"Pikachu, thundershock attack!" Keith said to Pikachu. Keith and the rest of his crew were out training on Route 31, near Violet City. Pikachu let loose a barrage of lightning bolts from its cheeks, which struck a rock and shattered it into pieces. Pikachu squeaked cheerfully. "good."
"Are you quite done training?" Stephen asked. "Violet City is right past the gatehouse."
"Okay, Pikachu. Time to stop." Keith said. "We can train once we get into Violet City. C'mon."
Pikachu hopped on Keith's shoulder as Keith joined Vince, Jordan, and Stephen. Around them were lush green forests, with rolling hills of emerald green grass, dotted with huge oak trees. Right in the middle of the field was a small building. The four friends walked along the small path until they reached the small building. Inside was a guard wearing a blue jumpsuit and a blue beret. He welcomed the boys into Violet City. On the other side of the gatehouse, our heroes found themselves at the top of a hill. And down below were several skyscrapers and houses. Off in the distance was an ancient tower that must have been 500 feet high, and nearby was a large, modern-looking tower that looked about the same height. The new building had the word "GYM" printed at the top of the tower in block letters.
"So, where should we go first?" Jordan asked. "Where's the Pokemon Center?"
"Right there." Keith pointed to a dome-shaped building about three stories high thaat was on the main street. This was the Pokemon Center, as Keith knew from the last time he had visited Violet City. "Let's head over." The four trainers continued down the hill until they reached the building. They walked in front of the glass door, which automatically slid open. Inside was a lounge and a healing center in one big room.
"Yo, Keith!" A girl with blue hair, a blue cape, and a black jumpsuit stood at a table. Keith recognized her immediately as his aunt, Clair, the Blackthorn City Gym leader.
"Aunt Clair? What are you doing here?" Keith asked.
"Your dad wanted me to give you something." She handed him a Pokeball. "It's a Dratini. Your dad said that you need a dragon Pokemon if you want to be a Pokemon Master.
"Wow, a Dratini." Keith clipped the Pokeball to his belt, next to Totodile. "Which becomes..."
"Yes. You can truly rule the battlefield with a dragon Pokemon. Train Dratini well" Clair suddenly dissappeared in a swirl of black.
"Who was that?" Stephen and the others walked up to Keith. "What's that Pokeball she gave you?"
"It's a Dratini." Keith threw the Pokeball into the air. When the red flash of light cleared away, a small, blue, snake-like Pokemon appeared It had large eyes and a huge, white, round nose.
"Draa! Tini!" Dratini wiggled itself into the air. Lightning sparks flew from the antenna on its head (I can't remember, do Dratini have an antenna?). Sparks flew from Pikachu, as well, as it greeted its new friend.
"Hello sir." The nurse behind thhe counter at the healing center said. "We can heal your Pokemon for you. Would you like us to heal your Pokemon?"
"Only Pikachu. He's the only one who needs healing." Keith handed Pikachu to the nurse, and sat down at a table to wait. His three friends joined him.
"So, when are you going to challenge the gym?" Vince asked. "I hear that Falkner, the Gym Leader here, used flying Pokemon. Your Pikachu could have an advantage with its electric attacks."
"True, but I can't win on type advantages alone." Keith closed his eyes, thinking of a strategy to beat Falkner.
"Excuse me sir," The nurse walked up to Keith. "Your Pikachu is fully healed. We hope to see you again!" Pikachu energetically hopped onto Keith's shoulder.
"So, shall we go?" Keith asked the other three trainers.
"Ready. Say Keith, I heard there's this place in Violet called Sprout Tower where people train. I think we should go there." Vince looked up from his trainer's pocket handbook. "Your Pokemon could get a real workout there. The trainers who hang at Sprout Tower are real tough."
"No fooling? I'd better go pay them a visit."
"Okay, just follow Main Street..." Vince was glued to his handbook.
"Dude, Vince, it's okay. It's just over there. You don't need that handbook for everything."
"Heh, sorry, just getting a little carried away." The four friends walked down the street until they reached the looming figure of the Sprout Tower. It was a huge stone building with gigantic wooden doors. Keith pushed the doors open, and the four trainers walked inside to find themselves in a huge atrium, with a wooden pillar, rocking back and forth, dominating the atrium.
"What's causing that?" Stephen asked.
"According to the handbook, nobody knows why the pillar rocks back and forth. Some say it's the spirit of a Bellsprout wrapped around the pillar, others say it's people training upstairs.
"Speaking of training, I'm going to go have myself a battle." Keith said. "Say, how about I battle one of you guys?"
"Say, how about me?" Jordan said. "We both have three Pokemon."
"Hold it!" An old man wearing a brown robe walked up to to them. "If you are going to battle, you must battle upstairs."
"Okay, fine." Keith, Jordan, and the others followed the old man up several flights of stairs until they reached the top, which was an open-air arena. There were wooden benches on the sides so spectators could watch the battles from the sides. The entire arena was made of wood, with stone walls on the sides.
"The battle between Jordan Long and Keith Silverwing will now commence, the elderly man said. "Each trainer will use only one Pokemon. Let the battle begin."
"I choose to use Dratini." Keith unclipped Dratini's Pokeball. A red wave of light splashed out, and when the light cleared, Dratini appeared. It wiggled around, and electric sparks flew from its head.
"Bulbasaur, go!" Jordan said. He threw his Bulbasaur's Pokeball onto the arena, and Bulbasaur popped out.
"Dratini, wrap attack!" Keith said. Dratini practically flew at Bulbasaur, and wrapped itself around its head. Bulbasaur was suffocating. "Now, slam!" Dratini jumped into the air, tail still wrapped around Bulbasaur, and crashed into the ground. Bulbasaur was down, but not out.
"Hang in there, Bulbasaur. Vine whip." Jordan called. Bulbasaur managed to extend vines from the bulb on its back, and whipped Dratini continuously. Dratini was forced to let go.
"Dratini, thunder wave!" Dratini's antennae sparked, and released a wave of electricity at Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur cried out, and fell.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle. The victory of this battle goes to Keith and Dratini."
"Great battle. You really tired out Dratini." Keith gave Jordan a high-five. "You're pretty tough."
"Excuse me, young man. My name is Li. I saw you battling, and I wish to challenge you myself. I was once a trainer many years ago. But I haven't had a real battle since I was in my prime."
"The elder..." One of the spectators whispered to another. "He challenged that young boy..."
"Li, I greatfully accept your challenge." He shook hands with the elder.
"Shall we begin?" Li unclipped a Pokeball from his belt and enlarged it. "Bellsprout go!" He threw the Pokeball. In a red flash of light, a small green-and-yellow vine Pokemon appeared.
"Belll! Sprout" It said.
"Hah!" Keith laughed. "Bellsprout's no match for my Pokemon team!"
"Careful, Keith." Stephen said. "None of your Pokemon have an advantage against Bellsprout. Both Pikachu and Totodile are weak against grass-types."
"Like I said, you can't win on just type advantages. Dratini could hold its own against Bellsprout. Dratini, body slam!" Dratini jumped into the air, and fell right on the Pokemon. Dratini screamed, but held strong and unleashed a wave of fire at Bellsprout. Bellsprout recoiled and fell to the ground.
"Flamethrower?" Keith scratched his head.
"Those aren't just any flames, Keith." Vince said from the sidelines. "That's dragonbreath."
"Dratini knows dragonbreath?" Keith thought out loud. "Dratini can only learn dragonbreath at such a young age through breeding... I wonder what other attacks Dratini knows."
"Bellsprout is unable to battle. Dratini wins the first round." Said the referee.
"Hahahaha." Li cackled as he recalled Bellsprout into its Pokeball. "Don't forget, I have other Pokemon. Hoothoot, go!" He threw another Pokeball onto the field. A small, owl-like Pokemon burst out.
"Hoo-hoo!" Hoothoot hooted. "Hoot!"
"Ha! that pathetic thing?" Keith laughed.
"You mustn't forget," Li said all-knowingly. "You should never judge a book by its cover."
"Since Hoothoot is a flying type, I should use Pikachu. Dratini, return." Keith recalled Dratini to its Pokeball and unclipped Pikachu's Pokeball. "Pikachu, go." He threw Pikachu's ball onto the field, and Pikachu appeared. "Pika!" Sparks shot out of Pikachu's tail.
"Pikachu, use thundershock on that Hoothoot!"
Pikachu jumped into the air and pressed its hands to its cheeks. Pikachu was surrounded by sparks, and suddenly, it released a high-voltage electric shock to Hoothoot. Hoothoot flew up in an attempt to avoid the attack, but was struck head-on. Yellow light flashed all around Hoothoot, who fell to the ground. It got up quickly, though, and began pecking at Pikachu. Pikachu tried to push Hoothoot away over and over.
"Keep pecking that Pikachu!" Li said. "Hahahaha! Now do you take back what you said, young Keith?"
"Pikachu, shock wave attack!" Keith smirked.
"Pika-pika-CHUUUUU!" A sphere of blue light, yellow sparks crackling around it, encased Pikachu. The sphere began to expand, and hit Hoothoot. Hoothoot was sent flying, and landed just inches away from the edge of the sixteen-story ancient tower.
"Hoothoot is unable to battle." The reff said. "The victor of this round is Pikachu."
What Pokemon is he going to use next? Keith thought.
"Weepinbell, go!" Li threw another Pokaball onto the field. A Pokemon much like Bellsprout, only slightly larger, appeared on the field.
"Pikachu, use double team!" Keith said. Pikachu suddenly split into two, then four, then eight.
"Wow, daddy. That kid has eight Pikachu." Said a boy watching the match.
"Sshh, Joey. It's only an illusion." Said the boy's father.
"Weepinbell, razor leaf attack." Li said quietly, eyes closed. The leaves on Weepinbell's head released, and circled the field, hitting all eight of the Pikachu. Suddenly, one of the Pikachu fell in pain after being hit by the razor leaf attack. The other Pikachu dissappeared at this.
"Now, Pikachu, agility!" Pikachu dissappeared into the air, and reappeared on the other side of the battlefield.
"Quit playing." Li growled. "Weepinbell, vine whip." Weepinbell extended the vines on its sides, and lashed them at Pikachu, who suddenly disappeared again. The vines turned around, and struck Weepinbell, who shrieked its high-pitched cry as it was hit with its own attack. The vines wrapped around the Pokemon, and there wasn't enough time for Weepinbell to free itself before Keith gave the order to K.O. Weepinbell with a quick attack. Pikachu appeared right next to Weepinbell and kicked it. The hit caused the vine Pokemon to fly into the sidelines, just narrowly missing Vince.
"It's not very often that I am defeated in a Pokemon battle." Reached into his pocket. "Please take this as a token of my appreciation." He handed him a small blue card. "It allows you entry to the South Johto Amateur Championships in Azalea Town. I hope to see you there."
"Wait--so I can actually compete?"
"That pass is only one of the requirements." Li looked at Keith. "You must also have two Gym badges to ensure that you're strong enough to compete." Li walked down the stairs.
"Wow...do you guys have passes too?" Keith asked the guys.
"We got them back in Cherrygrove City." They all showed Keith their cards.
"So I might be battling you guys." Keith grinned.
"Wow, it's already lunchtime." Stephen said as he looked down at his watch. "I'm getting hungry. what about you guys?"
"No kidding." Jordan sighed. "I'm starving."
"According to the guidebook--" Vince started.
"Forget the book. My cousin works at this great place called Slowking's Barbecue. I went there last time we came to Violet City to visit him. They've got really good pork ribs. Mmm-mmm-mmm..." Keith closed his eyes and started thinking about barbecue.
"Ribs do sound good just about now." Vince said, looking up from the guidebook. "Sounds better than Shellder's Seafood Sloop, which was the guidebook's number 1 choice."
"It's a good thing I stopped you, huh?" Keith told Vince as they walked back down the stairs.
"No kidding. I hate seafood."
"Me too." Jordan chimed in.
"Me three." Keith said.
After walking down three flights of stairs, the four friends were at ground level, at the busy intersection of Vulpix Drive and Central Avenue.
"Look, there's the Violet City Gym." Stephen pointed off into the fog, where the four could barely make out a huge tower, in the foreground of a dim outline of a chain of mountains.
"What are those mountains up there?" Jordan asked.
"That's the Mountain Road." Keith looked closely at the mountains. "Blackthorn City's way up there. That's where my aunt Clair lives."
"Was she the one who gave you the Dratini?" Vince asked.
"Yeah that was her. She's the last gym leader of the Johto region. She uses Dragons, just like my dad. The whole Silverwing family uses Dragon-types. And I'm carrying on that tradition with Dratini. But I don't want to train just dragons. That's why I'm also training Pikachu and Totodile."
"Pika pika!" Pikachu exclaimed. "Chu!"
"Hey you!" A brown-haired kid walked up to Keith. "Did you say that you're Clair's nephew?" He looked a little younger than Keith, about twelve years old.
"Yeah. and I'm Lance's son."
"Seriously?" He grew wide-eyed. "Wow...this might sound kinda dumb, but...I... challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"
"No problem." Keith thought for a moment, and decided to use Totodile, since he hadn't used him in a while. "Totodile, go!"
"Okay...Elekid, go!" The boy unclipped a custom pokeball that was yellow with black lightning bolts. The ball opened to reveal a tiny pokemon that had what appeared to be prongs from an outlet plug on its head.
"Bee bee!" It quacked happily. It raised a fist into the air.
"Huh?" Keith consulted his Pokedex.
Elekid, the Electric Pokemon.
Elekid is the baby form of Electabuzz, and can store three-fourths as much power as its evolved form.
"Wow, a baby electabuzz." Keith thought. "Totodile's weak against Elekid, so I've got to think up a strategy...I know! Totodile, use Mega punch!" Totodile charged toward Elekid at full speed, hitting it with a straight-arm punch. Elekid was sent flying down the sidewalk.
"Now, bite attack!" Totodile continued its vicious attack, biting Elekid in the head over and over.
"Elekid, thundershock!" The boy commanded, and Elekid's head prongs flared yellow-blue, and attempted to zap Totodile with a thundershock.
"Totodile, no! Ice beam!" Tododile blew a straight beam of ice forward, which not only stopped the thunderbolt, but also completely surrounded Elekid in a block of ice.
"Elekid, use thunder!!" Elekid, surprisingly, came to inside the ice block, and broke it apart with its fists. its fists surrounded with yellow electricity, as did the prongs on the tip of its head.
"Totodile, whirlpool!" Keith yelled to Totodile, who nodded back. It released jets of water out of its mouth while spinning around. The jets surrounded Elekid, trapping him in the vortex. Elekid released his thunder attack, but since Elekid was in the whirlpool, nobody could see what was going on except for yellow sparks flying from the top of the swirl. By the time that the whirlpool cleared away, Elekid was on the ground, fainted.
"Elekid! No!"
"I--I don't understand. what happened?"
"What happened?" Vince asked.
"Totodile's whirlpool conducted Elekid's thunder, and Elekid ended up electrocuting itself."
"Good thinking, Keith!" Jordan shouted out.
"Hah, but...can you handle my next Pokemon?" The boy took out another Pokeball, this one was decorated white with red flames. "Charmander, go!" He shouted. His Charmander, a red, lizardlike Pokemon with a flame on its tail, popped out.
"Char! Char!" It cried.
"Hah! A fire-type. Totodile, water gun!"
"Charmander, dodge it!" The boy commanded, and Charmander jumped to avoid the jet of water Totodile released. "Now, fury swipes!" Charmander lunged at Totodile and started slashing away at it, forcing Totodile back. It finally fell back, making it a victim to Charmander's attacks. "Finich it with bite attack!" Charmander bit Totodile in the shoulder and Totodile, already weak from Charmander's fury swipes, fainted from the attack.
"Totodile...no!" Keith recalled Totodile to its Pokeball and sent his second Pokemon, Pikachu, out. "Pikachu, thundershock!" He commanded, and Pikachu charged forward and zapped Charmander with a full-power electric charge. Charmander fell back into the gravel, apparently knocked out, but then it raised its head and released a force of flames at Pikachu. Pikachu dodged, and the flames just barely skimmed Pikachu's tail. "Pikachu, quickattack!" Keith shouted, and Pikachu lunged at Charmander, and as Charmander was about to use fury swipes, Pikachu disappeared and reappeared right behind Charmander. Charmander, still dazed and confused from the thundershock, didn't realize Pikachu's tricky tactics, and fell face forward when Pikachu kicked it in the back. Charmander was K.O.'d.
"Ha! Now you're toast."
"Not quite." The boy took out his last Pokeball and threw it. "Bagon, go!" (A/N: The first Hoenn Pokemon we've seen so far) A small dragonlike Pokemon emerged from the red aura of light.
"That pathetic thing?" Keith checked its Pokedex.
Pokemon unknown. Was the Pokedex's reply.
"Hmm... Guess I'll have to rely on my own stragegy. That must be a dragon-type. I can tell by looking at it. Pikachu's thundershock is weak against dragon-types. I'll have to resort to its other moves...Pikachu, use quick attack!" Pikachu flew at Bagon, and just like what happened Charmander, Bagon was caught off-guard when Pikachu slammed into its back. It let out a squeal, but helt its ground.
"Bagon, ember!" The boy said, and Bagon Let out a bunch of small flames which surrounded Pikachu. Pikachu was hit by the flames, and suffered a serious burn. "Your Pikachu was burned. It won't be able to use its most powerful attacks."
"Gyaah--!" Keith was dumbfounded.
"Finish it, Bagon, with headbutt!" Bagon hit Pikachu right in the stomach with its rock head, causing the little electric mouse Pokemon to faint.
"I'm down to one Pokemon, and it's a dragon too." Keith said with a slight smile. "Dragons are weak to dragon-type moves. Dratini, go!" Keith threw his last Pokeball onto the field, and Dratini, the little blue dragon Pokemon, squirmed out.
"A dratini." The boy grinned. "Perfect."
So, Dratini and Bagon are neck-and-neck. Who will win this epic Dragon-vs-Dragon match? Find out in the next episode of Johto League: Keith's Story!