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Author Notes at end of chapter
Chapter 12: Cerulean City
"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy." Ash thanked the pink haired nurse, laying down his four Pokeballs on the tray.
"Of course! It's my pleasure." Nurse Joy responded, taking both Ash's tray of Pokeballs as well as Leaf's to the back room. Chansey followed her happily, leaving the group in the lobby with the other guests.
They had arrived in Cerulean City, just minutes ago. Like always, they had rented two rooms first thing before requesting Nurse Joy to heal their fatigued Pokemon. Brock sat on one of the lobby's couches, analyzing a town map to get an idea of the relative destinations. Meanwhile, Leaf stood by the large window, admiring the city.
Ash approached the brunette, standing beside her to peer outside. Noticing his arrival, Leaf smiled.
"Cerulean City is so pretty." Leaf commented, pressing her face closer towards the glass.
"I guess." Ash joked, lying about his true thoughts to irritate Leaf. Leaf playfully puffed her cheeks, deadpanning at her best friend. Although, Ash did have to agree with her. He just wouldn't tell her that.
Cerulean City was an average sized city. An abundance of colorful flowers were littered throughout the grounds of the city, as well as the beaming sun setting a blissful environment.
It wasn't the most advanced city in the region, but it was extremely appealing due to the great weather and surrounding waterways. However, there was no beach to Leaf's dismay. Cerulean City was renowned for their water acts, which attracted plenty of tourists and visitors to aquariums and other attractions.
The most popular was the Cerulean Marine Stadium, which was hosting an event in just an hour. It was the plan to attend, as they had purchased tickets due to a vendor outside the stadium when the group passed by. As Ash stared outside beside the girl, he was reminded of something.
"Oh shoot!" Ash remarked, drawing Leaf's attention as she turned to the boy. "I forgot to show you something I found you." Ash reached into his backpack, pushing countless items such as potions, Pokeballs, and other junk he owned. Leaf rolled her eyes, not surprised at the disorganized state of the teen.
Finally, Ash pulled out the familiar green rock from his bag. Leaf's eyes widened, before looking back up at Ash's brown eyes.
"Where did you find a Moon Stone?"
"When I was lost on Mt. Moon. But I didn't find it. It was actually Pikachu who dug it up." Ash shrugged, unable to keep the grin off his face.
"Well, when are you going to use it on Nidorino?"
"Not for a while." Upon being met with a confused look by Leaf, Ash went into an explanation. "I don't want to rush Nidorino to evolve again. He only evolved weeks ago. I want him to develop more and learn a couple more moves. After that, I'll give him the choice."
"Smart." Leaf commented, turning her attention back to the city outside. Ash continued to ponder that specific situation. In his opinion, it was necessary to not rush Nidorino's evolution. Nidorino was also extremely powerful for his species, as well as his age. There would be no use in doing it to make him stronger.
Even more important was the development of Nidorino. Professor Oak had taught him that when it came to evolving Pokemon using stones or other means not involving training, it was crucial to wait for the right time. When Pokemon evolve prematurely, most of them never have the opportunity to learn moves they would have in previous evolution stages. Brock approached the two from behind, towering over them due to his above average height.
"Alright, you two ready?" Both Ash and Leaf nodded, intent on seeing the coveted water show. Posters across the city illustrated the Pokemon scheduled to perform, as well as their respective trainers.
Just as the trio were about to exit the Pokemon Center, a short and old bearded man stopped them.
"Howdy y'all! Can I interest you lovely trainers in a Magikarp for sale?"
Leaf raised an eyebrow, revealing her disinterest judging by her bored facial expression. Brock politely declined, with Leaf and Brock almost about to exit the facility. However, they stopped in their tracks once Ash spoke.
"I'd love to purchase one! How much?" Ash asked curiously. The older man revealed his delight, patting Ash harshly on the shoulder, forcing a pained expression from the teen.
"Are you serious Ash? A Magikarp?" Leaf asked disbelievingly. Ash merely showed his teeth in excitement, while Brock remained neutral to the situation.
"Magikarp can become one of the strongest Pokemon in the region, Leaf. Not my fault you underestimate Pokemon." Leaf sighed, waving off Ash as she turned away from the group. "So, how much?" Ash finished, looking down at the shorter elder.
"500 PokeDollars!"
The man's words drew all their attention, making even Ash drop his jaw in surprise.
"500 for a freaking useless fish?! Get out of here!" Ash shouted, pushing past everyone and leaving the Pokemon Center first.
"500 PokeDollars. What a douchebag." Ash grumbled, making Leaf smile brightly as she sat beside him. Ash sat in the middle, with Brock and Leaf seated beside him on opposite ends.
The trio were already seated inside the Cerulean Marine Stadium, which was colossal to say the least. They had gotten there fairly early, so the group managed to reserve three seats in the second row. The stadium could easily host well over five thousand spectators, which so far was proving to be the case. Almost every seat was taken, as it was just a few minutes before showtime.
The various posters advertised three women, with the collective name of the "Sensational Sisters." Apparently, they were very popular around the city. Ash didn;t doubt it, considering the attendance.
After a few minutes the lights dimmed, the major exception being the center stage. The stage was an elevated platform, with transparent glass around the wall to display the inside of the pool. The large pool had several skinny, stone trails on the surface to walk across.
"Presenting first….. The Blue haired beauty… VIOLET WATERFLOW!" An announcer's voice rumbled throughout the stadium, barely being heard at the end due to the screams and cheers from the audience.
The colorful lights overhead beamed at the entrance to the stage, revealing Violet Waterflower. She wore a blue one piece bathing suit, matching her long blue hair that fell behind her back. Violet jogged towards the pool, throwing two Pokeballs before jumping from the diving board.
Violet impressively landed on the two Tentacruels that emerged, balancing on them with a foot on each one. The crowd gasped in awe, before cheering as she moved across the pool due to the Tentacruels swimming on the surface.
"Uhh you alright Brock?" Leaf asked, noticing Brock's enamored expression. Brock shook his head, turning his head to the younger companion.
"What did you say?"
"Never mind." Leaf waved off, having already put two and two together. Leaf peered to her other side, seeing if Ash was any different. Surprisingly, Ash watched on with interest rather than the fascination Brock had with the performer's stunning looks.
"Next up…. Please welcome the Red Rose of Cerulean City… LILY WATERFLOWER!"
A red haired woman appeared on the stage, drawing slightly less cheers. It was difficult to say, however, since the crowd still cheered almost violently. Similar to her sister, Lily sprinted towards the pool. However, she instead chose to dive into the water and not release a Pokeball on the surface.
The crowd's noise died slightly, but quickly rose back to an even higher level as Lily emerged. In a surprise to the trio, Lily flew above the water and crashed back down hugging a Dewgong, which she must have released underneath the water. The eruption of screams didn't die down quickly, as the crowd watched Lily and Dewgong fly through the pool, occasionally diving back down.
"Finally… Last but not least… The Blooming Blonde…. DAISYYYY WATERFLOWER!"
The crowd burst into screams that clearly outmatched the other sisters. The flashing lights trained onto the stage, focusing on the last Sensational Sister. A tall and stunning blonde woman walked across the pathway, waving and blowing kisses into the crowd. She wore a pink two piece bathing suit and let her long blonde hair roll behind her, similar to her other sisters. Leaf rolled her eyes, noticing Brock's jaw somehow drop even further. Even Ash's eyes widened at the woman's beautiful appearance.
"Come on out baby!" Daisy screamed, her voice overshadowing the crowd due to her microphone. Gyarados roared upon release, crashing into the water and sending it flying over the barrier. It rained over the spectators, especially over the front rows, including the trio. Ash and Leaf laughed, swiping a hand over their own hair while Brock simply remained in awe of the sisters.
Daisy hopped onto Gyarados's back, as the behemoth traveled across the water at a pace of no other. For the next thirty minutes, the show continued after the arrival of the Sensational Sisters.
The three women covered several acts, although most of them were simple rehearsed dances and stunts using their respective Pokemon. It was interesting to say the least, as the performers found creative ways to implement their Pokemon and water type moves.
After about an hour, it was time for the last segment. Daisy Waterflower hopped off her Gyarados, walking across the stage while speaking to the crowd.
"Now, we would love to perform with one of your guys and teach you our final rehearsed ballet dance!" Daisy addressed the spectators, who roared in response.
"Pick me! Pick me!" A young girl in front of the group screamed out, like many others as the majority of the crowd stood up. More than half of the arena rose to their feet, begging to be selected.
Ash and Leaf both remained seated, having no interest in dancing. Especially in front of a sold out arena such as Cerulean Marine Stadium. However, Brock was a clear contrast, having risen from his seat minutes ago to admire the beautiful sisters. Ash and Leaf giggled, not hiding their laughter as they turned their heads to watch Brock scream for the Sensational Sisters' attention.
"Hmmm." Daisy hummed, her bright green eyes scanning the crowd. "How about…. You!" Daisy shouted, pointing a finger in the group's direction. Ash's eyebrows widened, attempting to locate who exactly she was pointing to.
"The hell?" Leaf questioned out loud, also confused as to why Daisy was pointing at them. To confirm her suspicions, the brunette awkwardly pointed to herself with a confused expression. Daisy rolled her eyebrows, scoffing for a moment, before nodding vigorously.
"Yes you! Come out on stage and dance with us!" Daisy stated unimpressed and with a hint of annoyance. Leaf appeared absolutely petrified of the idea, as her eyes remained wide open in a mix of fear and surprise. The crowd groaned, missing out on their shot to be selected.
Remaining glued to her seat, Leaf shook her head in denial. Sensing her discomfort, Ash whispered that she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. Brock remained oblivious to the situation, still cheering for the sisters despite there being no active performance.
Both Violet and Lily now stood next to Daisy, crossing their arms. Daisy huffed in annoyance, clearly not wanting to take no for an answer. It seemed that Leaf's denial only served to anger her even more.
"What? You think you're better than us? Is that why you don't want to come up on stage?" Violet now spoke, wiping a few strands of her wet, blue hair from her eyes. Leaf's mouth opened slightly disbelievingly in response, before she spoke.
"Of course not! I just don't want to!" Leaf shouted, though her words were barely heard by even Ash and Brock. The crowds screams were still deafening, and it was only due to the waterproof microphones of the Sensational Sisters that they were heard.
"You think you're prettier than us?" Daisy asked, her voice carrying no hint of playfulness.
"Yeah, you're definitely a pretty girl. But that doesn't make you better than us!" Lily finished, getting involved as well. It seemed like the crowd finally was able to read rhe room, becoming much more quiet. Everyone's screams seemed to die down slowly. This encouraged Leaf to stand up, her face slightly red in embarrassment. Before Brock or Ash could defend her, a feminine voice interrupted everyone as it carried through the stadium microphones.
"HEY!" A red haired girl stood to the side of the stage, glaring at the three women. She wore a plain yellow crop top, with red straps that carried over her front and back, as well as small cargo shorts that showed off her long pale legs. Her short, spiky red hair sat above her eyes, with a small portion of it being tied up and to the side of her head. The Sensational Sisters stopped their verbal tirade, though didn't seem pleased at the arrival of the other woman.
"Knock it off! She obviously doesn't want to dance, so why force her?" The girl spoke, enraged with the performers' behavior. All three of them rolled their eyes, scoffing at her remarks.
"Misty, she thinks she's better than us! If we-" Daisy was interrupted by Misty, who appeared absolutely furious.
"She just doesn't want to dance, you bricks! I swear to you I'm going to beat the living sh-" Misty's microphone stopped working, though it was clear that the words she was saying were not family friendly. It was only due to the production team that several families weren't enraged from their children hearing such inappropriate language.
"Brock, is that the Gym Leader? Misty?" Ash questioned Brock, who finally seemed to not be as enthralled anymore. Brock nodded seriously, explaining the situation in a greater depth.
"That's right. I wasn't sure before, but I heard that the Sensational Sisters are sisters with Misty as well. Misty is the youngest by about two years, as she is about sixteen years old."
"Well, thank Arceus for her." Leaf sighed, finally sitting back into her chair. Misty had gotten on stage, face to face with her sisters to argue the case some more. Although everyone's mics had been cut off, the Sensational Sisters appeared absolutely frightened with whatever Misty was communicating with them. After a few more minutes, Misty stomped back to stand next to the stage.
"Alright, we apologize for the inconvenience, but it looks like our allotted time as run out." A range of murmurs and protests rang out, but were drowned out as Daisy continued. "Unfortunately, we won't be able to perform our final act. We hope you all enjoyed and we will see you next time!"
Despite the event ending in such an awkward and early fashion, the majority of spectators still cheered loudly in support of the Sensational Sisters. It was evident that the city loved the trio, even if they were apparently rude at times. Perhaps it was jealousy, or insecurity that sparked the argument between Leaf and the sisters.
'It makes sense. Leaf is a pretty girl.' Ash thought innocently, briefly thinking of her light brown eyes and long brown hair.
As the group stood from their seats and departed from their respective row, they were met with a familiar face from the show.
"Brock, it's good to see you." Misty stated politely, holding her arms out in a short hug to the much taller Gym Leader. Brock took a step back after, smiling warmly.
"Likewise, Misty. All good with the Gym?"
"Absolutely. Things have been going better every since these knuckleheads haven't been running it." Misty pointed towards the sisters behind her, who now appeared to be arguing amongst each other. Ash raised an eyebrow at their antics, already having the idea that they were slightly insane. He didn't doubt that Leaf shared the same belief as he did.
"I heard you're finally taking a break from the Gym. I've heard good things about Forrest." Misty's words received an appreciative grin from Brock, who explained his goal to travel and learn from some of the best doctors in the world. The former Pewter City Gym Leader also explained how exploring Kanto would be a perfect way to observe all kinds of different Pokemon and their health.
"Oh, how rude of me. Misty, these are my friends Ash and Leaf. They were kind enough to offer me the opportunity to travel with them." Misty smiled kindly, shaking the hands of both Ash and Leaf and introducing herself. She turned to Leaf in particular, no longer wearing the same happy expression.
"I'm so sorry about my sisters. They get like that when they're jealous. Doesn't help that they're delusional as well." Her words had an effect, making Leaf giggle in response.
"Thanks, but it's not your fault. It should be me thanking you for standing up for me." Misty waved Leaf's words off, as the two continued to chat.
Both girls laughed almost every few seconds, clearly getting along well. Ash and Brock both stood to the side, feeling slightly awkward as they both felt left out. It didn't help that they spoke of much more "girly topics". At least, that's what Ash thought as he heard the two compliment everything about each other.
"They're so perfect." Brock muttered, his words barely being heard by Ash. Ash turned his attention to Brock, noticing his stare at the Sensational Sisters.
"Seriously, dude?" Ash asked, though it was clear that Brock was not paying attention to anything being said in the slightest. Sighing, Ash was forced to endure both being ignored and having to listen to the girls speak about each other's physical features. After an eternity of torture, it appeared that the girls' conversation was coming to an end.
"It was so nice meeting you, Leaf! Please, there has to be something I can do to apologize for my sisters." Leaf was about to decline her request again, but stopped herself suddenly. Misty leaned in slightly, no doubt having caught on to her hesitation.
"Actually, there is one thing."
"Anything!" Misty exclaimed.
"I challenge you to a Pokemon battle for the Cascade Badge!"
Cerulean Gym's interior was basically an extremely large swimming pool, which made sense considering the gym specialized in Water types. White tiles made up the floor, having to be constantly wiped down by the faculty due to the pool water splashing over.
Ash and Brock had been seated for the past ten minutes in the spectators stand, observing the battle. Thus far, Leaf had made easy work with Misty throughout the battle.
The Kanto native had started off with her Metapod, against Misty's Starmie in a two on two battle. Ash and Brock were surprised originally, as Brock explained that Starmie was her ace Pokemon. At the beginning of the battle, Metapod struggled significantly due to the terrain advantage.
Rather than the plain and relatively flat battlefield most Gyms utilized, Cerulean Gym instead focused on one which benefitted water types. It was the pool itself that Pokemon were expected to battle over, which contained small and thin circular platforms above. They were very necessary, as it would be almost impossible for most Pokemon to be expected to defeat a Water type without being situated on land themselves.
While Metapod was comfortable standing on the largest circular platform located in the middle of the pool, Leaf's Bug type had been slowly worn out. Metapod's String Shot was deemed completely ineffective, at least that's what Leaf thought originally. It was impossible to slow down Starmie, as the string would simply be rendered useless upon making contact in the water.
Metapod also knew no ranged attacks, which led to Starmie effectively hitting Metapod with several Water Gun attacks. Buying herself some time, Leaf implemented the use of Harden to mitigate the damage Metapod suffered.
It was a few minutes later that Misty made a grave mistake in ordering Starmie to use Rapid Spin. Whether it was due to Misty underestimating Metapod or another reason, it didn't matter to Leaf. Starmie was captured in the String Shot, before being rendered unable to escape as the whole platform was covered in webs.
From that point on, Misty could only watch as Leaf completely took over the battle. Metapod hit Staryu with a variety of physical moves, such as Tackle and Bug Bite. It was Bug Bite that caused the battle to shift completely in Leaf's favor, due to the attack being super effective against Psychic Types.
Although Starmie was unable to move back to the water, the Pokemon did manage to land more attacks using Water Gun and Psychic. Since Metapod was preoccupied staying on the offensive and not allowing Starmie to escape with the occasional String Shot, he was commonly hurt by the pink rings of Psychic. Ash swiped a hand through his hair subconsciously, stressed out about the ongoing battle despite Leaf's success.
"Psychic!"
The familiar pink ring flew towards Metapod, who was just a few feet away from Starmie. Not seeing much time to dodge the strike, Leaf adjusted quickly.
"Harden, then use Bug Bite!" Metapod visibly changed into a more gray color, signifying the use of Harden. Though, the Bug type Pokemon visibly winced from the damage of the attack. Metapod had taken a number of strikes, which had accumulated rapidly throughout the battle.
"Rapid Spin." Misty ordered, as Metapod leaped into the air with an open mouth. Unfortunately for the red head, Starmie was unable to find the traction necessary to use the attack, due to the webbed up floor. Starmie cried out in anguish one last time, before being declared unable to battle.
"Starmie is unable to battle. Gym Leader Misty, please send out your last remaining Pokemon!" The referee spoke from the stand in the middle. Misty didn't take long to return Starmie, briefly thanking her for her prideful performance.
"Starmie! Give me a hand here!" Misty tossed the Pokeball, as the pre evolution of her previous Pokemon appeared. Like the beginning of their previous matchup, Starmie remained in the water where it could benefit the most.
"I won't be making the same mistake as I did last time, Leaf. Stay in the water and bombard Metapod with Water Gun!"
True to her words, Staryu stuck to its trainer's gameplan. Various small jets of water flew towards the platform, with the majority missing Metapod due to the elevated surface. Leaf had ordered Metapod to remain low to the ground, which made a significant deal in regards to being struck by ranged attacks. The Pokemon couldn't afford to take much more attacks, even with the use of Harden. Its already small form made it easy to remain low to the ground and stay out of sight.
Misty grunted, becoming frustrated with Leaf and Metapod holding out and fighting patiently. Wanting to attempt a different strategy, Misty went with a different route.
"Staryu, use Confuse Ray by lobbing it over the side!"
Staryu formed a very small yellow orb above its head, before sending it through the water and above the surface. Leaf's eyes widened, most definitely finding an issue with the attack.
"Crap! Dodge it, Metapod!" Leaf urged, before shouting to not jump in the water. It was taking a massive risk, with the surface not having much room to avoid the attack. Still, if Metapod avoided it by jumping into the pool, it would most definitely be screwed. Once Metapod was in, there would be no chance of him getting out of Misty's homecourt.
Metapod was unable to avoid the Confuse Ray, as it stayed motionless after making contact with the orb. Not a second later, Metapod swayed side to side drunkenly. Leaf shouted, pleading for Metapod to snap out of its confusion but it was to no avail.
"Jump over and end it with Rapid Spin!"
Starmie flew from the water, spinning with a high velocity as it crashed into the Bug Type. Metapod was launched off the surface and even over the ward, landing in Leaf's hands.
"Metapod!" Leaf cried worryingly, immediately taking notice of its fainted state. The referee declared Metapod unable to continue, before ordering Leaf to send out her next Pokemon. Unsurprisingly, it was her starter Pokemon Bulbasaur.
Once Bulbasaur landed on the circular surface, Starmie didn't waste a moment as it jumped back into the pool. Once both trainers were ready to continue, Leaf went first.
"Razor Leaf! Don't let up!"
"Dodge it!"
The shower of sharp leaves crashed into the water, following Staryu closely as it glided across the surface of the water. When some leaves in particular got too close, the Water type dove deeper into the water to easily avoid it. Misty and Staryu were taking no risks in being hit by a potentially battle-ending attack by the Grass type starter.
"Water Gun!" Misty ordered, celebrating as Staryu jumped from the surface quickly and launched the jet of water. As Bulbasaur was preoccupied attacking, the Grass type was met with the attack face first. Bulbasaur slid back a foot, grunting from the damage it suffered from.
"You alright, Bulbasaur?" Leaf asked, not being too concerned as Bulbasaur shouted its name affirmatively. Her nose wrinkled in concentration, attempting to pinpoint a potential strategy. Staryu continued to swim underneath the surface, leaving Leaf unable to attack Misty's Pokemon from a distance like before.
"Alright, follow Staryu's movements underwater closely, Bulbasaur." Bulbasaur nodded, leaning over the side as he kept his eyes trained on Misty's Pokemon. Misty raised an eyebrow, already feeling concerned about what Leaf was planning.
"Keep moving underneath!" Misty shouted, hoping her message was heard from the distance. Staryu kept moving, despite no Pokemon launching any attack. After what felt like a minute, Leaf broke the stalemate.
"Vine Whip on each side of Staryu!"
Bulbasaur didn't take long as he smashed both vines into the water below. They barely missed Staryu, as they soared past him by just inches and were too far to the side. However, to everyone except Leaf's shock, Staryu emerged from the water and a few feet into the air.
"What?!" Misty shouted, though she didn't have time to react as Leaf continued.
"Grab it with Vine Whip and throw it onto the ground!"
Bulbasaur easily caught the airborne Staryu, who cried as it was caught in the opponent's grasp. Staryu was slammed onto the surface, crying out from the violent attack. It wasn't over, as Leaf continued due to Staryu still being able to battle and visibly conscious.
"Razor Leaf!"
"Staryu! Get out of there!"
Although Staryu wasn't being held by Bulbasaur's Vine Whip, it was still way too disoriented from the physical attack to move. Misty watched helplessly as a torrent of leaves made contact with Staryu, who fell face first onto the ground after a matter of seconds.
"Staryu is unable to continue. The winner of this challenge is Leaf Green, from Pallet Town!"
Author Notes: Originally, I was going to do just a recap of Leaf's battle, but I guess I got carried away haha. I promise, this won't be the case for most Gym battles, since it will be pretty repetitive if Ash and Leaf battle the same Gym Leader. It's also a lot of work for me, and I'm a pretty lazy guy so what can I say. Since I didn't do a recap, there will be a slight twist in Misty's team against Ash so I hope you all are ready! REVIEW and let me know what you think, as it motivates me to update quicker! Take care and I'll see you next time!