"Where are we?" Ash wondered aloud as he, Pika, Volty, Carmine, Misty and Brock woke up in a long, dark tunnel.
"And more importantly, what's that smell?" Misty asked, plugging her nose.
"It sounds like there's water flowing by us." Brock observed. "Could this be some kind of underground river?"
"That, or it could be a sewer." Carmine said. "I'm inclined to think sewer."
"Well, how are we supposed to get back out of here?" Misty asked irritably.
"I guess we should just pick a direction and walk until we find a way out." Ash suggested.
"If we're doing that, we should probably make sure that we can see where we're going first." Carmine pointed out. "Otherwise we could easily end up falling straight into a river of raw sewage."
"Yuck." Misty made a disturbed face, not that anyone noticed it.
"Right." Ash said. "Pika, Volty, I think you've got this handled."
The two Pikachu both let off a series of sparks from their cheeks that dimly lit up the area.
"Yep, definitely a sewer." Carmine commented.
"How do you know?" Misty asked him teasingly. "Have you ever been in one before?"
Carmine gave a menacing glare in Misty's direction. "And why are you still here, again? I thought you just came back for the cruise and that's already over."
"I… I just felt like tagging along for a bit longer." Misty blushed and quickly glanced at Ash for a fraction of a second, though the poor lighting made it almost impossible to notice.
"Alright," Ash tried to ease the growing tension. "I guess we should get going now. The less time we spend down here, the better."
With that, Ash turned around and walked along the narrow pathway that they were standing on and the others quickly followed after him.
"Alright," Squirtle said to the others as they huddled behind the Mossgreen Gym. "From the looks of it, I'd say this place specializes in either Grass or Bug types. Charmander has the type advantage, either way, so he's our best bet. Are you up to it?"
"Definitely." Charmander declared proudly.
"Okay then. Now that that's settled, it's time to go in. Is everyone ready for this?"
Charmander, Bulbasaur and Zoroark all nodded back at Squirtle and Zoroark walked around to the entrance of the building with the others following close behind her. They entered the Gym and found the leader picking some herbs growing off to the side of the room. She didn't notice them as they approached, so Zoroark had to clear her throat to draw the Gym Leader's attention.
"Oh, sorry about that." The Gym Leader said as she stood up and turned to face Zoroark. "I didn't notice you over there. I'm Cassandra, the local Gym Leader. Are you here for a Gym Battle?"
"Yes." Zoroark answered. "My name is Zahira and I already have one badge."
"Okay, let's not get wait any longer then." Cassandra and Zoroark each walked over to the opposite ends of the battlefield. Charmander readied himself while Cassandra sent out her Paras. "Let the battle begin!"
Paras sent a spray of Stun Spore in Charmander's direction. The Lizard Pokémon blasted a hole through the spores with an Ember and unleashed an intimidating Growl. Paras retaliated with a Scratch but was unable to put its full strength unto the attack due to the effects of the Growl and Charmander countered the attack with another Ember, forcing Paras to take several steps back.
Paras shook itself back to its senses and released a spray of Poison Powder at Charmander, inflicting him with poison. Charmander used Ember again but Paras was able to dodge to the side in time to avoid the attack and hit Charmander with an Absorb, draining some of Charmander's health. Charmander then struck Paras with a Scratch attack and knocked the Bug-type onto its back. Paras tried to roll back up onto its feet but before it was able to, Charmander hit it with another Ember. Paras flailed its legs out widely for a moment before it gave up and passed out.
"That went by faster than I thought it would. You must be an exceptionally good trainer." Cassandra commented as she walked over to Zoroark. "Then again I don't really have much experience with this. Anyway, here you go. You've earned this Mushroom Badge."
Zoroark took the badge and nodded before placing it inside the badge case tucked inside of her 'pocket' before she turned around and left.
"Well, she's not very talkative." Cassandra muttered to herself as she returned to picking herbs. "But I guess it doesn't really matter."
"Woohoo! Made it out alive!" Gary cheered himself on as he took his first steps outside of the Pokémon Tower. He turned around on the off chance that Red was behind him. "Well, I hope they make it out, but there isn't really anything I can do to help them."
"Well, I definitely didn't think you'd be out of there so soon." Gary jumped as Kat walked up to him. "I guess you probably didn't make it all the way up to the top of the tower, did you?"
"N-no." Gary admitted reluctantly. "But that doesn't matter right now. I just want to get out of this crazy place as soon as possible and get back to sanity."
"That's kind of a strange thing to say." Concern showed in Kat's voice. "What happened up there?"
"I do not want to talk about it." Gary's turned absently off to the side as he spoke.
"Alright then, but are you really sure you want to be leaving so soon?"
"I am very sure of that, yes." Gary turned back to his cousin.
"But what if I told you that there was a Gym on the outskirts of the town?"
"I… wait, what?" Gary was caught off guard by this.
"Yeah, the Gym Leader here is kind of a recluse, so not very many people even realize that she's here, but I do know where her Gym is."
"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Gary screamed angrily.
"I was waiting for a good time to mention it." Kat shrugged.
"Well, 'a good time to mention it' would have been when we first got here! Or even before that!"
"Fine, fine." Kat raised her hands in a motion for Gary to calm down. "I guess I should have mentioned something, but I had no idea you'd act like this."
"Wait a minute." Gary said as he started to calm down and take things in. "Where are the others?"
"Back in the Pokémon Center. I just came out here to stretch my legs and maybe see when you got back."
"Oh, whatever. Let's just check out that Gym."
"That's two down already." Bulbasaur said excitedly as they walked away from the gym. "We're making great progress so far."
"Let's just hope that we can keep it that way." Squirtle commented.
"We'll do fine." Charmander added. "No one can stop us!"
"I'm just worried about how long we can keep up this masquerade." Zoroark said. "I've only used my human disguises for short interactions or in large groups where everyone's attention is divided away from me, using personalities I specifically use to try and make people not want to talk to me for very long. I'm not sure how long I can keep this up, though I will do my best."
"I'm sure you'll be fine." Bulbasaur tried to comfort the Dark-type. "You've been able to do a good job so far, after all."
"True." Zoroark muttered.
"There is no obstacle big enough to get in our way!" Squirtle announced loudly. "If we put our minds to it, anything is possible! That's my guiding philosophy and the principle upon which Team Pokémon stands!"
"Team Pokémon?" Bulbasaur questioned.
"That's the name I have chosen for our group and soon everyone will learn to hold that name and all that it stands for with only the highest of honors!"
"I guess that works." Charmander said.
"I think it sounds stupid. I mean what, just because we're a bunch of Pokémon we should be called 'Team Pokémon'? What kind of logic is that?" Bulbasaur complained.
"I like the sound of it." Zoroark argued. "And being Pokémon is what sets us apart from everyone else."
"Exactly!" Squirtle said matter-of-factly. "So then we're all agreed on the name?"
"No, we are not." Bulbasaur said.
"Perfect!" Squirtle ignored him. "Then onward we go, Team Pokémon! Our destinies await!"
