Chapter 23: Saffron City

After two weeks of traveling (they got lost), the trio finally made it to Saffron.

"I'm a little nervous. I heard the gym leader was merciless." Marie admitted.

"I can do it." Aaron bragged.

"Right." She agreed sarcastically.

"You don't think I can do this." Aaron saw right through her.

"Of course not. Sabrina is tough."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough. Here's the gym." Andy said.

"C'mon guys. Lets' go in." Aaron said.

"Pikachu Pika." (I don't like this)

0000

Inside the gym, it was a little dark.

"I really don't feel good about this." Andy said.

"Me too." Marie agreed.

"I feel fine." Aaron said.

SPLASH

"AGGGGHHHH!"

"What's wrong Andy?" the younger trainers asked as they turned around.

They saw immediately what was wrong. Andy was soaked to the bone with water. And being a fire trainer, he was not happy.

"Does this explain it?" Andy asked pointing to his wet shirt.

"Yes it does." Aaron said.

"Haunt Haunt" (Hello)

Andy turned white as he saw a purple pokemon floating behind Aaron and Marie.

"Guys. Behind you." He whispered.

The younger trainers turned around and saw the pokemon.

"Haunter. The Gas Pokemon. Its tongue is made out of gas. If licked its victim starts shaking constantly until death eventually comes."

Just then, the Haunter licked Marie. After it did that, she went ridged.

"She's just paralyzed" Andy told Aaron.

"Think we can leave her?" Aaron joked.

"Cute." Andy said sarcastically.

"Haunter Haunter" (Ha Ha)

"He thinks that's funny." Aaron said pointing to the Haunter.

After they revived Marie, Aaron was regretting it.

"WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT LEAVING ME AARON KETCHEM?"

"I was only joking Marie." Aaron defended himself.

"Welcome" a female voice said.

"Who said that?" Andy asked.

"I did." A girl with long black hair and green highlights said coming up to the gang. "I am sorry about Haunter. He likes to play pranks."

"It's ok." Aaron said.

"Speak for yourself. You didn't get licked nor had water bombs thrown on you." Andy said.

"Here." The girl said as she concentrated and a towel came floating towards Andy.

"Thanks." Andy said.

"Cool" Aaron stated.

"I'm Sabrina. The Saffron gym leader. Of course I'll accept your offer Aaron Ketchem."

"How did you know my name?" Aaron asked.

"She's psychic you idiot." Marie stated.

"Oh."

0000

Aaron did not find the battle as easy as he thought. Static fainted after Kadabra used Recover after a Thunder attack and then used Psychic.

"I'll never defeat her." Aaron moaned in the pokemon center.

"Don't be so sure. I'm sure a ghost pokemon can beat her psychic pokemon." Andy said.

"And we'd be able to find some ghost in Lavender." Marie added a little nervous.

"I thought we weren't heading to Lavender until AFTER I win the badge." Aaron said.

"Well, we might as well check out the route." Andy said.

0000

Three days later,

"Here we are. Lavender Tower. Home to ghost Pokemon." Andy said.

"Great." Marie said unsure.

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked.

"Nothing." She said her voice going up an octave.

"Ok. Let's go in." He started to walk in before realizing he was the only one moving.

"Have fun." Andy told him.

"Don't make me do this alone." Aaron begged.

"I'm not going into a haunted tower. I'm going into a…research lab" Marie told herself.

"What's wrong with you?" Aaron asked.

"There are three things that are the most horrible things in the world according to me." She told him.

"Besides you, what are the others?" Aaron asked.

"Very funny." She said sarcastically, "Squash, Green beans, and Ghosts."

"Really? Well, I like squash, green beans, and ghost." Aaron told her. "I suppose you don't HAVE to come in if you don't want to."

"I'll stay here and keep her company." Andy volunteered.

"Pikachu" (Me too)

"Oh no you don't Static. I need SOMEONE to help me capture a ghost." Aaron told the electric mouse.

0000

Inside the house,

"Ok. Dark and scary. HELLO!"

0000

"There he is." A male voice said.

"And there is his Pikachu." A female voice added.

"On the count of three. One. Two…" the male said.

"Gengar!" (Boo!)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

CRASH

BANG

THUMP

"Did Team Rocket just come out of the ceiling and through the floor?" Aaron asked Static.

"Pikachu pika" (Sounded like them)

"Gengar Gengar!" (Ha Ha)

"Gengar. The Shadow Pokemon. To steal the life of its target, it slips into the preys shadowand silently waits for an opportunity."

"Gastly" (There's another playmate)

"Gastly. The Gas Pokemon. Its thin body is made of gas. It can envelop an opponent of any size and cause suffocation."

"Hi." Aaron said a little uneasy.

"Gastly Gastly?" (Doesn't he look like that other trainer?)

"Gengar. Gen gar gengar" (Yeah. Let's see if he thinks we're funny.)

After they did their routine, Aaron and Static looked at each other.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Aaron asked them. "Because it's not working"

After the ghosts went through the floor heartbroken, Aaron dove for them. Because he missed, the vibrations knock down the chandelier that had been replaced. It came crashing down on the trainer and the Pikachu who had run to its trainer's side.

TBC

A/N: Ha Ha! Cliffie.