Chapter 2
The next day was an early one. I had awoken to a bright sunny sky. The gym had filled with the smell of eggs and bacon. The crew had already started making breakfast and not a minute too soon. I was hungry.
Misty was already up, and fully dressed. She had the same hairstyle, and was wearing a blue tank top with cut off jean shorts. I felt sort of embarrassed walking in with my pajamas on. She was feeding her pokemon, which were a Togetic, a Qwilfish (In the pool next to the Kitchen Door), a Corsola, a Politoed, a Psyduck, and a Starmie (Also in the pool). I muttered something that sounded like 'good morning', and she answered politely back.
"You ready for our battle?" she asked excitedly. I looked at her through my tired eyes. "Not quiet yet…" I managed to say, while balancing a plate of food in my hands. Drayden soon followed in also fully dressed. "Would you mind if I stuck around for the battle?" he asked, sitting down next to Misty. A crew member went over and gave Drayden a plate of breakfast. "Sure." I said, starting to wake up. I turned to one of the crew named Joanna. "Did my pokemon get fed yet?" I asked her. She smiled and nodded. That was good. They needed to be in top shape for the battle.
After breakfast I went and changed into an orange Hawaiian shirt and white shorts. It was hot in the gym, so I dressed for the weather. I went and got my pokemon back from the front. Then I returned to the battlefield. Misty was already on the other side, and she already had a pokeball drawn. "Are you ready?" she asked. I nodded, kind of nervous. What kind of water Pokemon would she have?
"Go Qwilfish." She called, tossing the ball in her hand. Out popped a prickly blue and white blowfish. "Go, Dratini!" I said, calling out the young dragon. It appeared, ready for the battle. "Qwilfish, Poison Sting!" Misty yelled. The blowfish's quills began to glow, and it shot green pricks at Dratini. "Safeguard!" I commanded. My ice blue dragon glowed a starry white, protecting itself from poison effects.
"Qwilfish, Headbutt!" Misty said. The Fish charged at Dratini, head set. "Dratini, Pound." The small dragon whipped its tail forward, hitting Qwilfish. Both of the pokemon took damage. "Dratini, use Twister." I said. Dratini made up a small tornado. "Qwilfish, Pin Missile." Misty yelled. The fish was about to start shooting quills at Dratini, but the Twister attack reached it. The made the small poky fish float on the surface of the water, knocked out.
"Return…" Misty said, recalling her injured pokemon. "Go, Politoed." Misty said, tossing the next pokeball. The frog appeared, leaping onto on of the floaties. "Poli!" it cried happily. "Dratini has no chance against a fully evolved pokemon…" I thought, pulling Dratini's ball off my belt. "Return Dratini!" I commanded, recalling my small pokemon. "Go, Dragonair!" I yelled, tossing my next pokeball. The long agile dragon splashed into the water.
"Politoed, use Surf!" Misty said. The frog leaped into the water. Then a giant wave went at my pokemon, Politoed emerging at the top. "Protect attack!" I yelled. Dragonair curled into a ball, and glowed and aurora white. The wave engulfed Dragonair, doing little to no damage. "Dragonair, Thunder Bolt!" I said, wanting to finish off Politoed early.
"Endure!" Misty said. The dragon sent the electricity at Politoed. "POLI!" It cried in pain, but it was still battle worthy. "Now Perish Song!" Misty commanded. Politoed let out a screeching song, making both it and Dragonair glow red. "Now in three turns both our pokemon will knock out." Misty said happily. "Dragonair we have to finish Politoed off in order to win!" I informed Dragonair. "Politoed, Endure any attack Dragonair sends at you!" Misty said. I had to think fast.
"Dragonair try to use Toxic!" I said. Dragonair sent a poisons gas into the water. "Politoed jump out and use Body slam." Misty said. The frog jumped out of the water, spun twice, and belly flopped on Dragonair. The count down was at two.
The water was clear again. "It's a long shot, Dragonair Flame thrower." I yelled. Dragonair breathed in. "Politoed, you know what to do." Misty said. Drag!" Cried my pokemon. It sent a blast of flames at Politoed. "Be burned, be burned!" I thought desperately. But to no avail. Politoed was still alive, and not even a singe to show for the flame-thrower. The count down was now one!
"Dragonair Headbutt!" I yelled. Dragonair went at Politoed. "Jump and Body Slam!" Misty said happily. Politoed again jumped out of the water. Did two flips and belly flopped my Dragonair. (Which knocked out) "Return!" I said, disappointed. The count down was zero, which knocked out Politoed, but Dragonair had already been called out of the field. Misty won round two.
She recalled Politoed. "Our last pokemon!" I announced. "Okay, go Starmie!" Misty said, throwing her next pokeball. What came out was a purple starfish, with another 5-pointed star that was attached to its back. It had a red jewel in the core. "Go, Vaporeon!" I said, tossing the last pokeball. The Eevee evolution appeared, ready to battle. I had a secret weapon to use against Misty.
"Starmie, Bubblebeam!" Misty called. The core of her pokemon began to glow an icy blue. It then sent a stream of bubbles at Vaporeon. "Attack back with your Bubblebeam." I yelled. Vaporeon attack back with its own stream of bubbles. Neither attack was stronger, so the attacks canceled out.
"Starmie Rain Dance!" Misty said. The inside of the gym began to get cloudy, and it started to rain. "Vaporeon, Hydro-Pump." I said. "Vap!" The pokemon yelled, shooting a blast of water at Starmie. "Rapid Spin!" Misty commanded. That attack absorbed most of the damage, but it still took some.
"Now Thunder!" Misty commanded. The Starmie began to spin faster, generating electricity. It then shot the built up charge at Vaporeon. "No!" I cried, blinded by the light. When it cleared Vaporeon was knocked out. "Return…" I said. I was unhappy I lost, but Misty had skill.
We walked toward each other, and shook hands. "Great job!" I said. "I know, now you owe me something!" she said happily. "And what's that?" I asked. "A badge." She replied.
Drayden was waiting for us, after the match. He watched from the observers post, a top the gym rafters. "Great battle!" He commended us. I wasn't bitter, just disappointed in myself. "I have to go, though. I'm heading to Vermilion City to get a Thunder Badge. "Can I come with you?" Misty asked Drayden. He looked at her. "I could use the company." "I wish I could go…" I said, thinking aloud. They both looked at me. "Why don't you?" Misty asked. "I have to look after my gym, I can't just get up and leave." I replied.
"Do you have any family?" Drayden asked. "No, and I don't know anyone who could take over the gym either." I replied. Both Mist and Drayden looked at each other. "Just call the Plateau. Lance will have to send someone for a replacement." Misty suggested. It was worth a shot.
I hadn't ever met the champion, Lance. He always sent representatives if there was business to attend to with the gym. It didn't bother me much before, but now I wish I knew him so it didn't feel so weird. I went into my office in the back of the gym. I closed the door, not wanting anyone to hear. After finding the number in my phone book, I picked up the receiver and dialed. "Do I really want to leave… I could use the training…" I thought. The receptionist picked up the phone. I asked to be put through to Lance. She asked who it was, and I told her it was the gym leader from Vision City.
After five minutes, I was talking to the champion. "Hello?" he asked, picking up the phone. "Umm… hi. I'm David, the gym leader of Vision City gym…" I said. "Oh, David… Hi." He said. "Yeah, Umm… I have a question." I said, trying not start straying away from the topic. "What is it?" he asked. "Can I take a leave of absence to travel Kanto for a bit? I don't know how this kind of thing works…" I asked abruptly. "okay, when do you want to leave?" Lance asked. "Today…" I said, not knowing what to expect. "Okay, go ahead. I'll send a temporary gym leader for you. When do expect to be back?" he asked, as I heard him scribble something on a piece of paper. "Couple months?" I asked. There was an odd silence. "Okay… just let the staff go home early, and lock up behind you. I'll take care of the rest." He said. "Okay." I said, a little surprised. "And another thing… I hear you are quiet the trainer. Have a good break." Lance said. Then the line clicked.
I walked out of the office, going to staff members and telling them to go home early. I then went to pack my stuff. (That took longer than I expected.) I then went to finish up, locking the gym. Misty and Drayden were waiting out side. "Done?" Drayden asked. "Yeah… off to Vermilion City?" I said. "That was fast!" Misty exclaimed. "I know… weird eh? I asked. She nodded, but we thought nothing of it.