CHAPTER ELEVEN
Daniel and Natalie exited the Pokemon Center, their Pokemon fully rested. Meowth walked alongside Daniel, while Squirtle and Butterfree accompanied Natalie. Daniel was marvelling at how quickly little Caterpie had ascended its evolutionary forms, while Natalie was just glad that Butterfree loved her back.
"Mt. Moon is a little walk from here." Daniel said, consulting the Town Map. "We should go before it gets dark."
Daniel and Natalie headed up a path north from the Pokemon Center. It was abundant with rocks, while grassy areas were sparse.
"Here we are." Natalie said, as they approached the entrance of the cave. It was gloomy inside, with lanterns attached by cables along the walls. "Ready?"
Daniel nodded. "We have our Pokemon to keep us safe."
"And to keep us company," Natalie smiled.
"That too." Daniel said, smiling.
"Butterfree, return!" Natalie said, holding out a Pokeball. "Let's go."
The interior of Mt. Moon was pitch-black, but illuminated by the lanterns. Even so, Daniel and Natalie often came across caverns so big they weren't sure in which direction to turn.
"Do you have a map of Mt. Moon?"
"They didn't have one at the Pokemon Center. You'd think they'd have one, but apparently not. The place is so big it's difficult to put on a map."
"Aah!" Natalie screamed.
All of a sudden, a number of winged bats flew towards them, quickly recognised as Zubat. They were small creatures with wildly flapping wings and sharp fangs. They couldn't see, so they used supersonic waves to analyse their surroundings.
"Squirtle, Water Gun!" Natalie cried.
Squirtle released a jet of water at the Zubat, scattering them in different directions. They flew over Daniel and Natalie's heads, headed no doubt for another cavern in which to scare unwary travellers.
"That was close. Let's not get split up," Natalie said.
"Yes, let's not," Daniel replied.
Natalie winced as she passed a dripping stalactite hanging from the cave's ceiling. Daniel walked by her side, his eyes alert for any more Zubat.
"Do you think we're lost?" Natalie whispered.
"We're not lost," Daniel said, more to boost his morale than hers. "We'll find the exit. We've just got to keep searching."
"What do you think Cerulean City is like?" Natalie asked, stepping over a rock that could just as well be a sleeping Geodude. "I've heard that the Gym Trainer uses Water Pokemon."
"Bellsprout's attacks will be super effective, then." Daniel said. "Bellsprout will easily conquer Water-types."
"Hey, hey, now! Don't you go assuming my Squirtle can't defeat your Bellsprout in a Pokemon battle!"
"I'll gladly challenge you," Daniel stopped and turned to her with a smile. "Once we get out of this cave and find somewhere to sleep."
Natalie shivered as she felt droplets of water land on her and into tiny pools of water. "You're right, though. This place gives me the creeps."
Daniel and Natalie rounded a corner and saw a semi-bright light coming from a corner. Upon approaching further, they saw that there was sunlight pouring through and they sighed in relief, breaking into a run.
"I'm getting there first!" Natalie said, her red hair falling from its ponytail in her desperation to escape the cave.
"Not if I have something to say about it!" Daniel shouted, heading for the exit at an equal speed.
As Daniel and Natalie ran towards the exit, a figure walked towards them from the darkness, where he could've well been hiding this whole time. As the sunlight from the cave's exit hit the stranger's face, both Daniel and Natalie stopped dead.
"Joshua!" Natalie gasped.
Joshua stayed still, his expression grim. "What are you two doing in a place like this?"
The silence was palpable. Daniel, who instinctively knew that Joshua had begun his journey earlier than Daniel, enviously wondered if he had won any Badges yet. Natalie, however, decided to clear the air, even if her most pressing thought was to get out of the damp cave.
"We're Pokemon Trainers, just like you!"
Joshua regarded Natalie with a cautious eye. "You? You're a Pokemon Trainer?"
Crestfallen, Natalie replied, "Yes - "
Joshua turned to Daniel. "And you're the spitting image of the Pokemon League Champion, are you? Come on, then. Let's have a battle."
"Here?" Daniel asked. "Right now?"
"Are you afraid?" Joshua taunted. "Do you need your girlfriend to defend you?"
"She's not my girlfriend," said Daniel automatically. Natalie stared daggers at Joshua.
"Hey! I'll take you on right now!" Natalie cried, readying her Pokeballs.
"Relax, Natalie. I'll take care of him." Daniel said, his jaw firm. "Ready, Joshua?"
Daniel and Joshua made room for a battlefield, their shoes muddy as they stepped in puddles. Natalie stayed on the sidelines.
"I'm ready." Joshua smirked. "Three Pokemon each suit you?"
Daniel hesitated, faltering for a bit.
"Don't tell me you still have just your Meowth? You're pitiful."
"He can borrow Squirtle for this battle."
Joshua turned to Natalie. "That's not allowed."
"I'll be fine, Natalie. Just make sure he doesn't pull any fast ones."
"As if I'd cheat," Joshua smirked. "Let's go!"
"I choose Meowth!" Daniel said, releasing Meowth from its Pokeball. Meowth appeared in a flash of red light, drawing it claws and facing Joshua ominously.
"You are too attached to that Pokemon." Joshua shook his head. He selected a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the battlefield. "Go, Zubat!"
Zubat appeared in a flash of red light, flapping its wings as it hovered above the battlefield.
"You captured a Zubat?" Natalie watched the bat Pokemon in disbelief. "They're so gross!"
"Gross Pokemon make fine fighters," remarked Joshua. "Zubat, Supersonic!"
"Meowth, use your glowing coin attack - Pay Day!"
Meowth nodded, the coin on his forehead emitting a bright light. Zubat emitted a supersonic wave, crippling Meowth and causing him to stumble about as though suddenly blinded.
"Meowth!" Daniel shouted. "Focus!"
Meowth tripped over, blasting its Pay Day attack at Natalie in its confusion. With a gasp of surprise, Natalie ducked for cover as coins scattered about her person.
"Hey, watch it, Meowth!" Natalie cried.
"He can't help it! He's confused!" Daniel cried in distress. Never before now had he wanted to win against Joshua so badly.
"Zubat, Bite Attack!"
Zubat swooped down towards Meowth, fangs bared.
"Meowth, use Scratch Attack on Zubat!"
Meowth rid itself of confusion and lashed out at Zubat with its claws. Zubat screeched in pain and flew about the cavern's ceiling for higher ground.
"Zubat, Leech Life!"
"Meowth, use Pay Day again!"
Zubat swooped down furiously about Meowth, fangs bared. The coin on Meowth's forehead glowed with a bright light until, at the last second, Meowth's Pay Day blasted Zubat just before it sunk its claws into Meowth. Zubat, flapping madly but sinking in its pain, lay flat on the cavern ground. It had fainted.
"Nice job, Meowth! You beat Zubat!" Daniel said, as Meowth smiled indulgently at his Trainer.
Joshua returned Zubat to its Pokeball, thinking for a second. "Not bad. I only just caught this Zubat, so it's not in prime fighting shape anyway."
"Whatever," Natalie poked out her tongue at Joshua. "You lost, whether you cared to train your Pokemon or not. All this proves is it's the latter."
Joshua said nothing, as Daniel continued to whoop and cheer. He selected the second Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the battlefield.
"Go, Mankey!" Joshua shouted.
Mankey appeared in a bright flash of light. Mankey was a bipedal Pokemon with two hands and legs, as well as a tail. Mankey also had a pig's snout for a nose and a body full of white, messy fur.
"Mankey's a Fighting-type Pokemon, Daniel. Meowth is - " Natalie warned.
"Thank you for that, Natalie," Daniel's eyes flashed warning at her.
"Mankey, Leer Attack!" Joshua shouted.
"Meowth, cover your eyes!"
As Meowth covered its eyes against the glare of Mankey's eyes, Joshua said,
"Mankey, Low Kick, now!"
Meowth peeked through its fingers to see Mankey running towards him. Startled, it attempted to use Scratch Attack as Mankey came close, but Mankey dodged the attack as it used Low Kick, kicking Meowth across the ground and sending it rolling several times at the feet of its master.
"Meowth!" Daniel gasped, helping it up.
"Give it up. Meowth is weak to Fighting-types. You haven't got a chance of winning." Joshua said, folding his arms and watching Daniel.
Meowth stood on its two feet, regarding Mankey with an angry stare. It stepped forward, its claws drawn.
"Meowth, I have to agree with him." Daniel sighed, as Meowth turned towards his master. "I'm not allowing you to take on Mankey any further. The Type disadvantage is too great."
Natalie smiled in relief, watching as Meowth reluctantly walked to Daniel's side. She appreciated his concern for his Pokemon.
"You'll have to choose a Pokemon if you want to keep battling..." taunted Joshua. "Unless you surrender?"
"I'll never surrender," replied Daniel defiantly, selecting a Pokeball from his belt and throwing it into the battlefield. "Go, Bellsprout!"
Bellsprout appeared in a flash of light; a formidable opponent for Mankey with its dual-type as Grass/Poison. Fighting-type moves weren't very good against Poison-types.
"Interesting choice," remarked Joshua. "Ready?"
"Bellsprout, Wrap Attack!"
"Mankey, Scratch Attack!"
As Mankey charged towards Bellsprout, Bellsprout leapt up and wrapped itself around Mankey, pinning its arms to its side as it extended its body to immobilise Mankey.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!"
Bellsprout extended long vines from its body and whipped Mankey while it was constricted, lashing at Mankey while it howled in pain.
"Mankey, use Leer on Bellsprout!"
Mankey winced at the pain, but glanced up at Bellsprout, whose face was positioned just near its shoulder due to its Wrap Attack. Bellsprout, unable to shield its eyes, was hit by the full glare of Leer and unraveled itself from Mankey in fear.
"Mankey, use Scratch Attack!"
Mankey scratched Bellsprout wildly, as Bellsprout reeled from the attack. Its vines left inert on the ground, Bellsprout was still stunned by Mankey's Leer Attack and unable to move or act.
"Finish it, Mankey! Low Kick!"
Mankey took a step back, then aimed its foot directly at Bellsprout's face. Despite the Type disadvantage, Bellsprout had taken enough damage and slowly slumped to the ground, unconscious.
"Bellsprout!" Daniel gasped.
Joshua returned Mankey to its Pokeball, then Daniel and Meowth ran out to console the fallen Bellsprout.
"It's disgusting how candy sweet you are with your Pokemon."
Daniel looked up to see Joshua standing over him, his three Pokeballs visible on his belt.
"I love my Pokemon. They may need a little more training - "
"They need all the help they can get. They can barely battle," spat Joshua. "You should be ashamed of yourself, holding your Pokemon back so you can feel good inside. Its in their nature to fight. You've only got yourself to blame if they lose so often - "
Natalie ran over and slapped Joshua on the face, who clutched his red weal in surprise.
"How dare you! You are a bully!" Natalie shrieked.
Joshua shook it off like water off a Psyduck's back, turning to Daniel.
"My prize money," Joshua said, clearing his throat. "I'll take it now, not later."
Reluctantly, Daniel handed over three hundred and fifty dollars. Joshua pocketed the cash, then turned to the cave's exit. He saw Natalie standing there, her arms outstretched.
"What are you doing?" Joshua asked, bemused.
"I'm challenging you to a Pokemon battle."
Joshua scoffed. "You?"
"Yes," Natalie nodded. "The Pokemon League rules state that you must enter into a battle when meeting another Pokemon Trainer, unless both Trainers mutually decide not to. I challenge you, Joshua!"
Before Joshua could respond, there was a screech and the flapping of wings as a swarm of Zubat headed towards the cave's exit. Natalie screamed and ducked for cover, as Daniel covered Meowth with his arms. The echo of Zubat slowly died down seconds later.
"He's gone!"
Daniel slowly got up from the ground, glancing around the dark cavern. Joshua was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't worry about him," Daniel said, as he approached Natalie. "Let's go."
Daniel and Natalie exited Mt. Moon, with Squirtle by the latter's side. A burst of sunlight hit their eyes and they winced.
"Let's hope we don't run into any Trainers," sulked Daniel, the after effects of his loss bruising his pride.
"When we next find Josh, you'll beat him! Keep your chin up!" Natalie patted him on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way. "I have a Potion, here - "
"No, you keep it," insisted Daniel, but Natalie was more insistent and placed it in his palm.
"We've got to watch each other's backs."
"Thanks," said Daniel.
The two of them stood on a grassy route which stretched for miles. There were trees lining the path in the distance and patches of tall grass where wild Pokemon ran free.
"Cerulean City. We're almost there," Natalie said.
Daniel unlatched Meowth's Pokeball from his belt and threw it onto the ground. The burst of red light which followed materialised to form Meowth, quite unconscious. Forehead creased with worry, Daniel bent over and administered the potion to Meowth. Slowly, but surely, Meowth began to rouse to a healthy degree.
"Are you alright, Meowth?" asked Daniel, surprised as Meowth sprang into action, demonstrating his new energy. "Well alright then. Let's race!"
Meowth had the headstart as Daniel tore after him.
"Hey!" Natalie shouted, running with Squirtle at her side to catch up with Daniel and Meowth.
Daniel jumped across small mounds of dirt and ran under trees in his haste as the tall buildings of Cerulean City came into sight. Meowth caught up to run by Daniel's side as they traversed through another patch of tall grass -
"Aah!" Daniel cried in surprise, as an Ekans shot out from the grass, its fangs bared.
Meowth leapt at the wild Ekans, its claws at the ready to deliver a Scratch Attack to Ekans' neck. Ekans fell to the grass, writhing in its attempt to get back up. Daniel stepped out of the tall grass, as Meowth cautiously watched the flailing Ekans.
"Meowth, Bite Attack!" Daniel cried.
Meowth lunged for Ekans, but Ekans shot out at Meowth all of a sudden, wrapping its serpentine body around Meowth for a Wrap Attack. Squeezing tightly, Meowth was trapped in Ekans' embrace.
"Meowth, use Pay Day! Aim for Ekans' body!"
As Ekans was tightly wound around Meowth, there was no way it could avoid Meowth's attack as the coin on Meowth's forehead glowed with a bright light and blasted Ekans off him. Ekans sunk low into the grass in an attempt to hide and recover. Daniel had a sudden idea and reached for an empty Pokeball in his backpack, but Ekans noticed this and scurried off in the opposite direction.
Meowth leapt on Ekans, delivering a Bite Attack worthy of keeping Ekans sufficiently harmed and in place.
"Thanks, Meowth." Daniel said, throwing the Pokeball at Ekans. The Pokeball opened up, swallowed Ekans in a burst of red light and closed, landing on the ground with a thud. Natalie, out of breath, finally caught up to Daniel with Squirtle at her heels. They all watched as the Pokeball tossed and turned, wriggled and spun in its attempt to escape, but finally, the Pokeball remained inert. Ekans had been captured.
"I caught Ekans!" Daniel whopped, jumping in the air in joy. Natalie and Squirtle clapped while Daniel ran over and collected the Pokeball which contained Ekans. He attached it to his belt, colour returning to his cheeks.
Running over to hug Meowth, Daniel stood up and faced Natalie.
"Cerulean City's not far from here. We should head to the Pokemon Center first, then look for a hotel to stay at. I want to heal Ekans."
"That's a good idea," Natalie nodded, as the two set off in the direction of Cerulean City.