CHAPTER FORTY

Nervously, Amy selected her first Pokemon as Koga did the same.

"Go, Growlithe!"

Growlithe burst forth from the Pokeball, pawing the ground and barking in anticipation.

"Venonat!" Koga tossed his Pokeball onto the field, erupting in red light.

Venonat was a ball of purple fur, close to Growlithe's height.

"Your Venonat is a dual-type Bug/Poison Pokemon! It's weak to fire!" Amy said triumphantly. "Growlithe, Ember!"

Growlithe shot a volley of flames at Venonat, but the bug Pokemon moved fast to avoid the furnace.

"Venonat, Toxic!"

Venonat expelled poisonous liquid from its mouth at Growlithe, who fell over from the impact. Slowly, the ooze set into Growlithe's fur as he barked wildly in confusion.

"Oh, no! He's poisoned!" cried Amy, reaching for an Antidote in her purse. There were none left. In her haste to secure inexpensive accommodation, restocking items had come far lower on the priority list.

"Venonat, Tackle!"

Growlithe leapt out of the way to avoid the fast attack, but it was clear the poison was draining his energy, quicker than normal. Growlithe began to sway on his feet.

"Growlithe, Ember!"

"Venonat, Psychic!"

Venonat's antennae quivered as its eyes glowed blue. Growlithe delivered a burst of flame with its mouth, just as Venonat released the field of psychic energy and blasted Growlithe flat off its feet. Venonat was pelted with the remainder of the flames, wheezing in pain.

"Growlithe!" cried Amy, retrieving her Pokeball. Growlithe could barely stand, still hampered by the poison. "Return!"

In a flash of red light, Growlithe returned to the safety of his Pokeball. Caught off-kilter by the tactics of Venonat and Koga, Amy selected her next Pokeball and tossed it into the fray.

"Go, Nidorina!"

Nidorina pawed the ground and angrily regarded Venonat.

"Your Poison attacks won't hurt my Venonat! It's a dual Bug/Poison type, just as you say!" declared Koga.

"I won't need poison," Amy gritted her teeth. "Nidorina, Tackle!"

Nidorina ran to Venonat, who pulsed with a familiar blue light -

"Venonat," cried Koga. "Psychic!"

Venonat quivered, then released another wave of psychic energy. Nidorina leapt spectacularly to avoid it, landing cleanly and tackling Venonat in the centre. The bug Pokemon rolled over several times, desperately trying to regain its footing.

"Venonat! Sleep Powder!"

"Nidorina, finish it off! Bite Attack!"

Venonat released golden dust into the battlefield just as Nidorina leapt on top of it, biting hard and delivering the final hit to take Venonat out.

"Return, Nidorina!" Amy held out her Pokeball, before the sleeping powder could take effect on Nidorina.

Koga returned Venonat to its Pokeball, selecting his next Pokeball. "You're a worthy contender. Here comes my next Pokemon - Muk!"

Muk was a large, sticky glob oozing of purple sludge with visible facial features and arms. It moaned as it moved across the battlefield, the stench quite horrible.

"Go, Cubone!" cried Amy.

Cubone waddled forth, waving its bone club threateningly. As a Ground-type, its attacks were strong against the Poison-type Muk.

"Muk, Poison Gas!"

"Cubone, Bone Club!"

Muk exhaled a plume of poisonous gas which quickly covered the battlefield. Cubone leapt high into the air and slammed down his bone club upon Muk, but he had inhaled much of the poison gas, coughing wildly as Muk flailed in pain.

"Muk, Sludge!"

"Cubone, Bone Club!"

Quite incapacitated, Cubone nevertheless raised its bone club and struck Muk on the head once more. Flailing in agony, features distorted, Cubone could not foresee the sea of sludge propelled from within Muk's innards which sent it reeling backwards, unconscious.

"Oh, no! Cubone!" cried Amy, holding out her Pokeball.

Only one Pokemon left, Amy thought in despair. I hope Nidorina's up to it.

"My Pokemon are never to be underestimated! I am a master of tricks and disguises!" laughed Koga.

"Go, Nidorina!" Amy tossed the Pokeball into the ring. "Let's finish this!"

Nidorina burst forth, growling angrily. Muk, severely injured, readied itself for a dirty brawl.

"Muk, Disable!" Koga shouted.

"Nidorina, Tackle!" cried Amy.

Nidorina sped towards Muk, head lowered even as Muk glowed blue and began quivering. Suddenly, Nidorina froze and was unable to move.

"No!" cried Amy. "Nidorina!"

"Muk, Sludge!" cried Koga.

Muk took a deep breath, expelling foul waste at Nidorina, who remained frozen but for the final second. Leaping out of the way in the nick of time, Nidorina fired poison barbs from her mouth as she landed, impaling Muk to almost no effect but finishing with a Tackle Attack.

"WELL DONE, NIDORINA!" Amy screamed, clutching her heart for fear it would burst. Now she understood the adrenaline excitement of a sports match.

Sinking into sludge, Koga returned Muk to its Pokeball as Amy collected herself, exertion flushing her cheeks red.

Koga held up his last Pokeball. "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? I still have one more trick up my sleeve!"

Nidorina raced back to Amy's side of the battlefield as Koga tossed the Pokeball into the ring.

"Go, Venomoth!"

Venomoth was the evolved form of Venonat, a purple insect with wings that flew above the battlefield.

"Nidorina, be careful!" cried Amy. "Use Poison Sting!"

"Venomoth, Double Team!"

As Nidorina launched poisonous barbs from its body, Venomoth shuddered infinitesimally and split into five, each as identical as the other. The poison barbs hit three of the copies, disappearing without effect.

"Which one is the real one?" demanded Amy. "Use Poison Sting again, Nidorina!"

"Venomoth, Psychic!"

Nidorina aimed its volley of poisonous barbs at the Venomoth on the left, but to no avail, as the copy on the right glowed purple and released a wave of psychic energy, blasting Nidorina off its feet. Nidorina was particularly susceptible to Psychic-type attacks.

"Nidorina, get up!" Amy's knuckles were tight on the podium. "Hurry!"

"Finish it, Venomoth! Psychic!"

Nidorina struggled to get to its feet, blasted by the Psychic attack it rolled over several times and landed at the base of Amy's podium.

"Nidorina!" Amy cried. Nidorina did not rouse.

"That was a very good effort!" called Koga, as Amy raced down from her podium to the unconscious Nidorina.

Returning her Nidorina into its Pokeball, Amy was pale as she glanced up to Koga. "I will come back, Koga. I will defeat you."

"The exit is behind you. Once I have finished with your friends, then they can leave, too."

Amy emerged out onto bright sunlight, heading towards the Pokemon Centre. She felt terribly disheartened. She hadn't lost against a Gym Leader since Brock. Her Pokemon had some good Type advantages, but perhaps Koga was right, she needed to train some more... perking up, she headed for the beach to find someone to battle.