Chapter 21
"$2.50 is your change...thank you!" the attendant smiled, and handed Samantha two tickets:
SAFARI ZONE
ADMIT ONE
Tony walked over to Samantha with a puzzled look across his face. "Are you sure you want us to go to the Safari Zone? You want to battle Koga, without our moral support?"
Blaze tugged on Samantha's pant leg, and gave her that puppy-dog look she couldn't stand.
"It's okay Tony...I'll do just fine. Don't worry Blaze. I'm sorry to ditch you two, but after that loss in my last Gym Battle, I have to prove something to myself. I hope you understand."
Kat smiled and nodded. She grabbed Tony by the hand, and ran towards to door. They yelled out their final good lucks to Samantha, before departing from the center.
Fuchsia Gym had to be one of the most impressive places Samantha had ever seen. It looked more like a karate dojo, then a Pokémon Gym. Samantha knew that inside this imposing building, she would face the Poison-Loving Koga, one of the most feared Gym Leaders of them all.
"This is it Bobby. Ready?"
"Bulbasaur!"
A strange place indeed, that Fuchsia Gym. Invisible walls? Trap doors? It wasn't easy finding the area you actually did battle.
"What a ridiculous place, Bobby! I wanted a battle, not a ticket to the fun house! What a sham!"
"Bulba! Bulbasaur!" Bobby added. He was quite ticked off too.
Unbeknownst to Samantha, a shadowy figure had been watching her trample through the gym the entire time, from high above.
"SO! My Gym is a 'Ridiculous Fun House', is it?" a voice boomed out from seemingly nowhere.
"That's right! There's no point to it all!" Samantha shouted not realizing that she had no idea who she was addressing.
"For your information young lady, patience is the key to victory in all Pokémon battles." The voice responded.
"That may be true, but I can go to another Gym where they don't play with your head just for a rise! C'mon Bobby, let's get out of here! Koga, you have a lot to learn."
"Ha...fwahahaha...ha...ha...ha!"
Koga appeared in a cloud of smoke. He appeared right in front of the would- be challenger, freezing her in her tracks.
"What ever is the hurry, little one? I'm just dying for you to show me what I have to learn..." Koga said with a grin.
"I meant..."
"YOU think you can teach me about Pokémon?" Koga interrupted.
"I may not know more, but I can still show you a thing or two!" Samantha said not changing her expression.
"Hmmm...intriguing...very well. Let us go to the battle area." Koga said amused.
After minutes of walking, Koga lead Samantha to the battle area. Standing in the center of the area, were 12 or so women.
"This smart-mouth girl has insulted our gym! It's time to teach her what's for! Time to battle!" Koga declared.
"Okay Koga, bring it on! I'm not afraid of you!" Samantha said.
"Oh, ho! You are not going to be fighting me. You obviously haven't heard, have you? I am one of the Elite Four. The new Gym Leader here is my daughter Janine. She'll be glad to face you...that is...if you can FIND her! Right, Janine?"
Samantha looked up and just now realized that every girl was dressed identically. From their hairstyle, to their eye color, to their attire, not one difference!
"If you can choose the correct Janine, I will forgive you for your rude comments towards our gym, and I will let you compete for the Soulbadge." Koga challenged Samantha's brainpower.
As unfair as that sounded, Samantha shrugged and overlooked the sea of identical women.
"Bulbasaur!" Bobby encouraged her.
All at once, Samantha pointed at one young lady. "It's her!"
The woman she singled out appeared in absolute shock.
"But...how did you know? How were you so sure?" Janine asked surprised.
"I don't know...I just...did..." Samantha said quietly. "It's just, you looked the most sure of yourself. That, and you have Koga's eyes..."
Koga was silently impressed. His stony face did little to communicate this fact.
"Very well young Samantha, you may battle my daughter. A two on two battle. I expect this to be an excellent fight, understand?"
"Yes sir" Samantha said.
"Yes father..." her opponent replied.
"Let this battle begin!" Koga shouted from the referee square.
"Go for it Ariados!" Janine tossed her first Poké Ball onto the floor.
Ariados. The Long Leg Pokémon.
Approach with caution, as it is extremely poisonous.
"A great fight, huh Koga? Well then that's your cue Julie!" Samantha tossed Julie's Poké Ball onto the floor.
Julie stretched her arms out, and placed the Light Ball she had been holding on the ground at Samantha's feet. Julie gave a yawn, and looked over at Ariados.
Janine smiled wickedly, "All too easy, girl! SPIDER WEB!"
Ariados launched a web, which completely missed Julie. The web formed a wall between the Pikachu, and her trainer.
"What's the point of this?" Samantha said testing the durability of the web.
"Easy. Your Pikachu just has one less option", Koga said glaring into Samantha's eyes, "ESCAPE!"
"Pika? Pika-pi! Pikachu!" Julie cried frantically.
"Stop worrying Julie! Escape shouldn't even be on your mind right now!" Samantha calmly relayed to her Pikachu.
"Pika!" Samantha was right! No way was she going to lose to a dumb spider!
"SLUDGE BOMB!" Janine ordered.
"AGILITY!" Samantha replied.
Ariados launched the raunchy ball of goop at Julie, but her agility easily allowed her to dodge the attack.
"STRING-SHOT, Ariados!"
"Oh no you don't Julie, QUICK ATTACK!"
Before Ariados could even thing about slowing down Samantha's prized fighter, Julie slammed headlong right into it!
"You want to play dirty, Samantha? Fine. Use your DOUBLE TEAM, Ariados!"
Ariados glared at Julie. It began to multiply before her very eyes. Where only one Ariados once stood, 5 were now present!
"Pika?" Julie screamed desperately confused.
Samantha had to think fast...Aha!
"Julie, THUNDERBOLT! Just shoot all 5 of them in a line!" Samantha shouted.
Before Julie could gather the electricity necessary for the attack, the REAL Ariados slammed into Julie with a powerful DOUBLE-EDGE attack!
As Julie struggled to her feet, Samantha got another idea!
"Why didn't I think about this before? Julie, use your DOUBLE TEAM!" Samantha smiled.
"Pikaa!" Julie shouted happily, as she split up into an illusion of 5 Pikachu.
Koga watched in stone silence. Even more impressed with Samantha's ability to think on her feet. The field became an all out 5 on 5 brawl! Pikachu and Ariados everywhere going at it!
"This is ridiculous!" Janine cried.
"I know..." Samantha agreed.
They watched the fake Pokémon tussle. All of the sudden, a single Pikachu had finally got a headlock on something solid! Janine barely had time to gasp, before Samantha called the next move.
"THUNDER!" Samantha smiled.
"Pee-kaa—chooooooo!" Julie screamed.
The REAL Julie connected with the REAL Ariados. The spider Pokémon glowed with electrical current, before collapsing to the ground!
"Ariados is unable to continue, the Pikachu wins!" Koga declared.
Janine growled as she recalled her Ariados. "Okay, try this!"
The Poké Ball opened from Janine's hand, revealing her next Pokémon.
"Muuuk!"
"Be careful Julie!" Samantha pleaded.
Julie stared down the Muk. Whew! Did he really smell! It was terrible!
"THUNDERBOLT, Julie!"
"ACID AROMOR, Muk!"
Before Julie's powerful attack could reach the Muk, the living sludge melted away into green goo on the ground.
"What the..."
"Now Muk! Pound!"
Muk appeared right behind Julie, and slammed down hard onto her head. Julie's eyes glazed over, and she had had enough.
"The Pikachu is unable to battle, victory to Muk!" Koga declared.
Samantha recalled Julie to her Poké Ball. What Pokémon should she use next? Bobby was tough, but Grass-types don't like poison. Cubone had the type advantage, but that Muk was way more experienced than Samantha's little Cubone. Lianne was short when it came to defense, and Joelle hadn't had much time to train with Samantha since Star City.
What about Yian? Obviously that Muk packed a punch, but Yian was far quicker than it. Plus, she had a better chance of withstanding any of the Poison-Type attacks the Muk might know...
Samantha took a deep breath, "What have I got to lose? Go for it Yian!"
The Female Nidoran yawned, and looked at the Muk. Yian stuck her tail up in the air, as if to taunt the pile of living sludge.
"Easy! Muk, SLUDGE BOMB it!" Janine commanded.
"Yian! DEFENSE CURL!"
Yian rolled up into a little ball, forcing Muk's attack to sail wide of its intended target.
"Your turn Yian! BODY SLAM!"
Yian popped out of the ball, and agilely onto her feet. She rushed at the Muk quickly, and slammed it right between its eyes. It worked! Muk actually felt it!
"While it's stunned! FURY SWIPES Yian!"
Yian dawned her razor-sharp claws and leapt onto the dazed Muk. She relentlessly hacked away, not letting up on the Muk at all.
Janine was frantic, "ACID ARMOR!"
"Oh no you don't Janine," Samantha sighed, "QUICK ATTACK!"
Before Muk completely dissolved, Yian slammed into its exposed head with full force. Muk just stood there, as it dissolved into a stationary pile of sludge.
"Muk is out of the match. Victory and match to Samantha!" Koga declared.
Wow! His number! His praise! What an honor!
"I know I'll see you again..."
"...In the Pokémon League competition." Samantha finished Koga's sentence.
Koga nodded, "I have a feeling you are going to do great there. Oh I've been meaning to ask you, is that Gloom yours? I count 6 Poké Balls, but 7 Pokémon."
"Not exactly..."
"Hmmm...I'm afraid you'll need to speak with Nurse Joy about that Gloom. You're breaking a rule right now as it is."
"Okay Koga, will do. Aren't we forgetting something?"
"Janine!" Koga shouted, "I believe you owe Samantha a Soulbadge."
Janine grimaced angrily. She then held out her hand, and bowed her head...
