Chapter 7--Willow vs. Misty

Willow yawned. It was very late, and she still hadn't reached Cerulean City. Where could it be? Just as she said that, Willow walked straight into a road sign.

"Cerulean Cape--the Lighthouse of Cerulean City. That must mean we're really close!" Willow hurried across a short bridge and into the Pokemon Center. There would be time to look at the lighthouse, and face the Gym Leader, tomorrow...after she got some sleep.

Willow lay down on her bed in the Pokemon Center. Long after she was fast asleep, Lunus stayed by the window, watching the moon. He sighed. Tomorrow would be a long day, and Willow would surely need him against the Gym Leader's powerful water-types. He too finally fell asleep in a pool of soft moonlight.

Willow sat up and stretched. After a night's rest, she was ready to face a Pokemon battle in Cerulean Gym! She hurried next door, but as she walked toward the Gym door, she tripped!

Looking down, Willow saw a wide, perfectly circular hole in the ground. She couldn't imagine what might have made it. She shrugged, then looked up. The thing she had tripped over was actually a sleeping person, sprawled across the doorstep of the Gym.

"Excuse me, but could you please move? I'm here for a Pokemon battle." The man continued to sleep. He seemed very young, but his age was impossible to guess. Willow shook him. "Sir, I need to get by!" Still, he slept on.

"Rafael, go! Wake that man up, but don't hurt him."

Rafael looked questioningly at Willow, but did as she asked. "Chu!"

The man's eyes opened. He yawned slowly. Looking at Willow, he said in a kind but sleepy voice, "Oh, hello." His eyes began to close again.

Willow sighed. "Sir, I need to get by! Will you please move?"

Without opening his eyes, he spoke again. "When you battle Misty, be careful. She has a Pokemon that can absorb electrical currents, and the platforms may not support heavier Pokemon. Believe in yourself, Willow, and you'll do fine." As Willow walked into the Gym, she wondered how the man knew her name.

Willow stepped forward. The Gym was enormous! The walls were lined with tanks full of water Pokemon. Misty must have lots of powerful Pokemon if she had captured all of these...Willow finally reached the Pokemon Battle Arena. To her surprise, it was a giant swimming pool!

"Oh, no! Water Pokemon have the advantage in this gym. It looks like I won't be able to use Lunus after all..."

Misty stood up on the far trainer platform. "I see you like my Gym. You're right: water Pokemon have the advantage here. There are platforms floating on the water for other types of Pokemon, but I've got a feeling that it's not going to matter. We can use three Pokemon each. Are you ready?"

Willow nodded, and Misty took out a Pokeball. "Go! Staryu!" Willow thought for a moment. Lunus wouldn't have enough room to move on the platform, but Rafael might be light enough... "Go! Rafael!"

"Pika!" Rafael balanced carefully on the platform.

"Hah! You think your electricity will fry my Staryu? You're wrong!"

Willow frowned. What could Misty mean? "Rafael, use your Thundershock!" Bolts of electricity shot toward Staryu, but...

"Staryu, dive underwater!" The electricity hit the steel sides of the tank. "Okay, Staryu, tackle it from underwater!"

Rafael was almost knocked off the platform! "Rafael, are you all right? We'll have to think of a new strategy!" Willow looked at the arena. As long as Staryu was underwater, there was no way for Rafael to hit it. Unless... "Rafael, put your tail in the water and use Thundershock!"

Rafael's electricity began to flow into the water. Willow smiled. Now they would win for sure! But Misty was too fast. "Staryu, hit Pikachu before it can attack!"

"Rafael, look out!" Rafael hopped backwards. There was no way for Rafael to transfer his electricity into the water as long as Staryu was on guard. If only Rafael could electrocute the water without touching it! Willow stamped her foot. To her surprise, it made a slight ringing sound. She looked down.

Of course! The arena floors and walls were made of steel--and metal conducts electricity too! Willow looked at Misty's shoes. Good, both of them were wearing sneakers. They wouldn't be harmed by the electricity because of the rubber in their shoes.

"Rafael, listen! Lay on the floor! Okay, now use Thundershock again!" Rafael did as Willow asked. The electricity from his cheeks flowed through the platform and into the water. Before long, the outer walls were sparking too.

"Staryu, return! Go...Golduck!" Willow held her breath. If she was right, the Golduck would be shocked the moment it entered the water.

Suddenly, Misty also realized this. "Golduck, stay on the platform! The webbing between your toes is a lot like rubber; as long as you don't touch the water, you should be all right." Sure enough, Misty was correct. Golduck's skin absorbed the electric current in the platform. Unless he somehow got wet, he wouldn't be harmed. "Golduck, water gun! Keep going!"

Golduck shot out a stream of water. Willow, thinking quickly, waited until it had almost reached Rafael. "Rafael, lie flat!" The stream of water missed Rafael and hit the wall, causing electricity to flow through the powerful water gun--straight to Golduck.

"Oh, no! Golduck, return! You may have beat me that time, but this Pokemon might surprise you. Go! Quagsire! Dive into the water!"

Willow gasped. What could Misty be thinking? As Quagsire hit the water, electricity flowed into it. Misty laughed at Willow's surprised expression. "Don't you know that Quagsire has two types? It's half rock-type! I taught my Quagsire to absorb electricity so I could beat electric Pokemon. Your Pikachu wasn't hurt by touching the metal platform before because its body can handle a strong electric current. But now, it's just a big battery for Quagsire to suck all the power out of!"

"No! Rafael, return now! What Pokemon can I use? None of my Pokemon can beat that thing..." Willow looked at the water. All the electricity was gone now. Misty had said that Quagsire was half rock-type. Obviously, it wasn't affected by being in the water, but maybe... "Go! Fins! Use your water gun now!"

Misty smiled. "Quagsire is a water Pokemon. That won't do much damage!"

"What? I thought it was half rock type!"

"True, but Quagsire is resistant to both water and electric attacks. Your Horsea is finished. Quagsire, use Body Slam!"

Fins collapsed. "Fins, return! Now what do I do? Lunus is too heavy for the platform, and Sleet can't beat that thing! Smokey would get shot out of the air by its rock-type moves. I have no Pokemon that can beat that thing..."

Suddenly, a small voice nudged her mind. What about me? I could do it. Come on, let me try!

"Well...okay, Katsu..." Mew3 popped out of its Pokeball.

"Huh? What's that thing?"

Willow smiled. "'That thing' is Mew3. Katsu! Use your Psychic attack!"

The battle was over in no time. See? Didn't I tell you I could do it?

"Good job, Katsu. I'm proud of you."

Misty shook Willow's hand. "You fought a great battle, Willow. Using your Pikachu like that was really smart. You've earned the Cascade Badge!" Willow smiled. Another badge! Well, they were getting there.

Outside the Gym, the sleeping man smiled. Willow must be special indeed. It's not every trainer that Matt takes an interest in. An elongated, blue-green head resembling an alligator's slowly peeked out of the hole beside him.

"Rain. Rainer, rain rain."

He nodded. "You're right, Rainer. She is a powerful trainer. The question is, how powerful?"