Note: This chapter is based on episode 9.
11: Giselle vs. Ash
Jessie looked from side to side as she walked with James and Meowth through the forest. They'd thought the fog had been lifting when they'd first set out, but they'd now reached a particularly foggy spot. They could hardly see from one side to the other. "Hey," Jessie began, leaning against a tree. "There's nothing here. Shouldn't we go back before we get lost?"
"No, I'm sure I saw those little twerps around here somewhere," Meowth insisted, looking forward with determination.
"I'm not as sure. They could have been some other kids," Jessie said.
The other two rockets stopped as she still didn't move. "They did have Pikachu," James pointed out. I'm sure they're around here somewhere. But maybe we should get some other pokemon in the meantime."
"You think?" Jessie looked up at the tree. They'd seen a weedle hanging down from one earlier. "How do you think the boss would react if we just showed up with a net full of untrained bug types?" Jessie forced a laugh, then shook her head. "No, it won't be good."
"I mean from other trainers, of course," James said. "No one else is out here, are they? We'll have our pick before any other agents."
Meowth sighed, relaxing as it lay down near Jessie. "Good idea, James. We can't just keep putting the boss off forever. When was the last time we got pokemon for him? We should grab some the next time we see some."
"I'm not sure saying it just to say it. There's a boy over there, I think he's a trainer," James informed, motioning ahead.
"Where?!" Meowth sat up. It got into position, spying the kid with Jessie and James, all three of them peeking from behind a tree.
The young boy in the uniform hunched on the ground as he leaned over the book in front of him, not noticing he was being watched at all. "Bulbasaur, ivysaur, venusaur. Squirtle, wartortle, blasturtle... Wait..." The boy paused, flipping through a book he held, not looking up at all.
"Yeah, he's yapping on about pokemon! I bet he's a trainer before, and all by himself. The little sap doesn't even notice us at all, let's go." Meowth hopped out from behind the tree, headed toward the kid.
Its teammates remained in place. "Wait," Jessie said.
"What is it?" Meowth demanded.
"That kid won't have any pokemon," Jessie replied.
"Oh." James had the same realization as he studied the boy's appearance closer.
"What makes you so sure? Let's shake him down and see," Meowth said.
"Trust me, he won't. That's a Pokemon Tech uniform," Jessie informed.
"It still looks the same, after all these years," James said with a melancholy smile.
"I knew we were close, but I didn't think this close," Jessie said. She exchanged glances with James before they looked to the ground.
"Pokemon Tech, I think I've heard of it," Meowth said, its face scrunching up as it observed the reading boy.
Let's just leave that poor kid alone," James suggested, turning and walking away.
"Makes sense to me." Jessie followed him.
"Hey, wait!" Meowth hopped up, running to keep up with the longer legged humans. "Why don't you two tell me your explanation for this."
Not far away, Ash wandered around with Pikachu. "Pika. Pika." The pokemon hopped around as Ash looked around the ground.
"Come on, Pikachu," he said. "You came with me, so help me, okay? Let's find some dry wood."
"Pika." Pikachu poked in the dirt instead. It eventually handed Ash a small twig. "Pikachu."
Ash sighed. He took it anyway. "Okay, Pikachu." He stood up and walked, looking at the ground before he noticed a person, a boy with well-combed hair and a fancy uniform. Ash straightened his own jacket, took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, then walked over. "Hey!" he greeted the other boy. His face fell as the kid didn't look his way. "Um, hello?" Ash said.
"Blastoise, blastoise, blastoise," the boy repeated.
"Blastoise is pretty cool," Ash replied, a confused look on his face. "Are you trying to be one?"
"Blastoise learns... Hydro pump. Water type move. It can also learn skull bash, normal type move," the boy muttered, turning from Ash with his face in a book.
"Do you have a blastoise? Do you want to battle?" Ash asked.
"Blastoise can withdraw... Withdraw is normal type, defensive."
"Oh yeah, I don't think my pikachu has many defensive moves. Do you, Pikachu?" Ash looked at the ground.
"Pikachu," Pikachu replied.
"Charmander, charmeleon, charstoise... No. No, no, no, that's not right," the boy said in frustration, putting his head down as he gripped his book tightly.
"Hey." Ash stepped closer to the uniformed boy. "It's charizard, right? Is there a mistake in here?" Ash tried to take the book, but the unknown kid only gripped tighter on it, pulling away from Ash.
"What are you doing?" the stranger demanded.
"I thought I was talking to you," Ash said.
"You're talking too much, and I don't have much time left! I have a test tomorrow, so leave me alone!"
"It's a pokemon test?" Ash asked.
"Leave me alone, go away!"
Taking the hint, Ash walked away, Pikachu following. "He's pretty uptight," Ash said with a frown. As he got back to the campsite, he dumped the few sticks he'd gotten on the pile, then sat down next to Misty, furrowing his brow as he folded his arms.
"Ash, that's not enough," Brock said. "Can you get more?"
"Yeah, okay. I met this weird kid," Ash said.
"How weird?" Misty asked, raising an eyebrow, looking up from the potatoes she'd been peeling.
"He had this book with pokemon stuff, and he kept talking about it. And he had this fancy uniform. It was a school uniform, but I think he was too old for school."
Misty placed the freshly peeled potato on the cutting board for Brock. "Oh, I wonder if it's a Pokemon Tech student."
"Pokemon what?" Ash asked.
"Pokemon Tech," Misty informed. "It's a specialized school to learn about pokemon training."
"Why do you have to learn about that?" Ash asked. "You just train pokemon, and that's how you learn. You don't have to go back to school to learn that."
"That's one way," Brock said as he began to chop the potato. "I prefer that way of qualifying for the league. Nothing beats hands-on experience in my book. But some of the Pokemon Tech graduates seem to be pretty astute competitors, so maybe there's something to their methods as well."
"Plus it's not like you can start as a pokemon trainer knowing nothing," Misty pointed out.
"I know, I mean, I tried to learn stuff before I became a trainer. It's just, he was just reading stuff in the book like a robot! It was so weird!" Ash exclaimed. "There's nothing he's going to learn about pokemon from acting like that."
Misty looked up, smiling. "They do have cute uniforms over at Pokemon Tech. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to go there."
"Why would you want to do that?" Ash asked.
"Listen, Ash," Misty began, standing up and putting a hand on her hip.
"You're gonna tell me to do something, huh?" Ash said, looking away.
"No, I just want you to think a little. Not everyone has a professor in their home town to sponsor them to become a pokemon trainer. Or, you know, grew up in a pokemon gym or something like me and Brock. For some people, Pokemon Tech is their only shot at getting their license and becoming a pokemon trainer."
"Oh," Ash said. "I just didn't see him doing a lot of training," he pointed out.
"Their way is to study first. They do a lot of studying before they get their own pokemon," Brock informed.
"Yeah?" Ash looked back in the direction he'd met the weird boy. "It seemed really boring though."
"Maybe it is. In that case, you should just be happy you have the professor," Misty said with a smile. "Hey, how about we tour Pokemon Tech? I've always been curious about what it's like."
"I have too. Let's go tomorrow afternoon," Brock suggested.
"That sounds great," Misty said.
"We have to stick around here that long?" Ash said.
Misty swung down her hand, scowling at Ash. "Why don't you do some pokemon training?" she suggested, then noticed the wood pile. "After you get us some more wood."
"I knew she was going to tell me what to do," Ash groused, but went off and took her suggestions anyway.
"Oh!" Misty exclaimed, impressed as she looked up at the school's intricate architecture and then down at its perfectly manicured landscaping. "Look, look," she said to Ash, tapping his shoulder and pointing across the way. "They even have a pool! It looks crystal clear! It's not that easy to maintain it to look so nice, you know."
"Yeah," Ash said, brushing his shoulder where Misty had touched him. "This place seems kinda boring to me."
"Welcome!" a girl greeted them. "Are you the group that wanted the tour?"
Misty fought the urge to fawn over the girl as she saw her, as it might seem rude. The female student had long, silky hair, and wore the cute uniform. Even her demeanor seemed defined. Misty stood up straighter. After all the camping she'd been doing, she probably looked like a vagrant compared to the students here. Maybe she could show refinement in her manners, even if she couldn't dress up and groom herself to look as flawless as the students here. "Hello. I'm Misty. We were traveling through, so we thought we'd come see the school."
"My name's Giselle. I'm class president of room 2-1, glad to show you around."
Brock held out his hand. "I'm Brock. I've heard a lot about this place, it's great to see it in person."
"I'm Ash," was all Ash said to introduce himself.
"I'm happy to show you," Giselle said, walking closer to the building and holding out her hands. "Our classrooms are over here, we've just ended class for the day, so no one's there. There's offices over on this way, and simulation rooms on the floors up above."
"Simulation, that sounds really interesting. Can we see it?" Brock asked.
"Maybe after we finish looking at the grounds." Giselle began to walk across the way. "Here we have our pool, it's welcome for students to swim to get their exercise, and there are the occasional pokemon battles as well."
"Hee hee. It looks so nice, I want to go in right now," Misty commented with a grin.
Giselle paused, staring her way a moment. Before Misty could ask if she'd said something wrong, the student turned from the empty pool and went on her way, and the rest followed. She stopped as they rounded the corner to a building with large stone stairs leading up to it. "The building you see just over there is our extended library. This is where many of our students spend most of their time. We are a serious learning institution."
"Hey!" Ash exclaimed. He ran from them over to the boy that was leaving the library, several books in hand. "It's you! Hi!"
"Oh. Are you friends with Joe?" Giselle asked.
"Joe? Oh, I just saw him yesterday. Is that your name? I'm Ash," Ash said.
"Ash... Wait, you were the boy that was bothering me yesterday," Joe said, gripping his books more tightly.
"You had a test or something, right?" Ash asked. "A pokemon test! Did you have to battle?"
"Excuse me." Giselle tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Battles here are only to support the learning from the classroom. You shouldn't join us just to battle."
"Hey, I'm not about to go to this place," Ash informed.
"Oh, my misunderstanding. Then it was just you considering?" Giselle looked to Misty.
"Well, I don't really have any need to attend here, either," Misty admitted. "I've just heard so much about it, I wanted to see."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that, either." Giselle smiled, dusting off her skirt.
"Some of you get really far in the league! You even win sometimes, huh?" Misty asked.
"Several times. In fact, the probability of winning is higher as a graduate, even if non-graduates win more often, since there are more of them," Giselle informed. Someone called her name from across the way. "Oh, if you'll excuse me. I really am very busy. Maybe you could take over, Joe?" she asked, nodding to the boy before he answered, and then leaving.
"Did you want Giselle's autograph?" Joe asked, looking to the ground once everyone spied his way.
"Who would care about that?" Ash asked.
"Come on Ash, don't be rude," Misty chided.
Joe answered the question anyway. "Giselle's the number one student, and she's only a second year. She'll probably be number one in the league too one day. So if you get her autograph now... I mean, you can show you know her before she made it big." He pulled his books close to his chest. "I can understand why you'd come just for that."
"Well, we didn't really know her until today," Misty said with an awkward laugh.
"Can you show us your simulation area?" Brock asked.
"Yeah, okay. I should spend some time there myself," Joe said.
"Hey," Ash addressed Joe as they began to walk back across campus. "You're not going to become a top trainer just by hanging around here, you know."
"I know," Joe winced, gripping his books even closer. "Giselle already outmatches everyone... So how can I compete?"
"Hey, you're both just starting out, right? Either of you could get better, or worse," Misty pointed out.
"I guess," Joe said as he opened the door to the building. He led them to the top floor, then opened the door to a room crowded with electronics.
"Oh," Brock said as he looked at the computers and large, arcade-looking machines. "By simulation, I guess I pictured somewhere where it would seem like we were right there, battling."
Misty giggled. "The technology's not there yet, huh? That's sci-fi."
"This kind of thing might be valuable too. Looks like some interesting software." Brock studied the screen.
Ash glanced around before looking out the windows, not interested at all in the machines. "This isn't pokemon battling," he said. "I've been in real pokemon battles, you know. I'm a trainer."
"A trainer," Joe repeated blankly. "How many badges?"
"I've got two badges!" Ash pulled his vest open to show them. "Pretty cool, huh?"
"Are you sure you want to brag about that..." Misty muttered, but both boys ignored her.
"Is that it?" Joe sat down, staring at the computer screen. "Just by being admitted to the school, first years are at the same level as a trainer with two badges."
"Huh? You think you're just as good without any battles?" Ash demanded loudly.
Joe looked around, nonplused by the other boy's irritation, focusing on the badges specifically. "Boulder badge, and Cascade Badge," he said, then began to type on the computer. "I've beaten it five times before. Just watch."
"What's so interesting here?" Ash asked, looking over Joe's shoulder at the various text. Just as he did, Joe stood up, going to one of the consoles.
"Cerulean gym," Joe explained, motioning to the screen.
"What? Let me see," Misty asked, pushing Ash out of the way and letting out a cry of happiness as she saw the picture on screen. Under the text, 'Cerulean Gym' read 'Leader: Misty'. Pixel art of Misty herself showed on screen. "Oh, wow!" she exclaimed. "It's so cute. Looks like me, when I wear my hair in a ponytail."
"That's like all the time," Ash commented.
Misty giggled in response. "Yeah, maybe. I'm not the gym leader anymore though... Maybe in the next version they'll have Violet."
"It's you?" Joe said, glancing from the art to Misty and back again. "Oh."
"Maybe you want my autograph, huh?" Misty teased, poking him in the shoulder.
"I'll show you how easy it is to win," Joe explained, ignoring Misty as he pressed the start button. The sprite of the human went away as a pixel sprite of a staryu appeared. "Just choose the right pokemon." Joe picked the weepinbell from the options. "Then send." Joe pressed the button, and the screen flashed as the pokemon appeared. "It's level 22. That's good enough for Cerulean Gym."
The three guests watched as Joe chose vine whip as an attack a few times. Eventually, the staryu sprite dropped off the screen, and then a starmie sprite appeared. He did the same thing. "See?" he said, turning around. "I'm not that bad. I could beat Cerulean Gym too."
Brock put a hand to his chin. "Uh... That was, well, something."
"You think you could beat me just because you can beat this oversimplified computer program?!" Misty exclaimed, stepping in front of Ash so the boy couldn't ignore her.
Joe frowned, sitting up in response to Misty's increased volume. He took a step away, glancing back at the computer screen. "I did... Six times now," he said. He typed quickly, going through members until a user profile appeared. "See?" he said, pointing to the place that indicated six wins against Cerulean Gym.
"That means nothing." Misty folded her arms and took a step closer to the kid. "That game is cute, but it's just a game. If you think you can beat me, prove it! Fight my pokemon with your pokemon!"
"Um, Misty, remember, they can't get their own pokemon until after they graduate," Brock pointed out.
"Oh yeah," Misty realized. She scowled as she realized she might not be able to prove herself that day.
"No, it's okay," Joe said, standing up from the computer. "I can practice. Maybe it's a good idea, I haven't in a while. Too busy with the test. Let's have a practice battle."
"Um, you want me to control the pokemon with this or something?" Misty said, pointing to the simulation device. "I'm telling you, it's not the same."
"No, I can borrow a pokemon. Let's go," Joe said as he headed to the door.
Outside, he went downstairs, then turned the corner, eventually reaching a closet. Joe took down the clipboard from the wall, taking off the pen as he studied the list on it. "Oh, good. Weepinbell's free." He wrote his name down next to the pokemon's, then hit numbers on a pin pad which opened the closet.
"Wow," Ash said as he saw the pokeball stands inside, which included several dozen spaces. "You have this many pokemon here?"
"Yes. They're loaners, for the whole school. We have to return them by the end of the day," Joe explained.
"You just keep them here?" Brock asked, an eyebrow raised. Joe didn't answer, just picked up the pokeball. "I'm not sure that's the best for them," Brock continued.
"Let's battle outside," Joe suggested.
"Maybe by that nice pool," Misty said. "Giselle said it was used for pokemon battles sometimes, and I didn't see anyone in it."
"Oh, well, okay," Joe agreed.
As they got to the pool, Misty and Brock put out the floating battle platforms. Pikachu stared at the water, feeling like a swim, but didn't jump in, noticing the serious atmosphere. It eventually joined Ash and Brock at the other side of the fence, ready to watch the battle.
"Let's go, my beautiful hero, my sparkling star! My steady, Starmie!" Misty said, then tossing her pokeball out. She spun around as she caught the pokeball, then flashed the peace sign.
Joe threw the pokeball out without comment. "Joe!" Brock shouted from the sidelines. As the boy turned his way, he continued. "You really should say the pokemon's name when you send it out. That gets its attention, helps make sure it's battle ready."
"Hey, is this a battle, or a class time? This guy said he already beat me, remember?" Misty said. As she spoke, more people gathered near the fence to watch, all with the Pokemon Tech uniforms.
"Weepinbell!" Joe said. The pokemon propped itself upright on the platform.
"Starmie!" Misty laughed, putting a pleasant expression on her face. This was a sort of performance with everyone coming to watch, wasn't it? She pointed out dramatically. "Swift attack!"
Joe blinked in surprise as Starmie began its technique, then quickly said his own order. "Weepinbell, vine whip!"
As Starmie approached, Weepinbell got its attack ready, the vines moving out to strike. Light surrounded Starmie, starting to glow. The star-shaped energy shot toward the grass type pokemon, hitting it several times at once. Though Weepinbell's vines also hit Starmie, Joe's loaner pokemon was obviously more affected, at first flailing, then falling off the platform completely.
Starmie spun around in the air, dove in the pool, then shot out, landing on the platform and posing. Misty posed in unison, again flashing her peace sign. She stopped hamming it up as soon as she looked in the pool. "Return it!" Ash shouted.
"Let's see.. I've got it somewhere..." Joe reached in one pocket, and then the other for his pokeball.
"Starmie, quickly, you help!" Misty shouted. Starmie dove in the pool, swimming underneath its defeated opponent, pushing it up before Joe finally returned it. Misty sighed in relief, approaching Joe, who stared at the ground now. "You need to have your pokeball ready! You don't want your pokemon to be in needless distress," she lectured. As she spoke, Ash, Brock, and other students came in, surrounding them.
"Oh boy," Brock said, shaking his head. "This is why-"
"Joe." Giselle said firmly. Other students moved aside, making way for her. "That was truly an embarrassment. You've really shamed us here."
"I don't know why I couldn't beat her," Joe said, shaking his head with his hand on his forehead. "I did it just like in the simulation!"
Giselle shrugged, moving away from Joe and over to Misty. "So, you're the gym leader from Cerulean?" she said.
"Yeah. I mean, I was. I'm on hiatus," Misty explained.
Giselle turned back to Joe, narrowing her eyes at him. "And you didn't think battling a girl who's had likely hundreds of battles with various trainers might be a little more difficult than a simulation?"
Joe said nothing to the question, gripping his loaned pokeball. He eventually looked back up at Misty and Giselle. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think-"
"Yeah, that's why you can't really learn much here, huh?" Ash said. As he spoke, all present turned their attention to him, remaining silent as he continued. "You don't really do anything, you just read a bunch of books. You're not like a real trainer."
"Oh?" Giselle put her hand on her hip, rapidly blinking as she looked Ash's way. "So you, are you a 'real' trainer?" she asked.
"Yeah. I've got three pokemon, and two badges already." Ash flipped open his vest to show off said badges.
"Hm." Giselle's eyes fluttered from Pikachu back to Ash. "I thought you were just visiting with your relatives, bringing your pet along. This pikachu is your pet, correct? Not one of your battling pokemon?"
"No!" Ash's expression grew annoyed. "Pikachu's not a pet! Pikachu's my starting pokemon, and it's really powerful."
"Well, you must know, it really is more like a pet. It's not good for battling," Giselle informed. "It is cute though, isn't it?" Though she said a compliment, several other students snickered mockingly.
"You think so?" Ash said. "You want to try battling me like your friend did?"
Giselle shrugged. "It would be to your detriment. As a second year, I'm considered equal to a trainer with three or four badges, so I'm your superior."
"Giselle's better than even that," another student added.
Giselle smiled. "I didn't want to brag... But yes, I think I'm far above a trainer who thinks a pikachu is an appropriate starting pokemon. I wouldn't want to bully you."
Ash straightened his back, raising an eyebrow dubiously. "I think I'm above anyone from this school! Look at all you didn't know. You need to be out training if you want to be a trainer, not reading. You're not even a trainer at all."
Giselle flipped her hair, unaffected by Ash's insults. "So you think you've learned all you can learn?"
"I don't think-"
"Do you?" Giselle interrupted, glaring Ash's way. "Well, I don't want to be insulting, but one can see the difference in level between you and your gym leader friends without a proper education. You just turned ten, finished your compulsory schooling, and then you're done and ready to be a trainer? Come on now, anyone looking at you can see that's not true. Just by looking at us you can see who can properly take care of themselves while in a pokemon battle. There's a real difference between us, even anyone outside the pokemon world would notice it right away."
Misty rubbed her arm, looking down. She had just been thinking about how she'd wished she could have done her hair nicer or worn a nicer outfit when talking to these posh Pokemon Tech students.
"You really don't think there's more to be educated about than what you learn in the same school you started before you knew how to tie your shoes and wipe your nose? Is that where you're going to stop learning?" Giselle laughed loudly again.
Ash was dumbfounded at the question, but Brock spoke up. "Learning doesn't only happen in a classroom. Joe here didn't know some really basic things. I'm also a gym leader, and I've never come across any challenger, no matter how many badges or what their level of talent, who didn't at least know to call out to their pokemon upon sending them into battle. I think Joe might have been better off in the field, watching other trainers and training his own pokemon."
"Oh my, I didn't know we had so many celebrities here today." Giselle smiled. "Of course you want to promote the gym system, and I won't blame you. But if one tries to learn on their own, they're likely to miss some basic things themselves," Giselle pointed out. "We have a curriculum, to make sure our learning is of the highest standard. I admit Joe made some blunders, but he is new, and also an outlier. I'll admit that all the students here should be taking time to use the practice pokemon to apply our knowledge. Anyone who doesn't won't meet our standards, of course. They will not pass, and will not be a trainer."
As Giselle spoke, some students nodded while a few others took out personal notebooks and wrote things down. "I will," Joe declared. "I'm going to practice more. I just had a test, and-"
"I certainly hope so," Giselle interrupted, turning to Ash. "Like I said, I don't want to bully you, but if you insist... Let's battle then. I'll use one of the pokemon here to teach you what students from Pokemon Tech can really do."
"You bet I want to fight!" Ash declared.
"Alright then," Giselle said, then held out her hand to the crowd. "Someone go sign out that little cubone for me."
After a few minutes, someone came back with the requested pokeball. Giselle and Ash made a makeshift battle field in front of the pool. Giselle touched the button on the pokeball. "Go, Cubone!" she shouted.
"As for me." Ash looked to Pikachu, who was poking the mat inside the pool, deciding if it wanted to go in or not. "I choose you, Pikachu!"
"Pika?" Pikachu called, looking up because its name had been spoken.
"Come on. I really want to show her how well you can battle," Ash said. Pikachu glanced at the cubone, not immediately moving onto the field. As it hesitated, Giselle laughed. "What?!" Ash demanded.
"You were just talking about how much you know, but you make this huge blunder? Sending out that pokemon? You really don't know much at all, do you? Pikachu is especially worthless at a time like this." Giselle giggled, briefly glancing to her classmates who also appeared amused.
Pikachu crouched down, feeling numb as it heard that word referring to it. "Pika..." it whined, then glared at the girl and her chosen pokemon. "Pikachu!" it declared angrily, hopping onto the field in front of Ash.
"Alright! You're ready!" Ash grinned. "Let's go! Pikachu, try thundershock!"
"Cubone, bone club," Giselle ordered as she realized the fight had really begun.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu shocked the other pokemon, then shouted out in pain as it was hit. "Pika," it whined, rubbing its head as it stepped back. Cubone hit it again, seemingly playfully. "Pi," Pikachu stepped back, only to be hit again. "Pi," it stepped back again, tripping over a crack behind it just to get another tap on its head. "Pikachu!" it cried in annoyance.
"Enough, Cubone. Finish it off with boomerang," Giselle directed with a sigh.
"Pikachu, try thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.
"Pika CHUUU!" Pikachu shouted, directing its very best thunderbolt attack toward its opponent. Cubone cried at the same time that Pikachu was hit with its attack, falling back with a loud cry. "Pikachu," it whined, bouncing back up and furrowing its brow to try and help its hurt head. "Pika!" it shouted.
"Oh, it's still up? Well, one more should do it," Giselle said. "Cubone, boomerang!"
"Pikachu, forget your electricity! Let's give Cubone a taste of its own medicine with its following attack," Ash suggested.
"Pika." Pikachu looked at its trainer, who nodded at it while tapping his face. Pikachu looked back toward Cubone and grinned. It ran toward its opponent, pushing down the skull that decorated its head before hiding behind the now blinded pokemon. Cubone cried as its attack came right back toward it, hitting it. The ground type pokemon started running around, crying as it did. Pikachu laughed, falling over as it did. Though Cubone's attacks had been annoying, this turned out to be one of the best pokemon battles in a while.
"Cubone, return." Giselle's eyes widened as she stared at the laughing pokemon, the boy with the mussed hair hidden badly by his hat leaning down to praise it. She started to laugh herself. "Well, I didn't see that coming," she said. "Neither did poor Cubone. I suppose it's your win."
Ash stood up, nodding at her before he stuck out his hand. "Thanks for the battle," he said.
"Likewise." Giselle shook Ash's hand before she folded her arms, raising her voice as she spoke into the crowd. "It looks like there are tactics and techniques not learned in our books that we might take advantage of. Anyone present should be taking notes." Giselle walked closer to Ash and Misty. "However, I hope that's not the end. The afternoon is young. I'd like a rematch for our school, against both of you. Shall we battle?"
"I'm up for it," Misty said.
"Me too!" Ash agreed.
Pikachu sat with Brock as Misty battled Giselle, Staryu losing to the school's dewgong. Then Ash battled a different student, his pidgey losing to a different pikachu. "I've gotta think what I can do next against electric types," he said.
"Right, Butterfree's a flying type too, huh? Well, I guess you could just send out Pikachu to out power them," Misty joked. "Maybe I should power up my water types too. Their dewgong was pretty good. Me and staryu just need to get more powerful to beat them!"
"Oh my, it looks like us bookish types could show you two something as well," Giselle said.
"Yeah," Misty admitted, smiling at the other girl.
"Real battling always does," Ash said.
"If you'd like, I can recommend an interesting article about how flying types react to electric attacks, techniques to help them stay alert and focused."
"What? I want to see!" Ash said.
Giselle smiled as she shared the title with him. "Well, this was an interesting day," she said. "I know everyone here does need their study time as well, so I'll have to end things here." After Giselle spoke, the students started to leave. "I suppose we can find out which type of learning is really better in the long run, with who wins the pokemon league."
"Oh, oh yeah!" Ash practically hopped with excitement as he thought of it. "I'm gonna compete and win."
"Hmph." Giselle shook her head. "I hope I see you there."
As the children said good-bye and left, Jessie, James, and Meowth walked past the gate in disguise, as if that's what they were trying to do in the first place. "I guess you're right," Meowth said as they went by. "They don't have their own pokemon. So, let's follow that twerp now, see how we can get his pikachu."
Instead of listening to Meowth, Jessie and James doubled back to the school's gates, stopping as they stared onto the grounds. "It looks the same," James commented.
"The tree that was over there is cut down," Jessie pointed out.
"Yeah, and maybe the ones closer to the school look a little healthier, quite larger, anyway," James said.
"Enough pointless reminiscing," Meowth said, standing in front of the humans and briefly pushing their legs to try and get them to go. "Come on! Are you two ready to move on, or what?"
"I don't think we are," Jessie said. She looked at James, who grinned back at her. They moved one foot forward together, stepping onto the campus.
Next chapter: Jessie and James vs. Pokemon Tech