AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! I know it's been awhile, and I apologize for the long wait. Here is chapter 54 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through Kanto. I know some of you think this story is a predictable one; however, I have been thinking of ways to make it a little bit less so. I'm going to have Blue join Team Rocket. We'll see what happens from here. Please feel free to read and review. Feedback on all levels is welcome.

TEASER: The Pokémon League competition has finally begun! But will Tristan's chances of victory take a snooze when he faces George and his Exeggutor?

CHAPTER 54: GRASS OF GREEN

(Music Cue: Team Rocket's Boss theme (as heard in "Battle Aboard the St. Anne))

One night at Team Rocket Headquarters, a meeting was taking place between Giovanni, the Team Rocket leader, and his newest employee, who was dressed in a brand new Team Rocket uniform.

"Greetings, and welcome to Team Rocket," said Giovanni.

"It is truly an honor, sir," replied the employee.

Giovanni snickered. "I like that attitude of yours. I think you will be one of the most powerful assets this team has ever seen. But first, why don't you tell me a little more about yourself."

It was then that the employee took off his cap and revealed his face. He had a spiky head.

Giovanni was surprised, but then became amused. "I know that face," he said. "You're that kid named Blue, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," chuckled Blue.

Giovanni smiled. "I heard that you've had a never-ending rivalry with that Tristan kid, whom I've also heard about."

"You know about him, too?" asked Blue.

"There's nothing about him I don't know," replied Giovanni. "I also know that you gave him a crushing defeat in the Trainer House Stadium not too long ago."

"I did," replied Blue. "But how did you know about that?"

"I was in the stands, secretly watching your battle," explained Giovanni. "You were very good, and I knew you wanted revenge against that kid for beating you time and time again. And I knew you wanted to be the most powerful trainer in the world. So I had to call you and convince you to join. It certainly wasn't easy, but the fact that you'd have fame and fortune was worth it."

"What's my first assignment, sir?" asked Blue.

"The preliminary rounds of the Pokémon League competition are about to begin," said Giovanni. "I want you to steal every Pokémon from whomever loses in the competition. But leave Tristan alone. I'll deal with him myself. While the competition keeps him occupied, I'll turn my attention to those he cares most about: his mommy and daddy."

Blue nodded as Giovanni snickered.


(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)

Today, Tristan and Pikachu are getting ready for their first match in the Pokémon League Competition. But first, they've stopped at the Pokémon Center to register for the tournament.

"Hello," said a receptionist as Tristan and Pikachu walked up. "Are you here to register for the competition?"

"Yes, ma'am," answered Tristan.

"I'll need to see your ID and your other credentials," said the receptionist. "Just hand me your Pokédex for a minute."

Tristan handed his Pokédex to the receptionist, who scanned it. Sure enough, there was Tristan's picture and his eight badges.

"I'm happy to say that you've qualified for the tournament and you are now checked in," smiled the receptionist as she handed the Pokédex back to him.

"How will I know who my first opponent will be?" asked Tristan.

"All you have to do is press this button," answered the receptionist as she pointed to a button. She then pressed it.

Tristan kept looking at the board as it rapidly went through a series of fields he would be battling on: grass, rock, water, ice.

I'll have to think about whatever strategy I need when I battle on these four fields, one at a time, thought Tristan. Oh, well. I guess there's no harm in deciding now because I'll have to battle on them all eventually in order to win. He then pressed the button.

The display then slowed down and eventually stopped on a leaf emblem.

"That means you'll be battling on the grass field first," said the receptionist. "Now, here's your opponent."

The screen showed a picture was a trainer with purple hair.

"Your opponent's name is George," said the receptionist. "Your match is later today. Be sure to be at that field by two o'clock. And good luck."

"Thanks," replied Tristan. "I'll do my best."

"Pika Pika!" agreed Pikachu.


"So, how'd it go?" asked Hillary a few minutes later.

"Well, it went pretty well," answered Tristan. "I'm battling against a trainer named George on the grass field first. I'll have to be there by two."

"Then, let's use this time to plan a strategy," suggested Hillary.

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy," replied Tristan. "I don't know what Pokémon George is going to use. So I'll just have to plan things out as they come."

"I just hope you know what you're doing, big bro," said Hillary nervously.

So do I, Hillary, thought Tristan. So do I.

"We will be there cheering for you," added Hillary.

"Who's 'we?'" wondered Tristan. He was confused.

"Ta-da!" smiled Veronica and Eric as they suddenly showed up next to Hillary.

"Oh yeah," said Tristan. "I forgot about that for a minute."

"How could you forget about us so easily?" asked Veronica. "You know we'll always be with you in spirit."

"She's right, grand-sonny," added Eric.

"Thanks a lot, guys," replied Tristan. "Now that I know you're all with me, there's no way I'll lose."


Just before two, Tristan and Pikachu walked toward the grass field just as Veronica, Eric, and Hillary sat down on the bleachers. He was amazed at the detail of the grass battlefield.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" boomed the announcer's voice. "The first battle of the Pokémon League Tournament is about to get underway! And what better way to get started than on the grass battlefield! The trainers who will be competing against one another are Tristan from New Bark Town and George from Viridian City!"

A trainer with purple hair came into the stadium on the opposite side of the field.

That must be George, thought Tristan.

A referee came to judge the match. He wore a blue tee-shirt with a Pokéball emblem on it. "Here are the rules of the match," he said. "Each trainer is allowed to use three Pokémon. Now begin!" He then raised his red and green flags.

"I choose Arcanine!" shouted George as he threw his first Pokéball.

Arcanine emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball.

"I remember Arcanine," said Tristan. He thought back to the time when he was at the Fuschia City Pokémon Center where he saw Officer Jenny's Arcanine. He knew who to choose as he took out a Pokéball and threw it. "Charizard, I choose you!"

Charizard materialized from the white light that shot out of its ball. It roared as it faced Arcanine.

"Why didn't Tristan choose Blastoise or Lapras?" asked Hillary. She was confused.

"Search me," replied Eric. "But maybe he wanted Charizard to battle another Fire Pokémon."

"Most likely, because Charizard gets pleasure of battling other Fire Pokémon," added Veronica. "And since Arcanine's Fire attacks won't do much against Charizard anyway, it should do just fine."

"Well, We'll just see what happens," said Hillary.

The referee raised his red and green flags in the air and shouted, "Trainers, go!"

(Music Cue: Kanto Gym Leader Battle)

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" commanded George.

Arcanine shot a Flamethrower attack from its mouth at Charizard.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard shot a Flamethrower attack of its own from its mouth.

The two attacks collided, creating a huge explosion.

"Both attacks are evenly matched!" boomed the announcer. "Both Pokémon still look fresh and ready for more!"

"Arcanine, try another Flamethrower!" shouted George.

Arcanine shot another Flamethrower from its mouth at Charizard, only bigger and faster this time.

That Flamethrower attack is too big to dodge, thought Tristan. We'll have to take the hit somehow. Then he got an idea. "Charizard, take a deep breath!" he shouted.

Charizard inhaled as deep as it could as Arcanine's Flamethrower came close to it.

Sure enough, Flamethrower scored a hit, but once Charizard breathed in deeply, the flames started to dissipate.

George gasped in shock; Tristan's strategy worked perfectly.

"Talk about playing with fire!" boomed the announcer. "Knowing that Charizard couldn't dodge Arcanine's Flamethrower, Tristan had it inhale the flames instead!"

George was growing frustrated by the second. "Arcanine, Take Down attack!" he yelled.

Arcanine charged through the grass at Charizard, full-body style.

"Charizard, fly up!" commanded Tristan.

Charizard flew up into the sky to dodge Arcanine's attack; however, Arcanine suddenly jumped off the ground and rammed into Charizard, surprising it.

"Charizard!" gasped Tristan.

Charizard was a bit shaken, but still in the match.

"Charizard thought that flying up would enable it to dodge, but a surprise from Arcanine prevented that from happening!" boomed the announcer.

"That Arcanine looks like it's well-trained," remarked Hillary.

"Yes, but knowing Tristan, I'm sure he's got something else up his sleeve," replied Veronica.

"Arcanine, use another Take Down attack!" commanded George.

Arcanine charged at Charizard again.

"Dodge it, Charizard!" ordered Tristan.

Charizard flew up again to avoid Arcanine's Take Down.

"Gotcha!" said George.

Sure enough, Arcanine leaped off the ground to surprise Charizard in the air again; however, Tristan was ready this time.

"Charizard, use your tail to attack!" instructed Tristan.

Charizard quickly turned around and lashed its thick, scaly tail at Arcanine, scoring a huge direct hit.

"Whoa!" cried the announcer. "Tristan used his head to have Charizard attack with its tail! Looks like the coin's landing on tails this go-round!"

"Arcanine!" gasped George.

Arcanine collapsed from the major damage it took and fainted on the spot.

"Arcanine is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The audience roared in excitement.

"How did Charizard defeat Arcanine without Tristan using any attacks?" asked Hillary. She was a little puzzled.

"Sometimes, Trainers need to improvise," explained Eric. "Instead of using straightforward attacks, sometimes, they have them use their body parts to attack instead. It can range from using fists or strong legs or, in Charizard's case, its tail. It just depends on the situation, and how strong the Pokémon can be. It also comes in handy when you're battling a Pokémon that's the same type as yours or if you're at a disadvantage yourself."

"So that's how," said Hillary. She was impressed with Tristan's skills so far. She really wanted to become a trainer herself.

"Exeggutor, go!" shouted George as he threw his second Pokéball.

A Pokémon resembling a large walking coconut tree emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

Tristan had never seen that Pokémon before, so he scanned it with his Pokédex named Dexter.

"Exeggutor: The Coconut Pokémon: The evolved form of Exeggcute," identified Dexter. "All of Exeggutor's heads show a distinct face and its own character. Exeggutor is known as "The Waling Tropical Rain Forest."

"That's an understatement," remarked Tristan. Then he thought, I'll have to be careful. I've never faced an Exeggutor before. Who knows what attacks it can do?

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised both his flags.

"Exeggutor, Hypnosis!" instructed George.

Exeggutor's eyes began to glow yellow.

Unfortunately, Charizard looked into them and began to get drowsy.

"Charizard, quick, don't look at it!" shouted Tristan.

But it was too late. Charizard was slowing falling to the ground. Once it did, it promptly closed its eyes and fell fast asleep.

"Charizard is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

Tristan was shocked. He wasn't expecting a knockout like that.

"What? No way!" exclaimed Hillary as the crowd roared in excitement.

"You heard it here, folks!" boomed the announcer. "One Hypnosis attack from Exeggutor has caused Charizard to go down sleeping! And when a Pokémon falls asleep in this competition, it's out of the battle!"

Tristan returned Charizard to its Pokéball and held it close. "You were great, Charizard," he said. He put it away, took out his next Pokéball, and threw it. "I choose you...Pidgeot!"

(Music Cue: Kanto Wild Pokémon Battle (as heard in "Good 'Quil Hunting"))

Pidgeot materialized from the white light that shot out of the ball.

Tristan was hoping that Pidgeot's speed would be enough to dodge Exeggutor's Hypnosis attack.

"Begin!" declared the referee as he raised both flags in the air.

"Okay, Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.

Pidgeot sped at Exeggutor with a white line trailing behind it and scored a direct hit on Exeggutor.

However, Exeggutor was still in it.

"Exeggutor, Egg Bomb attack!" commanded George.

Exeggutor fired multiple egg shaped balls of light from its heads and exploded on Pidgeot as it tried to fly away from them, giving it serious damage with each hit.

"Exeggutor's Egg Bomb scores big time!" boomed the announcer. "George's strategy is working egg-zactly as planned!"

"All right, Exeggutor, Hypnosis!" instructed George.

Exeggutor's eyes glowed yellow again.

Pidgeot had taken on so much damage from Exeggutor's Egg Bomb that its reflexes had slowed down enough for Hypnosis to work. Like Charizard, Pidgeot, too, looked into Exeggutor's hypnotic eyes and quickly fell fast asleep.

"Pidgeot, no!" cried Tristan.

But it was no use. Pidgeot was sleeping and couldn't be moved.

"Pidgeot is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his red flag.

The crowd roared in excitement.

"This is not looking hopeful," said Hillary nervously. "Now Tristan has only one Pokémon left."

"Yes, he does seem to be in a tight spot right now," replied Veronica. "But I wouldn't count him out of this match just yet."

Tristan returned Pidgeot to its Pokéball and held it close. "You did your best, Pidgeot," he said. "I guess my strategy was a bit off this time." He put it away.

Sparks were sizzling from Pikachu's cheeks as it prepared for battle.

"Sorry, Pikachu," said Tristan. "I wish I could let you battle, but I'm only allowed to use the Pokémon I registered before the match."

Pikachu's sparks stopped as it sadly hung its head lower.

"Don't worry, pal," Tristan assured it as he petted it. "We'll win this thing and you'll get a chance to battle."

Pikachu felt better after that.

Tristan threw his third Pokéball. "Venusaur, I choose you!"

Venusaur emerged from the white light that shot out of it.

"Tristan is sending out his Venusaur to battle against George's Exeggutor!" boomed the announcer. "What sort of strategy could Tristan have up his sleeve?"

"Why'd he choose Venusaur?" quizzed Hillary.

Hmmm, thought Veronica. I'm puzzled myself.

"Exeggutor, let's finish this up, nice and quick," said George. "Use your Hypnosis attack!"

(Music Cue: Raid! (as heard in "Shell Shock!"))

Exeggutor's eyes once again glowed yellow.

"Go, Venusaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" ordered Tristan.

Venusaur quickly extended its vines around Exeggutor, stopping its Hypnosis attack.

"Exeggutor!" gasped George.

"Now give it a toss, Venusaur!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur lifted Exeggutor into the air with all its might, then thrust it down hard to the ground over and over.

"Venusaur's Vine Whip is doing the job!" boomed the announcer. "It not only stops the Hypnosis attack, but it's giving Exeggutor a roller-coaster ride!"

"Tackle it, Venusaur, now!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur charged at Exeggutor and rammed it hard, knocking it out.

"No! Exeggutor!" cried George.

"Exeggutor is out of the match!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag.

The audience roared in excitement.

"Venusaur, way to go!" commended Tristan excitedly.

Venusaur smiled.

George recalled Exeggutor and said to Tristan. "Well, you finally beat my Exeggutor. But just because you did that, you shouldn't expect to claim victory so soon."

"Get ready, Venusaur," advised Tristan. "I have a feeling George isn't bluffing."

Venusaur positioned itself for George's last Pokémon.

"I choose Tauros, my beefy battler!" shouted George as he threw his third Pokéball.

(Music Cue: Cross the Stormy Sea)

A light brown Pokémon resembling a wild bull with three tails on the back emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball. It had two curved gray horns and a rounded muzzle. It stomped its right front hoof on the ground and was ready for action.

"So, that's a Tauros," said Tristan as he scanned it on his Pokédex, Dexter.

"Tauros: The Wild Bull Pokémon," identified Dexter. "When it targets an opponent, it charges furiously while whipping its body with its three long tails."

"That is one powerful Pokémon," remarked Hillary.

"I'll say," replied Eric. "Tristan sure has his hands full now."

"Tauros looks like it's ready to rumble!" boomed the announcer.

"Tauros, Take Down attack now!" ordered George.

Tauros charged through the grass straight at Venusaur. Its stomping made the entire stadium shake.

"Tauros is proving itself to be very powerful!" boomed the announcer. "It Take Down attack is so powerful that it feels like an earthquake!"

"Okay, Venusaur, try using Vine Whip to grab its horns," instructed Tristan.

Venusaur extended its vines and wrapped them around Tauros, causing it to swerve to the side. Tauros's Take Down attack barely missed Venusaur because of it.

"Come on, Tauros, let's win this now!" shouted George, who was starting to lose patience.

Tauros quickly turned around and charged at Venusaur again.

"Okay, Venusaur, use your Vine Whip to jump!" commanded Tristan.

Venusaur shot its vines toward the ground, enabling it to jump high into the air, much to everyone's surprise.

"Jumping jellybeans!" exclaimed the announcer. "Venusaur used its Vine Whip to jump high over Tauros!"

"Can a Venusaur really jump that high?" asked Hillary.

"Well, because of its bulky body, normally it wouldn't jump very easily," explained Veronica. "However, Tristan found a way to improvise by using Vine Whip to stay in midair longer."

"Venusaur, aim a Vine Whip attack at Tauros's feet and tie them up!" ordered Tristan.

Just as Tauros was getting ready to charge for another Take Down attack, Venusaur landed on its feet and used its Vine Whip to entangle Tauros's legs, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Tauros, get up!" yelled George.

"Now's our chance, Venusaur! Sleep Powder!" shouted Tristan.

Venusaur emitted a silvery powder from the flower on its back at Tauros.

Tauros breathed in the powder and began to get drowsy. In a matter of seconds, it fell fast asleep.

"Tauros!" cried George.

"Tauros is unable to battle!" declared the referee as he raised his green flag. "Victory goes to green trainer Tristan!"

(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998 (as heard in "Fowl Play"))

The audience roared with excitement as the board showed Tristan as the winner.

"Yeah! We did it, Venusaur!" cried Tristan as he and Pikachu happily ran to the field to congratulate his Pokémon. "I knew you could do it. Thanks so much."

Venusaur replied happily as it was gently being petted.

George returned Tauros to its Pokéball and held it close. "Well, we tried, old friend," he said. "You put up a good fight. But I have to admit. Tristan and Venusaur put up a better one."

"Tristan certainly earned that one," said Eric. "Wouldn't you say, dear?"

"I agree wholeheartedly," replied Veronica.

Hillary smiled. "Three more fields to go," she said. "And Tristan will be able to battle in the main stadium."


Tristan has won his first match on the grass battlefield, his first step on his way to the top. Will he be this successful on the other three fields? With this much excitement in the air, this tournament is just getting started. So stay tuned!


(Music Cue: We Won't Give Up on Pikachu)

That night, Blue was in the Pokémon Center vault quietly stealing Pokéballs from all the losing trainers in the tournament, including George, per Giovanni's instructions. The last three Pokéballs he had taken for the night contained George's Arcanine, Exeggutor, and Tauros. He carefully placed them in his sack.

"Hmph!" grumbled Blue. "I never liked stealing Pokémon. But if I want to beat Tristan once and for all, I have no choice but to play Giovanni's game. Once I take these Pokémon, I'll add them to my collection, and prove once and for all that I am a far better trainer than he'll ever be. And when I beat Tristan, I'll take on Giovanni and beat him at his own game. He'll be sorry he ever met me. You'd better watch out, Tristan 'cause your days of being better than me are numbered." He then snickered.

TO BE CONTINUED...