Route seven was special for one major reason: it connected the two largest cities in Kanto directly together. Widely regarded as the most influential route that the region had to offer, it boasted a consistent population of travelers both to and from. Of course, that meant that there were two different forms of travel available for those who wished to reach either city. For those who were trainers, there was a heavily mandated and secluded path that led through the dense forestry, while everyone else had a streamlined path that was connected by a rail line, cutting down what would be a week's journey into a full day.
Gary instead found himself daydreaming about the comfort of an air-conditioned room back in the center. He still had no idea why he reached out to Emelia after she humiliated him, but maybe he was just a glutton for punishment. He wouldn't put it past himself, considering both of his pokemon loved to make waking up hell.
And boy, hell was an understatement once he released them in the haven of his rented room. Tempest refused to eat, even going as far as to headbutt Gary on the leg when he tried to explain that—no, she was not a beginner since she didn't have badges—they were outclassed. Genesis was practically foaming at the mouth, threatening to chew through any of the wooden furniture that was put in her path.
He decided not to risk having to pay a fee for damages and returned Genesis to her pokeball. Tempest remained out for the time being, adamant on being there when he met up with Emelia. Gary couldn't help but suppress a satisfied grin at that- her defensiveness was something he was coming to appreciate.
Luckily, it was only a quick fifteen-minute walk to reach the marble gateway that led out of the city. While unsure of how far in he would have to go, Tempest paid no heed and rushed into the unhinged wilderness that the route had to offer. With how late it was getting, his nerves started to get the better of him, which he knew by the amount of sweat building up on his palms. He could handle the dark, but he wasn't quite so sure about what the wild population had to offer. He had heard of some strong hoards of Mankey and Primeape who enjoyed claiming the canopy as their territory.
Gary quickly caught up to his starter. She might have had a head start, but she was still just a Squirtle. Her stubby legs wouldn't be able to carry her any faster than his own could.
"Don't rush off like that, you psycho," he muttered as he flicked the top of her head. Tempest grunted at the blunt reprimand but respected his wishes, staying closer to him while they pushed further into the depths.
They walked together side by side, taking in the atmosphere around them. Despite the dangers that the woods had hidden away, it was hard to ignore the duality of beauty that came with it. The constant buzzing of local bug-type pokemon never ceased to silence itself, mainly since the flocks of Pidgey and Spearow were mostly diurnal. He also recognized the weaning calls of Vulpix farther off, a high-pitched wallow that made him want to push just a bit faster.
Right. Beautiful and scary.
"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"
Gary knew it was her from the moment she spoke. It was a dull and indifferent tone, barely making it over the background noise of the route. He turned to face where the call came from, making sure to keep a hand on top of Tempest's head to keep her from ramming a fierce headbutt into the woman's shins.
He didn't want to have to make a second trip to Nurse Joy in the middle of the night.
"I guess so," Gary replied just as smoothly. "Why did we have to come all the way out here instead of meeting in the comforts of civilization, though? By all offenses, you don't look like the type of trainer who wants to go camping just a few hundred yards away from society."
Emelia shrugged. "I thought it would be a nice break. It looks like you're enjoying it yourself, regardless."
It was true. He loathed to admit it, but he was secretly enjoying the crisp summer air that the night offered. The lack of sweat on his forehead spoke wonders of how chilly it really was in Celadon- the city was unnaturally cold compared to the others, besides Fuchsia.
When she saw that he wasn't going to respond, Emelia motioned with a stiff hand for Gary to follow. She pushed through the brunt of the foliage herself, but the unseen help of Alma was still noticeable. It was evident that Emelia relied on her pokemon just as much as they did her, making Gary grip his fingers against his palms tightly. He wanted to be like that too.
"You have potential," she said politely, breaking their awkward silence that ensued their quick arrival to a small bonfire. No one else was present, save for a lumbering pokemon with large antennas and a rather intimidating set of beady red eyes. Its wings were pulled taut against its light green body, their shape an irregular rhombus.
He was starting to piece together that Emelia wasn't a native to Kanto, given that she had a behemoth of a Flygon just napping right beside an open flame.
"Potential? Of course I have potential! If I didn't, why the hell would I be all the way out here?"
He didn't like the way the ground rumbled when the Flygon huffed. Tempest didn't either, brave enough to keep a firm frown on her face as she hissed in the dragon's direction. Emelia paid his starter no mind as she reclined herself against the beast, giving Gary another one-over.
"Firstly, your vulgar language is going to get you nowhere," she deadpanned. "Secondly, your namesake is going to do nothing but shackle you to where you are right now. Without a badge and hopeless."
It was Tempest holding Gary back this time around, doing her best to stand in front of him with a feral snarl. While he normally would have walked right up to the girl to give her a piece of his mind, the peeking eye of the Flygon behind her kept him from doing so. At least she didn't have the audacity to mince her words. It was cut cleanly and given to him on a silver platter.
"The only reason I don't have a badge yet is because I challenge Erika in the morning," he rebuked with a frown. "Why did you really drag me out here? To lecture me on my poor use of language?"
"No. It was to tell you that you're going to lose if you keep being so egotistical."
Gary blanched. Emelia's delivery of her words really knew how to hit their mark. It wasn't the first time she left him speechless, the bitter remembrance of rushing to the Pokemon Center still fresh in his mind, but this was different. He would have to be stupid to not hear the concern backing her voice, even with the layers of indifference coated over it.
Was she really trying to help him out, regardless of how he acted in front of her?
"I- well-" Gary still tried his best to respond, reaching for something—anything—to get him out of the hole he put himself in. "…Are you pulling my leg? Or are you actually trying to spread some sort of almighty benevolence on me."
To his credit, he managed to fumble something together. Not that it didn't stop Emelia from smirking at his lack of a witty response.
"I'm just trying to keep you from going down the wrong path. Arrogance is no way to start your training career, especially when you already seem to have a complex behind it."
Wow. Was he so bad that a complete stranger had to call him out on it? He barely made it into his journey! Frustration built up inside of him like a kinked hose, resulting in the tangy taste of blood to bring him back down to earth as he bit the inside of his cheek, eager to remove himself from the conversation entirely. He didn't need to be put down hours before he challenged Erika- not like that.
Tempest was recalled before she could protest, her pokeball already being attached to his belt as he turned to face the way they came. For once, he was thankful that her Roserade was a permanent fixture, despite it being hidden in the shrubbery. It was a clear shot back to the main route, weeds and branches still pulled taut out of the way, which in turn meant a straight walk back to his room where he could go to bed and forget this entire shitshow of a day.
Just as he was about to leave, he felt a hand grab at his arm. He turned to find Emelia looking directly into his eyes, her own bright despite the lack of light to shine on them.
"I never said you were a bad trainer," Emelia said gently. She let go of his arm and patted him on the shoulder, the intensity of her gaze waning as she took a step back. "Just listen to someone who made the same mistakes, okay? I can already see the markings of a great trainer. Don't let your ego stop you from accomplishing that. I also want to help you. Bring out your Nidoran. Genesis, was it?"
He gulped and turned back around, mentally exhausted from the circles that Emelia had just ran around in his head.
"Okay," was all she got in response, his voice decisively raspy from the tension held in his throat.
Gary fumbled with Genesis' pokeball, eventually getting a firm enough grip to press the button in the center. It was a miracle that Genesis didn't launch herself at Emelia the instant she was summoned, instead looking back at him with confusion and grogginess. She must have been asleep for her to have been that disoriented.
"Now what?" he asked tersely, taking a knee so he could rub around the stubbed horn on Genesis' forehead. Genesis perked up at that, nuzzling deeper into his palm so she could direct the movement. Gary held back a small chuckle, aware of Emelia's pokemon's prying eyes. They could have their moment in private.
A quick snap of Emelia's fingers later and Alma was peeling herself from the foliage, making her way over to where he was kneeling. He remained strong under the powerful stare that the grass-type was bestowing upon him, not wanting to show any more weakness than he had already. All he wanted was to make sure that his pokemon were going to be strong.
"I saw that you were working on Toxic Spikes," she admitted after a while. "We were watching longer than you thought. While you had the right idea, you were neglecting the fact that she's still young, regardless of how big she is. Toxic Spikes requires a substantial excess of poison in her glands, which she will lack until she evolves. By the looks of it, all she needs is another week or so, but my point still stands if you still plan on challenging Erika anytime soon. You need to take a different approach."
Genesis growled as Alma extended a vine from one of her bouquets, painstakingly prodding on the hackled spikes that were raised in a defensive posture along her body. Gary had to pull his hand back, not eager to need a dose of antivenom from Nurse Joy. Remedies could only do so much when an angry Nidoran threatened to unload an entire day's worth of venom in one go into you.
"What she's lacking in quantity she can make up for in quality. As long as there are toxins on the field, you can manipulate around them. Trust me."
Gary thought back to their training, mentally agreeing with her observation. It was true- Genesis was having a hard time getting more than a good couple of handfuls of spikes onto the field, and even then, they were still only a murky pink. If pulling back the reigns on how many she produced was the key to victory, he was all for it.
"You have a point." He watched as Genesis finally broke out of Alma's loose hold, deciding to retreat behind his leg and observe warily instead. She knew better than to attack the pokemon who knocked her out in one fell swoop. "I don't exactly have time to practice it, but I'm sure that Genesis and I can pull through."
"I'm sure you'll do fine. If you want, you can stay out here at my camp. A little last-minute training in the morning?"
A simple shook of the head was all the answer Emelia needed. With one final look between the two trainers, Gary broke their eye contact first, leaning over to scratch Genesis' head before returning her.
He needed some time to think.
Walking back to the Pokemon Center was a quiet affair. Without Tempest or Genesis to keep him company, he found himself totally alone for the first time in weeks. The silence, deafening as it was without the errant hiss or grunt, at least brought a certain clarity to things.
Gary always had confidence. It was in his blood, there was no denying it. It fueled him in a way that others might not understand, pushing him to go above and beyond. It's what drove him to become a trainer, if not simply to become the best so he could be referred to as such. No one would be able to doubt him then, especially not when he won his very first conference.
But was it too much? He had never cared for others' opinions before, so why did Emelia's shake him so thoroughly? The questions spiraled around his head until he walked through the electronic front doors that led into the center, where he found at least ten trainers huddled around the small tv in the lounge. Even Nurse Joy hovered behind them, eyes weary and filled with unshed tears.
"What the…" Gary's eyebrows furrowed together as he pushed through the other people standing stone-cold, aiming for the screen that was finally audible.
"Sources tell us that the Viridian City Pokemon Center was attacked approximately twelve minutes ago by Team Rocket. Three trainers were injured, two unfortunately lost their lives, and sixty pokemon were stolen. The local Nurse Joy is currently out of commission after taking a blunt strike to the head by a baton and is now being treated at the Viridian Hospital. More on this unfortunate sequence events after the break."
Team Rocket. Gary felt the air rush out of his lungs as panic started to increase in the Pokemon Center. Whispers about if there were going to be consecutive attacks started to circulate around the building, causing trainers to start packing their things and demand for their pokemon to be healed immediately. Nurse Joy, bearing a thin-lipped frown, hardly made it behind the counter before more voices started to rise up about wanting theirs done as well. By the looks of it, the attack they were so worried about was going to be caused by themselves in the first place.
Just as it looked like things were going to take a turn for the worst, a violent slam came from the back of the center, signifying the entrance of Erika as she burst in with an angry scowl carved into her features. The Vileplume at her side matched her expression with a scary ease to it, its beady eyes practically boring a hole through the crowd as it trilled another warning.
"That's enough!" The collection of trainers shuddered beneath the woman's predatory gaze, her steps the only sound present in the enclosed room, save for some heavy breathing and constant adjusting of the too large pokemon keeping watch at the doors.
It wasn't difficult to spot the relief that Erika's entrance brought Nurse Joy, whose shoulders finally relaxed from their uptight position. Gary could only imagine what the woman was going through and was thankful that she even continued working after such a catastrophic attack. He had to give it to the pink-haired woman- she was holding it together much better than everyone else.
Gary shoved through the hoard of people who were avoiding the Vileplume, stepping up to look Erika dead in the eyes. Being in the presence of a Gym Leader held more weight than he originally thought it would. He took in a deep breath, stilled his still rapidly beating heart, and tried to project his voice as loudly as he could to the crowd.
"Team Rocket knows better than to target another Pokemon Center." The words felt strange coming out of his mouth, almost like they didn't belong to him. The thought of Gramps popped into his head after, and a scowl caught his lips before he could control himself. "Stop acting like you don't have any sense! You people are going to be the reason why someone gets hurt tonight, not them."
Seconds passed slowly, dilated by the weight of his words as they sunk in.
"You're just a kid!"
Or not.
Erika chuckled at the bold statement, her Vileplume turning to face the man who spoke out of turn. The instant the man saw who was watching him, he turned and tried to blend back into the masses. Good. If he couldn't speak up alone, then there was no reason to take his judgement. It didn't stop the rest of the crowd from muttering their own anxieties though.
"Return to your normal activities," Nurse Joy weakly followed up, her Chansey doing a somber solute at her side. "We'll get this covered. Don't you worry."
She flashed a thankful smile to Gary and Erika, dipping her head back to face the counter with a newfound determination.
"Alright then. For those who want to get their pokemon healed, please line up to the side of the building. We're going to do this quickly and efficiently." The Chansey at her side smacked its tiny hands on its belly, agreeing with the nurse. "No arguing."
"Why do you look so shriveled, Gramps? I thought you would have liked to hear from me after something as disastrous as Viridian City's raid."
Even though it had been at least five days since he called his grandfather, Gary still felt like it was way too soon. Seeing the man exhausted didn't help either, the bags under his eyes catching his attention the most. It looked like he hadn't slept at all, and if the coffee cup on its side behind him said anything for it, his assumption was probably correct.
"Why do you think?" Gramps' voice was cold as it came across the speaker, the dead look on his face betraying nothing other than his similar reluctance to be on the call. When Gary didn't answer, the older Oak sighed and continued along, not wanting to get into an argument over something as silly as a question. "Maven was in the center when it was attacked. While he's lucky to be alive, he's still in the hospital for broken ribs and internal bleeding. A Raticate smashed its tail into him with enough force that it knocked him out on impact."
"Is he going to be okay?" Gary asked after taking a moment of silence, quieter than he expected.
Gramps ran a hand through his unkept hair, his calloused fingers tugging on the silver strands slowly. It was obvious how much stress the situation had put on him, and Gary felt even worse when he realized that he never told him about his teleportation to Celadon. He could only imagine what the man was thinking.
"The doctors said that he will make a full recovery, but his Spearow was taken. Thank goodness his Charmander was in his pokeball for a checkup. I doubt the boy would be able to get over the heartbreak of losing both his pokemon."
Losing Tempest or Genesis would do the same to him as well. They had bonded so much over their journey already, making the pain in Gary's chest worsen as he could only imagine what Maven was going through. No one should ever have to experience something like that.
"Give him my condolences. I mean it." Despite his innate dislike for his fellow Pallet Town native, Gary did know when enough was enough. There was no place for his signature sarcasm in a scenario like this.
The call only managed to last a few more minutes. Some topics were better left untouched, especially when fresh like Viridian's raid. Once the screen went black, Gary returned to his rental room and closed the door, letting out a heavy sigh.
There was no hesitation when Gary released Tempest and Genesis from their stasis. He didn't want to be alone right now. Not when the thought of losing them was still raw and real in the forefront of his mind. Just being able to see them, tired yet diligent as they awaited his words, eased the tension in his shoulders. The flood of relief was palpable.
"You guys know I would do anything to keep you safe, right?" he asked in a quiet voice, still too nervous to speak regularly. His nerves were too shot to be louder.
Instead of getting a response, Gary found himself swarmed by his two partners. Tempest practically tackled Gary into the twin bed and retreated into her shell, Genesis following suit and curling up at the foot of the sheets.
That small action was more than enough for Gary to feel better. With a hand pressed over Tempest's shell, he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to overtake him. There would be no more distractions now that their gym battle was tomorrow.
They would win, no doubt. Gary would make sure of it.
"Welcome to Celadon City Gym! You must be Gary, I presume?" The lady behind the desk inspected him with doe-like eyes, taking in his two pokeballs attached to his belt. She was pretty enough to be the face of the gym, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail draped over the top of her shoulder, tied together by a small oddish trinket. Most of the women he ran into around town was like that.
"That's me," Gary replied with a smirk. "I'm here to get my badge and get out of this town."
Although he did enjoy the scenery, there was something off about her. Gary didn't really know what made him feel that way, but he knew it was in his best interest to get out as soon as possible. There was already a long journey to partake and he didn't want to have to delay it anymore either by getting distracted.
"Erika is still finishing up a battle right now, but you're okay to spectate if you'd like! Just walk down the hall to your left and enter the stands."
Gary nodded and turned to head in the direction of the elevated bleachers. Upon reaching a good enough seat, a waft of an overpowering scent ambushed his nose, making him scrunch his face in displeasure. The culprit was obvious enough as he saw a Vileplume teeter across the field, powders sprinkling the air with its movements.
Female, he thought to himself as he recognized the spotting pattern adorned on her petals, which consisted of large, concentric rings of white, the same one I saw last night in the center! Her opponent was a rather mean-looking Electabuzz, whose body was completely doused in sparks. Anyone who trained an Electabuzz had to be competent, as their disposition toward captivity was little to none. They had to have a great respect for their trainer if they wanted to successfully be used in battle.
At first glance it was difficult to tell who was winning, but upon closer inspection, Gary realized just how hard the Electabuzz was breathing. It was noticeable that the electric-type was discharging electricity to counteract the constant release of powders the Vileplume was releasing into the air, which suddenly made him glad that there was a tinted barrier covering the battle. The last thing Gary wanted to do was end up back at the pokemon center for allergies.
The fight didn't last much longer once Vileplume landed a nasty Bullet Seed directly to the Electabuzz's face. One Petal Blizzard into Mega Drain combo took out the bipedal pokemon, and its trainer returned it without a second to spare, stomping out of the building with heavy steps.
"You can come down now!" Erika called from the arena, much to Gary's surprise. She must have known that he was shocked, seeing as she smiled while returning her pokemon. "Layla told me that you were already here watching, so I figured it would be nice to show you just how dangerous grass-types could be. Saffron was playing with her prey too much, anyways."
Erika looked exactly how she did on her league profile. Despite being seventeen at the most, her resume was absolutely stacked. After finishing in the top 32 of her conference during her first year of training with a monster of a Venusaur that tore through everything in its path, she immediately got picked up by the ACE program in Viridian City. By the age of fifteen she was already being groomed to take the position in Celadon. The role suited her- her background definitely made it obvious of that with how much she spent working with the league in tracking down the Rockets.
Gary shook his head as he mentally prepared himself once again. He needed his confidence to shine through if he was to make a good first impression. His throat felt dry as he opened his mouth to speak, but he pushed through it anyways. "I hope you're ready to be the first of a long list to lose to me!"
Erika chuckled lightly at Gary's bold statement as she walked to the side of the arena for a moment, switching out her capsules for new ones. "You'll just have to prove it then."
Without wasting any more time, Gary hopped out of his seat on the sidelines and rushed to where the arena was, slipping through the psychic barrier with ease thanks to the unseen psychic dropping it for him. It was impressive how large Celadon's battlefield really was- thankfully most of the foliage had been cut back to make it able to see his opponent on the other end.
"Before we start, I just want to give you my thanks for keeping the peace in the Pokemon Center last night. It's rare to see a rookie so sure of themselves this early." Erika nodded her head in thanks, and her eyes glinted with a spark that he knew was dangerous.
"This battle will be a two on two," she exclaimed from her end of the field. "I will release first!"
A quick toss of a pokeball revealed a small Tangela, whose eyes were barely visible behind the curtain of vines that made up its body. They weren't known to be especially strong when they were young, but their vines were formidable if you got caught in them. From the looks of it, Erika's was probably freshly hatched not too long ago.
"Come on out, Genesis!" Gary released his own poison-type battler, grinning as she hissed in the direction of Tangela with absolutely no hesitation. "Start off with Poison Sting!"
"Run to your right!" Tangela narrowly avoided the tight stream of poisonous darts being shot at it, skipping across the outer rim of the arena to put distance between it and its opponent.
Genesis did not take her opponent running away lightly and cut off her Poison Sting in exchange for a charge directly at the grass-type. Gary winced as she managed to make solid contact with the Tangela, noting that her power was more potent than it was a week ago. Tangela bounced over the ground from the hit and gurgled, bringing itself back to a stand only a few seconds later without any change in its appearance.
Gary hissed as he sucked in a deep breath. Even if the Tangela was young, he knew that it would be a challenge to wear it down. They were notorious for being finnicky and troublesome opponents, especially whenever they were trained in endurance. He had no doubt that Erika instilled that knowledge into it from a young age.
"You're going to have to poison it, Genesis!" Gary called out from his side of the trainer's box. "Use Poison Sting and make it widespread!"
The poison-type growled as she reared her head back and fired off another round of Poison sting, swinging her head on a swivel in an attempt to hit Tangela with at least one of the darts. Despite its quick movements, Tangela wasn't as fast as Gary thought it was, leading to Genesis landing a firm handful of hits against its twisting vines.
Tangela chittered as the attack injected Genesis' poison into its vines. Nidoran's venom, while potent in the wild, was slow acting compared to her male counterpart, which meant that they had to continue damaging the Vine Pokemon if they wanted to win.
All the meanwhile, Erika remained steadfast on her end. It was hard to tell if she was smiling or not from a distance, but Gary had a dark feeling that she had something planned up her sleeves. It wasn't until Genesis took one step too close for her to fall into the grass-type's trap and activate Erika's counter.
"Incapacitate. Stun Spore only."
Gary did a double-take as Tangela suddenly approached Genesis with a speed it had been hiding and wrapped its gold-speckled vines around the nidoran's body. Genesis thrashed as hard as she could against the tight binds of Tangela, bucking and kicking with everything she had to try and escape. It was a good attempt, seeing as she also managed to land a Poison Sting right into the face of Tangela, but the paralytic dust locked her up tight.
"Use Absorb now, sweetie! Make sure to leave that nidoran unconscious."
Panic started to bubble up in Gary's stomach. If Genesis didn't get out of that trap, she was going to be knocked out quicker than he hoped. "Poison it more! Use your barbs!"
Thankfully, Genesis caught onto Gary's train of thought and opened up her venomous pores before Tangela was able to fully emit the soft green hue that replaced the gold of Stun Spore. Gary mentally cheered on Genesis as Tangela warbled in pain and pulled off of her, having absorbed the toxins instead of the energy that it was originally hoping for.
"Not bad," Erika admitted as she inspected her pokemon. Tangela looked worse for wear, its vines tinged a deep purple compared to its normal navy blue. "But who is going to stay standing the longest?"
He honestly had no clue. Genesis looked worse than she ever had before. It was purely thanks to her grit and willpower that she didn't fall yet, which made Gary smile with pride. Even if she didn't have as many attacking moves as they'd hoped, the spirit that she was showing made up for his lack of forethought in training. If she planned to keep fighting, then he was going to make sure that she got exactly what she earned: a win.
"It's going to be us who pull ahead!" Gary pushed his hands into his pockets and leaned into his heels. He knew exactly how this would end. "Put everything you have left into Toxic Spikes, Genesis! Make sure that whoever comes out next feels it!"
The look on Erika's face was exactly what Gary was hoping for. She probably didn't expect a new trainer like him to use entry hazards. Despite the initial shock, Erika did well in recovering, pointing a finger forward and commanding Tangela with a serious voice.
"Vine Whip! Make sure to stop that from happening!"
Time slowed as Gary watched the tangela's vine shoot ahead, aimed directly for Genesis' head. He was already palming his pokeball at his side, ready to return her in the case that she was knocked out, when she miraculously lowered her body just enough for the attack to skim over her blunted horn.
The manifested Toxic Spikes were far from perfect. They were few in number—maybe a dozen overall—and the same translucent pink that they were from the first time they tried experimenting with the move. All that mattered was that they were there and that they would become a nuisance for whatever pokemon came out next. That required knocking out Tangela first though, which Genesis was practically foaming at the mouth to accomplish.
"Get close and use Double Kick!" Gary yelled with a strained voice. Never had he been so emotionally invested in a battle before. Hell, he wasn't even that interested in the battles he watched of his grandfather during his time in the league like he was during his very first gym battle.
Genesis ran as fast as her small body could, having to catch herself multiple times from where the paralysis was locking up her muscles. It was a blessing that the tangela was suffering from the effects of being poisoned for so long, or else it would have capitalized on the unsteady movements and knocked her out.
Erika returned the grass-type before Genesis was able to turn around once she reached close proximity. Her sigh went unheard, but Gary could see the fire still burning in her eyes. He knew that she was a competitor just like he was, as seen with her powerful thrust of the next pokeball that came out of her hand.
Skiploom weren't Kanto-native pokemon, though they were relatively common during the warmer months of the year when the coast from the west of Johto brought steady winds over Route 28. Their pre-evolutions weren't anything special when it came to battling, but Skiploom themselves were known for their jolly attitudes and healing capabilities.
It was a good counter. The Toxic Spikes were land bound, meaning that Skiploom could avoid it forever unless knocked out of the sky. Genesis wouldn't be able to do that either with her limited attacks, but that was wherein the problem lied.
Gary warred with himself internally over the prospect of returning Genesis now that she won her battle. There was absolutely no way that she would come out on top in this coming bout. The only reason he didn't do it right away was because he knew that doing so would harm their relationship. Normally, it was the males of her species that had issues with their pride, but there was no denying that Genesis had a chip on her shoulder that practically begged to be shown to the world.
Ultimately, Gary knew that it was going to be the lesser of two evils to let Genesis continue the fight. There wasn't much she could do against an aerial opponent like Skiploom, but that didn't mean they couldn't try. It was the perfect opportunity to see whether or not they should devote time toward an anti-air strategy, regardless.
"You're doing awesome, Genesis! Start off by peppering Poison Sting. Try to conserve whatever poison you have left in case it closes the distance."
Erika remained silent as she watched Genesis fire off a wave of needles are her pokemon. There was no real reason for her to speak, seeing as Skiploom easily spun the bloom on its head to raise higher up. A quick Fairy Wind washed down from where the floating grass-type was in response, brushing back Genesis a few feet. It wasn't a very powerful attack, nor was it very effective, but it did make Genesis chuff in anger.
There was nothing they could do now. Genesis wasn't lithe enough to climb any of the surrounding features of the arena, nor did she have enough venom to fill any more attacks to reach how far Skiploom was willing to levitate. It didn't stop her from trying, the small poison-type firing off Poison Sting after Poison Sting, but all it took was a well-placed aerial assault in the form of Bullet Seed to knock her out.
Genesis was returned quickly, Gary grazing the surface of her pokeball with a gentle thumb. He was profoundly happy with how she performed, and he knew that as soon as Nurse Joy was done fixing her up, she'd be bouncing of the walls with her signature fire. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd have to make sure Tempest pulled through this battle, unless he wanted to deal with another round of fighting over who was second-in-command.
"Your nidoran did well," Erika said generally, watching her skiploom drift around the air. "I am shocked that you were able to perform Toxic Spikes this early. It is quite rare for a first stage pokemon to generate enough poison for it."
"We practiced a lot," he admitted with a grin, priming Tempest's capsule as he took aim for the field. "But now it's time for you to lose!"
Tempest came out of her pokeball not a second later. Thankfully, the Toxic Spikes were spread out enough that Gary was able to get her into a zone relatively unplagued by the toxic substance. She quickly turned her head to face her trainer for a moment, getting a confident grin and a thumb's up in return.
It was time they ended this gym battle.
"A water-type?" Erika had an incredulous look on her face, quickly turning into one of excitement. "You are one strange kid!"
A growl came out of Tempest's mouth, her defensive nature shining through. If Gary didn't know any better, he'd bet that she would launch a Water Gun right into Erika's face if she could.
That would actually be quite funny.
"Okay Tempest, let's start off exactly as planned! Bubble, widespread."
Gary sent up a silent thanks to the skies above that they had practiced Bubble so often. It was remarkable to see how many were able to fill the gymnasium, and it forced Skiploom to launch a Bullet Seed in front of it to clear a path. Seeing the opponent so uncomfortable made him feel just a bit less worried. Erika would likely have a plan to counter it, but until she was willing to show her cards, Skiploom just had to deal with it on her own.
Tempest knew what to do now that the field was covered. Gary didn't have to see her face to know that there was a devilish grin on her face as she switched from bubble to Water Gun, purposefully aiming to the skiploom's side to force her closer to where the Toxic Spikes were concentrated.
"Poison Powder and make sure to layer it heavy," came the order from Erika's side after a game of cat-and-mouse. Skiploom trilled as it continued to cautiously weave around the bubbles and sprays of water, its petal cascading off a deep purple powder in the process. It drifted down slowly enough for Tempest to waddle to the side to avoid it, but that was when Gary realized that it wouldn't go away so easily.
The powder was fine enough that it wouldn't pop any of the bubbles it fell on. The danger therefore was that if Tempest were to accidentally pop one of her own bubbles in her face, she would also be exposing herself to the ailment. Gary bit his lip nervously as he tried to think of a way to navigate around it, only for an idea to pop into his head a second later.
"Water Gun on the ground! Once it's nice and wet, use Withdraw into Rapid Spin!"
Tempest listened diligently as she flooded the dirt-filled arena, including the mounds of earth that were uprisen around the outskirts. It took a lot out of her to do it successfully on top of avoiding the still-falling poisonous powders that Skiploom was wafting the air with, but the preparation was set.
She sunk into her shell without a second to waste, a white sheen coating her in the form of Withdraw. Once deep inside of her carapace, Tempest fired a small jet of water from the opening where her head would poke out to gain momentum, forming a full-fledged Rapid Spin in the blink of an eye.
Despite being stationary, Gary grinned as he saw his plan fall into motion. Mud and dirt kicked up all around the arena from Tempest's increasing speed, flying into the air and splattering Skiploom as it was forced to remain on the inner concert of bubbles present, which also began to pop from the sudden harassment.
The wash of poisoned dust fell harmlessly onto Tempest's shell now that she was protected on the inside and was promptly propelled off of her with the constant spinning motion she was performing. Skiploom itself wasn't as lucky, the constant barrage of popping bubbles around it coupled with the mud beginning to weigh it down dragging its elevation to a point where even a land-bound pokemon like Tempest could reach it.
Just a little bit longer, Gary thought as he waited for Skiploom to drift down just a bit more. He could see Erika brainstorming a way to get out of the trap just outside of his initial vision, which only helped fuel his desperation to finish the battle before the grass-type could start launching its own offense outside of the constant spores.
"Now, Skiploom!" Erika's voice cut through the air like a knife, prompting Skiploom to free-fall to the ground as it directed its headpiece toward Tempest's still spinning body. Out of nowhere, it unleashed a Fairy Wind that launched it directly at Tempest's still-spinning shell, knocking her out of her trench and into the air from the force.
Gary's eyes widened as Tempest became airborne. If there was one thing that was not part of the plan, this was it. Tempest started to poke her head out of her shell in confusion, but Gary yelled quick enough to remain inside of her shell.
It was a good thing she listened quickly as a harsh Bullet Seed smashed into the bottom of her shell and throttled her back into the wet mud. He could hear the pained squeal from Tempest as she was forced to weather the super effective attack on her much softer underbelly and mentally cursed at himself for not acting sooner.
"You can do it, Tempest!" Gary cheered urgently as Skiploom paused to load another Bullet Seed. "Water rush!"
Water rush was a last-minute improvisation the two came up with together near the end of the training session the day before, which consisted of Tempest withdrawing into her shell and launching herself forward by using Water Gun. It was quite common for her evolutions to use, but since she didn't have the storage for the sheer quantity of water needed to sustain it for long periods, they instead engineered the combo so that it would instead act as a cannon.
Tempest, who remained coiled inside of her shell, stuck her head out just enough to jettison out a thick stream of water with enough force to carry her directly to where Skiploom was. Gary watched with bated breath as she cut through the air, slamming through the first wave of seeds and directly into the barely-hovering grass-type.
The two pokemon ended up tumbling together over the ground for a solid fifteen feet. Tempest luckily had her shell to sustain the damage as they went, but Skiploom had nothing of the sort to protect it from the terrain as they went. It was when the skiploom rolled over one of the toxic spikes that he realized how genius Tempest was for shooting them in that specific direction, cheering with a pumped fist in the air in her support.
"You're a genius!" he screamed, the adrenaline of battle the only thing keeping his voice from going raw.
Tempest was grinning from ear to ear as she fully exited her shell, keeping Skiploom wedged beneath her body as she tackled her down. Without any instruction, dark energy warped around her jaws as she clamped down onto Skiploom's petal, shaking as hard as she could to knock her opponent out.
The battle only lasted a few more seconds, the Skiploom barely getting off a Fairy Wind to Tempest's face before passing out. Erika, who didn't appear very shocked at the result, simply nodded her head in acceptance and returned her second fallen partner, electing to walk around the arena to avoid getting wet to congratulate the young boy on his victory.
"You battled well out there," she said with a genuine smile on her face, reaching into the depths of her kimono to produce a badge in the shape of a rainbow-hued flower. "I am honored to be your icebreaker into the Kanto gym circuit. Who knows, maybe you'll surpass me one day!"
Erika's laugh was light and pleasing to the ear. Gary could tell that she was genuinely happy with the outcome herself, but something gnawed at the back of his mind. It felt like she was holding back more than he expected.
"I appreciate it, but you didn't go as hard as I thought you would." Gary very easily could have grilled her for an explanation why, but the way her eyes twinkled made him think otherwise. Maybe it was a good thing that she didn't go all out, even with her younger pokemon.
"While you aren't wrong, I still think it was a fair and deserved win. I didn't expect you to use a water-type of all pokemon," she admitted.
An earnest grin made its way onto Gary's face as he crouched down to pat Tempest on the head. Both her and Genesis pulled their weight and more on the battlefield and he planned on treating them both to a hearty meal once they left the gym and got healed up. He could tell that Tempest was just as happy, if not the same amount exhausted, and chose to return her as he stood back up. There was always later to go over the good details.
"Go ahead and take the rainbow badge," Erika exclaimed while pushing her hand forward. "And if you do manage to come back around these parts sometime, I do expect to get a visit from you. I find it cute that you wanted me to be your first gym battle!"
Gary's face flushed with embarrassment as he took the badge, stuffing it into his pocket for safekeeping. He would make sure to put it into his badge case once he got back to the pokemon center. "I'll make sure to keep this bad boy safe for as long as I live."
"As you should! Now shoo, I'm sure you want to make sure your partners are all okay."
Before he could say anything else, Erika had already turned away, walking toward the entrance on the other end of the large room. Just like that, it was over. All that was left to do was leave the way he came, taking the quickest route possible back to the Pokemon Center. He had some winners to heal.
It was weird not having either of his pokemon around him while he relaxed in his room. Nurse Joy said that they would make full recoveries as expected, but Genesis had been completely drained of her poison and would have to wait a few days before her reserves were filled again. Tempest hadn't been left off the hook either, sporting nasty dents that would have to be filled over with new keratin as they traveled.
With all that said and done, they had accomplished what they came here to do. The rainbow badge reflected the afternoon light that filtered through his dimmed window, casting an array of colors onto the top of his ceiling. It was surreal to finally have a tangible piece of evidence that proved he was a trainer. Not everyone could say they beat Erika on their first try.
The trainer before him couldn't, at least.
Without anything else to do, Gary pulled out his pokedex and started scrolling over the map of the Kanto region. Now that he claimed the gym badge for Celadon City, he had options for what he wanted to do next. The two closest gyms were stationed in Fuchsia City and Saffron City, both being manned by some of the toughest trainers that the league had to offer. Enticing as they were, Gary had a feeling that it would be best to try and avoid Saffron for now- he had no realistic way of beating Sabrina this early.
Koga, however, was known to be a tricky and elusive battler with a penchant for poison-types. Gary knew that if he wanted guidance on Toxic Spikes, Fuchsia was the way to go. The only unfortunate thing about going south was that it was a two week's journey at the very least. It was by far the longest route in Kanto, with strong pokemon in the wilderness to boot. Despite his yearning to always go off the beaten path, Gary knew it would be best if he stuck to the mandated one this time around.
By the time he scrolled through all of the known pokemon available on the route, the light above his door flashed a bright red, signaling that his partners were done being healed. Gary wasted no time in jumping out of bed and rushing down the hallway to where Nurse Joy was, coming to a halt in front of her desk with a big grin.
"I'm here to pick up my pokemon," he said with an earnest smile. He couldn't wait to congratulate his friends on their victory over Erika- they deserved it.
Nurse Joy gave him a subtle nod of her head, the smile on her face bright despite the long hours he knew she worked. After turning her back to him for a quick moment, she pulled out a metallic tray with six deep indentations on it, two of them filled with his primed pokeballs. Each felt familiar within his grasp as he placed them in their rightful place along his belt.
"Remember what I said," Nurse Joy said to him, readjusting the ring of pink hair behind her neck. "Take it easy until at least the day after tomorrow. You don't want to cause any underlying damage by going back into battling too quickly."
After being subjected to her soft yet firm stare for a few seconds, Gary relented and gave her a nod of his own. "I will make sure that they remain healthy, ma'am. There's nothing more important than staying in tip-top shape."
Walking back to his room took less than a minute, the heavy-set door opening and closing as quickly as Gary could make it. His hands fumbled as he tried to release both of his pokemon at the same time, only managing to get Genesis out before Tempest followed seconds later. He could see the grogginess still in the corners of their eyes, which made him realize that the residue of battle lasted much longer than he thought.
It was a blissful feeling, he thought to himself, revealing the Rainbow Badge to his two comrades. Gary reveled in the moment as he witnessed their own emotions emerge from their exhausted state. Genesis jumped up and down, hissing with pride she knew was deserved, while Tempest remained as cool as ever, keeping her small arms crossed. As hard as Tempest tried to hide it, her eyes sparkled with joy, a testament to just how much the small piece of metal meant to her.
"Our effort paid off," Gary started saying, pulling in the attention of his two pokemon, "and it was all because of you two. If it weren't for all the time and effort you put into training, I'm sure we would be right in this room, badgeless."
Gary turned to Genesis first, grinning like a madman. "Genesis, you completely outdid yourself with how well you performed those Toxic Spikes. Not only did you manage to take down her Tangela, but you also set the stage for Tempest to accomplish her task as well! Without your Toxic Spikes following your knock-out, I'm sure it would have been even harder."
A pleased hiss escaped from Genesis, a high-pitched sound that Gary hardly got to hear from the poison-type. As much as her confidence and pride got wounded by Tempest's constant assertiveness, she proved to all that she was not to be trifled with, lest such an unfortunate soul wanted to be poisoned beyond oblivion.
Shooting a glance at Tempest next, Gary noticed his starter try to relax from her stiff posture. Her muscles must have been screaming after being in such an intense battle. Nurse Joy could perform miracles, but it still required time to process. Despite the fact that she was gripped with fatigue, Tempest thumped her chest with a clawed hand, a testament to her own ability.
"And you, Tempest, have never shined so brightly. Not only did you have a weakness to overcome, but you also had the added misfortune of having a second stage pokemon as your opponent! You dominated the fight just as I expected, and I am glad that I got to see you in your prime."
As faint as it was, Gary could see the blush that Tempest tried to keep hidden. Even Genesis, who was sworn to be her rival to the bitter end, appeared to be happy for her. Happiness surged through his system as Tempest gave Genesis a small smile, realizing that the two had somewhat managed to overcome their differences. By no means was the contest over, but a step was a step nonetheless.
"Tomorrow, we rest. But come the day after, we're heading south to Fuchsia City. It was a hard decision to make, but I am certain of one thing: the journey will be long and arduous. It will take at least two weeks to pass through the route, and even then, it will be difficult. Strong trainers and pokemon stand between us and our destination.
"As for my reasoning, it is simple: Koga is a master of the poison typing. That means he can help you with your poison glands, Genesis. As for you, Tempest, I'm sure we can find the time to stop by the coast and work on your nautical prowess. Without a doubt, we will emerge from the other end of the route stronger than we are entering it."
Once a peaceful silence settled into the room, Gary took the time to inspect both pokemon as they mulled over the decision. Genesis had grown larger since their time on Route 1, filling out her small stature more so than before. The bristle-like spikes that grew alongside her scales were also starting to thicken up- a telltale sign that her evolution was coming sooner rather than later.
The same could be said for Tempest as well. Her own skin was delving into the deeper shades of blue, accompanied by white hairs sprouting from her tail. Nurse Joy had also mentioned that her shell reached a respectable strength for her age, meaning that once they were able to start training again, they could work on bolstering their defenses even more.
A nudge from Tempest broke Gary from his stupor. As he refocused his gaze upon his starter, he saw that both she and Genesis agreed to his plan. It would be painfully difficult to reach Fuchsia any sooner than a fortnight, but the opportunity was too grand to pass.
"Perfect!" Gary clapped his hands together and started preparing for their evening to come to an end. Retiring to an early sleep sounded like a great idea. "As I said before, I'll also grab a TM or two for us to work on as we travel. Nothing better than working on new moves, eh?"
Simple nods came from them both. Their initial burst of energy had already died down since finalizing their plans of reaching Fuchsia City.
Without wasting any more time, Gary swooped down and scooped up his two sleeping beauties, placing them at the foot of his twin bed as he made himself comfortable. It was hard to believe that his journey started not even two weeks ago and he already had a badge.
"Goodnight girls," he whispered quietly, aware that they were already snoozing. "I won't fail either of you now."
Sleep came easy for the first time in a long while.