by Martial Arts Master
The original concept of Pokemon and all related characters copyrighted by Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., 4Kids, TV Tokyo, Satoshi Tajiri, and Wizards of the Coast. All characters I use as Pokewomen are copyrighted by their original creators and owners. I made up Rick, though. See the first chapter for the rules by which the Pokewomen world operates by. Now, on with the story.
***
After a while, Rick finally arrived at Pewter City. First, of course, he got Saria and Pixie healed at the Poke Center.
Then, he went to a fast food place. That's when he felt something in his pocket.
He looked down and saw some money in there.
He slapped his forehead. Of course! He had forgotten to ask the Samurai for money after the victory, so the Samurai had been nice enough to slip money into his pocket while he wasn't looking.
He went inside the fast food place and called out Saria and Pixie.
After ordering lunch for himself and his two Pokewomen, and after they'd started eating lunch, they overheard some people talking.
"Wouldn't you know it, I thought I could beat the Pewter City gym leader, but his Pokewoman kicked Minnie Mouse's butt," a girl said.
"Yeah, I tried to beat him, too, but Batgirl couldn't beat his Pokewoman," a boy said.
"Well whaddya expect?" another boy asked. "He may be the easiest gym leader in the Indigo League, but he's better than any beginner," another boy said.
"Heh. Sounds like the gym leader in this city's a tough cookie," Pixie said. "You sure you're up to using us to battle him?"
"Yeah, piece of cake!" Rick replied. "He may be a tough cookie, but he's also the easiest gym leader in the Indigo League."
"It's nice to see that you're confident," Saria said, smiling.
"You know, I was wrong about my first impression about you," Pixie said to Rick. "Most trainers give their Pokewomen that gross Pokewomen food, because Pokewomen food is even cheaper than human food. But you're sharing human food with us, because you know we're humanoid. I guess you're not such a bad trainer after all."
"Well, better late than never," Rick teased.
After they all finished their lunch, Rick recalled Saria and Pixie and went out of the fast food place.
Rick finally got to a building that had a sign on it that said, "Pewter City Gym". "This must be the place," Rick said to himself.
He threw open the doors and stepped inside.
The place was a tiny bit dark, but it had lights overhead.
There was also an automatic sprinkler system, and the ground was covered with an artificial rocky field.
"Hello, is anybody there?" Rick shouted out. "I am Rick, from Pallet Town! I wish to challenge the gym leader to a match!"
Another light clicked on, revealing a tan-skinned boy wearing a green and orange shirt with brown pants.
"I am Brock, the Pewter City gym leader," the boy said. "Because I am a gym leader, under Indigo League rules, I have no choice but to accept your challenge."
Rick was relieved. He had privately been worried that this gym leader might not think him worthy enough to accept his challenge, but if gym leaders were forbidden to refuse challenges, Rick needn't worry about not getting to battle.
"I specialize in Pokewomen that can use rocks for attacks," Brock continuned. "I've always had a fascination for rocks."
"All right, let's battle!" Rick said.
"Since I only have one Pokewoman, this will be a one-on-one battle," Brock said. (Author's Note: I know that in the Pokemon world it's two-on-two, but I could only think of one Pokewoman that has the capability to use rocks for attacks.)
"Fine," Rick said. He called out Saria, saying, "Go, Saria!"
Saria came out of her Poke Ball. As usual, her personality was bright enough so that she was smiling.
"Here we go, Earth Card!" Brock said, throwing a Poke Ball.
An entirely brown girl came out of the Poke Ball.
Rick was confused. It couldn't be this easy. This girl had to have some sort of weapon.
Rick pointed his Pokedex at the girl.
The Pokedex said, "Earth Card. This character comes from the Japanese version of an Earth TV show called Cardcaptors. She is actually a spirit who can control the ground and rocks. Her only weakness is that, unlike regular earthquakes, her powers have absolutely no effect on trees."
"You heard the Pokedex, Saria, surround the Earth Card with trees!" Rick said.
Saria concentrated, and suddenly small trees sprang up around the Earth Card.
Brock chuckled.
"Trying to take advantage of her weakness? Well it won't work," Brock said. "I never use the ground aspect of her powers, I just use the rock aspect. Earth Card, get over those trees!"
Earth Card jumped up, turned herself into a rock, and sailed over the trees, crashing into Saria.
Saria stumbled, but easily recovered.
"Saria, trap her with vines!" Rick said.
Saria grew some vines and wrapped them around Earth Card.
"Earth Card, get out from those vines," Brock commanded.
Earth Card made some sharp rocks appear out of nowhere, using them to cut the vines.
"Now pulverize her!" Brock said.
Earth Card started throwing lots of rocks at Saria.
Saria wasn't very fast, and she couldn't dodge the rocks. She was beaten up pretty badly, and she fell, down but not out.
"Now...crush her," Brock said.
Earth Card made a really big rock appear, and held it high over her head.
Rick knew he had to think of something fast.
He became aware that it was really hot on his back.
He wondered why, until he turned around.
He'd left the doors open! So since it was only a little past noon, the sun was shining high in the sky.
The sun...Rick thought.
Long ago, he'd heard something about how the chlorophyll in plants could absorb sunlight as energy to make food for the plants.
Saria couldn't do that, of course, but since she was the Forest Sage, maybe she could do something else with that energy.
"Saria, absorb the sunlight!" Rick shouted.
Saria looked confused, and Rick said, "Just do it!"
Saria obediently started absorbing the sunlight. She glowed green.
The Earth Card, meanwhile, was walking towards Saria, huge rock held high.
When the Earth Card reached Saria, she got ready to crush her with the rock.
"Now, release the energy towards the Earth Card and the rock!" Rick cried out.
Saria concentrated, and BOOM! Green energy poured out of her and shot at Earth Card and the rock.
The rock was disintegrated, and the Earth Card was knocked flat on her back, unconscious.
"Oh no!" Brock shouted in dismay, recalling the Earth Card.
Brock then sighed.
"A victory is a victory, so here's your Boulder Badge," Brock said, tossing Rick the Boulder Badge.
The Boulder Badge looked, naturally, like a boulder.
"All right!" Rick said. "I got the Boulder Badge!"
Saria, meanwhile, had gotten up, and Rick surprised her by darting forward and giving her a hug.
Saria looked pleased, and then Rick recalled her.
Rick left the gym, and he knew that although he had won his first badge, this was by no means a major victory.
The battle had been tough, and this was against the easiest of the gym leaders.
If the easiest of the gym leaders fought like that, who knows how the harder gym leaders would fight?
Rick knew he still had a lot of work to do before he could become a Pokewomen master...
To be continued...
***
You're probably thinking, "Oh no, not another new trainer fic that the author won't bother to finish!" Well, let me tell you, I hate those kinds of fics too, and let me tell you in advance that I DO plan on finishing this fic. I never start a fic that I don't intend to finish. In fact, if I'm lying about planning to finish the fic, may I get pounded by a madman. E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@msn.com.