Chapter 10
With only two days remaining until my battle, I started developing strategies for fighting water pokemon with my team. Technically, none of my pokemon had a type advantage over water, but that was of no consequence since I had a good sense for battling. Having witnessed a few matches on LeagueWatch, and having gone to the gym for a couple of hours after meeting with Chris, I was confident that we had a very good chance of success.
From what I gathered by watching the matches, Leader Holmes used a large and diverse medley of water pokemon. She only used three for the initial phase of the challenge, and then one more for the second round. It was the first gym to use matched challengers in a second round, for which it was impossible for me to plan.
After deliberating on my choice of participants, I decided that Rufus would join the fight only if certain pokemon were chosen to fight, such as those who had a more dominant non-water type. I would also attempt to use the Pikachu, but before I could, I had work to do.
I released my Pikachu during the few preceding days away from the city and my companions so that I could attempt to befriend him. Befriending him was the first step, for I needed to be able to command him. I also needed to be sure that he would not immediately try to zap anyone who tried to interact with him besides me. It was difficult enough to sell a feral pokemon as it was.
I only needed to showcase the Pikachu's strength in one fight, and what better fight than the gym battle? People from all over would see the fight on LeagueWatch and witness how strong the Pikachu was.
I made the decision to train Pikachu in private to avoid Sheila's righteous fury. I knew she would not approve so I decided that it was easier to ask for forgiveness rather than for permission.
The first couple of times I released the Pikachu resulted in me being electrocuted before I could return him to his ball. Luckily, I was eventually able to subdue the little electric brat by releasing him into Azrael's arms. Azrael took the shocks with little to no problems, and the Pikachu was forced to listen to me for fear of being eaten.
"Alright, little guy. No more shocks, or you will have to deal with Azrael." I said, pain wracking my body from the latest shock. Its ears twitched. "Now, I'm sorry I haven't been taking you out more often, but changing that is the goal of this entire endeavor. You are one strong little guy and I know someone out there will want to train you if you make a good impression. Leader Holmes generally sends out a weak pure-water type pokemon first so you should have no problem dealing with it. After that, I won't make you fight anymore."
Azrael relayed the message in more understandable terms before the Pikachu adopted an resentful pout. He frowned at me and turned his head away. "Look. If you do your best and no one wants to train you, I'll return you to the forest myself." Azrael relayed the message and the Pikachu turned to face me with a look of indignant reluctance in its eyes.
"That's what I like to see. Now, let's practice orders…"
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On the day before my match, I found myself eating at the Pokemon Center with Sheila and Chris. Right after we finished, I sent a message to Leader Craul to inform him of my upcoming battle. Soon after, I was tracked down and given an interview by a reporter for a local Cerulean news network. After an introduction, the news reporter named Jillian asked me, "How were you able to predict the storm?"
"Well, right before the storm hit, I was hunting for food and came across an Absol," I replied.
"Oooh," Jillian gasped. She looked into the camera and said, "For those of you who don't know, the sighting of Absol has been associated with large catastrophes. They don't actually cause the violent weather, mind you, but they know when the weather is about to take a turn for the worse." She looked back at me and said, "It's a good thing you knew about them, and even better that you came across it in the first place. Now I understand that you and your traveling companions alerted the other trainers in the vicinity as well?"
"Yes, ma'am. He told us what happened and we wasted no time packing up," chimed Sheila.
"Well I think a lot of trainers owe their lives to the bunch of you! And you all plan on competing in the Cerulean gym?"
"Yes, and our matches are tomorrow!" said Chris enthusiastically.
I sighed. I did have a plan for showing Pikachu at the match, but I did not want more publicity than was necessary. Sheila seemed to share a similar opinion because she visibly face-palmed. "Ms. Thomas, thanks for the interview but we have some things to take care of," Sheila said.
Chris looked crestfallen and so did the reporter. "Oh, can't you answer a few more questions? Like what pokemon you have? Or what strategy for catching pokemon you used?"
"It's the day before our matches. I apologize, but we have to practice and prepare for tomorrow," I said quickly.
Ms. Thomas gave an exaggerated frown and sighed before looking back at the camera with a smile and saying, "Well, let's give it up for our little heroes and wish them luck on their battles tomorrow!"
We wasted no time leaving after that, and began preparing.
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Once again, I found myself seated on a cushioned chair and listening to the muffled roar of a distant crowd. It rose and fell like the waves of water for which the gym was famous. The commentator's voice boomed through the walls and gave the waiting trainers a sense of suspense.
I was anxious because if I lost this, I was bound by my word to return home. The anxiety only served as a distraction, so I attempted to distract myself by going over different strategies in my mind.
Due to security concerns, we were only allowed to have one pokemon out with us in the waiting area. Unlike in Pewter City, the waiting room was not very large, and Azrael had since evolved to become too big to fit comfortably, so I chose Rufus to accompany me in the waiting room. His relaxed, yet readied presence was enough to keep my mind at relative ease.
I stroked his black fur above the skull-bone at his throat and waited. According to the announcer, not a single trainer had won their challenge. That's what you get for choosing an expedited route at the expense of training, I thought smugly. I looked at the clock, which read 1:45, and then at Chris and Sheila.
Sheila had taken a few hours during the morning to visit a spa in order to make herself look as preened as possible. When she met us at the gym, she was wearing her normal trainer clothes, but her smooth brown hair flowed freely down onto her shoulders. She wore makeup and I could not help but be dazzled when I saw her.
I was dressed up in the sense that I was clean, and so was Chris. His jaw dropped upon seeing Sheila and he told her that she looked amazing. Sheila actually had the bravado to say "I know," before leading us into the gym.
For the most part, I was not worried about the first phase of the challenge because I knew that my pokemon were more than ready. Azrael was level 30, Gilles was level 28, and Rufus was level 26. The standard League pokemon level range for Cerulean City was level 18-20. The only thing I was worried about was the final pokemon, which would be matched to my pokemons' skill levels. The good news was that my pokemon would ideally be in great shape for that fight, since they were so far above the League standard at phase one.
Sheila was smiling at Kara, appearing as if she had no worries in the world. It was not difficult to imagine why, either. Two of her pokemon were strong against water-types, one of which was Kara, her starter and strongest team member.
Chris looked to be a bit more jittery. He was running his nails through Pierce's fur and was subtly shaking. Sheila also noticed this and proceeded to rub his shoulders while giving him advice. Remembering the kid from the Pewter City gym, my mind immediately labeled him as a possible future loss.
Soon after she finished comforting Chris, Sheila was called out to the gym floor after the previous battler was defeated, since she had signed up first and therefore had an earlier match than we. I was scheduled to fight directly after her and Chris was after me. When she left, he reverted back to his disheveled state. He was in the same boat as I; his pokemon were not particularly strong against water-types. However, like me, his pokemon should have been at a higher level than the League standard.
Sitting there listening to the speaker and watching Chris made me realize something. I had been sitting in judgment of Chris in the waiting room when I had stood beside him in support for the last month. Helping him would not be a sign of weakness on my part, and being nervous is not necessarily a sign of incompetence. After all, I was nervous, too, though not so much that I let it consume my thoughts.
I stood up and walked over to Chris and said, "Chris, calm down; go over strategies; talk to your pokemon; do anything except worry."
"Have you heard how many people have lost already?" Chris said, shaking. "I don't think anyone has actually beaten her today. My pokemon don't have any special strength against water types."
"Mine don't either. There have, indeed, been a lot of losses today. But Chris, what sets us apart from most other trainers here?"
He thought for a moment before saying, "We didn't take a guide…"
"Exactly. Mt. Moon is a milestone for the simple reason that it prepares you for the gym challenge, among other things. Katherine Holmes is an exceptionally tough trainer, but we aren't fighting her League team; we are fighting the League challenge standard team. You are ready for it. I shouldn't have to reassure you of your pokemons' strength. Moreover, it is offsetting to your pokemon for them to see their trainer doubting their abilities. Have faith in them and what you, yourself, have trained them to do. You'll find that it is much less stressful."
"Thank you," Chris said as his shoulders sagged in relaxation. I made a mental note to listen to what Sheila said the next time she gave a motivational speech, seeing as how it did not work. I sat back down and scratched Rufus down the back of his neck, which caused his grin to elongate and his back leg to start kicking.
A few minutes later I heard a muffled, "Well folks, it looks like we have our first winner today! Give Miss Sheila a hand! We're now ready for the next challenger!" With that, I stood, anticipating a gym trainer's beckon for me to enter the arena.
As if on cue, the gym trainer's head poked into the room and called out my name. I looked over at Chris and said, "These may be tests of our strength, but your training has already proven that to you. This is an exhibition to anyone who would question it."
I then smiled at Rufus and returned him to his pokeball before heading through the archway and into the arena. It amazed me, still, after already witnessing it, that the roar of the crowd was significantly louder outside of the archway. It was like an invisible barrier that muffled noise.
As I walked along the concrete walkway, it turned to grass and dirt, before becoming wet and soppy. The arena was as big as the Pewter City arena at about 400 feet in length and 200 feet in width. Much of the terrain held pools of water, tall grass and reeds, and mud. I noticed that in the center of the arena was a large pond which was surrounded by cattails and reeds.
Katherine Holmes stood on the sideline, waiting for me. She looked to be about a foot taller than me, and she wore black and blue athletic pants over a silver and blue one-piece swimsuit. Her light brown wet hair was pulled back into a ponytatail and she had drops of water covering her toned torso. I approached her and she held out a small device while saying, "Link your fighters, challenger."
I did so, registering four pokemon, and the gym leader said, "I am gym leader Katherine Holmes of the Cerulean City gym of the Indigo League. I've been waiting for your group with much anticipation. So far, one down; two to go. Let's hope you fare as well as Sheila." She winked and then recited the rules for the challenge. "Three substitutions and I reserve the right to call for a switch. Also, this is the first gym to institute a second round. Round one hosts League standard pokemon and round two pits my choice of fighter against your actual skill level, which I will assess during phase one. Good luck and welcome to the Cerulean gym."
My pokeballs were displayed across a large electric billboard above the stadium; four pokeballs side-by-side next to my league picture. The other side held leader Holmes' picture and three pokeballs. "The challenger has taken his position at the far side. Let's see what he throws in first!" boomed the loudspeakers.
I released the Pikachu, who appeared resting on a patch of soft ground. He looked around and then at me. I held up a fist, signaling him I was ready. His face hardened and he faced the marshy field. "It looks like he sent out a Pikachu! Let's see what the little electric pokemon is capable of!" Katherine Holmes released her pokemon into the tall grass and the battle timer began to tick.
I could not see the pokemon, due to the long grass, but it told me that the pokemon was a smaller one. "Pikachu, stay outside of the long grass. Make it come to you," I ordered, holding out a wide palm towards Pikachu. I saw the grass and reeds moving and parting as the pokemon approached Pikachu slowly.
Finally it emerged and I recognized it as a Krabby, a crustacean that resembled a large crab. As soon as I saw it appear, I yelled, "Thunderbolt!" and cut my hand through the air like a knife. Electricity arched from Pikachu to the little armored crab, lighting it up and causing it to spasm horribly on the ground. "A one-hit knockout!" blared the loudspeaker.
"That is quite a powerful Pikachu you have there," Holmes' voice rang through a nearby speaker. "Get ready for my next pokemon." She released her pokemon into the reeds near a pool of water, which camouflaged the new pokemon.
"Hold out there until we figure out what it is," I yelled, before the stalks parted and a small jet of water sprayed into Pikachu's face. I quickly recalled Pikachu, gaining a look at the pokemon inside the reeds. It was a bipedal blue pokemon with green patterns on its body and a lily pad on its head.
"Looks like the challenger is switching it up!" the speaker announced. I smiled; I was hoping she would use a Lombre. Lombre are mellow pokemon, compared to most, and their dominant type is grass, making them susceptible to fire. I released Rufus, who awkwardly sank slightly into the muddy quagmire. "Oh look, a Houndoom! I wonder how long a fire-type pokemon will last here."
"Alright Rufus, wait for it to show itself and then use flamethrower! In the meantime, start moving around the edges, where it's not as damp." Rufus started moving around, ears positioned towards the center of the arena. Soon another jet of water streamed from the reeds, prompting Rufus to unleash a large torrent of fire at the source.
The Lombre jumped from the reeds, into the small pool of water. "Smog!" I yelled. Rufus let a large, black, incendiary cloud roll from his open maw which covered the entire area above the small pool. He then backed up and waited again. "Start howling!" He did so, causing his blood to run faster. Flames started reaching out of his mouth as he bellowed.
The sound of water splashing was heard before a larger torrent of fire was sent into the black fog. It was followed up with a couple weak pulses of dark energy. I saw the fire and dark pulses hit the retreating Lombre, causing it to fall forward in defeat. "Good job, Rufus!" I yelled before I returned him, Holmes returning her pokemon simultaneously. I waited for Holmes to release her next pokemon before I made a choice.
"Again, the challenger switches pokemon!" Holmes' last pokemon was large enough to be seen in the tall grass. It was a Quagsire; a large, blue, bipedal salamander. They are known to be fairly unintelligent and mellow as well. I smiled and released Gilles. "Ooh a Haunter!"
"Gilles, energy ball!" I yelled. It was the only move in my pokemons' arsenals that was strong against water. It was also strong against Quagsires' ground type which meant that the move would be devastating; especially when used by a pokemon almost ten levels higher than the Quagsire.
Gilles cackled as the Quagsire mud slapped his shadowy body. He had been gathering energy from the grass around him, diverging from his usual method since there were no larger sources of natural energy. The grass in Gilles' immediate vicinity blackened and wilted as the energy left it and condensed in front of Gilles.
"Hide now! Dig!" yelled leader Holmes. The Quagsire started digging quickly into the marshy ground but Gilles had already gained enough energy to send a small translucent green orb sailing quickly through the air. The orb hit the Quagsire in the back and slammed it forward into the ground, face-first. It was then recalled.
"What a strong technique! Leader Holmes' Quagsire will be feeling that in the morning! That just leaves one phase left of the match; the lightning round. Will the challenger be the second trainer to beat leader Holmes today? Let's find out!" the commentator roared. The crowd in the stands responded with a roar of applause and cheering.
Katherine Holmes looked over her datapad for a few seconds before releasing a pokemon into the large pond in the center of the stadium. I was able to glimpse a tall dorsal fin right before it submerged. I was fairly certain of what pokemon it was. "Gilles stay high above the water. Don't let it bite you," I ordered.
Gilles flew above the water and readied an energy ball. I watched as time seemed to elongate. It was calm and quiet. The crowd's noise had died down, which left us in an eerie state of anxious suspense. The suspense was shattered in a second when a shark's head erupted from the water traveling at very high speed.
My prediction was correct; it was a Sharpedo. The bodies of Sharpedo are fascinating. They have no body past their dorsal fins and their dorsal fins and pectoral fins look like the blades of a torpedo, which earned the pokemon its name. As a result of having a very small body cavity, Sharpedo have a small stomach and an absurdly high metabolism, which allows them to digest their food while eating it. They are also able to move at high speeds without the help of a tail by shooting water behind themselves to propel themselves forward.
The Sharpedo had launched itself out of the water, straight at Gilles. Gilles' position apparently was not high enough, for the Sharpedo reached Gilles and bit down with a dark crunch. Gilles released his energy ball at point-blank range and hit the Sharpedo in its eye, right after it bit down. The moment was filled with screeching from both Gilles and the Sharpedo. The Sharpedo released Gilles after Gilles released the energy ball, causing the Sharpedo to drop and hit the water with a splash.
"Gilles, come back," I yelled and returned him.
"Looks like the challenger is switching out his pokemon. Who knows what pokemon he will use next!" the commentator said with a twinge of sarcasm. He probably thought I was going to use Pikachu. I surprised him when I released Azrael, my thirteen-foot-tall dragon. "The challenger has sent out a Gabite! And boy, that is a big one!"
"Interesting," Katherine Holmes said into the speaker.
"Azrael, this is a water fight. Swim in and start slashing. Don't wait to let it strike," I advised. "I won't be able to see you under there, so this one's on you, bud."
Azrael stomped, launching particles of mud into the air. He then trudged toward the pond. He dived into the water with a splash. Before long, I could see Azrael's figure below the water twisting and moving. The water dance ended with him exploding from the water with the Sharpedo in his claws.
Azrael's shoulder had particles of ice stuck in a large bite wound, and the Sharpedo had a few gashes on its face. "Keep going Azrael!" I cheered. The Sharpedo struggled to right itself on the marshy grass before Azrael pounced and started slashing into it. To escape, the Sharpedo used a burst of water from behind to fly out from under Azrael and create some distance.
In its struggle to escape the dragon, the Sharpedo had sped off into a random direction, which happened to be in the opposite direction of the pond. It turned to try and aim itself at the pond but saw Azrael charging. Instead of flying towards the pond, it aimed itself at Azrael and shot forward.
With a burst of speed for which the Gible species is known, Azrael dodged to the side and dragged his claw along the blind side of the Sharpedo. His claw seemed to grow larger and sharper in that instant, revealing the use of his dragon abilities. The mix of the Sharpedo's projected movement and Azrael's dragon claw resulted in a trail of blood, and a screaming and squirming Sharpedo. As Azrael turned to finish the Sharpedo, it disappeared in a flash of red light.
"The challenger is victorious!" shouted the commentator. The crowd roared and Katherine Holmes exited her designated position and approached me.
She stood in front of me and said, "Congratulations, trainer. You have successfully beaten the Cerulean City gym challenge and, as such, are awarded the Cascade Badge of the Indigo League." She extended a hand with a badge held loosely.
As I took it and thanked her, she said, "It's quite odd. I'm curious why you didn't use your Pikachu more, considering it held an obvious type advantage over the majority of my pokemon. It was also very strong for its species." She eyed me with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Well, ma'am, I wanted to give my other pokemon some experience fighting water pokemon. It would have been unfair to let only one pokemon fight," I lied.
"You know, kid, it is unwise to lie to a gym leader in her own gym. Pikachu would have been the obvious choice against Sharpedo. Especially since my Sharpedo had ice techniques at his utility. Are you a fool? Or do you take me for a fool?" she asked with checked anger in her voice.
"No, ma'am," I simply said.
"You're going to sell him, aren't you?"
"Yes, ma'am. I don't want him on my team and I couldn't find anyone who would buy him before-hand."
"I'll say that I absolutely do NOT approve of this. You still earned the Cascade badge fair and square, but you made a mockery of the Cerulean gym challenge by using it to market your pokemon."
I was silent. She was obviously correct. It was common for trainers to showcase their pokemon for sale in fights, but it was not acceptable to do so in a gym battle. Eventually I said, "I am truly sorry for my conduct." I then offered my badge back to her.
"That won't be necessary. But thank you for the sentiment. As it is, I am forgoing the awarding of your prize money. But how about this; if you fight one more pokemon of mine and win, and I will personally take the Pikachu off your hands," she said coolly.
I was shocked. "Isn't that against gym protocol?"
"This is my gym," she said strongly. "Do you accept?" I nodded fervently and took a few steps back.
"It looks like gym leader Katherine Holmes is choosing another pokemon! This is curious indeed! This must be some special challenge," pondered the announcer.
I looked to Azrael and saw that he was breathing heavily. The scales on his chest and arms looked as if they had been scrubbed with sandpaper, courtesy of Sharpedo's rough skin. The ice in his wounds had begun to melt, but he looked fairly worse for wear.
Leader Holmes withdrew a pokeball from a machine and took her place at her designated stand. I did so as well while leader Holmes spoke into her microphone, addressing the audience. "This is an exhibition match for the pleasure of the crowd," she said before releasing a twenty-two-foot dragon-fish into the center pond.
My heart sank as the commentator announced, "Well look here folks! Leader Holmes has decided to release Tsunami, her Elite Gyarados. What a treat!" Pikachu was the only pokemon in my team who was capable of dealing massive damage to the water/flying pokemon. The problem was that I had promised him only one fight. I looked to Azrael and nodded, choosing to keep my word.
"Alright, Azrael. Don't be intimidated by that fish. Use your claws and breathe fire only when close enough to hit its eyes," I said. He stomped and headed to the large serpentine fish. It was enormous, with a head the size of a car. Azrael trailed blood behind him as he trudged toward the hulking monstrosity.
When he was close enough, he rushed forward with a breath of fire. The Gyarados let Azrael get in close and tear a chunk out of its scaled belly. No sooner had he done so did Leader Holmes yell, "ICE FANG." I gasped as the large head of the Gyarados reclined and struck forward, sinking its large icy incisors into Azrael's back. Azrael roared and tore himself away, leaving a piece of his dorsal fin in the Gyarados' mouth.
I immediately recalled him as I saw him falter. With a snarl, I released Gilles. Alright Gilles, keep your distance and shoot energy balls at him." He looked over at the Gyarados and zoomed forward, taking the life force of the plants around him with him. He released a steady volley of them at the Gyarados, who decided to submerge after the first two.
When Tsunami emerged, he brought with him a tidal wave that hit Gilles out of the air and even reached me, drenching me in green water. I saw Gilles struggling to remain aloft after the hit. He must have received a significant injury. He released a couple more energy balls before the Gyarados used another wave of water.
The force of the impact, which hit Gilles despite his formless nature, sent Gilles' shadowy matter toward the ground. I returned him before he hit the ground and debated my last choice. I chose to forfeit instead of continuing. My desire to win the match was not as important as Rufus's safety. Furthermore, I intended to keep my promise to Pikachu. My decision was to take the shame of the defeat in front of the crowd.
"The challenger has forfeited! Looks like leader Holmes' Gyarados was too much for him to handle! Give our medal-winner a round of applause!" The crowd's roar was deafening. No doubt they had no idea that Leader Holmes would use one of her elites.
"I hope you understand what happened here," Katherine Holmes said as she approached.
"I do. This was very inappropriate conduct for a league trainer," I said remorsefully.
"Indeed it was. I appreciate you not using Pikachu for the fight. Still, you did not beat me, and therefore I will not take your Pikachu. I hope you learn from this. If you ever want to redeem yourself to me, I look forward to your formal challenge; a challenge to me and not to the Indigo League. Lastly, if you still have that Absol, stop by the gym an hour after it closes and we can discuss its future, considering you didn't use it in the challenge," she told me.
"I will, ma'am. Thank you for the opportunity," I replied, nodding. I left my response at that and stopped by to register my pokemon. I did not receive the award money, but I did receive the T.M. Water Pulse, much to my relief. It was a great ranged water attack that I was looking forward to receiving.
Sheila was waiting for me outside of the victors' chamber with a glare and a frown that could scare off even the meanest Gastly. I immediately braced myself for her onslaught but received only a heated glare. "We can talk later, mister. Right now Chris is challenging Ms. Holmes and it would be disrespectful to miss his match on account of chewing you out."
"Fair enough," I said simply. I knew this was coming, though I did not think my retribution in the stadium would have been so bad. It was a fair and effective lesson.
Chris won his match, during which Jade was knocked out. Rey was almost knocked out as well by a Poliwhirl, but was able to psychically confuse and assault the Poliwhirl into submission. Chris looked incredibly happy on the T.V. and pinned his badge to his lapel before leaving the arena to collect his prize.
Due to the fact that there are no T.V.'s in the gym waiting room, Chris did not know what had transpired during my match. That did not last long, though, for after Sheila was finished congratulating him and after we had left the gym, she rounded on me and recounted to him what I had done.
Sheila was entirely against everything I did with Pikachu and said, "That was wrong. You should not have caught him and you should not have forced him to fight for the sole purpose of selling him afterwards."
"Well, if you could find him an owner that isn't the Pokemon Traders Guild, then you should have shown him to me. Or you should have just taken him yourself" I said, becoming annoyed.
"He's YOUR responsibility," Sheila said, her voice rising.
"And I made sure he doesn't end up in someone's long term storage. I've only used him in one battle against one pokemon; the easiest one, no less," I retorted.
"And you don't think maybe it was a little disrespectful to gym leader Katherine? To use her gym as a stage?"
"Isn't that what the gym challenges are, though? A stage to showcase the prowess of one's pokemon?" I said philosophically.
"Don't give me that! You know damn well what gym challenges are here for and why you are competing."
"I don't want the Pikachu and I didn't want to travel back to Viridian Forest to release him. Maybe you WERE right and I shouldn't have caught him, but it's already done and we are too far from Viridian to simply go back. This was the most effective way I could think of to give him to someone who will care for him."
"That's Tauroscrap and you know it. You don't actually care for the Pikachu. You just want what you think he's worth and this was the only way you could think of to make people see it the same way."
"Look, if I really didn't care about the Pikachu, I would have used him in the fight against the Gyarados. He would have stood a chance against the Gyarados' double weakness to electricity. I kept my promise to Pikachu which was only to use him in one battle."
Sheila was taken aback by that and said, "I didn't realize you had made a deal with Pikachu. It's still wrong."
"I know. Katherine already let me have it. I get it; it was a shitty thing to do. It won't happen again. She took away my award money and publicly whipped my pokemon in front of me. Please let it go; I won't do something like that again."
"I hope so because it was low. But if you promise that you won't do something like that again, I'll leave it alone."
"Thank you. Leader Holmes invited me to bring my Absol in after gym hours, so if you both want to join, you can," I said to her and Chris.
Chris had been silent. He chose to remain that way for the most part, but nodded at my invitation. Sheila accepted it as well and we all went back to the Pokemon Center to admit our injured pokemon for medical treatment. We also celebrated in the meantime with a hot meal and waited for the gym to close.
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It was 7:00 when we arrived out front of the Cerulean City Gym. It was 7:30 before Katherine Holmes appeared from a side door and called out to me. "Wow, I didn't realize you would be bringing your companions," she said after spotting Sheila and Chris.
"We wanted to see if he was bluffing about learning his lesson from you, ma'am," said Sheila with a smile on her face.
"Haha. Well I'll have you know that I didn't take his mockery lightly. I did, indeed, teach him a lesson. I guess it's fine that you both join us. I should have realized that you would come anyway," Katherine Holmes said with a tinge of amusement. I rolled my eyes and walked towards the gym doors. "Oh, no. We aren't going inside the gym. We are actually going to my breedery. Follow me."
"Breedery? I thought you might want to buy my Absol."
"I said that we would discuss its future. Now come on and we will talk along the way."
I nodded and followed. We ended up boarding a nice car. I could not identify the make or model of the car but it had leather upholstery and smelled fairly new. I assumed it was expensive.
"So I have a proposal," Holmes said. She was sitting in the passenger's seat and looking back to us while a valet drove. "First, though, I would like to inspect this Absol for myself. But I can do that when we arrive. For now, will you show me the Absol's holopanel?"
I did so, sending a bright blue apparition into the air above the Absol's pokeball. Holmes looked it over and said, "Hmm. 29 is a pretty high level for a wild-caught. And female. Interesting. How much time has she spent outside of the ball since you caught her?" she asked.
"Not much, I'm afraid. I released her a couple times in the caves of Mt. Moon, but I could not see her very well and I did not want to give her the chance to hurt me or my friends. Other than that, I did make sure she was sleeping before I returned her each time, though her slumber usually had to be induced."
"I see. So she's essentially feral…"
"Well, I have made progress with her. She wasn't trying to attack me at every opportunity when I released her on Route 4 a couple times."
"Well that's something," said Holmes with a little sarcasm.
Sheila and Chris remained silent, listening to our conversation. The last ten minutes of the drive were spent in awkward silence since Holmes was finished asking me questions. I felt relieved when we finally pulled into a facility north-west of city limits.
We exited the car, which had been parked outside of the large building, and followed Holmes inside. The ceiling of the building looked to be made of reinforced glass and let the light from the setting sun enter. It was getting dark so electric lights were the main source of illumination. Most of the building's floor was water, separated into pools by fences. There were catwalks that allowed breeders to look down into the pools, as well as separate walkways on the ground level which allowed breeders access to the pools. There were underwater and above-water kennels, sprinkler systems, and misting systems built into the infrastructure of the building. We could see all the workings from behind a glass wall, in a room that overlooked the hatchery.
There was a large patch of artificial grass in a square room about fifty feet wide. This is probably where pokemon are shown to prospective buyer, I observed. "Alright, now let's see this Absol," Holmes said, as she released a Golduck.
I released the Absol and she appeared, sitting and staring at me with a look of boredom. "Absol, this is gym leader Katherine Holmes. She is a very adept trainer and she wants to have a look at you." The Golduck relayed the message and the Absol snorted.
"Hmm. She seems to be a little stubborn. She isn't attacking, which is a good sign. There is potential here," Holmes observed, looking at the Absol with admiration. "Here is my proposal: I will offer a trade. I would like to have the Absol, and in exchange, you may browse the water pokemon here and pick one. I will consider your choice and decide if it is a fair trade."
I was taken aback, and so were Chris and Sheila. We all emitted a collective gasp before I asked, "I can have my pick of any pokemon here?"
"Within reason. Your Absol would be a valuable addition to Cerulean City as a disaster forecaster. Plus I would personally see to it that she is taken care of. I don't think you are going to get a better offer than this," Holmes said in a businesslike manner.
I did not need further convincing. I knew how good of a deal this was. "Alright. Deal," I said, and followed her into the hatchery after recalling the Absol.
Katherine Holmes led me atop the catwalks and allowed me to peer down inside the five tanks. In the first tank I saw a snowy bank beside presumably cold water. In that tank, I saw five or six Piplup hopping around on their little penguin feet, several Seel and several Spheal swimming or scooting around on the ice.
I kept browsing and saw another tank – tank 2 – filled with Carvanha, Squirtle, Shellder, and Krabby. Past that, I looked into tank 3 to see several Tentacool, Staryu, and Totodile. Tank 4 held Psyduck, Poliwag, Slowpoke, and Mudkip. And tank 5 held Goldeen, Magikarp, Remoraid, Mantyke, and Horsea.
Sheila paused over tank 1 and said, "Awww. Spheal are so cute and fat. I want one so bad…"
Chris looked over and laughed before saying, "I already have Rey. If I wanted another water type, it would be a Piplup."
"They are so cute, too!" exclaimed Sheila. "I wouldn't mind a Squirtle, either."
After I looked into all the tanks and thought to myself for a while, I turned to Holmes and said, "These are all very young-looking pokemon."
"You are very observant," she responded.
"I don't want a baby or a common-bred. Where do you raise your water pokemon from higher stock? For instance, pokemon bred from your own team?" I asked.
"Hmm you are a bit more intelligent than you let on," Holmes said with wink. No doubt this was another stab at me in retribution for my gym display. "Fine. And yes, your Absol is worth much more than these small fries. Follow me."
Sheila gave me a smile and said, "Wow, I wouldn't have picked up on that…" I shrugged and we followed Holmes back down the catwalk.
Holmes led us over to a metal door and typed in a code before it opened with a whoosh and showed us a very long corridor with doors on each side; it must have been several hundred feet long. The walls in this corridor were a mix of reinforced glass and steel, with keypads next to each door. As I walked down the long hall, I peered through the glass and saw that, though we were on the ground floor, we were far above larger tanks. The doors led to metal walkways and stairs leading down into the larger tanks below. Past some of the doors, diving boards were placed so that trainers could presumably just dive down into the tanks.
Next to each door, there was an electric board which had names posted. The first door to my left said, "Kallan – Drake." I looked in and saw a few Piplup and Prinplup. I even saw Kallan, Holmes League Empoleon, swimming around with a few of them. I was not sure who Drake was but I assumed it was the mother, considering Kallan was Male.
I continued looking, and among the few that I saw, the ones I liked were a Feebas, a fish which would evolve into the formidable serpentine Milotic, a Magikarp bred from Tsunami, a Prinplup from Kallan's lineage, a Kabuto bred from Leader Craul's elite Kabutops, and a Horsea bred from Champion Volker's champion Kingdra and Holmes' elite Seadra.
Judging by the pokemon that could possibly evolve from the ones I picked, and the training requirements needed for them, I narrowed my options to the Feebas, the Kabuto, and the Horsea. Milotic are formidable in that they are both very powerful with special attacks and have a very hardy constitution, which allows them to take quite a beating before being weakened. Even then, they can use their powerful water type techniques to heal themselves.
Kabutops are water/rock type, and they have devastating attacks due to their abnormally large scythes. They have incredible defense, due to their rock subtype, and they are also fairly rare because they were originally bred from DNA cloned from fossils. In our current time, Leader Craul and a few others possess a Kabuto or Kabutops.
Lastly, Horsea can eventually evolve into Kingdra, the dragon/water type, but the problem is that no one knows how to make a Seadra evolve into one. Bruce Volker is one of only two pokemon trainers in the history of the League to have owned a Kingdra. Some speculate that the Kingdra is one of the main reasons he was able to take the championship. Despite the fact that Kingdra are incredibly rare, their pre-evolution Seadra also make magnificent fighters. They have powerful special attacking capabilities and strong resistances to special attacks.
Regarding pokemon evolution, it is known that many pokemon will evolve after reaching a certain level of aptitude. For example, Garchomp will evolve from Gabite after a very high level. Some pokemon require a higher level to evolve than others, because their third tier evolutions are so powerful. Dragon evolutions are known to have the highest potentials but the highest ability requirements.
Other pokemon can evolve into a third evolution after specific requirements are met. These requirements are generally held secret by the trainers whose pokemon have met those requirements and evolve because of them. The reasons have varied, but it is generally considered a mark of pride for a trainer to find a method of evolving his or her pokemon which does not evolve from the natural growth of strength. Furthermore, part of the privilege of having such a powerful pokemon comes from finding that secret and specific method of evolution.
For example, it is not known how Haunter evolve into Gengar, Seadra into Kingdra, Scyther into Scizor, or Nidorino into Nidoking. Some people have figured out hints throughout history, but the actual method used to evolve the pokemon has remained a mystery. For example, Nidorino and Nidorina have allegedly evolved using some sort of stone, and some have supposedly evolved in Mt. Moon.
Only a few pokemons' evolutionary catalysts have been recorded, including Alakazam, Machamp, and Gallade. For example, Machamp have been produced after a certain number of foes have been physically beaten by a Machoke. The fact that some third-tier evolutions are reached through secret, specific means has led many to speculate that numerous pokemon lines with only two tiers are really three-tier pokemon lines whose last evolution has not yet been discovered.
I made up my mind, taking into account weaknesses and potential, and approached Holmes with my decision. I said, "I know which pokemon I would like to have a look at."
"Is that so? Alright, which one is it?"
I led her to a door on the right and pointed down towards the water. Next to the door, the electric panel said, "Tullius – Marina."
Holmes regarded me with a serious stare and said, "You want the offspring of Volker's Kingdra, Tullius, and my Seadra, Marina?" I nodded and she said, "Maybe you are as dumb as you look. Any offspring of Volker's Kingdra is worth more than an Absol, even at her current level, let alone one that was bred with Marina."
I was slightly crestfallen, but I could sweeten the deal for her. I already knew that the value of such a pokemon was much higher than that of my Absol, but since she tried to con me in the beginning, I had seen it fit to do the same. "You're right. Doesn't hurt to ask. But what if I had more to offer?"
"Like what?" Holmes said, scrutinizing me.
"Perhaps I could offer an additional 50,000Pb," I added. I had amassed a considerable fortune from hunting Stantler and other pokemon and my funds stood at 80,000Pb.
"Sorry, kid. I would need more than that. If it was the offspring of Tullius and a normal pokemon, I would consider it. However, its mother is Marina."
I was growing slightly anxious. "What if I gave you the Pikachu, too," I said simply.
"I told you I wasn't going to buy the Pikachu from you," Holmes responded.
"This is not an offer brought from the fight. This is simply what I have to bargain with. You've seen how strong he is. I could easily sell him for over 20,000Pb given Champion Red's story and how rare an adept Pikachu is," I said.
"You are correct; the Pikachu is very strong. However, I am the water gym leader. What use have I for the electric rat?" she questioned.
"Well, you wouldn't have offered to take him off my hands as part of our wager if you weren't interested in him. He is a valuable little anomaly, regardless of your type preference. I'm sure someone you know wouldn't mind having him," I said, pulling a personal card on her. I knew she had a daughter who wasn't following in her footsteps as a water specialist.
That elicited a discreet scowl from Holmes and she said, "You know, you may not be as dumb as you look, but I still wouldn't give the offspring of Tullius and Marina to a random trainer for less than the Absol, Pikachu, and 100,000Pb."
I then became slightly panicked, but said with a level head, "How about I give you both pokemon and 70,000Pb. I can't do better than that. You've seen me battle and you said so yourself that I am fairly smarter than I look. My aim is the championship and I won't mistreat my pokemon. You saw that for yourself when I kept my word to Pikachu and did not use my Houndoom. You could leave one of Marina's children in much worse hands," I fought.
"You did keep your word with him, assuming you did, indeed, give him your word. Though I don't see why you wouldn't have used him against my Gyarados if you hadn't given him your word to make him fight only one battle. And you didn't use your Houndoom against my Gyarados. I believe that you would treat the child of Marina well. One thing, though." She bent down slightly to look me directly in the eyes. "Have you experienced the death of one of your pokemon?"
Raeda's screams flashed in my mind and I recoiled. Sheila made a pained face and Chris looked down. My reaction was apparently visible as Holmes' eyebrow raised. I had to clear my voice before saying, "Y-yes, ma'am. In Mt. Moon."
"I see," she said. Her serious expression never faltered. "Do you mind me asking what kind it was, and the circumstances?"
I started breathing faster as anxiety started gripping my lungs. Sheila interjected, "It was his Ninjask, Raeda," and then walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. I thought I had moved on, but I had never actually discussed it. Every time I recounted those events, I felt depressed and sad. I did not dwell on her, but the memory of her made me anxious. I actually felt relieved that Sheila answered for me.
"I apologize for bringing up an obviously sore subject," Holmes said. "I wanted to know if you are aware of the pain that one can possibly experience in the worst case scenario. Knowing that you have experienced the agony that can arise from leading a pokemon to its death makes me more comfortable with allowing my pokemon's life to be in your hands. You know the pain and you will not take that chance again, if your reaction is anything to go by. I will part with a Horsea for your two pokemon and 80,000Pb."
"Please, I can't go that high. Make it 75,000 and we have a deal," I pleaded. "I need to have a little money for the road."
"77,500 and not a buck lower," she said.
Sheila looked at me and said, "I will help you with whatever expenses you can't pay for."
"Thank you so much, Sheila. I will repay you somehow for this piece of mind," I said to her. I looked to Holmes and said, "You've got a deal."
For the first time since we started talking about the trade, Holmes' expression changed from one of seriousness to one of happiness. She typed a set of numbers into the keypad next to the door and led me into the tank. The walkway made loud clanking noises as we progressed downward.
The walkway released us on the edge of the pool, where a large area of artificial grass was cultivated. There were three Horsea in the tank and two Seadra, one of which was dark green. The dark green Seadra was Marina and was significantly larger than the other Seadra, who was presumably more of her offspring.
Holmes then slapped the surface of the water, and a few seconds later, Marina rose up to meet her. "Please bring the young ones up," she said. Marina disappeared underwater and then appeared later with her three Horsea. She was about four and a half feet tall and her Horsea were all around two feet tall.
The Horsea were all different shades of blue/green. One was a dark green, like its mother, one was a light blue, like its father, and the last one was an aqua color. "The dark green and aqua ones are female and the blue one is male," Holmes said to me as she brought them to the grassy patch.
When she lowered them onto the grass, they actually managed to stay aloft in the air. I knew some water pokemon were able to exist and travel outside of their habitat once certain powers started to develop, but I had not seen it for myself until now. The Horsea were all hovering above the ground, but occasionally wavering, with their tails unfurling and curling repeatedly. I had done a little research when I was still in school and knew that they utilized their power over water to control the very water in their bodies in order to keep themselves aloft. Though they could travel above the water, they were rather sluggish.
I spent some time playing with the little water seahorses along with Sheila, Chris, and Holmes. In about ten minutes, I found the male to be almost excessively aggressive, the aqua one to be fairly mellow, and the green one to be a little stubborn. I knew which one I wanted and I announced to Holmes, "I would like the green one."
She looked at me and smiled before picking up the two-foot-tall green seahorse. She turned to Marina and said, "I know you trust my judgment, and I think this trainer would be a wonderful match for your little colt. He will take her far. Here, I'll let you have the night with her," she said and then lowered the Horsea into the water. She swam around and Marina followed her.
Holmes then turned to me and said, "Meet me tomorrow at the gym and we will make the transaction. The monetary portion will be done with a card reader. Bring your bank card and your two pokemon and we will finalize the transaction. Also, if you wouldn't mind me asking, I would like to know how such a young trainer came across such a large amount of money."
"I know the value of the pokemon that my team and I hunt for food. I have a hunting license just in case, and I save the valuable parts to sell. Plus, I learned to regulate my finances from my father who used to be a Rapidash breeder before his ranch was destroyed by my Gabite's mother. I guess I'm both lucky and knowledgeable of how not to waste my money."
"So you are the legacy of the fallen Rapidash breeder. Interesting. I guess I should have made the connection after seeing that monster of Gabite. Well, let's have a late dinner and discuss your group's travels. I want to get to know you all a little better. Have you thought of a name for the Horsea?"
"As a matter of fact, I have. I will name her Ceto."
"I like it; it's both a lovely and powerful name," Holmes said with a smile. Her face suddenly darkened and she frowned while saying, "But don't you forget that I will always hold you in relative contempt until you formally and personally challenge me. I will not forget."
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It came as an immense relief to find out that my pokemon were ready to be retrieved from the pickup counter before it closed that night. I needed to see that Azrael and Gilles were alright. Upon the reclamation of our pokemon, Sheila, Chris, and I descended on the elevator to the standard underground PokeCenter cavern in order to interact with our teams.
Within seconds of our arrival, Larry was bounding about on his two hind legs and braying happily, Pierce was rolling around in the artificial turf, and Rufus was following suit, singeing the grass. Gilles and Azrael, though, were looking worse for wear and dejected. Gilles wafted over to me with a forlorn countenance and Azrael simply started walking away.
"Gilles, don't look so sad. If you are feeling disappointed in your performance, then you don't have to anymore. It's my fault this all happened. I won't make this mistake again, though," I told him, trying to comfort him. He seemed to lighten up a little, but he was still much more downcast than usual.
I then walked over to Azrael and looked at his mangled dorsal fin, noting the large chunk missing from its base which caused a wave of guilt and remorse to wrack my nerves. His dorsal fin now looked more like a jagged scythe than a proper fin. I put my hand on his back and Azrael immediately reacted by bringing his face to mine and lifting his lips over his teeth while growling loudly. I reflexively flinched, but held his gaze. I was shocked at his behavior, but I knew why he was choosing to act that way.
In a way, I had betrayed Azrael and Gilles, I thought. I had betrayed him with poor direction, poor judgment, and poor character. He also rarely lost in a fight, and had never lost as a Gabite before, so he was probably also angry at himself. He needed space, so I kept my words short and to the point. "Azrael, I am so sorry. I failed you today. You can be sure it won't happen again, as well. I'll leave you alone for now, but we're still a team and you are still my best friend. I will still protect you in any way I can. I know you may not believe me now, but I'll prove it to you in time. I won't let you down again."
Azrael's lips unfurled and hid his teeth once again, and I cupped my hand over his cheek before he turned and trudged away. I then returned to Gilles and the rest of my friends. I had screwed up; that much was terribly clear, and I felt horrible about myself.
The worst part was that a side of me knew it was a bad decision from the start. I knew Sheila would get mad at me because I knew it was wrong. Why did I do it? Sheila was right, again, about something. I was being selfish, and that line of thinking would drive a wedge between me and not only my pokemon, but also Chris and Sheila. To prevent any more harm to my pokemon, I decided to make a change in my perspective.
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I waited outside of the Cerulean City gym early in the morning, anxiously awaiting Holmes' arrival. I had hardly slept the past night, deciding to call my parents before joining Sheila and Chris at the same bar where we had celebrated Chris' birthday. Contrary to what I had expected, my father was actually audibly happy for me. My mother even congratulated me, diverging from her normal path of silent acceptance.
I also received a message from Leader Craul. It read, Excellent match, kid. Though, I can piece together why Kate would have you fight her Gyarados and I would say that I hope you learned your lesson. Rest up, keep your chin up, and get back to it!
Leader Craul's message made me smile. He did not approve of what I did, but he still kept motivating me. At least I had not lost his respect, as far as I knew.
At the bar, I kept to my preference for water, but eventually accepted a beer from an anonymous source. As unwise as it probably was to drink the beer, I had two friends nearby who actually pressured me slightly into trying it. I found it to be a little bland, not tasting horrible but not tasting good. It was enough for me to say, "Ok, I've had a drink. Now leave me alone about alcohol," and I was rewarded with the relaxation of their pressure.
In the morning, Sheila and Chris had joined me, both wanting to see my new Horsea. Apart from us, there were a few gym trainers waiting. Eventually, I spied Holmes' car approaching. I had everything I needed and the suspense was killing me.
Holmes' vehicle entered a camouflaged garage and she unlocked the gym doors from inside minutes later. She looked at me and said, "I see you're here early. Wouldn't have expected any less. Follow me to my office, if you please."
I did so, trailing Sheila and Chris. The transaction turned out to be a relatively simple endeavor. It was overseen by Leader Holmes' lawyer, and we were finished with the trade in fifteen minutes. Afterwards, Holmes said to me, "I don't need to tell you to take care of little Ceto, but I will anyway. Marina, as a mother, is very attached to her offspring, so visit occasionally. It would bring Marina some happiness to see her child. Other than that, I wish you good luck in your travels. I need to return to my duties as a gym leader. Goodbye, and good luck."
I took the pokeball, which was half aqua and half black in color, back to the pokemon center quickly. We went down to the pokemon field and, amidst several other trainers, released our pokemon nearby. Azrael's presence seemed to scare most of the other trainers away, given his tendency to snarl at anyone who wandered too close to us.
After I snagged a small pool of water for myself, I released Ceto into its depths. She looked up at me and I looked back down at her. She was dark green, had dark blue eyes, and tan stomach scales. The large sea horse then squirted me in the face with a line of water, blinding me for a second and causing Gilles to cackle uncontrollably.
Ceto sped off into the pool, shaking as if she were giggling. I laughed, took off my shoes and socks, and sat on the edge of the pool with my feet submerged. I looked at her ball and saw that she was level 20. It also listed her known moves, courtesy of Holmes.
Rey was swimming around and playing with Ceto, much to the delight of Chris and Sheila. I brought all of my pokemon near to me and then called out Ceto to address her. It took a couple attempts before I realized she wasn't listening to me, choosing, instead, to play with Rey. Remembering Holmes' method, I quickly slapped the surface of the water. It grabbed the little Horsea's attention immediately, and she rose out of the water.
I smiled at her and said, "Hello little Ceto. Welcome to our family. This is Azrael," I said pointing to him, "this is Gilles," pointing to my ghost, "and this is Rufus," pointing at my hound. "We are a team; as such, we live like a team, train as a team, and win as a team. You have a lot of potential and I intend to see you reach your highest. In order for us to accomplish this feat, you must trust me, obey me, and offer the same courtesy to Azrael, Gilles, and Rufus. Do you understand?"
Pierce relayed the message and Ceto jumped out of the water and sprayed bubbles onto my face. I laughed and said, "That's good! Now let's have a training session," and then set up a small series of exercises to gather an understanding of Ceto's capabilities.
After about an hour of target practice, distance measuring, speed recording, and such, Azrael suddenly started snarling in the direction to my rear. Sheila's eyes also fixed on a point behind me. Soon after I heard a voice say, "It must have been a bitch watching your pokemon get their asses beat into the ground. How cocky and stupid do you have to be to challenge leader Holmes' Gyarados?"
I turned to see a familiar freckled face hosting dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. I heaved a sigh. Just who I needed to see… Alex.
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Current PokeDex Update
Trainer; KA523VI979
Pokemon in Possession:
Azrael – Gabite
Gilles – Haunter
Rufus – Houndoom
Ceto – Horsea
Trainer: Sheila Farris; HOMA884457
Pokemon in Possession:
Kara – Roselia
Larry – Flaaffy
Lady – Ledian
Shade – Kirlia
Trainer: Christopher Johnson; KA592SA230
Pokemon in Possession:
Pierce – Zoroark
Rey – Psyduck
Jade – Ariados
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Author's Note:
Well, we have a new addition to the team! And our hero has learned a very valuable lesson the hard way. Thank you everyone for comments and, as always, more to come!