dropped to the turf.
I let out a big breath of relief.
"WHAT!?"
Victreebel pulled her vines free of the ground and hopped over to Raticate. The creature was jerking intermittently like a toy at the end of its battery life, completely unable to attack.
"You made the assumption that Victreebel's root trap was laced with Poison Powder. I probably should have corrected you by clarifying that it was laced with Stun Spore, but my apologies, it slipped my mind," I said.
"Thrice sneaky snitchy sniveling-" Lepert's rambling trailed off into a string of inaudible profanities. In a fit of anger he threw a Pokeball to the ground and began stomping on it.
"Power Whip."
Victreebel beefed up its dominant vine, swung back like a shot-put hurdler, and let fly. Raticate was sent end-over-end, bouncing across the field much as a tumbleweed in an old western film would. It came to a stop near the sideline. There was no miraculous recovery from the creature.
The match was ended.
I smiled, laughed, and would have broken into a joyful outburst of celebration, had I not caught myself. I couldn't relax yet. Where was Lepert? I expected him to be charging towards me, ready to take out his frustration with a verbal assault on my own person.
"See ya later."
To my surprise, he was already strolling towards the exit, Pokeballs in one hand, the other waving goodbye.
Was that it?
No tantrum, no snide remarks, no lechery?
Some people… there's no predicting what they'll do. How frustrating!
Then I found myself being spun around and embraced.
"Oh gosh, I didn't think you could do it but you did! I saw what you did with the roots, that was really clever! You've got to teach me how to battle like that!"
Jasmine was thoroughly impressed by my performance.
That makes me happy, happier than winning the battle itself.
"Well, yes, I told you to trust me, didn't I? What about Vileplume?"
"She's healing up, the machine said she'll be ready in ten minutes."
"Oh dear."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
I nodded to a middle-aged woman approaching us, flanked by a Ponyta and Wigglytuff.
"I believe I'll have to do without Vileplume for this match."
"Haaa..." Jasmine sighed. "I know how this goes."
"A Gym Leader is not done after one battle. It is a never ending fight with no lasting victory, no final goal to strive for. That is our duty," I recited.
Jasmine deflated into herself, reverting to her usual dour, dismal self.
"At least this one isn't a guy," she noted.
"Well, yes. That man was beyond reprehensible! Thank you."
"For what?" Jasmine asked.
Yet the new challenger lady was waiting, so I left Jasmine pondering what she was being thanked for…
…and cursed myself for not having the courage to explain it to her.
Courage, Jasmine, that is what you gave me, and why I am grateful to you. Without it, all of my strength and all of my skill are useless against even the pettiest of challengers. Your stubborn determination not only teaches me how to be brave, but what's more, your enduring innocence gives me a reason why to be brave- so that I can protect you.
