CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Daniel and Natalie met up with each other as Daniel was coming back from the PokeMart and Natalie was coming back from her walk on the Cerulean coast.
"Look at all your shopping!" Natalie exclaimed. "Save some to pay for the cities we're going to visit."
"I will," Daniel grinned. "How was your walk?"
"Well, I was walking along the coast when a Poliwag ran up to me... it had marks over its body and you could tell a Trainer had been hurting it. So, when the Trainer arrived, I challenged him to a battle and won!"
"Nice job!"
"That's not all. He was abusing his Pokemon, so I had him sent to the police station and his Pokemon to the Adoption Centre."
"He sounds like an ass. What happened to the Poliwag?"
"Well," Natalie said tremulously, as Poliwag emerged from behind Squirtle. "Poliwag's coming with me on my journey now, as one of my Pokemon."
"That's excellent news!" Daniel said, watching as Natalie's Poliwag jumped up and down in joy.
"Where are you heading?" Natalie asked.
"I'm off to fight the Cerulean Gym Leader," Daniel grinned. "Meowth's feeling a lot better, so we decided to tackle it today!"
Natalie looked down at Meowth, who looked healthy and ready to go. She worried about Daniel, but held her tongue.
"If you're sure," she smiled. Natalie still hadn't gotten as into battling as Daniel had, but she knew she would have to train a lot harder before she would be ready for the Cerulean Gym. "I think I'll head back to the hotel."
Daniel entered the Cerulean Gym with Meowth at his side. As he glanced around, he saw that there was a large, rectangle-shaped pool dominating the room, with diving boards and ladders dotted about.
The light streaming in from the windows reflected on the water, playing on the walls.
"A new challenger!"
Daniel looked up to see a girl with red hair in ponytails wearing a bathing suit waving him over. She was standing on the opposite side of the pool, next to a ladder which reached to a high diving platform.
"Are you Misty?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, I'm the Cerulean Gym Leader!" Misty called out. "Are you my next challenger?"
"Yes," Daniel said, approaching the poolside.
"Well, come on up!"
"Up?" Daniel said, confused, then looking up at the podium on his side of the pool.
"Go on, climb up! That's how we battle in here."
Daniel reluctantly climbed the ladder, worried that there'd be little to stand on when he reached the top. As it turned out, there was only a diving board to stand on, and he rather awkwardly maintained his posture as he met Misty's gaze. She looked at ease and wasn't wobbling at all.
"I have two Pokemon, Daniel. Are you ready?" Misty asked.
"Where do the Pokemon battle?" Daniel asked, still confused. He wished he had brought board shorts in case he fell in.
"Down there!" Misty pointed, as platforms began emerging from hidden slots in the pool and bobbed on the water as they broke the surface. "There isn't any disqualification penalty if they land in the water, but if they're a Fire-type or a Rock-type, you better hope they stay on regardless!
Daniel didn't have any Water-types, nor did he have any Pokemon who could swim. Meowth, as a feline Pokemon, was particularly averse to taking baths, and while Bellsprout absorbed Water-type attacks, Daniel doubted Bellsprout could swim using its small leaves, nor Ekans as a limbless serpent.
"Ready?" Misty asked, selecting her first Pokeball from her belt.
"Ready." Daniel said grimly, throwing a Pokeball onto one of the podiums drifting in the pool below. "Go, Bellsprout!"
Bellsprout appeared in a flash of red light, wiggling its little leaf arms. It was quite surprised to realise it wasn't on steady land and looked at the water below with wary eyes.
"Staryu! I choose you!" Misty called, throwing her Pokeball into the pool. Red light shot from underwater and as the empty Pokeball flew up into Misty's hand, Staryu leapt onto one of the floating platforms.
"That's a pretty Pokemon," Natalie remarked.
Staryu's body was not unlike a five-pronged star shape, with golden-brown colouring on each appendage. At the core of its body was a red jewel, and on Staryu's left leg was a golden ring which held the jewel in place.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" Daniel shouted.
"Staryu, dive underwater!" Misty called out.
Staryu dove underwater just before Bellsprout's vines could whip it, submerging itself and hiding out of view.
"Staryu, Tackle!"
Staryu appeared out of the water so fast there was little time for Bellsprout to react. Staryu, spinning mid-air, tackled Bellsprout in the face and dived back into the water.
"Bellsprout!" Daniel cried out, as Bellsprout shook its head to regain focus.
"Staryu, Tackle Bellsprout again!"
"Bellsprout, watch out!" Daniel called.
Bellsprout was on alert, but this time Staryu burst forth from behind and managed to Tackle Bellsprout again before diving back into the pool.
"You can't hit my Staryu!" Misty said proudly. "She's too fast! Better give up now while you can!"
"Daniel!" Natalie called out from below the podium. "Bellsprout doesn't have to hit Staryu! Think about it!"
Daniel pondered it a second, then his brain clicked. "Of course!"
"Staryu, let's finish this Bellsprout off! Tackle it one more time!"
"Bellsprout, Poisonpowder, now!" Daniel shouted.
Bellsprout released a cloud of poison dust from its mouth which quickly filled the battlefield. As Staryu launched itself at Bellsprout, Daniel cried, "Vine Whip!"
Staryu stopped spinning mid-air as it breathed in the poison, labouring it and causing it to sink onto Bellsprout's podium, heaving with exertion. Bellsprout lifted long veins from its body high into the air and slammed them on Staryu, injuring it heavily.
"Finish it off, Bellsprout!" Daniel cried. "Wrap Attack!"
Bellsprout tied Staryu with its long vines, spun it around twice for good measure, letting go as Staryu slammed into the wall opposite, its core jewel blinking as it slid down to the tiled floor of the Gym. It had fainted.
"Nice job, Bellsprout!" Daniel cheered, as Bellsprout danced by wiggling in victory.
"Staryu, return," Misty said, holding out a Pokeball and engulfing Staryu's limp figure in red light. Misty attached the Pokeball to her belt and selected another.
"Nice job, Daniel!" Natalie called from below. Squirtle echoed her sentiments.
"You're pretty good," Misty said. "You've only one Pokemon of mine to defeat."
"Bring it on!" Daniel said, grinning.
Misty tossed the Pokeball onto an empty, floating podium where it erupted in a flash of red light. "You're gonna have a hard time defeating this one. Go, Starmie!"
Misty caught the Pokeball as it bounced back into her hand and grinned at her Pokemon. Starmie was the evolutionary form of Staryu and looked similar, except it had a second star on its back which spun independently of the first. Whereas Staryu's body was golden-brown, Starmie's was violet, with a larger jewel in the core of its body.
"Whoa," Natalie said. "They keep getting prettier!"
"Natalie!" Daniel scolded. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"Hey, I'm just a spectator in this battle!" Natalie called out. "You can't deny Misty's got good taste when it comes to Pokemon!"
"Starmie! Tackle!"
"Bellsprout, dodge the attack and use Poisonpowder!" Daniel cried.
Starmie was so fast that Bellsprout was unable to avoid the attack. Bellsprout went flying into the pool, its little feet unable to hold on for balance on anything other than earth.
"Bellsprout, return!" Daniel cried, holding out a Pokeball. The Pokeball's beam of red light shot into the pool, engulfed Bellsprout's submerged figure and captured it into the Pokeball.
Daniel selected another Pokeball from his belt. His confidence was fading fast. "I choose you, Ekans!"
Ekans burst forth onto a floating podium as Starmie landed on a podium opposite its new challenger. Ekans hissed menacingly as Starmie remained resolute, its core jewel gleaming.
"Starmie, Water Gun!"
"Ekans, Wrap Attack!"
Starmie shot a torrent of water at Ekans as Ekans leapt as Starmie, wrapping itself around its several pointy appendages.
"Starmie, spin your second star!" Misty cried.
As Ekans tightened its hold, Starmie spun the star on its back, gaining enough leverage to do so and injure Ekans in the process. Ekans lay inert at Starmie's feet, quite hurt.
"Starmie, Harden!"
Starmie went very solid just as Ekans, having feigned unconsciousness, leapt to bite Starmie. Ekans reared its head back in pain as Starmie's body was too hard to penetrate, fangs tingling.
"Tackle, Starmie!"
Instantly, Starmie's body spun wildly and tackled Ekans, sending it flying into the water.
"Ekans, return!" Daniel shouted, returning Ekans to its Pokeball.
"That's two of your Pokemon you've lost to my water arena," Misty said. "Are you sure you can handle the challenge of my Water-types?"
"I sure can!" Daniel shouted, not without a great deal of stress. "You'll face my favourite now! Meowth!"
Meowth looked up at his master from beside Natalie and Squirtle.
"You ready?" Daniel shouted from above.
Meowth nodded, jumping from the poolside onto one of the podiums. He felt a little unsteady, but faced Starmie with his claws drawn.
"Very well." Misty said. "Starmie, Water Gun!"
"Meowth, dodge and use Pay Day!"
The coin on Meowth's forehead glowed as he dodged Starmie's jet of water, shooting a ray of light which struck Starmie at its core. Coins spilled out from the impact, scattering at Starmie's feet and bouncing into the depths of the pool.
"Starmie, dive underwater!" Misty ordered.
Starmie leapt into the water, unseen by person or Pokemon.
"Be careful, Daniel!" Natalie warned.
Daniel looked for Starmie in the water but it was well hidden.
"Starmie, Tackle!"
"Meowth, duck!"
Meowth ducked to avoid Starmie's spinning appendages, barely avoiding its attack. Starmie disappeared into the water with a loud splash as Meowth looking up, relieved.
"How are you going to attack Starmie if you can't hit it, let alone see it?" Misty goaded. "My Water Pokemon are superior!"
Daniel thought hard. He couldn't see Starmie while it was underwater and whenever it surfaced, it was too dangerous to get close to without risking getting Tackled. There had to be a way...
"Meowth!" Daniel called down to his Pokemon friend. "Use Pay Day!"
Meowth looked up to his master. He nodded his approval.
"But Daniel!" Natalie shouted. "You can't see Starmie underwater!"
Exactly, thought Daniel.
"Starmie, Tackle Attack!" Misty shouted. "Let's go for the win!"
Meowth's coin glowed with a bright light as Starmie burst out of the water, its limbs spinning. Crouching low, Meowth's Pay Day attack blasted Starmie direct in its core as it spun mid-air over the center of the podium, sending it flying into the wall opposite, struggling to stand.
"Meowth, finish it off! Use Bite Attack!"
"Starmie!" Misty shouted in alarm. "Use Water Gun!"
Meowth jumped from floating platform to platform, as agile as ever as Starmie rose and shot a propelled jet of water at Meowth. Dodging the attack, Meowth landed on all fours onto the tiled floor, set off at a run towards Starmie and leapt on it, sinking its teeth in.
"Use Harden!" Misty cried, but it was too late. Starmie had fainted.
"I win!" Daniel yelled, jumping up and down in ecstasy. Suddenly losing his footing, with a great "Ach!" fell off the diving board and plummeted into the pool below with a splash. Water flooded his nostrils and seared his vision.
Above water level, Natalie rushed to the pool side and gasped, "Squirtle, save him!"
Squirtle nodded, diving into the water without a moment's hesitation. A few seconds later, Squirtle surfaced, Daniel's arms around his neck.
"Thank god," Natalie said, placing a hand on her neck. "I thought you had hurt yourself! Do you have any idea how stupid you were up there?"
"Not too stupid," Daniel grinned. "I won the battle, Natalie!"
As Squirtle helped Daniel to the water's edge, Misty and Meowth joined them from the other side of the pool. Daniel ruffled Meowth's fur affectionately. "Thanks, Meowth."
Meowth purred in appreciation as Misty held out her hand to Daniel.
"You've earned it. The Cascadebadge. This too, your prize money."
Daniel took the Badge gleefully and added it to his collection. Two Badges, six to go! The prize money more than supplemented his growing elation.
"You should head to the Pokemon Centre and heal your Pokemon." Misty advised. "It's getting late."
"Yeah." Daniel nodded his assent. "Thanks for the battle, Misty."
"Anytime," she grinned, then turned to Natalie. "Will you be my next challenger?"
"I sure will be!" Natalie poked her tongue out. "We'll see who knows the most about Water Pokemon!"
As they exited and headed towards the Pokemon Center, Natalie asked, "Do you want to train before bedtime? I wanted to take a look at the Cape in the moonlight."
"Sure," Daniel agreed, surprised. "You want to battle me?"
Natalie nodded, intuitively knowing what was coming.
"Even though I am now the challenger who has defeated two Gym Badges so far - "
She punched him on the arm. "Mr Challenger, don't hold back your punches for me. I will kick your butt tonight."