Ch 21: The Mauville gym
The next morning inside the pokemon center Ash and May were eating breakfast. "If the new gym leader is a grass type trainer then I should definitely use garchomp" Ash said. "Who else will you use. Most of the other pokemon you have are water types and their weak against grass types" may said. "True , but the thing is if I only pit my pokemon against what they are strong against they won't be able to grow as much as if they faced a real challenge" Ash said.
"That's not a bad idea" May said. "Hey Ash I had an idea , if you can read aura why not read the new gym leaders aura to try and get some insight on her" May said. "That's a good idea thanks May" Ash said.
After finishing breakfast the two went down to the new gym. The inside was grassy with many small trees and even an artificial pond. Ash and May saw a few young trainers using grass type pokemon like Treeco or shroomish. Ash came up to a young girl and boy trainers and asked them where the gym leader was.
"Lilly, she's by the second pond" The girl said. Ash and May walked back to the second pond and saw a young woman perhaps 18 or 19 years old. She had long blueish hair with green eyes. She was wearing a green dress that was just as green as the grass.
Lilly was with two young trainers overseeing their battle. "Roselia use magic leaf" One of the trainers said. "Treeco dodge and use pound" The second trainer said. A roselia launched two colorful leaves at treeco. The treeco dodged the leaves then pounded roselia with his tail.
"Excellent work Cole" Lilly said. Lilly looked up and saw Ash "I haven't seen you around here you must be a challenger" She said. "Yeah my name is Ash" he said. "Who's your friend is she another challenger?" Lilly asked. "No I'm just here to support him" May said.
"Well my pokemon are ready if yours are" Lilly said. After a few minutes they stood on opposite ends of the grassy battlefield. "Alright the battle will be three on three. Only you will be allowed to change pokemon" Lilly said.
"Alright go roselia" She said. "Ok go squirtle" Ash said. "Squirtle!"Squirtle said confiently as he put his shades on. "A squirtle? You're picking a water type?" Lilly said. "If I don't challenge my pokemon they won't get stronger" Ash said. "Squirtle!" Squirtle said sounding like he was agreeing with Ash.
"Alright fair enough" Lilly said. Ash closed his eyes for a moment then took a deep breath. He could suddenly see Lilly's aura. Her aura was of bold nature which ment she had to be very confident and wouldn't be a a cautious gym leader. "Roselia use magic leaf" Lilly said.
"Squirtle use withdraw" Ash said. Squirtle got onto his shell and the two leaves bounded off his shell. "Roselia use toxic spike" Lilly said. Roselia launched spikes all over the ground around squirtle. When he came out of his shell he accidentally stepped on one then fell backwards onto some more.
"Alright roselia use petaldance" Lilly said. Roselia unleashed dozens of pink rosepetals that impacted squirtle sending him up into the air. "Squirtle!" Ash said. "Oh no" May said. "Quick withdrawl" Ash said. Squirtle got back into his shell as he landed on the ground. "Squirtle use skullbash!" Ash said.
Now on the ground squirtle launched himself and bashed into roselia sending him flying back. "Well played Ash but it's time for me to finnish this up roselia use grass whistle" Lilly said. Roselia played a sweet sound that put squirtle to sleep. "Now use solarbeam" Lilly said. "Solarbeam!" May said. Roselia started to gather up solar energy.
"Squirtle you gotta wake up now!" Ash shouted but was no use."Pika pika!" Pikachu shouted also trying to wake up squirtle. Ash then did something else, he tried to contact squirtle with aura like the lucario did with him. Ash sent a message to squirtle that he had to wake up. Squirtle's eyes shot open but it was too late.
The solarbeam impacted squirtle sending him flying back. "Squirtle!" Ash said. "That was a direct hit!" May said. "Nice try Ash but a water type just wasn't a good idea" Lilly said. "Squirtle can you get up?" Ash said. "PIkachu!" Pikachu said trying to encourage his friend. Squirtle grunted then slowly got up and put his shades back on shouting "Squirtle!".
"That's one tough squirtle if he endured a direct solarbeam. Let's see if he can endure another , roselia solarbeam again" Lilly said. "Squirtle dodge and use icebeam!" Ash said. Squirtle jumped into his shell and rolled out of the way. Inside his shell he moved over the few spikes still on the ground. Once he was clear he unleashed icebeam on roselia knocking him out.
"Roseleia is unable to battle" The ref said. "What, well thanks anyway roselia" Lully said returning him. "Great job squirtle" Ash said. "That was amazing Ash keep it up" May said. "Squirtle you've done enough return and get some rest" Ash said returning squirtle.
"Alright go grovyle " Lilly said. "Go croconaw!" Ash said . "Croconaw!" Croconaw roared as he came out. "Another water type , I'll tell you one thing Ash you've got confidence" Lilly said. "Alright bulletseed" Lilly said. "Dodge and use icebeam" Ash said.
Croconaw avoided the bulletseed and launched icebeam. "Quick attack" Lilly said. Her grovyle avoided the icebeam then quickly moved up and bashed Croconaw. "Grovyle follow up with pound" Lilly said. "Quick Croconaw use superpower!" Ash said.
Croconaw and grovyle collided but croconaw overpowered grovyle and sent flying back. "Nice job Croconaw. "Pika chu!" Pikachu said excitedly. "Grovyle use agaility then leafblade" Lilly said. Grovyle ran toward Croconaw picking up speed and salshed him before he could dodge.
"Croconaw!" Ash said. Croconaw was on his knees and was holding his sides. "Ash see if you can help him with your aura!" May said. Ash turned and nodded at May then closed his eyes and used his aura to connect with croconaw trying to help his pokemon with some of his spirit and determination. Croconaw raised his head and got back onto his feet.
"Well Ash you can certaily motivate your pokemon" Lilly said. "Grovyle use leafblade again" Lilly said. Grovyle came at Croconaw with leafblade. "Croconaw use superpower and grab grovyle's arms" Ash said. Croconaw grabbed grovyle by the arms and hurled him back."Alright now use icefang!" Ash said.
Croconaw rushed at Grovyle and gave him an icecold bite knocking him out. "Grovyle is unable to battle" The ref said. "Grovyle return, get some rest" Lilly said. "Impressive Ash very impressive" Lilly said. "Croconaw you've done enough for this battle return" Ash said.
"Ash you May have knocked out two of my pokemon but this battle isn't over yet. I saved a very special pokemon for last. Go tropius!" Lilly said. "Garchomp your up!" Ash said as he threw the roared as he came out of his pokeball.
"A dragon type this won't be easy" Lilly said.
"Tropius use air Slash" Lilly said. "Garchomp counter with dragon claw" Ash said. The two collided and Garchomp emerged the victory sending tropius back. "Tropius bodyslam!" Lilly said. Tropius ran then hurled itself at Garchomp.
"Dragon rush Garchomp!" Ash said. Garchomp again met tropius head on and again overpowered him. "Well this isn't working , tropius use solarbeam" Lilly said. Tropius gathered up sunlight. "Garchomp use hyperbeam!" Ash said.
Garchomp's hyperbeam and tropius's solarbeams colided but hyperbeam won and crashed into tropius knocking her out. "Tropius is unable to battle the winner is the challenger!" The ref said. "Tropius return, I can't ask anything else of you" Lilly said.
"Garchomp great job!" Ash said. Garchomp roared in victory before Ash returned him to his pokeball. "Well Ash I haven't been a gym leader that long, but you are certainly the best trainer i've ever seen" Lilly said.
Lilly took out a badge that was shaped like a magic leaf and handed it to Ash. "This is the new gym badge for Mauville city" Lilly said. "That's four badges your halfway there" May said. "Good luck on the rest of your journey Ash" Lilly said.
After a trip to the pokemon center Ash and May had set up camp just outside the city. "So May where's our next stop?" Ash said. "Well I've already got three ribbons and there is still plenty of time before the grand festival. I think we can head to another gym" May said.
"Thanks May" Ash said. "So Ash are you still going to try and find your special lucario" May said. "Yeah, I think if I try and track his specific aura I might finally be able to find him" Ash said. "What's so special about this lucario anyway?" May said.
"I'm not sure , I mean I've wanted a lucario for sometime but there is something about this lucario that's different than the others I've met" Ash said. "Do you feel like there is a bond between you two?" May said.
"Maybe, it's not like the bond between me and Pikachu" Ash said as he scratched the underside of pikachus chin. "It's hard to explain" Ash said. The sunset faded into night and May yawned. "We should probably set up the tents" Ash said.
"I'm too tired" May said. Ash laid down on a sleeping bag and May laid next to him. the two kissed before May rested her head on Ash's chest. PIkachu came up and rested on top of Ash's head.
Elsewhere deep under the ocean inside rocket X's submarine Vlad was still going at Dr. Marrs. "No more, please" Dr. Marrs said. "Gengar use hypnosis" Vlad said. Dr. Marrs went to sleep again. "Nightmare" Vlad said. Gengar's eyes glowed red and Dr. Marrs started screaming.
Vlad had been going at Dr. Marrs for days. Dr. Marrs was sweating like he had run a marathon. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin had gotten paler. "Genar use" Vlad started when James and Meowth walked in. "Vlad that's enough" James said. "What he hasn't agreed to help us yet" Vlad said.
"Look Vlad, we need doctor Marrs to complete our goals. We can't risk giving him brain trauma from sleep depravation" Meowth said. "Fine you're probably right" Vlad said as he returned his gengar. Two rocket X operatives came in and dragged Dr. Marrs out.
" Take him to a bunk room so he can get some sleep" James said. He and Meowth walked through the corridors of the submarine. "I thought for sure Vlad would have gotten him by now" Meowth said. "He's got more willpower than I thought he would" James said.
The two walked into the communications room of the ship. "I have another Idea" James said. "Get me on the line with field agent Galen" James said. "Yes sir" one of the rocket X crewmen said. Field agent Galen appeared on the view screen.
"Commander James, Commander Meowth you called" Galen said. "Galen we're having trouble getting Dr. Marrs to cooperate with us. I want you to find his immediate family and kidnap them" James said. "Yes sir" Agent Galen said.