I pulled my backpack onto my back and saw that Jason and Michelle were ready to go.
"Ready for your battle?" Michelle asked as Eevee jumped into her arms.
"Yeah!"
We left the Pokemon Center and returned our key, since we would be heading to Saffron City once I was done with my battle.
We entered the gym and Jason and Michelle made their way to the bleachers. Erika walked out of a room and saw me.
"Are you here to challenge me?" she asked.
"I am," I replied.
"As Gym Leader, I accept." Erika said as she walked to her side of the field.
The ref ran out and to the middle of the field.
"I'm Adam, by the way." I said.
"The battle between Gym Leader, Erika, and the challenger, Adam, will now begin!" she cried, raising the flags.
"Tangela, go!" Erika cried, tossing her Pokeball.
I thought for a moment about who I was going to use first. "Pidgeotto, let's show 'em!" I cried, tossing the Pokeball.
I wanted to use my other Pokemon against Gloom, definently.
"You may attack first, Adam." Erika said.
"Use Quick Attack!" I cried.
"Power Whip!"
"Pidgeotto, dodge it!"
I wasn't going to get hit with that powerful move. Pidgeotto successfully dodged the purple vine that swung at it and kept speeding toward Tangela, striking it with Quick Attack.
"Tangela! Shake it off and use Constrict!" The attack hit Pidgeotto, doing little damage.
"Sand-Attack!" I called. Pidgeotto hid itself with the sand and Erika waited for it to reappear. "Now! Aerial Ace!" Pidgeotto shot out from the sand and towards Tangela.
"Dodge it!" Erika yelled. Tangela jumped out of the way, but Pidgeotto came back around and hit Tangela from behind. Aerial Ace is a move that doesn't miss!
Tangela cried out in pain as Erika called out her next attack. "Power Whip!" The purple vines shot towards Pidgeotto and attacked from behind doing some damage.
"Wing Attack, now!" Pidgeotto shook off the hit and flew towards Tangela, its wings glowing.
"Dodge!" Erika cried. Tangela successfully dodged in time...barely.
"Aerial Ace!"
"Power Whip!"
It seemed like Erika was going to try and hit Pidgeotto from above and the hit would cause Pidgeotto to slam into the ground. Erika knew that she couldn't beat Pidgeotto by attacking directly, due to Tangela's type disadvantage.
The purple vines started towards Pidgeotto, but Pidgeotto avoided it in time and hit Tangela, full force!
"Tang!" Tangela cried as it fell to the ground, fainted.
"Tangela is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!" the ref cried.
Erika returned her fainted Pokemon and removed her next Pokeball.
"I must say, a great first battle. Let's continue now." Erika said.
"Victreebel, go!" she cried as she tossed her Pokeball.
Great. That meant that Gloom would be her last Pokemon, just like yesterday.
"You okay to keep going, Pidgeotto?"
"Pidgeotto!" it cried.
"Okay, then!"
"Okay Victreebel, use Vine Whip!" Erika shouted.
"Avoid the vines!" I shouted.
One vine shot towards Pidgeotto, who dodged, but more came and latched onto Pidgeotto's feet.
"Now!" Victreebel swung its body in a circle and the vines swung with Pidgeotto attached, spinning my Pokemon in a circle.
"Do it!" The vines swept downwards and Pidgeotto was slammed into the ground.
She had that all planned out. Erika must've learned some things about how to deal with Flying Pokemon after battling Jason's Fearow yesterday. By immobilizing my Pokemon and slamming them into the ground, she would eventually wear them out. She was dealing indirect damage, since her Grass attacks aren't very effective on Flying Pokemon. I couldn't take a chance and let up my attacks with her using Vine Whip like that!
Pidgeotto got up, but I knew the damage was going to catch up to it.
"Use Quick Attack!" I cried. Pidgeotto quickly flew towards Victreebel.
"Dodge!" Erika commanded. But Victreebel couldn't dodge in time, and got hit.
"Vine Whip again!"
"Get out of there!" I cried.
Pidgeotto was too close to Tangela after using Quick Attack and she was going to try to grab Pidgeotto's legs again! Pidgeotto flew back towards me, but the vines were coming.
"Use Aerial Ace to dodge!" I yelled in a panicked voice. Pidgeotto didn't even have time to use Aerial Ace as the vines latched onto its feet again.
"You can still use the attack! You can do it!" I called desperately. Pidgeotto attacked the vines and the pain caused Victreebel to retract them.
"Way to go!" I cried. There was a way to escape from the vines after all!
"Use Leaf Tornado!" said Erika. Pidgeotto got trapped in the vortex of sharp leaves. I saw the top of the vortex and there was a hole.
"Use Quick Attack and fly out the top, then to Victreebel!" Pidgeotto was able to get out of the Leaf Tornado and was flying towards Victreebel.
"Sleep Powder!" Erika cried just as Pidgeotto was within range. The Sleep Powder was blown into the air and Pidgeotto flew right into it. Pidgeotto fell to the ground, asleep.
"Now, Victreebel! Use Vine Whip!"
"Wake up, Pidgeotto!" I cried.
But it was no use. The vines wrapped around Pidgeotto, lifted him into the air, and slammed him down, driving him into the ground.
"Come on, Pidgeotto. I know you can wake up."
But Pidgeotto remained asleep. Erika looked at the ref and gave a nod.
"Due to status effect, Pidgeotto is unable to battle. Victreebel wins!"
I removed my Pokeball and thanked Pidgeotto as I returned him. I removed my next Pokeball and looked at Victreebel. A few more well-placed hits and Victreebel would most likely be defeated.
"Charmeleon, let's show 'em!" I cried, tossing my Pokeball.
"Victreebel, use Leaf Tornado!"
"Burn it with Flamethrower!" I cried.
The leaves were easily burned to ashes by the flames.
"Now, use Flamethrower again!" I commanded. Charmeleon ran towards Victreebel and shot the flames towards it. Victrebeel was engulfed in the fire.
"Finish with Metal Claw!" Charmeleon's claw turned to metal and struck the burning Grass Pokemon.
"Vi..." Victrebeel said as it fell to the ground, fainted.
"Victreebel is unable to battle." declared the ref, "Charmeleon wins!"
Charmeleon had been able to end the battle with just two attacks. He was even more powerful than I expected! Now all I had to do was beat Gloom.
Erika thanked her Pokemon as she returned it.
"Gloom, come on out!" Erika cried as she tossed her final Pokeball.
"Gloom! Gloom!" Gloom cried.
"Alright...Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
"Dodge, then use Acid!"
The flames shot towards Gloom who dodged and the purple blob of acid was launched towards Charmeleon.
"Dodge!" Charmeleon avoided the blob and it hit the ground, burning a hole into the field.
"Gloom, use Acid once more!"
"Dodge again!" Charmeleon dodged, and once again, a hole was in the field.
"Sorry, Erika! But my Charmeleon is just too fast! Now use Flamethrower!" The attack hit Gloom before Erika had time to command Gloom to dodge.
"Now use Metal Claw!"
"Get ready, Gloom!"
Charmeleon ran towards Gloom as its claw began to glow and turned to metal.
"Do it!"
Charmeleon leaped up and was about to strike when a greenish-brown fume came from Gloom. It was Gloom's secret weapon. A horrible odor to use as a counter against foes! Charmeleon landed the attack and ran from the area before it could reach him.
"Good job, Charmeleon." I said.
"Gloom, Petal Dance!"
"Counter, with Flamethrower!"
The flames burned the petals to ash. Gloom was getting tired.
"Lets finish this. Charmeleon, use Flame Wheel!" I cried. Charmeleon was engulfed with flames and spun towards Gloom.
"Acid!" Erika yelled. The purple blob hit the flames, but Charmeleon didn't slow down and continued towards Gloom.
"Dodge!" Gloom moved, but Charmeleon followed and slammed into Gloom from behind. Gloom got up and was on my side.
"Gloom, get ready for Sleep Powder." Erika said.
"Charmeleon. Flamethrower!" The flames shot towards Gloom.
"Now!" Erika shouted. Gloom moved backwards and jumped into one of the holes in the ground that had been created due to the Acid attacks, and the flames went over the hole as Gloom hid from the fire.
"Charmeleon, be ready." I said.
Gloom got out of the hole and waited.
"Now, Sleep Powder!"
"Use Smokescreen to counter it!"
Smoke covered the field and I could make out where Charmeleon was, but I could only barely see Gloom. I saw a faint silhouette.
"Metal Claw!" I saw Charmeleon start moving towards where Gloom last was spotted.
"Gloom! No!" Erika screamed.
The smoke started to clear and once it was gone, Charmeleon stood and Gloom had fainted.
"Gloom is unable to battle! Charmeleon wins! The winner of this battle is Adam!" the ref cried.
"Thanks, Charmeleon. Take a rest now." I said as I returned him.
Erika did the same to Gloom and walked over to me with the green cushion.
"A great battle, Adam. I present you with the Rainbow Badge." Erika said.
I removed the badge and held it up. "Yeah! I got the Rainbow Badge!" I cried. I put the badge in my badge case.
Erika looked at me for a minute and then said, "I knew I recognized you. You're Master Ketchum's son. At least you didn't have to dress as a girl, like your father."
I laughed and nodded my head. "Yeah..."
"Adam, I've seen what the news and many people are saying. But I for one believe he's alive out there." Erika said.
"Thanks, Erika."
Erika looked at Michelle and asked her, "Oh, I saw your contest yesterday. How would you like to come to my shop and sample some perfume?"
"Really?" Michelle asked, slightly shocked.
"Of course. For a limited time, all coordinators get their first bottle free. Many great coordinators from all over Kanto and Johto buy my perfume." Erika said.
"I think I've seen my mom use some of your perfumes before." I said.
"Yes, your mom is one of our most well-known customers, Adam." Erika replied. "So what do you say, Michelle?"
Michelle happily nodded her head. "I'd love to!" she exclaimed.
"Well, follow me, then."
Michelle eagerly followed Erika while I glanced at Jason, who groaned. I laughed and shook my head.
"Come on," I said as I followed.
Jason muttered something and followed.
Erika eventually stopped in front of one of the many shops in downtown Celadon City. The shop had a perfume bottle with a fume coming from it drawn on the door and window. Erika walked into the shop and Michelle followed.
"Can we just wait out here?" Jason asked.
"I don't think we can." I said.
Jason sighed and we walked into the shop. A lot of different smells filled my nose. Jason walked in and I guess he inhaled too much, since he was coughing. I guess he wasn't used to this many smells at once.
"Erika! Welcome back!" some voices said. It was a few girls who were working behind the counters.
"Hi, girls. This is Michelle. She's a coordinator who's here for the special offer we have going on. Let her sample what we have and give her a free bottle when she finds a scent that she likes." Erika said.
"Oh! I think we have some that she would love!" The blonde girl darted over to some of the shelves and grabbed bottles.
"This is a collection called Sweets. Personally, I love this collection. My favorite one, though, is the apple scent, it's really sweet-smelling." the blonde said.
Michelle tried some scents, including lilac, peach, and lavender. After a little while of bottles being sprayed and more coughing from Jason, Michelle finally found one that she liked.
"I like this one." Michelle said.
"Oh, you like my favorite one!" the blonde cried.
Michelle had picked the apple-smelling one.
"There you go." Erika said, handing Michelle the perfume bottle.
"Thank you," Michelle said, bowing her head. "I can't wait to try this perfume out for my next contest!"
"You're welcome. Please come back anytime." Erika said, smiling.
We left the shop and Jason took a breath of fresh air.
"That's too many different smells!" he cried.
Michelle and I laughed at him.
"Well, looks like it's finally time to go to Saffron City!" I cried.
"Yeah! Sabrina had better be ready!" Jason cried.
Saffron City...I wondered what would happen to us while we're there.
Author's Note: There were some close moments, but Adam managed to beat Erika and win his fourth badge. Michelle also received a perfume gift from Erika to use in her next contest.
Be sure to read the next chapter where we will be taking another look back in Pallet Town to see Dawn, who will be having a very interesting talk with her mom, Johanna. What do you think they'll be talking about?
Find out next time on Pokemon NG!