Breakfast next morning, was, once again, apples, which just made Ash miss his friends, especially Brock even more. They tried their best to circumvent around the city and avoid people, but there were a lot of close calls. What counted as policemen in the region had been sent around everywhere, and they were searching every nook and cranny and messages were being spoken on megaphones throughout the place warning people and asking them to help in their search for Ash.
Ash also saw a couple of helicopters- something that Gulliver had never seen in his life so Ash had to explain to him that they were supposed to avoid them and the searchlights that they had. The only reason they were able to escape so many times, as far as Ash could tell, was because Ash had experience living out in the wilderness unlike Gulliver, and that their law enforcement officers seemed to be about as good at searching for fugitives as Jessie and James were at stealing Pikachu. Something told Ash that they had probably rarely- if ever, had to do this before.
They somehow managed to get to route 203, which, to their dismay, they found flooded.
And it wasn't that the river had just slightly overflowed, it appeared that the nearby river had taken a sharp turn and suddenly decided to take a marathon race as it narrowed down, foaming as it passed over the landscape. There was no way that they could cross it.
"This was not here before," Gulliver said. "Which means Marley used his Gym Badge to change the river. He must really want you badly. I haven't seen this many cops out since… well, ever!"
"I guess I'd want me too," Ash said, "if he thought I was going to take his all-powerful Gym Badge."
Gulliver nodded. "A Gym Leader's basically a god so long as he keeps to his own neck o' the woods. Did'ya know, I heard somewhere that they can't be killed either as long as they have their Badges? There was a story where someone tried to poison one, but the Badge made it so that the poison turned to honey as it reached his throat. The assassin then made to stab him in his sleep, but the blade melted in his hand before he could begin."
"So the only way to get rid of him, is to beat him," Ash said. "We can't get over the river. Unless we had a Flying type…"
"You have your Spearow, but it can't fly both of us, or even one of us," Gulliver said. "Maybe we should try trailing back to Sandalwood Forest and get a Fearow."
"We'd probably just get caught," Ash said. "And I have a feeling those Fearow weren't strong enough either. Say, do you know a place that we should be safe? Where no one would look for us?"
Gulliver pointed down the river, "There's the Claw, or at least, that's what it is supposed to be. There's a bunch of rabid wild Pokemon in there, so no one goes there."
"Are they strong Pokemon?" Ash asked.
"Yeah? I guess, I mean they'd fight each other a lot."
"Then that's perfect for training my Spearow," Ash said. They set off towards there, and Ash realized why it was called the Claw, it was a huge rocky elevation that seemed to take the form of various crooked fingers, and looked like the kind of place that you'd tell a toddler to never go near because it was dangerous. Or an adult for that matter.
Ash looked at how many Oran Berries they had. It was enough, he thought. Or rather, he hoped it was enough.
Marley yawned as Mr. Jennings helped him put on his coat. The search for the trainer, apparently called 'Ash' was going nowhere for the last week, and Mr. Jennings had been recalled to office.
"It is time for your daily exercise routine sir," Mr. Jennings said.
Marley yawned, and replied, "I think I'll start with that next Monday, thanks."
Mr. Jennings didn't bother pointing out that he had been putting it off for next Monday for the last thirty-two years. "We have no word regarding this new Trainer. Redirecting the river should keep him away from Deluge City." Marley had been able to redirect the river's course using his Badge from his office in Deluge City and using a map to help visualize what he had to do. It had been a bit hard, because the Badge's powers decreased with distance, but a few seconds of effort were preferable to Marley rather than having to wheel himself outside and actually travel to the river.
"If he doesn't have a Water type," Marley said. He then frowned. "Come to think of it, all but the strongest Water types couldn't cross the river. Only a Flying type would."
"Regarding that, sir, the people of Sandalwood Town are complaining that they cannot get their goods across the river, and the merchants and peasants of Deluge City alike are saying that food prices have increased due to this, and asking that you remove the-"
"I will not remove anything," Marley said with finality. "If people starve, let them, but I do not want to risk this person approaching this city."
"Our reports suggest that he has only a Pikachu, sir," Mr. Jennings said.
"And yet he could have more," Marley said. "Or have captured one."
"No Pokeballs have been stolen."
"And yet he could have some from outside," Marley said. "Perhaps I should consider placing an air barrier as well."
"If I may interject sir-"
"No you may not,' Marley said. "I do not want to hear your complaints." Right then, Mr. Jenning's personal phone started beeping. It was a very old variety of cellphone and resembled a large grey brick rather than the common sleek and slender designs in the rest of the world aside from Galea. He answered it, and said, "Sir, there's something outside."
Both of them reached the balcony to see something on the horizon approaching, a Fearow, with a rider on top who was wearing a policeman's uniform and had a megaphone with him. Somewhere else, there was a policeman who had been knocked out and had his clothes and megaphone taken from him.
"Gym Leader Marley!" the rider said. "I, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, challenge you to a Pokemon Battle!"
Marley sighed. "Well, that's that then."
Mr. Jennings frowned. "What do you mean, sir?"
"He's challenged me and I've heard the challenge," Marley explained. "That makes him a challenger, which means that I'm not allowed to shoot at him or intercept him with a helicopter and must accept his challenge. Bother."
The Fearow landed on the balcony.
"Honestly," Marley said, "I was expecting more than a young boy, a peasant, and an electric rat."
"We'll see that after we fight!" Ash said as he got off his Fearow. Gulliver and Pikachu did as well.
"Hmm," Marley said. "Now that you've challenged me, I can't kill you, or for that matter kidnap your allies or Pokemon according to the laws of the land. But if you want a battle, it'll have to wait for a few hours."
"But you have to fight me!" Ash said. "The rules say so!" Just then there was a beeping noise from something he was carrying, a small red box, and it said:
The Gym Leaders must accept a challenge, but they are capable of delaying the time when they will battle to some extent.
The message wasn't of any importance to Marley by itself, it was the voices speaking it. Marley whipped around, looking as if he had just seen a ghost.
"Play that message again!" he shouted.
"What? Why?" Ash asked.
"Just do it!"
Ash begrudgingly played the thing again, though he wasn't sure what the message meant to Marley.
"I haven't heard those four voices in years," Marley said. Over thirty-two years, to be exact. "I will tell you when I'm ready."
"Why do you need time to get ready?" Ash asked.
"Because I, unfortunately, do not remember most of the rules," Marley said. "It has been quite some time, and the rulebook, if you're wondering is over a thousand pages long, and just the thought of reading it makes me-" he yawned loudly. "Anyway, you're the first and only challenger I've ever received, so I'll need some time. Make yourselves comfortable."
Not to mention, Marley thought, he had a phone call to make.
