Trainers, exactly how effective are Chikorita's Grass attacks against Gastly?
a) Super effective
b) Regular effective
c) Not very effective
Kris and Ethan trekked past Mr Pokémon's house, and into the hustle and bustle of Violet City.
"Hey… this isn't so bad. It's not like this is a big city."
"I don't think this is supposed to be the big city. According to this, it should be Goldenrod…" Ethan checked the map on his Pokégear.
"Big enough for me here, anyway. I always preferred the lush scents of New Bark, the big, wide open spaces…"
"Hello, visitors," a man called. Ethan and Kris looked around. The speaker was standing atop the Pokémon Centre.
"How did he get up there?"
"Hello, Mr Sir! Do you happen to know where we might find the Gym Leader, to challenge him or her and earn a Badge?"
"Why sure thing, flightless person. Look for the building with the brown roof. Always look for the building with the brown roof. I wouldn't recommend fighting Falkner yet, though. He's pretty awesome. I'd recommend training in the Sprout Tower."
"Thank you, flightful weird… man…" Ethan shrugged, as the man ran from the building, and seemingly onto thin air.
Ethan and Kris entered Sprout Tower, and quickly ascended. The Sages used naught but Bellsprout and the occasional Hoothoot, giving Cynder more workout than it needed. But, at last, they reached Sage Li.
"Hello, young pupils. I don't suppose you'd be anything like that cruel boy Luciano, would you?"
"Luky… Luci… No, I don't even know this guy."
"But we were told to come up here by a man who called us 'flightless'…"
"Oh, that is Falkner, fair lady. But if that is what Falkner desires… I must test you…" Before Sage Li was fully prepared, a shadow appeared in front of him. Statues and Rattata began to hover and spin around.
"Siasieth… Siasesiaslushee!"
"It is a Gastly, a Gas Pokémon. It is a Ghost!"
"No matter, Sage. I can take on a mere ghost!"
Wild GASTLY appeared!
CHIKORITA is at the ready!
Chikorita began by leaping into the air, and launching a Razor Leaf attack. Gastly faded from existence, and reappeared behind Chikorita. She closed her eyes, and released a cloud of spores. As Gastly closed in on them, he began to absorb the chemical composition into his gas stream, slowing him down.
"I did not know Chikorita had a spore-based attack."
"I don't like to brag." Chikorita leaped again, but as she launched another Razor Leaf, Gastly vanished again. This time, not by choice.
… … … Gotcha! GASTLY was caught!
"…You caught that Gastly?" Kris asked.
"Wait, I wasn't supposed to?" Ethan responded, genuinely confused.
"No, but your cooperation under pressure is to be commended. I commend you." Kris raised an eyebrow.
"Consider you commendation received, Mr. Now, are we ready to fight Falkner?"
"…Yes."
Ethan and Kris entered the Violet City Gym, Kris having finished explaining to Ethan what had and had not happened in Sprout Tower.
"So, flightless humans, you wish to challenge me?" Falkner asked, standing atop a Pidgeot.
"Yes."
"Then…" Falkner raised one of his Pokéballs. "…Shall we begin?"
LEADER FALKNER wants to battle!
LEADER FALKNER sent out PIDGEY!
Go! Cynder!
Cynder looked up at the airborne Pidgey. He focused, and looped around the room, climbing the walls. Shooting a Smokescreen attack, Cynder leaped, and Tackled the Pidgey to the ground.
"Not bad for one without flight. But how about this?"
LEADER FALKNER sent out PIDGEOTTO!
Cynder smiled, and repeated his tactic. Pidgeotto attempted to get wise to the trick, and used a Gust attack to knock Cynder from the wall.
But Cynder wasn't repeating his tactic to the letter. Instead of a Tackle, Cynder used an Ember attack, substituting safety for power and a chance… wait for it…
Enemy PIDGEOT was burned!
Though he sacrificed himself in the attempt, Cynder burned the Pidgeotto, making the battle much more of a stall.
Go! Shadow!
Shadow, the Gastly caught on Sprout Tower, shimmered and grinned in the face of a new foe. He approached the Pidgeotto, and entered its body. Pidgeotto let out its cry, before being damaged from Gastly's mental attack, and Cynder's burn. With a wail, Pidgeotto fainted.
LEADER FALKNER was defeated!
"You have done well for one without wings. Take the Zephyr Badge. It will boost the attack power of your Pokémon, and will also allow you to use Flash outside of battle, to illuminate dark caves."
Ethan smirked, and took the badge in one hand. He flung it into the air, and held up his Badge Case. He promptly missed the case, and got hit in the head.
"Shadow? Honestly, you possess people?" Ethan asked.
"Sire, sirsire! Slasha… Oh, I tire of this hissing!"
"That better have been a vow to never to possess another Pokémon again!" Kris demanded.
"What was I supposed to do? Lick doesn't affect Normals!"
"Why do you even keep him?"
"Never know when he'll come in handy. You never know when our tether may be reached."
"Our tether may be reached? What the houndoom is that supposed to mean?"
The correct answer is c) Not very effective. Chikorita probably didn't think her plan through.