Chapter 5: Badge Challenges
I left the now-free Saffron City on Blizzard's back, for Viridian City to challenge Giovanni. But just as I had remembered, the place was a wreck. The last time, I've been here, the building collapsed. But there must be something more in order for Giovanni to challenge me here. So I looked around carefully and find a hidden passage. I flew in, after a while, it lead to a place that looks just like the gym that has collapsed, sure enough, Giovanni was waiting.
"So nice of you to come, now I've assembled my strongest Pokemon to defeat you once and for all. Battle me for the Earth Badge. If you lose, you'll be mine, agreed?"
"Agreed." We battle again, his first two Pokemon were the ones I've battled before, but he wasn't fazed at all, he must have something up his sleeves¡K When he returned his Nidoking after taking a trouncing from Cherry, the Team Rocket leader smiled,
"I guess it's time to bring out the ultimate Pokemon." By cue, a Pokemon wearing some strange armor appeared and used Psychic on Cherry, knocking it out. To other people, it may be unknown, but I know very well it is Pokemon #150.
"What is that? And how did it do that?" I pretended that I didn't know. The evil man smiled evilly,
"Well, that's a secret. But that wouldn't be fair would it? Go ahead and use more than one Pokemon." Boy, he could've won if he only allow me to use one Pokemon.
"Now you've made a bad bargain, I know exactly how to deal with it." I commented and took out five balls, "Dream, Clone, Honey, Laurel, Misty, come on out!" I'm using Mew, MY Mewtwo, Houndoom, Tyranitar and Misdreavus, Giovanni and Mewtwo must be really shocked by Dream and Clone. Dream, Clone, if the two of you are listening, tell your friends to follow my strategy¡K
"Sure, Ash." They answered telepathically and did what they're told. Then I went back to the match,
"Well, since it's not fair for 1 on 5, first turn honor is yours." Mewtwo used Psychic. But just as I asked them, Honey and Laurel protected the ghost and two Psychics from the Psychic attack. Next, Dream and Clone uses their Confusion to immobilize their foe. Then Misty floats up to Mewtwo and used Perish Song. Clone said to Mewtwo while still using Confusion with Dream, in his language,
"Well Mewtwo, what are you doing here working for evil? I suggest that you get outta here when you have the chance, cousin. There's a big and beautiful world out there to explore." After a while, Misty and Mewtwo fainted.
"Well, I win. Now I want the Earth badge I earned." The stunned Team Rocket leader sighed,
"Very well, I'm a man of my words, here." And he unwillingly tosses the Earth badge over. I wonder if Mewtwo is going to escape, or is it going to remain under Team Rocket's control? I hope I didn't change that.
I called them all back and teleported to the Viridian Pokemon Center. The Nurse Joy that was here the last time we were here greeted,
"Hi, I know you. You're the girl with Scyther when Team Rocket strikes, right? What brings you back to Viridian City?"
"Yep, that's me. And I've just defeated the Viridian City Gym Leader. That reminds me," I handed her the six Pokemon I've used in battle. "Please have them treated, Nurse Joy." After a while, Nurse Joy came back with my Pokemon all healed. Since there's not very much to do, Nurse Joy asked if I have time to chat a little, I say yes. So she left her Chanseys at the front desk and we went to the dining room and have some drinks. She looked closely at me and says,
"Are you by any chance also the trainer that freed Saffron City from Team Rocket?"
"Yes Nurse Joy, my name is Ashley. Wait, how can you tell?"
"My relative at Saffron City told me that the trainer was a girl wearing a Pokemon League Official hat." The hat is not the same one as my dad's but it's another trademark that shows how much my dad and I are alike. "You must be a great trainer, Ashley. What's your goal?"
"I want to be the greatest Pokemon Master of all times, just like everyone else."
"So, are you going to the Indigo Plateau Conference?"
"I guess I'm going. Well, I better get ready if I want to participate, bye." I got out and flew away on Candy. Nurse Joy waved,
"Good bye and good luck Ashley."
After she went back to her work, I asked,
"Candy, do you think it's a good idea for me to earn badges and join the Pokemon League?"
"Well Ash, I don't think it's gonna hurt," my male Pidgeot answered. "Our fathers didn't win, remember? And I guess we could always use more experience to deal with you-know-what."
"You're right, Candy. But if I go, I'm afraid to be battling with him and mess up history."
"Afraid? What kind of Pokemon Master is afraid of challenges? Shape up, our world needs help."
"Okay, I'll try. Which city is closest to us now?"
"Right now we're close to three cities, Saffron, Celadon and VermillionCity. Which one would you like to go first?"
"Saffron City, please land in front of the Gym." Candy landed us in front of the Gym and returned to his Poke ball. I prepared the Pokemon I'm gonna use and went in. "Anyone here? I'm here to challenge for the Marsh Badge." Sabrina's mom came out and answered,
"Hi," turns around and calls. "Sabrina! You've got a challenger!" Sabrina's mother led me to the same place where Ash battled, Sabrina came out. "This will be a one-on-one match; the challenger is here for a Marsh Badge. Begin!" Sabrina sent out Kadabra, so I send out Honey, to make it simple, Honey wins. I smiled and
But Sabrina suddenly said,
"One that abandons their family and friends doesn't deserve the Marsh Badge," everyone around were all stunned. Sabrina must have read my mind about what happened and that I was so scared that left them there and escaped to the peaceful past. Now that I think of it, I feel so guilty.
"No, they told me to leave. I left them so that I'll get a chance to save them."
"Ya sure that the only reason?" She must be testing me¡K
"Okay, I was a little scared, and left them. But they're really clever; I'm sure that they're just fine. And like I said, I came so that I'll get a better chance to helping them."
"Well done Ashley," the Marsh Badge appeared in front of me. "If you try hard enough, you will succeed good luck."
"Thanks, Sabrina."
Since it was getting late, I went to stay in the Pokemon Center of Saffron City. Earlier that day, I have saved that city from Team Rocket's shadows. Reporters noticed that I'm the trainer and interviewed for like an hour, I shouldn't have came back. But it wasn't over when they've finished their interview; lots of trainers came and wanted to get my autograph. No way out of this, might as well give them what they wanted, if that's the only way I'll get them to leave me alone. It took soooooo long, so tired. I finally finished the last person and get the chance to check for a room.
"Sorry Ashley, there's no more empty rooms open. You'll have to sleep in the lobby." What?! I don't get to have privacy? This can't be happening! Sigh, there's nothing I can do now. But the last lady that asked for my autograph came and offered,
"I'm sorry; I've got the last room. But there's enough room for two. Do you want to stay with me?"
"Thanks, although I don't like it that it's because I'm the person that saved the day."
"No, it's not just that. I kinda admire you, wanna chat?"
"After we finish getting ready for bed, I tired from today's hard work." We went in her room, there's only one bed, while she left to change in the bathroom, I set up my sleeping bag on the floor and went in. The girl came back,
"Hey, you can have the bed if you like, Ashley."
"No thanks, this isn't really my room and I'm used to sleeping on the floor. By the way, what's your name? I think I'd like to remember you. And how is it not just that I've saved Saffron?"
"My name is Assauna," she introduced and got in her bed. "I wanted to know you is because you seem like a great trainer, by defeating Team Rocket single handedly." That's funny, everyone sees that and why does she specifically wanted to know me?
"Well, then why do you want more than my autograph?"
"You seem like a nice person I guess. Are you going to the Pokemon League?"
"I guess, it's every trainer's dream, right? Will I see you there?"
"Yep, and hopefully we'll get to have an honorable match there. 'Night."
"Good night, Assauna. Tomorrow we'll be going separate ways, but promise that we'll be up again in the Indigo Conference, okay?" She promised that she'll be there, and we slept. The next morning, just before the sun came up, I packed up my things and went on my badge challenges.
With my beloved Pokemon friends by my side, no matches were strong enough to stop us. I easily gained six more badges in two days. But Milky, the Miltank, suggested,
"I had to say, earning these 6 badges is as easy as defeating a Schoolboy. When fighting for these badges, you only used me and it only take one hit of my Rollout to KO the opponent. I suggest that you go earn more badges and train ones like Eve, Blaze, Blizzard, Lightning, Dream, Red, Blue, Yellow, Dragon, Magee, Joe, Candy, Puka, Brian, Joey, Don, Aeroy, Clone, Polly, Lance, Candy, Vile, Flower, Weed, Gloria, Geode, Gasty, Grass, Sprout, Donna, Chad, Turtle, Purple, Poppy, Patty, Windy, Irene, Diana, Transform, Iris, Golda, Ivy, Ivan, Tina, Star, Starry, Alan, Champ, Scott, Volty, Magnet and Sophia. This is Kanto days, none of us are sure if us non-Kanto Pokemon are allowed to participate in tournaments here. And since it's so easy to get eight badges, I suggest that you go earn more and show everyone that you're better."
It's a great idea, so for the next week, I took Milky's advice and earned 20 more badges, making a total of 28 badges. Hehehe, I must've broken the record. Now that I can't find any more gyms, it's time to put my cloak on and head back to see what the elite generation is doing.
(A/N)
There, this is only the preparation part of Ashley's journey. Of course, this isn't her whole name, too original, eventually her fellow juvenile trainers will show up and call her that when more 'things' come up. Again, review, review and tell me what it needs.