I woke up early in the morning in the forest surrounded by a bunch of grass and poison-type pokemon. Some bug-types were there too, although I don`t remember saving them yesterday.

"Isn`t this just great?" I told myself with a lot of sarcasm.

Harry was there on one of stones, guarding us. I wonder whether he had some sleep this night. I got up and just then noticed a piece of paper carefully placed in my hand. Looks like this is from Misty.

Well, we wasted our weekend and I have to return to work. There`s spare key from my house in your pocket. Prepare yourself and meet me in Cerulean gym at 12 o`clock.

Yours, Scarlet Fury.

Just great, she already left me. That reminded me about our wish to spend the rest of her small vacation together, having fun and all that. Well, we actually wasted all this. On one hand I was very sad about that because I really wanted to spend some more time with her too. But on the other hand I was glad about that because that means we won`t be seen together too much. There`s still danger remains that worries me a lot.

The time says it`s just 5 hours so I have enough time to reach her house and at least have some shower and a decent meal. It`s very nice of her to care about me. I`m so not used to this. But for now I have some time and I decided to spend it usefully.

"All right team, come on out!"

I threw three of my pokeballs in the air and released all my rest pokemon at once. Reaper and Dumpling were quite surprised to see Harry there, and he definitely felt himself uncomfortable near them. I remember these three battling during the first meet, but now they are all teammates.

"So, let`s introduce you… Harry the Bellsprout. Our new comrade."

Dumpling and Reaper roared at him kindly, but Moment didn`t seem to be interested at him at all. Well, at least, they don`t have conflicts. Harry looked tense among the rest of team, but he`ll get used to it.

"Today we are going to challenge the gym of Cerulean City. This is not going to be that easy, so we need to do some training. Are you ready?"

Dumpling was very glad to hear that as he started to hop on place. Reaper prepared his stings to training, and Moment just calmly landed near them. I have already trained Harry before our raid on hunters` hideout, but he didn`t seem to be very willing to do it more. Anyway, he will be a very good against water-type gym, so today he is the star of the show, at least for the beginning. Finally I have advantage over my opponent, and still we should be ready for anything.

"Then it`s settled. I have some good ideas for you…"

For nearly two hours we were training hard in the forest on Route 24 learning and perfecting our new maneuvers. It wasn`t that easy to make them understand everything I want from them, but in the end I think we managed to achieve understanding.

I returned all my team back to pokeballs and headed back to the main road of this route. Very soon I was in a taxi carrying me back to Cerulean City – to Misty`s house. It was more than enough time for me to have some shower, empty her fridge and even look some news on TV. There was reportage from Hoenn region about local technological company – Devon Corporation. A new rival for our Silph co., I guess. Nothing interesting here, just I noticed some strange guy in the background that was dressed just like me. What a coincidence.

So it`s time to move on. I quickly cleaned the room after myself and headed to the gym. I remember well where it is, so it wasn`t that much time for me to reach the place. On my way there I noticed a house surrounded by the policemen. Looks like something happened here, and I would like to learn that a bit later.

I came to a pretty big and impressive building. So, here I go…

With a deep breath I made a step inside the gym. As I saw it from the window earlier, it did look like a big swimming pool. The most remarkable thing was that some platform bridges of interesting forms were there over the pool. It looked like a shorter path across the water and right to the other side but with some additional roads and even branches from the main way. And on the other side I could see a high metal construction that looks like a tower with a seat. Seems to be a gym leader`s throne. I guess the owner of this place thinks too much about himself. And, of course, a lot of lamps high above the pool and a huge screen in the center just like it have been in Pewter City gym.

This place looked pretty empty to my surprise. Just a lone guy swimming near the center and a girl doing something on one of branches at the other side of bridge. Really strange that her clothe was not even nearly close to a uniform that could be worn during swimming. She looked more like to going on a travel or something.

And still no sign of Misty`s presence.

I looked at my watch to make sure I`m not too early. No, it`s 12 a.m. So where is she? Did she decide to be late for date like all real girls do?

Well, looks like I have to do this without her support. So I cautiously looked around and headed straight to the guy in the water. The suspicious bridge under me was built pretty well, as it`s basis was welded right into the floor and covered with some ceramic plates.

As I approached the swimming guy he noticed me and quickly got on the bridge too, blocking my path.

"Are you here to challenge the gym?" He asked.

"Yes. Where is your leader?" I replied self-confidently.

"Our leader will be here soon. But until then… You have to face me as your first opponent!"

Oh well, the rules… I have to defeat all trainers in the gym that wish to battle me before I can challenge the leader himself. At least we will warm up a little.

"Okay, bring it on!"

The guy nodded and ran to the other side of bridge to the girl. He told her something and then pointed at me. She looked in my direction, then nodded to him and ran to the border of pool. As for the guy, he headed to the other side near tower and took out a pokeball from small bag nearby.

"Hey, dude, where is the battlefield?" I shouted to him.

"He-he-he…" The girl laughed. "The pool IS our battlefield."

What an unexpected turn of events. The whole place is the battlefield itself. Well, no surprise counting the fact they use water-type pokemon. They have a huge advantage there.

"Destroy him, Luis!" The girl cheered my opponent. He smiled and nodded to her while throwing his first pokeball right into the water. A shape appeared from it became a pokemon. And as I remember it is called Horsea.

"Okay, I will start with Harry." And I immediately sent out my pokemon to the battlefield. He landed on the bridge and looked around. I`m sure he have never been in such places before and it worried him a little.

"Grass-type… Smart choice, but we have some guts too. Horsea, use Smokescreen!"

Damn, he uses one of my favorite moves against me! As the small pokemon continued to exhale more dark clouds from its proboscis the field was quickly covered with smoke and the opponent was lost behind the veil.

"Well, let`s try to find it. Use Vine whip!"

Harry aimed his vine whip to hit the position where foe`s Horsey was a second before. But, of course, it was there no more and our attack missed.

"Watch closely and find it!" I commanded to Harry. He stared intensely at the smoke veil in an attempt to see the opponent.

"Use Bubble!" Our opponent shouted. Dark silhouette of a pokemon flashed in the veil and a pack of bubbles struck Harry from the side. The attack was not very effective and my Harry was more annoyed than hurt.

"Harry, Wrap it, quickly!"

The reaction was perfect as Bellsprout managed to catch Horsey in his tight grip before it tried to escape deeper into the smoke cloud.

"Nice one, Harry, now drag it closer!"

We managed to counterattack and take the opponent out of the veil. Even in the smoke clouds it`s easier to get the target when it`s right in front of you.

"No, no, no! Horsea, use Leer!"

I could barely see what`s happening because of thick smoke but I recognized this move – the pokemon tries to frighten the opponent with a very menacing look, this makes him make mistakes in defense. Well, this can`t be serious danger to us for now. Even if Harry`s defense will be lowered, our opponent still can`t hit us very painfully.

"Keep dragging it with your Wrap, Harry! Tighten the grip!"

I could hear Horsey howling quietly as our wrap tightens around it making some damage. Very soon Harry pullet the foe closely and screeched to notify me about it.

"Great, now throw it up and use Vine whip!"

"Not so fast, use Bubble!"

All I could see in a few seconds later was a Horsey thrown high up over the smoke veil trying to shoot some bubbles down. I don`t know whether they hit the target or not but soon two long green vines appeared from the veil and smacked our opponent pretty hard. A super effective attack threw away that Horsey into the wall and then on ground. I could perfectly see it not moving anymore.

"Ha-ha, Horsey is unable to battle and Harry is the winner!" Suddenly Misty`s voice reached me from behind. I turned back to look at her as she smiles to me. "You`re not wasting time, are you?"

This time she was wearing a swimsuit and short blue half-transparent coat. Her hair were let down and I thought it to look pretty nice. Well, this outfit of hers looked pretty sexy in whole too. But damn that was so distracting!

"As you can see."

"Then I want to see more of it." She put her hand on my shoulder and suspiciously winked. I didn`t reply and turned back to the battlefield.

The smokescreen is almost faded. Luis already returned his pokemon and took another pokeball in replace. He quickly looked at Misty near me and then suddenly got angry for some reason. He squeezed the pokeball in his hand harder.

"This one will not lose. Go, Shellder!"

He released another pokemon on the field, this time not in the water but on the platform. Small shell pokemon cautiously opened its shell, pulled out his big large tongue and looked at me angrily. I haven`t seen Shellders before, so I don`t know even what it`s typing is. Well, it does look like a water-type to me, so I should proceed with my strategy.

"Okay, Harry, let`s start with Wrap!"

My pokemon stiffened and stretched his long wines right in the direction of our opponent. Shellder even didn`t move at all and was caught in Harry`s tight grip.

"It doesn`t matter! Shellder, use Tackle!"

The opponent even being wrapped started to jump quickly to Harry to try to attack him. My pokemon couldn`t keep the foe on place.

"Not bad, but you will fail! Harry, go with Back Vine maneuver!"

After that I distracted from the battle for a second to look at the faces of people around me. My opponent Luis and the girl were really surprised, but not Misty. She has already seen my special battle style, and she is familiar with me. My new trick just made her smile a bit.

Harry snorted and pulled his vines with caught Shellder closely to him. The opponent was already accelerated as he tried to approach us by himself, so the speed was even more. Luis confusedly looked at this hoping that his tackle attack will be stronger from this, but in the last second before the hit Harry raised the Shellder high in the air and threw into the floor behind. Shellder heavily crashed into the platform taking some serious damage. But that looked not enough to finish him off.

"Meh, finish him with Vine Whip!" I ordered to Harry.

"Shellder, use Withdraw!" Luis reacted quickly giving another command.

Opposing pokemon quickly hid in his shell closing it tightly. Harry had a good chance to land some hits on him, but they didn`t do much damage even being super effective. His shell is really hard and we need to force him open it.

I tried to remember what moves Shellders can use… And didn`t think about anything. Tackle that was just performed is the one I know, despite the Withdraw. Maybe we should take some risk.

"Okay, Harry, Wrap him again and drag close to you!"

Both Bellsprout and Luis gave me a surprised look as they didn`t expect me to repeat the same all over again. But Harry obediently wrapped Shellder with his vines and quickly dragged to a close range distance. For a second I noticed a cunning smile on Luis`s face. When his Shellder was right near my Harry, our opponent continued with his orders.

"And now use Icicle spear, Shellder!"

The opposing pokemon opened his shell and stared at Harry for a second. Their eyes met, but Shellder immediately spit a small sharp icicle and hit my Bellsprout right in the face and that looked very painfully for him. Harry didn`t have time to recover as the next icicle hit him in the face again. I realized that Icicle spear is obviously an ice-type move; and ice-types are super effective against grass-types.

"Stand strong, Harry! You can withstand this! Don`t let him go!"

Some more icicle spears hit Harry, but he managed to keep Shellder in tight grip.

"And now perform your revenge with Vine Whip!"

And Harry was more than ready to strike back right into Shellder`s impudent face, releasing him from the grip and damaging him super effectively thus making him faint right now. Opponent fell on ground unconscious.

"Shellder is unable to battle. Harry is the winner once more." Misty clapped to both of us while looking straight at me. "This was a very interesting battle I should say. But there`re some more things for you to learn, Luis."

"Using different types of pokemon, for example?" I question with sarcasm. This caught Misty off guard as she was lost in her thought for some time.

"Err… No! Building stronger bonds with your pokemon and all that…"

"Well, another lesson directly from me is simple – use different types of pokemon. That is all." I turned to Luis and explained to him. But he seemed not to notice me talking at all.

"I understand, miss." He bowed before her and went away to take care of his pokemon. I turned back to Misty and suspiciously asked her.

"You two seem to know each other pretty good."

"Of course, he is one of my students." She proudly said.

"So… what kind of teacher exactly are you?"

"You`ll see. Right after you beat my best student – Diana." She pointed at the girl that already moved to the opponent`s position and prepared her pokeball for throw.

"So, this is that Diana you talked to… Okay. I`ll talk to her too… Nicely. In a battle."

I returned back to my control position and looked at Harry. He was damaged heavily during that Icicle Spear attack. I think he should have some rest for now.

"Harry, return." I beamed him back to pokeball and switched to another one. "Moment will deal with this." I threw pokeball into the air to release my Golbat to battle.

"Ew… Golbat…" The look on Diana`s face showed the highest state of disgust. "But battle is a battle… Goldeen, take care of it!"

She released her pokemon into the water. Well, at least this is a pokemon that I`m more familiar with than Horseas and Shellders.

"So let`s begin our battle. Use Wing Attack!" I commanded to Moment. He rushed to opponent with a very menacing intention, dangerously approaching his target.

"Supersonic!" Suddenly and very loudly Diana made her order.

I didn`t realize immediately what has happened. Goldeen emitted some sort of sound on the wavelength that us people can`t hear. But pokemon can, and Moment did. Looks like the sound was so horrible for him that he strayed from his direction and missed the Goldeen, going down into the water instead. Big splash signaled to me that troubles have begun.

"Come on, Moment, you`re not a swimmer! Get away from there!"

I tried to watch over the Moment`s dark silhouette under the water and hoped he will take wing as soon as possible. But for some reason he didn`t hurried to leave the nice warm water, instead hitting the pool walls with his head.

"Oh, this is not good… Your Moment is hurting himself in confusion…" Misty quietly said to me.

Hurting himself in confusion? What the hell does that mean? Did that Supersonic move did something to him? This doesn't` look good anyway.

"Goldeen, use Horn Attack!"

Diana`s pokemon dove deeper in the water, hiding from my sight - just another dark silhouette under the surface that quickly approaches my Moment. He is still trying to crash the wall, damaging himself even more.

"Snap out of it, Moment! Come on!" I shouted to him.

He didn`t have time to recover before the strike of Goldeen with her small but sharp horn. At least that was painful enough to force Moment out of water. He screeched loudly and landed on a floor outside the pool. I wanted to run to him and check if he is all right, but I can`t. I can`t interrupt them battling.

Moment tried to stand up on his legs, strangely dangling. I think the confusion blocked his senses completely and he doesn`t understand what is happening and so keeps hurting himself. This is SO not good.

"Okay, now return it back to the water, Goldeen! Push it down with another Horn attack!" Diana sounded very self-confidently about the result of this match and I was really confused too. This is a situation I haven`t been through yet.

Foe Goldeen jumped out of water and over the Moment. If she manages to strike again, my pokemon will be pushed back to water, where I will lose control over the battle once more. But what can I do when my pokemon can`t even hear my commands?

"Moment, stop it! Bite this thing behind you!"

Goldeen charged into Moment to strike, but he somehow turned around while still being confused and caught the opponent with his huge strong jaws. The inertia made them both fall down into the water and hide from my eyesight again.

The seconds of waiting were just unbearable. I waited my Moment at least to break surface and show me he is alive and well, but I hoped that he will finally fly away.

Suddenly big and loud splash scared both me and Diana as my Golbat is raising high while keeping the poor Goldeen in his jaw. He finally snapped out of confusion and continues the battle.

"Ow, Moment… Spit this thing out and finish with Wing attack!"

He looked at me like I just took his toy away. But then he immediately threw the Goldeen in the air over himself and hit hard with both wings. The pokemon got some pretty good damage, but then fall down on platform very closely to water, getting even more damage that was final for him.

"Goldeen is unable to battle. Moment is the winner!" Misty gladly declared, clapping again.

Diana was not very disappointed by her loss but very worried about her own pokemon as she ran almost crying over the fainted body near the edge of platform bridge. Goldeen was beaten pretty badly and then fell off a pretty good height. Deep inside I was worried about that too. I don`t want to have pokemon lives on my count now.

"Okay. I`ve beaten this young lady too. Now can you explain me what is going on here? And where the leader is?"

"You`ll see. But you should prepare to battle first. This is going to be serious, you know. You can use one of those machines." She pointed at the healing devices nearby. Pewter City gym had the same equipment, and I already know how to use it.

"I know, Misty, I have already been in a gym before. Just fetch me you leader already. After these warm ups the blood inside me is literally burning… I am going to destroy him!"

She gave a very indulgent look. After some second and deep and a bit disappointed sigh the called to Diana and sent her to the control room. I guess, to operate the monitor over there.

I felt myself a little annoyed because of this mystery gym leader that is walking the hell knows where and Misty`s strange behavior. There is something suspicious going on, and I can`t understand what. They all are hiding something from me. Something that I can`t see with my eyes.

I quickly used the healing machine to restore the health of my Harry and Moment and then turned back. The high tower that had a seat before now was occupied by Misty, staring at me with a cunning smile. I couldn`t understand what she is doing in here until I looked at the turned on monitor over the battlefield.

The huge screen had a large writing on it:

Challenger Vengeance versus Leader Misty.