Here's the next chapter; almost completely based on the episode "The School of Hard Knocks", with a little comedy and rivalry. I don't own Pokemon, have fun!
Chapter 13: School Of Hard Knocks
Continuing onward, Ash and his friends take a break from their Pokemon journey in the middle of nowhere. Misty stays behind with Brock at camp, while Angelina goes off with Ash in a dark and foggy forest.
"Here firewood!" Ash calls hopefully, "Here firewood!"
"Ash, we are looking for firewood, not a lost Pokemon." Angelina said scathingly.
"Pika-pi-pikachu," interrupts Pikachu, pointing into the distance.
Ash and Angelina look in surprise at the bright light that was right in front of them the entire time. "Hey! Looks like a fire!"
"Doesn't look like it to me," Angelina said, disturbly. "Stay here, I'll go see what's going on." She walked onward and discovered a young boy dressed in a blue uniform running on a track machine as other boys surrounding him; wearing the same uniform and holding candles.
"All right, what's the name of this one?" asked a boy with red hair, holding up a picture of a Pidgey.
"Is it Zubat?" the brown-haired boy on the treadmill asked.
"Listen," growls a green-haired boy nastily, "Just because it's foggy out here doesn't mean your brain has to be in a fog."
The brown-haired boy's eyes narrow, "It's a Pidgey!"
"Nice guess, you just got lucky." said the green-haired boy.
"Okay, now tell us what Pidgey's special attack is?" the red-head asked.
"Pidgey's attack is... Gust... at level 5, Sand-Attack... at level 12..." the boy replied.
"Everyone knows that." snapped the red-head. " Now, can you jest tell us what level Pidgy evolves and what's the name of the advanced stage?"
"Umm…." the brown-boy struggles to remember.
"You better come up with answers quick or you have to run faster." warns the green-haired boy.
The struggle of thinking and running at the same time becomes too much for the brown-haired boy, and he ends up tripping and collapsing to the ground.
"I'm sorry, I forgot."
"You forgot, huh?" the red-head looks on in disgust. "And you call yourself a Pokemon Tech Student? Well, we don't wanna study with the likes of you!"
Angelina growls, she was about to tell off the boys, but thought otherwise as she saw Ash running forward.
"Hey leave that kid alone!" Ash yells and skids to a stop. "What's going on?"
"There's nothing going on here," smiles one of the smooth older students, "Mind your own business, this is a private training session."
"There's no room in our Pokemon school for losers who don't even know Pidgey's evolved stage." explains the green-haired boy. "We have to maintain standards."
"I don't know about this school, but if it's turning out students like you, I'd have to say the standards are pretty low." Ash opinionated.
"Bunch of wimps, if you ask me," Angelina added.
"Just who are you calling wimps?" the red-haired boy asked.
"No one disses our school!" the green-haired boy warned.
"I wasn't dissing your school!" Angelina insisted. "But if brats like you are the result, I'm going to have to jump to the conclusion that this school sucks!"
"That's right! You tell 'em!" Misty encourages.
"Misty!" Ash looks on in surprise.
"You better stop bullying that kid or you're gonna have to answer to us!" Misty warns, then looks to Ash and Angelina. "Isn't that right, you guys?"
"Yeah," Angelina grinned.
"Misty, you stay out of this." Ash said furiously. "Leave it to me."
"You're right, Ash." Misty agreed. "There's no reason for the three of us to get into a fight."
"You're on you own, Ash." Angelina bailed on him.
"It's very brave for you to take on all five by yourself!" Misty smirked as Ash realizes that he's facing off five bigger-looking kids. "We'll be here on the side-lines cheering you on, waiting to drag your carcass away at the end. Show them you're a man, Ash!"
"We don't fight," said the red-head boy.
"Fighting is for cavemen." explained the green-haired boy. "This isn't the stone age, ya know!"
"And if we wasted our time having a fight with a little insect like you, it'd just make Pokemon Tech look really bad." a black-haired boy added in.
"What about a mental battle?" Angelina commented
"Those are acceptable." said another boy.
"We'll see you back at the Tech, Joe." the red-head boy said to the brown-haired boy, then walked away with the others.
"Hey, maybe you cowards are just afraid to fight someone like me!" Ash yelled.
"The only thing we're afraid is how badly we'd beat a little punk like you." the red-haired boy laughed.
The boys finally left, Joe and Ash (and Angelina) watch.
"Who do those guys think they are?" Ash demanded.
"So those are the infamous tech students," Brock mutters, appearing to the left of Angelina, mixing his ingredients in his bowl.
"Tech Students?" Ash inquired.
"Pokemon Tech, I think it's short for Pokemon Technical, a school for Pokemon Trainers. I know I have a flyer in here somewhere." Misty answered as she digged through her pockets and ruffles about until she finds what she was looking for, "Yeah, here it is." she pulls out a flyer advertising the Tech.
Ash peers over, "Why do they have a Pokemon School out in the middle of no where?"
Brock rudely pulls the flyer out of Misty's hand. "Pokemon Technical Institute, a boarding school for serious Pokemon Trainer presentation. All students guaranteed to enter into the Pokemon League upon graduation. Pokemon Technical is the educational facility for exceptional students who want to become Pokemon Trainers in a very short time without having to travel on difficult badge collecting journeys. Oh, so that's the story."
Ash and Misty continue to ignore Joe, and Angelina is trying the best she can to read over Brock's shoulder.
"Getting into the Pokemon League without badges is too easy," Ash whines.
"Wait, there's more," Brock tells them, "Student's entrance fees and tuition are in keeping with the high standards set by Pokemon Technical."
"You know what that means, don't you?" Misty asks Ash excitedly, "It's one of those snobby private schools only millionaire's kids can go to."
"Oooh, that really makes me mad!" Ash said angrily. "Where is this place anyway?"
"Right over there," Joe points out as the fog conveniently rolls away to reveal that they're standing, and surrounded on three sides, by the school itself.
"Today's special class, fog battle techniques, is now ended. Tomorrow's lesson will be snow competition secrets!" announces a teacher over the loudspeaker.
Joe sighs, "Oh well, I guess tomorrow they'll turn me into a snowman again!"
"Do they treat you like that all the time?" Ash asked.
"My friends are just trying to help me," Joe defended.
"You call them friends?" Angelina said in disbelief.
"With friends like that, who need enemies," Brock said wisely.
"But they help me learn that Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at level 18, it learns Whirlwind at level 21, Wing Attack at level 31, and as it's level rises it learns various attacks. After evolving into Pidgeot, it can fly at 1200 meters and speeds up to Mach 2!" Joe explained.
"I don't get it," Ash said confusedly, "If you know everything about Pidgey, why didn't you just answer them before?"
"Sometimes I make believe that I don't know all the answers because if I do, they make all the questions that much harder, but I have to stay here at Pokemon Tech. My mother and father worked hard and saved money to pay and send me to school here." Joe explained, then turned his head and motioned to a guy sitting under a tree. He's studiously reading a book, wears great googly eyeglasses and has greyish hair with patches of stubble on his chin. "You see that guy over there, he's an Upper Class-Man. The classes are so hard here, some students are held back for many years, Everybody is too ashamed to go home without getting a diploma. That guys, he's in the beginners class with me."
"You're a beginner?" Ash asked.
"Beginners have the same qualifications as someone with two badges. The Intermediate Class has the qualifications of four, and Advanced Students have the same as six. If you graduate, you can enter the Pokemon League." Joe finished.
"Why would any one just sit in a seat all day, when there's a wide world to explore?" Angelina asked.
"I don't know. That guys a beginner, but he's so much older than every body else in the class the kids don't bother to help him like they help me." Joe said.
"What do the teachers say about that kind of help?" Misty asked.
"They don't even know about it, or if they do they pretend not to." Joe answered.
"Well I for one think this is a violation of student's rights that must stop immediately if not sooner!" Ash declared. "I want to meet the student in charge of this system and see that it stops!" He finishes, a pouty growl on his face.
Brock continues to calmly stir his mixture; while Angelina, Joe, Misty, and Pikachu look on confused.
"Ahhh," Joe mutters, reaching into his jacket pocket, "Here's a picture."
"It's a girl!" Misty asked, staring at photo of a pretty young girl with her back to the camera, face in profile as she chats with a friend.
"Oh yeah," Ash grins goofily, blushing, "You're right about that."
"She can violate my rights any day" Brock said, blushing just as foolishly.
"Hey!" Misty snaps angrily at Joe, "If she's making your life so miserable, how come you're carrying her picture around?"
"I hate the way she treats us," Joe admits pathetically, "But I love the way she looks."
"Alas, another victim of testosterone overload," Angelina said sadly.
"Yeah," Ash sighs, "Unlike some other girls who treat you bad and look even worse."
"Grrrr," Misty growls, then yells her head off at Ash and Brock, "WHILE YOU TWO ARE SLOBBERING OVER THAT DOPEY PICTURE I'M GONNA FIND THIS LITTLE WITCH AND STRAIGHTEN HER OUT!" she angrily stomps her way towards the main building of the Tech, muttering under her breath, "This top student, what's so great about her?"
"Hey Misty!" Ash gasps, "Wait up!"
"I wouldn't blame her," Angelina replied.
"Huh?" Ash looked back at her, confused. "For what?"
"And you don't know?" Angelina folded her arms, scolding. "She has the right to know why this 'Giselle' is the cause of downfalls here at Pokemon Tech."
"Right," Joe agreed. "Come on, I'll show you around!"
Joe has led Ash and friends into the school and to the training room, which looks like a big arcade.
"Giselle always practices here by herself. Even if you beat her in a fight, it won't matter to her. At the Tech, it's your skill as a Pokemon trainer that counts more than winning any one battle." Joe informed.
"That's what I'm hoping, because I got two badges!" Ash said, holding tow badges between two fingers on his hand.
"But Giselle is the top beginner here at the Tech, that's better than having three badges!" Joe continued. "Even though I'm at the bottom of my class, I'm still more powerful than someone with two badges."
Misty snaps and pushes Ash out of the way, "Hold on a second! I learned how to be a Pokemon Trainer at the Cerulean City Gym, are you saying you can beat me?"
"Ahhh," Joe smiled knowingly, "Cerulean City, Water Pokemon."
"How'd you know?" Misty asked.
"I always beat them on the simulator," Joe said, turning on one of the arcade machines and defeated a Starmie with a Weepinbell easily, "See."
"What is this?" Misty demanded, "A simulation is one thing, but this is real life. Let's battle!"
"You'll be sorry," Joe smiled.
Misty and Joe get ready to battle and stand opposite from each other. Angelina stands between them as referee, but off to the side, while Brock and Ash watch.
"What do you two have to battle for?" Ash asked.
"Butt out, Ash!" Misty said, "I have the Cerulean City Gym's reputation to defend, and I'm gonna defend it! Misty calls Starmie!"
"Too bad your Water Pokemon won't be able to defeat my plant." Joe took hold of a Pokeball and threw it. "All right Weepinbell, let's go!"
The grass-type Pokemon appeared with a "Bell!"
"I'll teach him about Pokemon!" Misty growled. "Starmie, go!"
The purple 7-sided star Pokemon gave a "Hi-ya!" and blasted water at Weepinbell dead-on and knocked it into the air.
"Huh? Oooh... but Weepinbell is strong against Water Pokemon!" Joe gasped in shock.
"True, but there's one thing you didn't know," says a sweet voice; belonging to a pretty girl no younger than Angelina and Misty wearing a tight-looking uniform with long black hair and three pieces of hair for bangs. "Your opponent's from the Cerulean City Gym, her Pokemon has much more experience battling. You should have known that, you're an embarrassment to the whole school."
"But Giselle," Joe gasped, the students from earlier stepped up behind Giselle.
"She's really pretty," Ash gushes, blushing madly with great big eyes.
"Yeah," Brock gushes right back, blushing as well, "She looks just like a movie star."
"I'm the top student in the beginning class of the most exclusive prep school in the world, Pokemon Tech. It's sad that others aren't blessed with my beauty, my talent, my humble attitude... people call me a star, but I'm just Giselle!" she giggles and poses.
"Is your face an identifying mark of sheer stupidity and ignorance?" Angelina stepped up and put on a very conceited look of her own. "It sure seems like it, especially in your case."
"Oh…" A murmur ran through the Pokémon Tech students. They said to each other, "Does someone dare insult Giselle?"
"What are you doing? Is that a challenge?" Giselle seemed angry, but kept her cool. "There's nothing more annoying than someone who just can't show her intelligence, that is, if she has any."
"Far from it, you incompetent geisha!" Angelina warned, pointing to Giselle's skirt. "Hasn't anyone in their right mind commented about how short you wear your skirt? It's as if you really want them to gawk at your bony features!"
"Your assumption is wrong! I only help my classmates be the very best they can be," Giselle admits, she turns to Joe, "To teach each other, respect each other, and ensure the Pokemon of tomorrow..." then she glares, "BUT YOU'RE A WEAKLING!"
"Uhhhh," Joe gasped.
"You better get stronger fast, or before you know it your fellow students will turn their backs on you... for good!" Giselle warned, turning slowly and walks away.
Angelina growls, but Misty interrupts, "Not so fast! A true friend wouldn't walk away from someone who needs their help... you may look beautiful, but you remind me of an old saying about how beauty's only skin-deep."
"Aheh," Giselle giggles, "Jealousy's not very pretty either, is it."
"I better do something!" Ash gasped to Brock, while Pikachu looks on in confusion at all this nonsense.
Brock whispered in Ash's ear. "Wise Pokemon Trainers never get involved in a cat-fight."
"Huh?" Ash asked, confused.
"Against your Water Pokemon, I choose Graveler!" Giselle grabs a Pokeball from a nearby rack and throws it. "Go!"
"Graveler, but rock Pokemon are weak against Water Pokemon!" Brock said.
"My Pokemon are at such an advanced stage, they can defeat Water Pokemon!" Giselle explains.
Graveler launched through the air and nearly landing on Starmie, which dodges just in time before firing a Water Gun Attack that Graveler rolls through, smashing into Starmie, and into it's jewel, sending it flying out the window to crash into the pool.
Misty stood in shock, just as Angelina was doing also, and staring out of the broken window at the pool.
Once everyone was outside, Misty hugs her damaged Starmie close.
"Now we're by the pool, your Pokemon's specialty. You can use a different water Pokemon if you like." Giselle offers, suggesting to continue the battle.
"Oh and I'm sure you'll chose another Pokemon that's weak against water!" Misty growls angrily.
"Pokemon are only as strong as the Trainer who raises them," Giselle grins, "A Pokemon that's weaker but better trained can still win... it depends on the Trainer... I hope you're learning something from this, Joe."
"UH!" Joe gasped succinctly.
"A Pokemon's Level of Training is just as important a factor as a Pokemon's Type in deciding a match," Giselle explains to Joe, "A First Class Pokemon Trainer can calculate that."
"WAIT A MINUTE!" Ash snapped, "There's more to Pokemon Training than calculating levels."
"Who are you?" Giselle asked.
"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet," Ash proclaims proudly. "And I already have two badges!"
"Aha," Giselle giggles arrogantly, "In other words, you're a beginner, and how long have you been trying to become a Pokemon Trainer?"
"Immmm," Ash mutters. "About two months I guess!"
"HHAHHHHHHHHH!" Giselle gasped in mock horror, lifting her hands to her face, "Two whole months and you still let your Pikachu walk free? You haven't even been able to tame it yet?"
"Pika?" Pikachu asked. (Huh?)
"Maybe your Pokemon are training you?"
"Chu?" (What?)
"I DON'T WANT TO TRAIN PIKACHU!" Ash screamed. "PIKACHU'S MY FRIEND AND SO ARE BUTTERFREE AND PIDGEOTTO!"
"Is that all you have?" Giselle asked.
"Huh?" Ash mutters.
"That's funny, because even new Pokemon Trainers usually have at least six Pokemon, and you got two Badges with only three," Giselle turns and mockingly asks the other students, "He sure was lucky, wasn't he!"
"Every one of mine has the power of two!" Ash growls angrily.
"I wonder," Giselle smirked. "With two months of Pokemon experience your Pikachu should be at least at level 25, but it's probably not there yet, is it?"
"Mmmmm," Pikachu growls.
"I suppose you didn't know very much about Pokemon if you picked a Pikachu as your first one, Pikachu tend to be hard to handle, it says so in any beginning Pokemon Manual." Giselle continues.
"Hmmm," Ash grunts in response.
"HAHH!" Giselle gasped in mock shock, "You really didn't know? And you still got two Badges! HOW FUNNY! A Pikachu evolves into an Electric Pokemon called Raichu; it gets to be about 2 feet 7 inches tall. Pikachu can shock you, but otherwise it's pretty cute, don't you think? so if you don't let them evolve, they make great pets, especially for little girls, but I'm sure you knew that? Didn't you? REALLY? You didn't? And you have TWO badges? AHAHAHAHAHA-AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
In the meanwhile, Angelina is just standing her guard and controlling her temper from telling off the young Tech-student.
"KNOCK IT OFF!" Ash screamed angrily, as Pikachu leaps high and lands before them in an angry, challenging pose, "Let's battle!"
"For your Pikachu, this should be more than a match!" Giselle pulls out a Pokeballs and throws it. "Cubone, go!"
"Cubone, bone, bone, bone, Cubone!" the lonesome skull-wearer Pokemon appeared, brandishing a bone weapon and ready for action.
"This Pikachu is my friend, and it's different from any other Pokemon!" Ash informed. "Pikachu, Shock Attack!"
"Pikaaaaaa!" Pikachu releases the electricity toward its opponent, but the attack was countered easily when Cubone whirls about it's bone and disperses the electricity.
"What/Pika!" Ash and Pikachu gawked.
"Pikachu can't shock it," grins Giselle as Pikachu and Ash look on in shock, "Cubone, start things off with your Leer Attack."
The skull-wearing Cubone Leers at Pikachu, which staggers back in shock from the horrors of direct eye contact.
"Pikachu, stare it down, like this!" Ash calls to his Pokemon, demonstrating a look as he pulls his face and sticks out his tongue.
Pikachu responds, pulling down it's cheeks and sticking out it's tongue which shocks the Leering Cubone. Both approach each other, one Leering, the other Funny-Facing, till they're only inches apart.
"Cubone!" Giselle cried, "Bone Club, now!"
Cubone lifts up it's bone and conks Pikachu right on the head, making it stagger about in a daze.
"HEY! That's not fair!" Ash growled.
"I'm not playing around," Giselle retorts, "This isn't a staring contest, this is a contest of power and skill between two Pokemon... Cubone, it's time for the Bone-Marang... NOW!"
"CUBONE!" Cubone agrees, and tosses out it's bone at Pikachu, "CU-BONE!"
The bone slams into the staggering Pikachu's head, knocking it over and possibly out.
"Ahhh! Pikachu!" Ash rushes to his Pokemon's side to see if it's okay. "Throwing that bone is a cheap way to win."
"Well that's Cubone's Special Attack, it's authorised by the Pokemon League and is a perfectly legal way to win," Giselle replied tartly.
"It's still a cheap trick," Ash grunts, then notes Pikachu is getting to it's feet, "Pikachu?"
"CUBONE!" Cubone screamed, throwing it's Bone again and smashing Pikachu backwards yet again, "CUUUUUUU-BONE!"
"AWWWW, PIKACHU!" Ash cries, as Cubone catches it's bone on the rebound.
"Calling it a cheap trick simply proves your own ignorance," Giselle smirked.
"Ahhhhh," Ash growls as Pikachu once again struggles to it's feet, "Hang in there Pikachu, if your opponents attack is authorized, then fighting back is too! Give it your best shot! Come on Pikachu!"
"Bone-Marang, now!" Giselle cries.
Pikachu leaps over the flying bone, bounces onto Cubone's head, spins around the skull so that it can't see and lands ready to fight as Cubone staggers about blindly.
"Go on Pikachu, give it everything you've got!" Ash cries, which is essentially an order to fight as dirty as possible.
Pikachu bites Cubone's tail, scratches madly at it's belly, kicks it in the face and spins about it's skull just in time for it to see the Bone Bone-Maranging back and smashing right into it's face.
Cubone slams onto it's bum, looks confused for a second then bursts into tears.
"WE DIIIIIIIID IT!" Ash screamed as he and Pikachu leap up the screen in a victory pose.
"Awesome job Ash," Angelina cheered. "You showed her!"
"I lost." Giselle collapses to her knees. She sighs and takes out a Pokeball, putting on a brave face and pretending to smile. "Cubone... good try. Come on back, don't cry... you'll be okay now." She looks over at Ash, "None of the textbooks ever mentioned a Pikachu winning anything other than electricity."
"That was a once in a lifetime battle," Joe agrees, impressed.
"And don't try and copy it!" Misty smirked. "It was just a fluke."
"It was a cool fluke, wasn't it," Joe grins.
"Yeah, you could say that," Angelina nodded.
"I can't believe I lost a match," Giselle sobs, then she opens her eyes and sees smoke rushing over everyone. "Huh?"
"Oh no, it's not-?" Ash gasped.
"Allow us to re-introduce ourselves!" says the familiar voices of Jessie and James, they appear as the smoke clears away.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie."
"James."
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."
"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-owth," screams the feline Pokemon, falling out of the sky and splashing into the pool before leaping out to pose between Jessie and James. "I love a splashy entrance!"
"I've heard of Team Rocket," Giselle grins, "You're the ones who got the worst grades ever on the entrance exam, how about your team versus our team?"
The tech boys and Giselle (including Joe) whip out their Pokeballs as well, and Team Rocket suddenly realize they're completely outnumbered.
"The two of us against all of them?" Jessie gasped.
"But the rules say one on one!" James cried.
"Bad guys don't play by the rules, get 'em!" Giselle said simply. She and the other tech boys are throwing their Pokeballs at Team Rocket; smashing them in the face, the arms, and the stomach.
"Too many Pokeballs!" Jessie yelled.
"We always play by the rules!" James said.
"At least for a little while!" Meowth cried.
"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" The trio takes off away from the school at a run.
Later on, everyone is off talking, except for Angelina, who sees Giselle sitting by the pool.
"There are some things you just can't learn in school," Giselle says with a smile, "And that's a good lesson."
"I'm going back home to start from scratch with my first Pokemon," Joe says, walking up behind her. "Just like Ash did... hey Giselle, maybe we'll meet someday in the Pokemon League."
"I hope so," Giselle smiles. "I'll try my hardest to be a worthy opponent if we do."
"All right if I keep your picture?" Joe asked.
"Sure, I have pictures of my friends too," Giselle added, as they look out at the sun setting.
"Huh? Do you have mine?" Joe asked.
"Sure, we're friends now aren't we?" Giselle asked, then holds out her hand. "Good luck, Joe."
"You too, Giselle." Joe nods.
They shake hands.
Angelina is standing with Ash and his two companions, she smiles upon watching. 'I'd rather see friends than rivals…. Maybe Ash and Misty would learn a lot from this….'
"See, why can't we be like them, Misty?"
"Huh? I'll tell you exactly why, because HE, doesn't owe, HER, a bike!" Misty shouted.
"Ah-hahahahaha!" Ash laughs, just as Giselle and Joe approach.
"So, maybe we'll battle each other again someday." Giselle said.
"I sure hope so," Misty replied.
"Me, too!" Ash said.
"Even I can't wait," Angelina smiled.
So as Ash and his friends journey on, they take one last look at the school where they learn so much.
§To Be Continued§
*Geisha means Japanese prostitute.
*Chapter based from episode "The School Of Hard Knocks"
*Jessie and James flunked out of Pokemon Tech in the past.
*Misty's Starmie knows Water Gun
*This is the only chapter which Brock falls for a girl who is younger than himself and Ash falls for a girl at all.
*The title is a reference to the saying "School of Hard Knocks"
*The weather conditions mentioned by the announcer at the beginning of the episode were both later introduced in the games: fog and snow.
*The battle simulator looks similar to the games.
So now chapter 14 is on the way, thanks for reading and stay tooned (lol)!