"I'm here to challenge the gym leader!" Ash exclaimed swinging open the doors to the gym.
Three girls entered the arena, clearly having just woken up.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" The blue haired one asked.
"Nope." Ash said confidently.
"You won't let us get ready either will you?" The pink haired one pouted.
"If Misty was here, we could just have her battle, but now we have to do it." The blonde said annoyed. "You two go get ready, we'll give him a match unlike any he's ever seen for making us start so early."
"Wait what?" Ash said confused, as the blonde haired girl flipped a switch on a control panel, a watery arena with a few platforms scattered throughout covering the room.
"If you want to earn our gym badge you must defeat all three of us. I'm your first opponent, Daisy." The blonde haired girl now known as Daisy said. "Thankfully, our little sister left us some of her Pokemon when she went to Jhoto."
"Wait Misty is your little sister! As in last year's Indigo League runner up!" Ash exclaimed. "I only have one badge!"
"Should've thought about that then." Daisy said. "Goldeen, come on out!"
The fish Pokemon dove into the pool, it's shadow barely seeable beneath the water.
"Alright Pikachu, you're up." Ash said confidently.
"Pima Pika!" Pikachu said leaping onto a platform.
"Goldeen use Agility!"
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
The sparks barely hit the water before dispersing too far.
"Even the strongest of electrical attacks can't hurt every body of water." Daisy said. "Now Goldeen use Horn Attack!"
"Pikachu use Thunder Wave!"
Pikachu sent out a spiral of electricity, only for Goldeen to come at him from another side, striking the electric type hard, before diving back into the pool.
"We're sitting Psyducks out there, I need a different plan." Ash said.
"Goldeen use Horn Attack!"
"Pikachu wait for it to come up, and then dive into the water and use Thundershock!"
Pikachu dove into the pool below, just as Goldeen dove out of it, then quickly following Pikachu back in to strike it underwater. Moments passed like hours until a yellow glow emerged from the pool, and a fainted Goldeen floated to the surface.
"Huff. Pant. Wheeze. Goldeen is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu." A league representative said having just made it in time.
Pikachu swam back to shore, as Ash happily picked him up.
"You did great buddy, they don't stand a chance." Ash said with a smile.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." The blue haired girl said, flipping a different switch. New platforms took the place of the old, now mostly land with water surrounding, and a pool in the very center. "My name is Violet, and I'll be your second opponent."
"Give us your best shot." Ash said, taking an offensive stance, as Pikachu re entered the ring.
"Seel, I choose you!" Violet said.
The white Pokémon slid onto the arena, clapping as it stopped on its tail fin.
"Alright Pikachu start off with a Thundershock!"
"Seel use Ice Beam!"
Pikachu leapt into the air expecting the attack to go for him, but instead, it hit the outer ring of water, freezing the top of it.
"Now Seel use Aurora Beam!"
Seel slid onto the ice and used it to pick up speed while firing off an attack.
"Pikachu dodge it!" Ash called out. This gym wasn't going to be easy even with a type advantage, they kept their Pokémon moving, making them hard to hit, and Pikachu an easy target.
"Pikachu use Thunder Wave!"
Pikachu let out a spiral of electricity only for Seel to simply slide in the opposite direction of the attack.
"Seel use another Aurora Beam!"
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
Pikachu missed the Aurora beam, firing sparks off into the distance as he was struck by Seel's attack.
"Seel use Aurora Beam again!"
"Pikachu get out of there!"
Pikachu was shaking his head, trying to regain focus as he was hit by another attack, sending him into the small pool in the center.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, gasping for air as he resurfaced.
"Pikachu? Are you okay?" Ash asked worridley.
"Pi!" Pikachu said angrily, sparks coming from his cheeks.
"Seel use Aurora Beam!"
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
Pikachu sped out of the way, a trail of water droplets flying off of his fur behind him as he chased after Seel.
"Seel use Ice Beam!"
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
At the close range, Seel didn't have the prep time he was used to before being zapped.
"Now use Quick Attack!"
"Use Headbutt!"
Seel spun around, flying at Pikachu, while Pikachu leapt at Seel. The two Pokémon collided as Pikachu was thrown back.
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
"Seel use Aurora Beam!"
Pikachu sent out a stream of sparks, pushing back against the multi colored cold beam coming from Seel, and eventually overpowering it.
"Seel is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu." The judge said, taking a sip of coffee.
"Pikachu, how are you feeling?" Ash asked.
"Pi…". Pikachu sighed.
"Here, it's all I've got." Ash said opening the latch on his bag, and pulling out a single Potion.
"Hope you don't plan on beating me with him too." The third girl said, walking up to the control box, changing the arena a final time, now finally on solid ground all around. "My name is Lily by the way."
"Ash." Ash said. "And Pikachu can handle whatever you have."
"Well then, come out Psyduck!" Lily said.
The yellow duck waddled onto the field, holding his head as he came to a stop.
"Pikachu let's do this! Use Thunder Wave!"
"Psyduck use Water Gun!"
A small dribble of water came out of Psyduck's bill as he was encircled by electricity.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Psyduck use Disable!"
Pikachu slammed into Psyduck as the duck firmly grasped its head.
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
"Psyduck use Confusion!"
A flurry of sparks flew towards Psyduck, only for them to stop just before the duck, now wrapped in a blue light.
"Psyduck may not seem like much, but when he gets a headache, he's a formidable opponent." Lily said confidently. "Now send them back!"
The sparks launched back at Pikachu, the yellow Pokemon narrowly dodging them.
"Pikachu, do you think you can store some electricity?" Ash asked.
"Pi?" Pikachu asked curiously.
"Fire every Thundershock you've got at them!" Ash commanded.
"Psyduck use Confusion!"
Sparks of electricity flew from Pikachu towards Psyduck, all being consumed in a blue glow.
"Now use a constant Thunder Wave!" Ash said.
"Send them back!" Lily said.
The sparks were sent back towards Pikachu, being drawn to the Thunder Wave as they traveled. Both electric attacks being absorbed by the Pokémon on each side. The Thunder Wave doing nothing, while Pikachu's cheeks throwing off sparks like crazy.
"Give it right back, all at once!" Ash shouted. A blast of electricity shot out from Pikachu heading straight for Psyduck.
"Psyduck use Confusion!"
For a moment Pikachu's electric attack was stopped by the psychic energy before it finally broke free, sending the water type flying backwards.
"Psyduck is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu." The judge said.
"Congratulations Ash, as recognition of your victory over us, and some of our best Pokemon, we present you this." Daisy said, holding out a badge.
"The Cascade Badge." Violet said.
"Consider yourself lucky, most days we'd have just given it to you, but the match might have done you and Pikachu well." Lily said.
Later at the Pokemon Center
"Cassie, there you are!" Ash said.
"Sorry, I lost track of you, so I came here, and waited. You have all of our money, and I'm not a trainer so I can't get a room." Cassie said annoyed.
"Sorry, sorry, but look!" Ash said opening his jacket, now showing two badges. "We won!"
"I'm happy for you Ash, but next time, don't rush, Pikachu looks exhausted." Cassie said.
"That's from more of the gym battle than anything, but you're right, I should have Nurse Joy take a look at him." Ash said. "And restock on supplies, I'm running pretty low."
Character of the Day: Misty
Without Ash and Pikachu interfering in her journey, Misty was able to take on the gym challenge and catch several other Pokémon. Having made it to the top two in the previous league, and leaving some Pokémon behind, she may even appear in a future chapter.