Pokemon EDventures: Johto Journeys

by Gusto God of Story

If you were given a chance to go to another world, would you do it? Given the chance by a young trainer from Kanto, the kids of the Cul-De-Sac embark into the world of Pokemon. The Eds have been fans and know their way around battling... or so they think. So much has changed, and so much is unknown to them. But they must deal with the changes, even if it changes them as well...

8. Trouble in Azalea Town

I'm back.

And HOLY HELL!

Guys, I dunno why, but this chapter has been the biggest pain in the ass I have ever written. And the worst part is I can't give you a coherent reason as to why. Oh well, I guess it happens sometimes.

We're approaching 10 chapters, and that has me obscenely excited. Hopefully I can crank out the next chapter without as much non-explainable issues, but for now, I've got this. Oh also, I'm gonna take some creative liberties in the setup for this chapter's big conflict, which I'm gonna do a lot more of in the future. Within reason, of course.

But for now, reviewin' answerin' time.

Playerhood18: Oh yeah, that Miltank, that was the BANE of my 7-year-old self's existence. The first Johto Pokemon on a Johto Leader's team, and they picked the counterpart to Tauros!

The Afterdreamer: Poor Kakuna, I tell ya. Got saddled with a trainer who's deathly afraid of bugs. Oh well, provides potential for me.

Engineer1869: Oh yeah, life's been pretty okay. My mojo is just weird sometimes.

maxileyba954: Okay Maxi, I think I got the gist of your review thanks to an online translator, but I digress. As for the eggs themselves, well, I won't spoil it, but I think you guys are gonna like my choices of 'Mons inside of them.

Anyway, that's all I gotta say.

I hope you enjoy, and I hope it was worth the wait.

---

The leaves swayed as a gentle breeze passed over Azalea Town, the people wandering about with Pokemon in tow. The simple dirt roads perfectly set the scene, giving the Cul-De-Sac kids a sense of nostalgia as they remembered their trips through the forest. Put simply, the town looked like a paradise.

"Aw, nice," Eddy declared, taking note of the large building over by the edge of town. "There's the gym, boys! We're breezing through this region! We'll be done in like a week if we can keep this up!"

"Technically a week and two days," Double D corrected. "As we had to make a few detours along the way. And that's assuming the gyms are as close to one another as Violet and Azalea's are. And that we don't stop to take some time for ourselves to enjoy the Johto Region's culture."

Eddy groaned. "If I wanted to learn about other cultures, I'd have paid attention in history class."

"That's no kind of attitude to have, Eddy. Aren't you curious about the various differences of how a society functions with the introduction of something as incredible as Pokemon?"

"Not really."

Double D sighed. He was the brains of the group for a reason, after all...

"Regardless, we have approximately a month before the League, so while I would not recommend resting on our laurels, there's little harm to taking a day to enjoy the sights and scenery."

That took a second to digest, but it made sense to the likes of Kevin and Rolf, as well as Nazz, who was in no hurry to continue their walks for the day. Azalea looked to be so wonderful, and maybe if they were to stay, something positive would come out of it that they could not predict.

And realistically, what could one day hurt?

"Well, I wanna see the Gym Leader," Sarah told them. "He won't know what hit him!"

"Putting the cart before the horse, don't you think?" Rolf asked her. "This second badge will no doubt be much more difficult to earn than the first."

"Oh for sure," Eddy told them. "Misty was like a 7-level jump from where Takeshi was, I wanna say. And that Starmie was freaking terrifying."

Double D looked at him with great curiosity.

"What?" He asked.

"You called Brock 'Takeshi', Eddy," Double D explained, earning a look of confusion at that statement.

"I did? ... Huh, guess so. But what's it matter, that's what he's called here anyhow?"

"True, it's just rather strange to hear."

To this, Eddy shrugged. "Look, can we just look around town for a bit? I'm interested in what Slowpoke Tail tastes like."

Before anyone could respond, Eddy had rushed off, searching the town for any vendors. Double D pursued him immediately, followed by Ed not long after.

With their destination decided, the others branched off to acheive their specific goals. Rolf was quick to chat up the local townsfolk, interested in what this little forest settlement had to offer. Nazz and Kevin got back to their usual routine of finding cute Pokemon for the girl. And as for Sarah and Jimmy?

Well, before the boy could even ponder it, he was dragged over to where the Gym was by his aggressive friend.

---

"This blows!" Sarah yelled as the two of them exited the gym. "Why is it that these Gym Leaders are always out whenever I wanna fight them!?"

"Sarah, it's okay," Jimmy told her, trying desperately to calm his friend down. "We've still got all day to fight Mr. Tsu-... Tsuku..."

"Whatever his name was, it was stupid, and still! Knowing the others, they're gonna try to make me wait until last again! I'm not gonna let them stop me from beating this guy and his stupid bugs!"

Jimmy shuddered, so upset to have been reminded of that fact. There was not a single part of him that was excited to fight a Bug Type gym. Sure, he was on better terms with his Kakuna than when he first caught it, but that was still a fraying relationship. And to face a gym leader who specialized in them was a terrifying prospect, to be sure.

"Seriously this is-"

"THE WORST!"

Sarah's attention was turned toward the source of that familiar yell. Eddy was walking over with a look of frustration like her own, with Double D and Ed following close behind.

"Seriously, not a single Slowpoke Tail in this whole town! Why even advertise it if you ain't gonna have it?"

"Now, Eddy," Double D told him, doing his best to calm the shorter boy. "Perhaps this is just a bad time of year for production. After all, as that kind citizen mentioned, the Slowpoke have all but vanished."

"Oooh! Do you think it could be the work of Team Rocket!?" Ed asked excitedly. "They stole the Slowpoke and turned them into sandwich spread!"

"That's... actually a distinct possibility."

Double D began to ponder on this thought, and Eddy's eyes widened at that, suddenly hopeful.

"And we're gonna have to deal with 'em if it is?"

"Most likely," Double D answered. "Hopefully, our numbers make up for any skill deficit between us and Champion Red, should we choose to oppose them."

Eddy groaned upon hearing that name.

Meanwhile, Sarah was confused. Were they seriously talking about going after those losers that Ryuji and Gold took down earlier? Sounded like a total waste of time to her, considering how weak they were in the end.

And speaking of Ryuji and Gold... where were they?

"Oh hello, Sarah," Double D said, approaching the two at the front of the gym. "How goes the search?"

"Total bust," Sarah told him, having calmed down a slight bit. "Just like last town, the Gym Leader's out doing something!"

"Man, what are the odds?" Jimmy asked.

"Pretty high, I'd assume," Double D told them. "This isn't a video game anymore. Gym Leaders have lives just the same as anyone else."

Even though he said this with such confidence, it was still baffling to him. Granted, two days of exploration and spending time in the Pokemon World had certainly dulled the feeling of abject shock, but there were certain aspects that needed to be understood.

Gym Leaders living their lives was one of them.

"So what do we do while we wait?" Jimmy questioned, causing Double D to remember something interesting.

"Well, if you'd like, we could go visit this guy named Gantetsu."

Eddy raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"He's a fellow I heard about from one of the townsfolk while you were searching for Slowpoke Tails. Apparently, he is trained in creating Poke Balls, an art originating in this very region."

That caught Eddy's attention, for sure. "Wait, WHAT!? So these guys are the ones who made Poke Balls!? How!?"

"You remember that fruit that Ed tried to eat earlier?"

"I nearly broke my tooth!" Ed chimed in excitedly.

"Yes, that one. Well, it's called an 'Apricorn', and their hard outer shells can be used to make Poke Balls. In fact, before the Silph Corporation arose, the art was quite common here in Johto, and spread to other regions."

"Y'know, for once, I'm glad I didn't zone out," Eddy joked. "Well, if he can make Poke Balls, let's go see if he'll make some for us! Where is he?"

Double D smiled, glad to see Eddy was taking an interest in this little tidbit. He had hoped that learning about this world and its cultures would be a wonderful experience for them, especially since he'd not had much time or money to capture everything he could.

And plus, potentially free items, so that's always a plus.

"Follow me," he told them, gesturing in the direction he'd been told to go. "You're welcome to join us, you two."

Eddy protested upon seeing Sarah, to which she stuck her tongue out at him. Even if she did not intend to piss Eddy off, she was already set to join them. After all, it wasn't like she had anything better to do, did she?

And so, she dragged Jimmy along once again, and they made their way over to where this 'Gantetsu' guy was.

---

Stopping in front of a modest little shack on a small mound, the five trainers waited outside for someone to answer the door. They had knocked about 10 seconds ago, earning a slight grumbling from inside in response.

"You sure this guy's the real deal, Sockhead?" Eddy asked.

"That is what I was told," he answered immediately. "Perhaps he's busy."

After a few seconds, they finally got their answer. A little girl opened the door and looked to the five with great curiosity.

"Hi there!" she said with a bubbly tone of voice. "Are you here to see grampa?"

Double D was going to answer but was stopped midway into his sentence. "If they're here for Poke Balls, tell them that I'm unavailable right now!"

Looking past the girl, they all got little more than a passing glimpse at the source of that voice. An older man, sitting down at a small table, his expression halfway between collected focus and angered contemplation.

"Ah, but grampa!" The girl protested. "They're trainers, and you love making Poke Balls for trainers!"

"I know, Chie," the man answered. "But now is not the time. We have more pressing concerns to attend to."

"Any way we can fix that, old timer?"

Gantetsu looked over to find the speaker, glancing through the slightly opened door. Eddy looked to Gantetsu, a cocky grin on his face that the smithy could see right through.

'Confident, yet there's something else in his eyes. A determination that could move mountains…'

"Perhaps there is something you could do to assist me," Gantetsu answered. "Tell me young ones, have you heard of Team Rocket?"

"Evil group that steals Pokemon and uses 'em to do bad things?" Eddy asked. "Yeah, we've heard of 'em. Ran into a couple on the way to town, actually."

"Then I suppose you have a stake in this as well, in a way," he tells them. "They've taken the Slowpoke and herded them into the well, where they are cutting their tails off haphazardly. The poor creatures only have a certain amount they can regrow, and I'm worried that they will harm them once they find out the tails are not growing back..."

Hearing that left Double D's blood boiling, as he looked to the others to see their expressions a mix of shock and anger. Even Sarah seemed to resonate with the poor creatures' plight and looked like she wanted to do something about it.

"I want nothing more than to help them, but I fear that I am only one man," Gantetsu explained. "I highly doubt I will be able to win in the end against their numbers."

"But didn't one guy take down Team Rocket before?" Jimmy asked, to which Gantetsu nodded.

"That is true, but Champion Red has been out of the public eye for a while now. Unfortunate, too, as his strength would no doubt stamp out their attempted revival immediately..."

"Forget that has-been!" Eddy exclaimed, fists clenched and eyes burning with jealousy. "He had his 15 minutes of fame, but now we'll be the ones to beat down Team Rocket! Right, boys?"

"THE ROCKETS SHALL BE SENT SKYWARD, AND WE SHALL ENJOY A FOURTH OF JULY!" Ed yelled happily.

Looking over to see the responses of his teammates, he was satisfied to see both Double D and Jimmy nodding at his request. He had been expecting Double D, but to see the cowardly Jimmy so determined was always something to take pride in.

"You have courage, children. If you are confident that you can defeat Team Rocket, then I leave it in your hands."

"You will not regret your choice," Double D told the old master. "We shall have the problem eradicated post-haste. Team Rocket shall not assail this town any longer."

Before they left, Double D requested that Gantetsu look after his egg, not wanting to risk harming it in the conflict. He agreed without any questions, and they left the house as quickly as they'd approached it. Their destination was only a short distance away, and they had nothing to stand in their way.

And so, to the Slowpoke Well they went.

---

The walk to the well was brisk, but every step closer was filled with both conviction and apprehension. As the Eds approached the well, the first thing that stood out was the footprints around the outside. A scuffle had happened, and not too long ago, no doubt about it.

No sort of clues as to who or what was involved, but who were they to let an opportunity go to waste?

Rushing down the trail now, they reached the well in no time at all, and went down the ladder carefully to reach the interior. The only light was from above, but the cave was not so dark that they could see nothing at all. And from within, voices could be heard. Commands being given, to be specific, and from the sounds of it…

"Wait a minute, ain't that Ryuji's voice?" Eddy asked.

"Sounds like he and Gold decided to start on this endeavor without us…" Double D lamented. "I suppose that makes sense, given their fervor in challenging those grunts earlier."

"Jeepers… are we even needed here then?" Jimmy asked.

"What, you backin' out?"

"I mean, think about it Eddy. They beat those other meanies by the time we were out of the cave."

"So what, we're just supposed to wimp out and leave 'em to do everything themselves!?" he demanded. "Screw that! Team Rocket won't know what bit 'em!"

"You guys do realize we can hear you, right?"

Everyone's attention was brought to an opening in the cave, in which they saw a disgruntled Rocket. He sneered at the kids.

"Now, you wanna tell me why the hell you brats are in our base?" The man demanded.

"Not particularly," Double D retorted, a surprisingly impressive glare plastered on his face. "Would you like to enlighten us as to why you're exploiting the Slowpoke in this town?"

"Oh for the love of- not ANOTHER one of you wannabe heroes! It's bad enough that we have to deal with those other two, we don't need a whole circus down here!"

"We're with those two! You mess with them, you mess with us!" Eddy told him. "Now get out of our way, loser!"

"Look, I ain't in no condition to fight anyway, especially against like five o' ya," the Rocket relented, moving out of the way. "That red-eyed boy did a number on my team."

"And we're just as strong!" Eddy gloated.

"I doubt it. And even if that's true, all you're gonna do is upset Proton. And trust me, you don't wanna upset Proton."

And with that, the Rocket Grunt stepped past them and began on the way up the ladder, leaving them with that last bit of info to ruminate on. Just who was this 'Proton' person?

"Let's get moving! Team Rocket ain't gonna beat themselves!"

"Wait a second, Eddy!" Double D interjected. "Rushing further in would be foolhardy. Let's take this one step at a time."

"And let Ryuji and Gold get all the glory? No way!"

"Humor me, Eddy. It would not do to fight more Rocket Grunts than we can handle, so we need to take this slowly and methodically."

Eddy groaned. He hated it when Double D had a point, especially considering that this was a problem they wanted done ASAP. But loathe as he was to admit it, he was right.

But that didn't mean he couldn't decide how quickly those steps were.

"Well then, let's meet with the others," he demanded, turning on his heels and rushing into the room. A smirk was suppressed as he heard Double D's surprised yelp, and he ran into the rest of the cave in an instant. A small lake was passed as he rushed up some carved steps and was met with the sight he wanted to see.

Standing with their backs turned to the group were Ryuji scanning the area ahead, and Gold, his basket missing from his back. From the sound of it, they were wondering if they'd brought enough healing items for the trip at hand.

"Need some help?"

The two boys looked back, and simultaneously sighed in relief at seeing the others.

"Looks like you decided to join us after all," Gold said happily. "Chalk another point on my list of right calls."

"What, you were expecting this?" asked Sarah, having finally caught up to the group. "You couldn't have just said something!?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

She hated how much she wanted to hit him. This Gold guy was already getting on her nerves, even more than Ryuji. It was like he thought he knew everything…

"This is a good thing though," Ryuji told the group. "There are a lot more Rockets here than I was expecting. Possibly more than even me and Gold could take down on our own…"

"We can help!" Ed called out eagerly. "Ed and his mutant gator shall defeat their poison Pokemon!"

"Lovin' the enthusiasm, Ed. Now then, take a look at that."

Stepping forward, everyone got to see what exactly had the two so unsure. There were at least 7 different grunts in that room, and all of them were searching the area. No way were they going to be able to avoid all of them, so what was the plan?

"Divide and conquer?" Double D suggested.

"I like the way you think, brainiac," Gold said. "Looks like there's enough for one of us to each get one. All we need is to separate 'em."

With that in mind, they formulated a plan of attack, and put it into action. Only a minute later, a pair of grunts approached that area of the well, scanning the area as if they'd been told there was a legendary within it. And what they were greeted by was the sight of a single redheaded girl in a pink shirt.

"Get outta here kid," the girl grunt told her. "We got no time to be dealing with the likes o' you."

"Well that's too bad," Sarah goaded, pulling out a Poke Ball. "Because I've got a bone to pick with you losers!"

The guy grunt laughed at her. "Do you even know who you're dealin' with, runt? We're Team Rocket, the terror of Kanto and Johto."

"Don't seem all that terrifying to me. What are you gonna do, sneer me to death?"

"Fine, you want it so bad, it's your funeral."

In a flash, four Poke Balls were thrown, one from each of the Rocket Grunts, one from Sarah, and one from Jimmy, who appeared from the entrance to the well and joined his friend in the battle. Sarah glanced behind her as her Zubat prepared to come to blows with their Pokemon. The others rushed out of their hiding spots, now that two of the enemies had their back turned to the group. They were officially deeper in, and all Sarah had to do was win this fight.

'I'm not gonna lose to these chumps,' Sarah thought with conviction. 'I'm better than them!'

"Rattata, use Quick Attack!"

"Koffing, Poison Gas!"

"Zubat, Supersonic!"

"Litten, use Ember!"

Four commands given and four commands acted upon, all in quick succession. First was Rattata, who slammed into Zubat with blinding speed, nearly knocking the Flying Type out of the air with a devastating critical hit. Then came Litten, who out-sped both Poison Types and unleashed flickers of burning residue right at Koffing. Next came Zubat, who let out an ear-piercing screeching noise, aimed right at the rat who had just hit her. The attack made its mark, leaving the rat heavily confused, but allowing a perfect opportunity for Koffing to assail the two with its own status effect. Being a Poison type, it did nothing to Zubat, but Litten was another story entirely…

"(Grr… you're already getting on my nerves)," Litten hissed as the poisonous effect overtook him. "(Watch out, Zubat. They've already got the advantage.)"

"(Oh hush, you downer,)" Zubat argued. "(I am far superior to these two, so we'll be fine!)"

Litten sighed, looking to his opponents as they stood ready to strike again. Their job mainly was to buy time for the others, but that didn't mean they would just be able to throw this match. If they did, who knew what would happen?

But at the rate they were going, and the fact that the two had their hands ready at their hips, this told Jimmy's starter that this battle would be a long one…

---

Ed and Eddy led the way as they stepped up another carved staircase. Before they could even process the events, the group was reduced from five to three as Ryuji and Gold stepped up to take on the next two in line. That was four of the seven they had seen, meaning the other two were-

"Stop right there!"

… Currently looking at the Eds as they tried to book it toward where the man with all the Slowpoke was.

A cursory glance revealed two more grunts, both girls, holding out Poke Balls threateningly.

"Just who the hell do you stupid kids think you are?" one of them said. "Just gotta stick your noses where you don't belong, don'tcha?"

"You better believe it!" Eddy taunted. "We're not gonna let you have your way, Team Rocket!"

"Bah. One of you half-pints gets it in your head to stand against us, and suddenly every dumbass with a Poke Ball thinks they'll be the next Red…"

A vein bulged out of Eddy's forehead in irritation. He knew this 'Red' guy was famous and all, but he was already sick of hearing his name. The feeling only grew from being compared to him, simply for trying to do what any decent person would and solve a problem.

He didn't know WHY that bothered him so much, but it felt like something was nagging at the back of his mind, telling him that he had to prove himself.

"Shut up about this 'Red' asshole!" Eddy yelled. "You ain't facing Red, you're facing ME!"

"And me!" Ed declared happily. "Oh phantom reptile of the deepest depths, show these evildoers that we fight for the goodness of gravy!"

With a throw full of gusto, both boys let their starter Pokemon out of their balls, allowing them to see the competition. A pair of Zubat came from their opponents, who hissed threateningly in the direction of Cyndaquil and Totodile.

"(Oh wow,)" Totodile grunted excitedly. "(Another awesome battle, and with you too! This is gonna be great!)"

"(Keep your guard up, Toto…)" warned Cyndaquil. "(They're Flying Types, meaning they'll be harder to hit up in the air.)"

The Fire Type had no idea if his fellow starter had even listened to his words, but it seemed that he was ready to fight regardless of if he had or not. He was fairly sure that he was the fastest thing here, and both trainer and Pokemon needed to take advantage of that…

"Cyndaquil, use Ember!"

The rodent smiled. 'Perfect.'

Acting upon his command, a burst of embers shot out from his mouth, aimed at the Zubat across from him. Satisfaction filled him at seeing the Rocket Grunt's Pokemon reel back, dealt an impressive amount of damage from such a simple Fire attack.

"Grr… that's it, Zubat, use Absor-"

"Totodile, Water Gun upon that demon bat!"

Before Zubat could even attempt to use its attack, a stream of water slammed into it, nearly knocking it out of the air with the damage added on top of Ember. The Rocket Grunt grit her teeth as she watched her Pokemon struggle in the air from that assault.

"Get up you useless bat, and use Absorb!"

Zubat's fangs glowed green, as a similar energy surrounded Totodile. A single small orb of energy rushed out of the latter, entering the mouth of the former and was gobbled up with furious enthusiasm. However it was clear to everyone in the scene that the damage was minimal at best. And knowing that only annoyed the opposition further.

"Looks like this is gonna be a total sweep, Ed."

"Damn kids," Grunt B growled in Eddy's general direction. "Don't think just because you had one good round that you're suddenly the big bosses around here! Use Supersonic!"

The soundwaves raced out from the second Poison Type, aimed directly at Eddy's Cyndaquil. Unfortunately, it did not take much effort for the Fire Type to dodge such a shoddy attack, and so that was exactly what he did.

By this point, both girls were seething, and Eddy couldn't help but let a smug grin adorn his face. They were already throwing these two off their game, and it didn't look like this battle would be too hard to finish quickly. And the best part?

Double D took the opportunity to step away.

The plan had went perfectly, now they had divided their forces, just like Double D had said.

Now all that was left was to conquer.

---

"Ekans, use Glare!"

The snake Pokemon looked into the eyes of Jimmy's Horsea, causing the poor creature to be paralyzed in fear. Her trainer gave a fearful glance of his own, as the second command was given, this one coming from Rattata and aimed right at knocking Horsea off her tail.

'This isn't good,' Jimmy said to himself, visibly flinching when he saw his Pokemon struggle to get back to standing. 'If Horsea goes down, I'll be left with…'

He didn't even want to think about it. Kakuna was his Pokemon, but… he was a cocoon! He could barely move, and that alone told him such a match wouldn't end well. And even if it did, he didn't know if that was much better. Double D said it evolved at an incredibly low level, after all.

"Horsea, Bubble!"

"Use Tackle!"

Jimmy watched in horror as Horsea was unable to dodge in time, paralysis being her downfall as Jimmy was forced to recall her and pull out his last Poke Ball. Hesitance was the name of the game, as he looked to his shaking hand…

"Mareep, use Thunder Shock!"

His attention turned upward, as Sarah's Pokemon let loose a stream of electricity, knocking out Ekans and leaving only a single Pokemon on each side of the field. He knew he could stay out of it and leave it to Sarah, but some part of him in the back of his mind was telling him to stick to it. Two on one would be good to scare them, and plus, he could not just back out when they needed to win.

And so, against his fear and perhaps his better judgment, he sent out Kakuna.

"(Bah! Your Pokemon just keep getting dumber with each one!)" Rattata taunted, earning Kakuna's ire in the process. "(No matter, I'll take both of you down!)"

"(Getting a bit arrogant, aren't you?)" Kakuna retorted, trying his best to glare at his opponent despite his eyes being stuck in position. "(It is two against one, after all.)"

"(And one of you's a sheep, the other's a stupid bug!)"

If 'murderous intent' could be summed up in a look, Mareep was sending a ripe helping of it right at the Rattata. He did not take kindly to getting insulted, especially when they were winning right now.

So, they would just have to make sure this round counted.

"Mareep! Thunder Sh-"

"Quick Attack!"

Before Mareep could even think of attacking, Rattata was a blur, slamming directly into Kakuna and knocking the poor bug onto its back, and causing both trainers to flinch as they heard an audible 'crack'. The Normal Type looked into its opponent's eyes and bared its oversized teeth in anger.

"(You're nothing, you stupid bug!)" Rattata squeaked. "(You can barely even move! What makes you think you can beat me?)"

"(Two words…)"

"Poison Sting!"

A sudden stabbing pain went through Rattata's stomach, as it was forced to jump back toward its starting position. As soon as it landed, a jolt ran through it, as Mareep made good on his command from before. The damage piled on, leaving him barely at half health.

"Get back in there, you stupid rat!" its trainer demanded, the anger apparent on her face. "You're making a fool outta me!"

"Nope, you're doing that to yourself, idiot!" Sarah boasted. "Now let's settle this! Right, Jimmy?"

The boy nodded, his Kakuna returning to standing despite the split on the back of its shell.

"Fine then! Rattata, Tackle that stupid sheep!"

While not the blur it had been before, the Normal Type managed an impressive burst of speed, hitting Mareep directly in its fleece, and nearly knocking it out. Stamina nearly all spent from earlier, he barely remained standing his ground against this strike. Taking in a heavy breath before readying more electric energy, Rattata got the chance to jump away. And then… it happened.

"(Wh-wha-what… in the world just h-hap-ppened!?)"

A swell of confidence came over the damaged Pokemon, as he watched the second stroke of luck today.

"(Static,)" he told him simply. "(Enjoy being slower, stupid!)"

"Mareep, Thunder Shock one more time!"

"Kakuna! Poison Sting right after!"

For the second time since it entered the battlefield, a burst of electricity came Rattata's way. Its trainer called to dodge, and immediately it took action to do so. But when it did, it was as if its legs refused to move. Muscles tensed and refused to untense for long enough to jump away. The paralysis was doing what it was meant to, and now Rattata could not get away…

So, it was forced to take the two-part assault head-on. First came the stream of lightning, nearly draining its stamina in one shot. Nearing its own limits, survival instinct took over, and once again it tried to jump away.

And when it did, the attack from Kakuna was launched. Once more, the same stabbing pain, only this time to its foreleg rather than its stomach. The damage was miniscule, and in a way, that made it sting all the more.

The Rocket Grunt watched in anger as her Rattata fainted. It was over.

They had just been beaten by two kids who looked no older than 10.

"Why you little!" she took a step forward, before feeling a hand on her shoulder. Her fellow Grunt glanced over to the kids, and sighed.

"You win this round, you snot-nosed brats," he told them. "But don't think this is the end. You ain't gonna stop Team Rocket this time around!"

Both Rockets ran away at a speed almost fitting of their namesakes, and Sarah pumped her fists in triumph. "Alright, we did it! They were nothin'!"

"Yeah," he nodded, looking to Kakuna with a smile on his face. "Kakuna… you did great. Are you okay?"

"(Yeah… I'm fine)," The Bug Type told him, feeling a sudden burst of energy from that battle's experience. "(I'm glad I could fight alongside you.)"

"Hey… um, l-let me look at your back, okay?"

Jimmy approached tentatively, checking the crack to make sure that his Pokemon did not get too hurt. As he pulled out a Potion and was ready to administer treatment, a bright light suddenly came from the opening.

"What the… are you evolving?"

If he could, Kakuna would have smiled, feeling the power envelop him and his prison. In a blinding flash, he burst from the previous form, having evolved finally into his final form; Beedrill.

A full meter tall, with yellow as his main color, and two black stripes circling his abdomen, which ended in a brutally large stinger. In this new state, he had 4 limbs, his two forelimbs serving as arms, and being tipped in obscenely large, almost lance-like stingers. Wings fluttering to create a slight humming sound, Beedrill turned to look at Jimmy, its massive red eyes lighting up and its mandibles opening slightly; the closest his new form could get to a smile.

"(Master, I've d-)"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

---

The blood-curdling scream echoed through the cave, as Double D ran over to where the final Team Rocket member was. From the sound of it, something bad had happened to Jimmy, which only sent more worry through his system.

'I can only hope that Sarah can keep him safe for now,' he told himself. 'Please let this not have been a mistake…'

"Well well…"

Double D adjusted his hat as his focus was brought toward his opponent. At the back of the cave stood a man in his mid-20s, with green hair and eyes, wearing the most insufferably smug grin Double D had ever seen.

"You've caused quite the commotion, boy," he taunted. "Couldn't help but to get in the way of adult business, could you?"

"Stealing all the Slowpoke in a given area is considered 'adult business' to you?" Double D asked incredulously. "The audacity of that statement alone makes me sure coming down here was the right choice!"

"Getting a bit arrogant, aren't you? That seems more audacious to me than simply working to make a profit. But tell you what, I'm a forgiving guy. So I'll give you one last chance to turn around and run back home to Mommy. And if you don't take it, well then…"

The man pulled out a Poke Ball.

"Guess that means you'll get to see the wrath of Proton."

"I do not fear you," Double D said brazenly. "You and your organization are nothing more than a shadow of what you once were."

It was plainly obvious that he struck a nerve, especially when Proton chucked his Poke Ball and nearly clocked Double D in the face. He'd just barely managed to avoid it, as Proton's Koffing left the Poke Ball, unleashing a torrent of Poison Gas that forced the boy to cover his nose with his shirt.

"Heh… it's not like me to lose my temper like that." Proton mused. "Suppose I'll have to enjoy this then."

"Pidgey, I choose you!"

With a vigorous chuck of his own Poke Ball, Double D's Pokemon burst forth, spreading its wings as it turned backward to see a Koffing causing trouble for his trainer.

"(Not happening, you bloated imbecile!)" Pidgey cawed, immediately jumping into action. He did not know what attack he was going for, but so long as Koffing backed off, that was good enough.

Seeing the oncoming assault, the Poison Type moved slightly to the left, and began making its way back over to where its trainer was. The battle was on, and Double D had no intention of losing.

"Alright Pidgey, use Sand Attack!"

"Koffing, Smog!"

The two commands were given, and to Double D's surprise, the usually slower Koffing acted upon its order first. A burst of poison breath approached Pidgey, who flew backward to avoid the fog, before kicking up some sand right into Koffing's eyes.

"(Hooh hooh… you are certainly a tricky fighter,)" Koffing said. "(Do not thi-hink this will save you tho-hough…)"

"Hmph… Alright then, use Smokescreen!"

Despite Pidgey's best efforts, he could not dodge this strike, and instead found himself receiving a burst of black smoke right to the face. Koffing did its best attempt at a laugh, expecting to see Pidgey futilely trying to rub the irritant out of his eyes, and fumbling to aim an attack.

But instead, he was greeted with Pidgey looking to him, eyes narrowed, head raised high, and wings spread confidently; the closest equivalent his avian form could get to a cocky grin.

"Afraid not, Proton," Double D said triumphantly. "My Pidgey has quite the Keen Eye, you see."

"(You'd better believe it,)" Pidgey boasted. "(Nothing short of permanently blinding me will keep me from finding my prey! Now then, your orders, Double D!)"

"One more Sand Attack!"

Pidgey raised one of his little eyebrows. More accuracy reduction? That would only do so much, and they were effectively on a timer here. Surely he'd want to get damage in when he could, right?

Regardless, he kicked up more sand as requested, further dropping the accuracy of his opponent, who was having a hard time seeing anything with that much material caked in its eyes.

"What's the matter kid?" asked Proton. "Too afraid to attack?"

"Not on your life!" Double D countered. "I'm just not a reckless battler."

"Sounds like an excuse. Not that I can blame you. One hit from my Koffing, and your pathetic bird will be mincemeat."

"I'm aware, the odds are not in my favor," he admitted, recalling what he'd learned about 'Stat Boosts and Drops' in a study session with Ryuji. "Right now, it's a coin flip. But I'm feeling confident in my luck!"

"Well then let's see where that confidence gets you. Koffing, use Assurance!"

"(A-has my master comma-hands…)"

Koffing rushed in, but Pidgey was ready this time, not even having to move that much for the Poison Type to unite his face with the stony ground of the cave. Double D ordered for him to use Gust, and he wasted no time taking advantage of Koffing's prone position.

The burst of wind did minimal damage, but it was better than nothing.

Koffing began floating back up, and looked back to Pidgey. "(Wa-has that supposed to be-hee an attack?)"

"(Yes, you bloated sack of waste,)" Pidgey squawked. "(Or are you as dumb as you are ugly?)"

"(You are we-heak…)"

"Use Assurance!"

Pidgey just barely managed to avoid the attack in time, firing back with another Gust right to the face of his opponent. Proton grit his teeth in anger, seeing his mighty Pokemon being at the mercy of this… child.

"Put some backbone into it, you pathetic waste of a Pokemon!"

Koffing winced, and for a split second, Pidgey actually felt bad for the Poison Type. A feeling that subsided as a searing pain coursed through his body. Assurance had landed this time around, and the damage was substantial from only that single hit. It took every bit of willpower not to fall onto his back, instead flying backward as he tried to fire off another sloppily executed Gust.

Even after three attacks, Koffing was floating strong, still barely above half of his stamina.

"(I cannot lo-hoose…)" Koffing told his opponent. "(The master will replace me-hee… if I fail again.)"

"(Sounds like a blessing in my opinion,)" Pidgey countered. "(This guy is just using you. My trainer and I actually work with one another.)"

"(And ye-het, you are not strong enough to eve-hen tickle me.)"

Double D watched for a moment, visibly confused. Was Pidgey having a conversation with Koffing? And about what?

"You worthless ball of gas! Attack that stupid bird!"

Double D scowled. "You're far too harsh to your Koffing, but I suppose I should expect nothing less from Team Rocket."

"Pokemon are nothing more than tools for power, after all," Proton taunted. "You're just too young to understand that."

"And yet your organization was upended by a 10-year-old. So how is that ideology working out for you?"

It did not take a genius to figure out that Double D had struck a nerve. If the clenched fists and gritted teeth did not make it clear, the fury in his eyes certainly did. Proton looked like he wanted to call the battle off right there and just come over and punch the younger boy.

'I wouldn't put it past the ruffian,' Double D thought, as he watched his Pidgey rinse and repeat through the process of dodging and attacking. 'No matter. I must continue this pattern for as long as I can.'

A quick 'hmph' escaped Proton's lips as he adjusted his hat once again. "You certainly know how to get under my skin, kid. You'd be Rocket Admin material with a wit like that."

"Polite pass," Double D said, his face completely deadpan.

"Oh that wasn't an offer anymore. After this, all that awaits you is begging on your knees for mercy."

The older man smirked, as he looked to the battlefield once again, his cool returned. "Koffing, use Assurance, once more!"

The Poison Type did as told, and rushed forward, desperately trying to push its bloated body to move faster. Pidgey tried to avoid, but unfortunately his startup was a bit too late this time. The attack clipped his left side, sending a surge of pain through his entire form. It burned inside of him as all of his energy was sapped from him in a single strike, sending the poor Flying Type catapulting off and landing flat on the stone floor of the cave.

"Pidgey, return!" Double D exclaimed as he recalled his Pokemon. "You did good, my companion. We will finish what you started."

"Pretty big talk," Proton taunted. "But do you really think I'm going down that easily?"

"Keep in mind you're at minus two accuracy and my next Pokemon will be at full health."

"And what makes you think Koffing is my only battler?"

Double D froze at that declaration. 'Oh no… I hadn't even considered that! What if he does have another Pokemon waiting in the wings? Sure, Chikorita learned that new move recently, but two Pokemon against one would be a daunting task regardless! Team Rocket typically used Poison Types as well, making it all the more dangerous!'

In the back of his mind, however, a little part of him spoke up, saying something that took him by surprise:

'But what if he's bluffing?'

He blinked for a second, shocked at the sudden bravado of this part of his mind. But still, he brought up a good point. What if he was bluffing?

'I mean, he has no reason to tell me the truth, and it certainly would be an effective psychological weapon… but can I take that risk?'

'You'll have to, Double D. Whether you like it or not.'

It was rare for two parts of his brain to not be on the same page, but for once, Double D was glad that it had happened. He needed to be confident, and he couldn't just let Proton have the upper hand. Not after hurting the Slowpoke like that…

"I'm calling your bluff on that! Chikorita, I need your assistance!"

From her Poke Ball, the Grass Type burst forward, standing proud as she stared down her opponent. Koffing would have backed away if it could, surprised by the amount of determination in her eyes.

"(You have some nerve trying to hurt my friend Pidgey!)" Chikorita said angrily. "(Prepare to lose!)"

"(Lo-hoose?)" Koffing asked apprehensively. "(I can't lose…)"

Two commands were called at the same time; Razor Leaf from Double D, and Smog from Proton. On command, Chikorita swung her leaf back and jumped in to slam directly into Koffing's body. As she did this, Koffing desperately tried to barrage her with poisonous gasses, only to miss horrendously. The pain seared through its body as the cutting motion was completed, dealing only minor damage, but more than he had been initially expecting…

"Perfect shot, Chikorita!" Double D declared, excited by the critical hit his Starter had unleashed. "A few more attacks like that and we'll triumph!"

"Bold of you to assume I'm going to give you the chance to get in a few more shots," Proton jeered, causing Double D to roll his eyes.

'He's certainly trying to keep up the façade. I hope I'm correct, and he is simply relying on an empty threat…'

"Bold of you to assume you have a choice in the matter," Double D told him. "Now then, let's finish this!"

"Koffing, Smog!"

"Chikorita! Tackle!"

This time, the Poison Type's attack was first, and Chikorita had nowhere to hide from the horrid emissions. She coughed at the poison did its work, dealing impressive damage, as she felt herself tense up slightly. Her breathing became ragged, as she slammed into Koffing full force, and it was evident what happened once she landed.

"(Grr… Poison…)"

Double D watched in horror, as his Pokemon glowed purple for a second, the effect signifying her losing health. This round offered him much to think on, and immediately, he began to deliberate.

'Okay… it seems that Koffing and my Chikorita are speed-tied, and now she's poisoned,' he thought, running over the situation in his head. 'This isn't looking good, yet at least I still have one ace in the hole…'

As Koffing rushed in to use Assurance, Chikorita jumped to the left, and left her opponent floating past at a surprising speed.

"Now Chikorita! Synthesis!"

Hearing the command given, Chikorita took in a deep breath, feeling the overflowing energy return to her. The glow lasted for a second and a half before dissipating, leaving her back to near full health once the poison did its work.

"(H-how'd you do-hoo that?)" Koffing coughed incredulously.

"(It's a 'Grass Type' thing,)" she answered, giving a cheeky grin.

"Razor Leaf!"

"Assurance!"

Chikorita rushed forward, swinging her leaf directly into Koffing's leathery skin and knocking it off course once again. The Dark Type attack missed its mark once again, and the only damage to her this round was dealt by the toxins still in her system.

"(N-no… I ca-han't lose…)"

"(Well apologies, but neither can I. And so long as my darling is at my side, I WON'T lose.)"

Koffing looked to Double D for a split second, and in that moment, he saw the fear in his opponent's eyes. Part of him dared not believe it, but he knew a Pokemon working for Team Rocket was either stolen and treated like a tool, or just as malicious as the trainers they were with. And in those eyes, he saw the former. A twinge of guilt ran through him, wondering if the poor creature would be okay, especially given the anger Proton was barely hiding.

'This is harrowing,' he thought. 'It was so much easier when it was simply a series of pixels on a small screen, but now that I'm invested in the battle like never before…'

"Enough of this…"

Proton drew Double D's attention back toward the battle. The Rocket Admin was furious, and there was no hiding it anymore. Koffing was still barely floating, and Chikorita had joined in feeling the guilt as it tried its damnedest to keep aloft.

"I will not be made a fool of!" he exclaimed. "You're going down, you foolish kid! Koffing! Assurance!"

"Let's settle this. Tackle!"

Both Pokemon rushed forward, aiming at each other with every bit of force they could muster. They clashed, and spent the last of their energy trying to overpower the other. Neither side could afford to give an inch, and so they kept pushing against one another, much to the surprise of both trainers.

It was only a second or two, but felt like minutes had passed. And then finally, the result was revealed…

Koffing's damage was too much, and Chikorita was sent flying back into Double D's arms, nearly knocking the lanky boy off his feet. He looked to her with worry, but she seemed to be smiling.

"(The fight has been won, my darling,)" she cooed weakly, as the poison dealt another dose of damage to her. Double D looked up, and saw exactly what had his starter so happy.

Koffing fell to the ground, completely exhausted, and drained of any stamina it might have had to keep fighting. This combined with the drop in his opponent's confident façade told him everything he needed to know.

"You never DID have a second battler," Double D boasted, as he pulled out an Antidote from his bag and began curing his Starter. "It seems I am the victor."

Proton grit his teeth, clenching his fist as he called back his Pokemon. "Laugh it up! You're going to pay for making a fool of Team Rocket!"

"You did that to yourself," Double D countered. "Your atrocious treatment of Pokemon and your various illegal activities are proof of this!"

"Getting a big head, don't you think? Don't forget, you're pretty scrawny, kid…"

A single step forward was all it took for Double D to realize what his opponent intended. Taking an apprehensive step back, he could see the fury in the Rocket Admin's eyes. Any attempts to hide his disdain and rage were gone, and all that was left was a man looking to hurt him.

'And both of my Pokemon are too hurt for me to ask in good conscience for them to protect me… oh dear, what am I going to do?'

As Proton approached, a smirk adorned his features. He was known as the scariest and cruelest person in all of Team Rocket for a reason, one that his foe was going to find out firsthand.

It wasn't often he had to get his own hands dirty. He was going to enjoy this…

"BACK OFF!"

Both of them looked over, and were greeted by a sight that sent joy through one and terror through the other. Within less than a meter of where they were stood the remaining members of Double D's party. Ed, Eddy, and Gold all had Poke Balls at the ready, while Sarah looked ready to throw a punch of her own.

And closest to them was Ryuji, who had his eyes locked on Proton.

"Back. Off."

Two simple words, sounding like more of a threat than a command, had the Rocket Admin frozen in place. He stared into Ryuji's burning red eyes and felt a mix of rage, fear, and disappointment.

"Grr… you brats!" he spat back. "This isn't over. A small obstacle like a bunch of pint-sized wannabe heroes will be insignificant to our mission!"

"We ain't no wannabes!" Eddy said. "We're the real deal!"

Proton paid him no attention. Instead, he pulled out a smoke ball, and threw it into the ground with great fervor. The party all averted their gaze, trying to avoid breathing in the substance until it had cleared enough. A few seconds later, their vision was cleared, and Double D breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your timing is immaculate, guys," he said as he went over to his bag and pulled out a Potion and Revive. "Any later, and I fear my jaw may have been fractured."

"We weren't gonna let that happen," Eddy told him. "And thanks to Jimmy's little freakout earlier, our opponents couldn't focus over their bleeding ears."

Double D looked over to Jimmy and saw the blank, horrified expression on the boy's face. He had seen this thousand-yard-stare only when the most horrifying of insects were involved, and that told him everything he needed to know.

"Well, I suppose I should thank Beedrill. Proton was a tough opponent, even if he only had one… Pokemon…"

Everyone looked to where Double D's attention had gone, and they saw exactly what had taken his focus. On the ground was some money and a single Poke Ball. Double D picked it up and scanned it, only to go wide-eyed at the discovery.

"What's up, Double D?" Ed asked innocently.

"Well Ed… this is a Koffing. The very same one I had been fighting just a minute ago."

Ryuji looked to the ball in shock. "So… that Rocket just left his Pokemon behind?"

"It would appear so. And considering what I know of Team Rocket, I highly doubt he's going to care enough about a single Koffing to come back for it…"

Gold shook his head. "Quite the conundrum. We could take it and we'd technically be stealing. But at the same time, knowing Team Rocket, that Koffing was stolen in the first place."

Ryuji nodded. "I suppose that technically makes it abandoned. We could reset it's OT by filling out the right forms..."

Those statements left Double D to ruminate on that. After what he saw in the battle, that little part of him was back, and despite the moral issues involved, something stood out above all else.

"If he did not return for it, I wouldn't be surprised," he said, contracting the Poke Ball. "The way he was treating a creature that was fighting tooth and nail for him was utterly disgusting. Frankly, I think this Koffing deserves better…"

"Double D, are you gonna do what I think you're gonna do?" Eddy asked.

With a nod, Double D put the Poke Ball into his pocket, and declared "Yes Eddy, I think I am."

"Well alright! Congrats on the new Pokemon, man!"

Eddy and Ed both came over, lightly celebrating this recent turn of events, and the others couldn't help but smile. They were sure that Koffing would be in good hands, and that Double D would train it up to be a really powerful Pokemon.

All that left was one thing.

"Now that the well's cleared out, let's free the Slowpoke!"

The Eds stopped celebrating, and Gold went over to start on this little mission of theirs. It had been the entire reason they had come here that day, after all.

"Alright, lead them over this way," he explained. "Slowpoke are pretty stupid, but they tend to go wherever they please when no one's stoppin' them. And let's hurry, Kevin's probably gettin' tired of lugging around my basket and Ryuji's egg."

And so, the group worked to slowly but surely free the Slowpoke from the back of the well. Now that they were free, everyone felt a sense of pride. They had done a good thing today, and that made all the previous annoyance just wash away. And as a bonus, this bought up a fairly good chunk of time, meaning that hopefully everyone could reconvene.

And when they did, they would go and challenge the Gym Leader of Azalea Town.

---

PARTY DATA:

EDDY

Cyndaquil (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Blaze

- Quiet Nature, Alert to Sounds

- Moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Smokescreen, Ember

Krabby (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Hyper Cutter

- Jolly Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Vise Grip, Bubble, Mud Sport, Leer

Spearow (Female)

- Level 10

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Impish Nature, Scatters Things Often

- Moves: Growl, Peck, Leer, Pursuit

Hoppip (Female)

- Level 9

- Ability: Leaf Guard

- Lax Nature, Highly Curious

- Moves: Absorb, Tackle, Synthesis, Tail Whip

ED

Totodile (Male)

- Level 13

- Ability: Torrent

- Jolly Nature, Somewhat of a Clown

- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Water Gun, Bite

Rattata (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Guts

- Adamant Nature, A Little Quick Tempered

- Moves: Bite, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy

Rocky (Onix, Male)

- Level 12

- Ability: Sturdy

- Hasty Nature, Sturdy Body

- Moves: Tackle, Curse, Bind, Rock Tomb

DOUBLE D

Chikorita (Female)

- Level 14

- Ability: Overgrow

- Gentle Nature, Good Endurance

- Moves: Tackle, Synthesis, Razor Leaf, Poison Powder

Pidgey (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Sassy Nature, Scatters things Often

- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust

Koffing (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Levitate

- Impish Nature, Proud of its Power

- Moves: Smog, Poison Gas, Assurance, Smokescreen

KEVIN

Treecko (Male)

- Level 12

- Ability: Overgrow

- Lax Nature, Thoroughly Cunning

- Moves: Pound, Leer, Absorb, Quick Attack

Spinarak (Female)

- Level 8

- Ability: Insomnia

- Naïve Nature, Alert to Sounds

- Moves: Infestation, Poison Sting, String Shot, Absorb

Gastly (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Levitate

- Serious Nature, Likes to Relax

- Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite, Mean Look

Ekans (Female)

- Level 8

- Ability: Intimidate

- Bashful Nature, Quick Tempered

- Moves: Leer, Wrap, Poison Sting

ROLF

Chimchar (Female)

- Level 11

- Ability: Blaze

- Naughty Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Scratch, Leer, Ember, Taunt

Geodude (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Sturdy

- Careful Nature, Loves to Eat

- Moves: Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Rock Polish

Poliwag (Male)

- Level 11

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Brave Nature, Good Endurance

- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Hoothoot (Female)

- Level 10

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Gentle Nature, Often lost in Thought

- Moves: Confusion, Peck, Tackle, Hypnosis

NAZZ

Popplio (Female)

- Level 5

- Ability: Torrent

- Calm Nature, Often Lost in Thought

- Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun

Sentret (Male)

- Level 2

- Ability: Run Away

- Bashful Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Scratch, Foresight

Caterpie (Female)

- Level 4

- Ability: Shield Dust

- Calm Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Tackle, String Shot

Mareep (Female)

- Level 6

- Ability: Static

- Modest Nature, Hates to Lose

- Moves: Growl, Tackle, Thunder Wave

SARAH

Rowlet (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Overgrow

- Brave Nature, Likes to Relax

- Moves: Tackle, Growl, Leafage, Peck

Mareep (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Static

- Quirky Nature, Likes to Thrash About

- Moves: Growl, Tackle, Thunder Wave, Thunder Shock

Zubat (Female)

- Level 9

- Ability: Inner Focus

- Mild Nature, Somewhat Vain

- Moves: Absorb, Supersonic, Astonish

JIMMY

Litten (Male)

- Level 11

- Ability: Blaze

- Hardy Nature, Quick Tempered

- Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember, Lick

Horsea (Female)

- Level 10

- Ability: Swift Swim

- Docile Nature, Study Body

- Moves: Bubble, Smokescreen, Leer

Beedrill (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Swarm

- Lonely Nature, Likes to Fight

- Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Harden, Twineedle

RYUJI

Fennekin (Female)

- Level 13

- Ability: Blaze

- Mild Nature, Mischievous

- Moves: Scratch, Tail Whip, Ember, Howl

Poliwag (Female)

- Level 12

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Docile Nature, Sturdy Body

- Moves: Water Sport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble

Bellsprout (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Chlorophyll

- Hasty Nature, Loves to Eat

- Moves: Vine Whip, Growth

Sandshrew (Male)

- Level 10

- Ability: Sand Rush

- Timid Nature, Quick to Flee

- Moves: Defense Curl, Poison Sting, Rollout, Rapid Spin

GOLD

Quilava (Male)

- Level 14

- Ability: Blaze

- Rash Nature, Capable of Taking Hits

- Moves: Quick Attack, Leer, Ember, Smokescreen

Pidgey (Female)

- Level 13

- Ability: Keen Eye

- Mild Nature, Nods off a lot

- Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack

Wooper (Male)

- Level 11

- Ability: Water Absorb

- Bold Nature, Highly Persistent

- Moves: Tail Whip, Water Gun, Mud Sport, Mud Shot