Episode Five
(Author's note: Starting with this episode, I think I'm going to include the Pokemon that are currently in both girls' active party, and in the case of Amanda, the Pokemon she has on hand at Professor Oak's lab. This way it'll be easier for me to keep track without having to go back through the previous episodes)
In our previous episode, Amanda and Michelle arrived safely in Pewter City. However, they had a run in with someone from Team Rocket who had stolen a valuable Pokemon fossil from the museum. But our heroes were able to recover the fossil, and Amanda also won her first gym badge. Both girls also received a new Pokemon from Officer Jenny as a reward for their help in recovering the fossil. Michelle got a Ponyta, and Amanda got a Dratini. Now, our heroes have left Pewter and are making their way towards Cerulean City. To get there, though, they'll have to traverse through Mount Moon. Let's find out what happens next as the journey continues.
Both Amanda and Michelle were smiling as they walked along the pathway that would lead then to Mount Moon.
"Was that not the best gym battle I've had?" asked Amanda.
"It's the only gym battle that you've had so far." Said Michelle.
"It was still a good one, though." Said Amanda. "Oh my goodness, I just remembered that I was supposed to call Mama when I got my badge."
"That's okay. You can call her when we get to the next Pokemon Center." Said Michelle. They continued walking along, but a short while later, they heard some rustling in the grass.
"What's that?" wondered Amanda. They tiptoed carefully toward where the rustling was and found a pink Pokémon with a star shaped body.
"I think that's a Clefairy!" Michelle squealed.
"Clefairy, huh. Let's see what the Pokedex says about this." Said Amanda. She took her device out and pointed it at the Pokémon.
"Clefairy. This rare but adorable Pokémon seldom shows itself to humans due to its shy nature. On nights with a full moon, a group of Clefairy gather to perform a special dance."
"This Clefairy doesn't look shy to me." Said Amanda. "I think this one is actually pretty friendly. Let's go, Pikachu." Pikachu jumped onto the grass and locked its eyes on Clefairy.
"If I don't catch this now, I might never get a chance at another one." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu fired a line of electricity, which did some damage to it, but didn't quite knock it out. Then, Clefairy ran at Pikachu and hit its cheek with its fist.
"That's a Pound attack!" Michelle cried.
"Pikachu's okay, though, aren't you, buddy?" said Amanda. Pikachu gave a thumbs up and faced Clefairy again.
"Quick Attack." Amanda called. Pikachu used its full speed, but Clefairy jumped out of the way just in time. Then, it used its hands to give Pikachu a good smacking.
"That's Double Slap." Said Amanda. Then, before Pikachu could do anything else, Clefairy wound up its fist and hit Pikachu's body with Mega Punch, sending the electric mouse flying.
"Pikachu!" Amanda cried, and she ran over to him.
"Can you keep battling?" she asked.
"Pi Pi." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I'm not giving up easily.'
"That's the spirit, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She ordered a Double Kick, which did a good amount of damage, but still not enough to knock it out. Then, Clefairy waved its' fingers back and forth.
"What's it doing?" asked Amanda.
"What you're witnessing is Clefairy's Metronome." Said Michelle. "Once that's used, any attack is possible." Clefairy continued waving its fingers for a few more seconds before stopping. Then, it plopped onto the ground and fell asleep.
"Why is it sleeping?" Amanda wondered.
"That's Rest." Said Michelle. "That means it won't be able to attack for a bit, but it also acts as a recovery and heals all the damage that it took."
"That's no good." Said Amanda. "Try another Quick Attack, Pikachu." With Clefairy fast asleep, Pikachu's attack was able to hit easily. They checked carefully to see if the attack woke up Clefairy, and thankfully, it didn't.
"Okay, good." Said Amanda. She commanded another Thunderbolt, but this time, the force of the attack woke up Clefairy, and it didn't look happy. It used Double Slap to send Pikachu back a bit, but despite the beating, the little mouse was determined not to give up.
"Use Quick Attack with everything you've got!" Amanda cried. Pikachu ran at its fastest speed and sent Clefairy into a nearby tree, officially knocking it out. Amanda wasted no time grabbing an empty Poke Ball and throwing it at Clefairy. The ball sucked the adorable Pokémon inside, and after three shakes, dinged for a successful capture.
"All right, we got a Clefairy!" Amanda cried, and she placed the ball on her waist.
"Congratulations, Amanda." Said Michelle.
"Thanks." Said Amanda. "You did a great job, buddy."
"Pikachu pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Thanks, but that Clefairy gave me a good run.'
"It sure did." Said Michelle. "I saw the whole thing."
"I wonder what Mama will say when I tell her that I got a Clefairy." Said Amanda.
"I guess you'll know when you talk to her again." Said Michelle. Amanda placed Pikachu back on her shoulder and they continued walking. Ten minutes later, they came across a phone booth.
"I don't know why this is randomly in the middle of the road, but it gives me a chance to call Mama without having to wait for the next Pokemon Center." Said Amanda. She went into the booth to dial the number, and after three rings, Kangaskhan picked up.
"Great news, Mama." Said Amanda. "I got my first badge!"
"Congratulations, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "You must be very happy."
"I am, Mama." Said Amanda. "Michelle's happy for me too. Isn't that right, Michelle?"
"That's right." Said Michelle. "I really enjoy watching her battle. The skill she has is quite impressive for a rookie trainer." Kangaskhan chuckled.
"So, where are you two headed to now?" she asked.
"We're heading to Mount Moon." Said Amanda. "I hope we find some new Pokemon to add to our teams, or maybe even some ancient fossils."
"Even if you don't find anything, don't get discouraged." Said Kangaskhan. "Remember, I'll always be proud of you no matter what happens."
"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda.
"Any time, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "I have to go, but make sure you continue to keep me updated on your progress."
"I will, Mama." Said Amanda, and she hung up the phone. The girls started walking again, and fifteen minutes later, Amanda had a question.
"How do you know so much about Pokemon, Michelle?" she asked.
"I've been around them my whole life." Said Michelle. "I know about what their attacks are, how they evolve and what they evolve into. I guess you could call me an expert."
"That'll definitely come in handy for me." Said Amanda as they continued onward. Another ten minutes later, a trainer wearing a red sweater and dark blue shorts approached them.
"You look like a worthy challenger." He said to Amanda. "What do you say to a match?"
"Bring it on." Said Amanda, wasting no time accepting the challenge.
"How about we make this battle a little interesting." Said the trainer. "Have you ever heard of a double battle?"
"I haven't, actually." Said Amanda.
"Double battles are when you use two Pokemon at once." Said Michelle. "Kind of like how doubles matches work in tennis."
"Ah, I see." Said Amanda. Although Pikachu had recovered a bit from it's battle with Clefairy, it was still a bit tired, so Amanda decided to let her two newest Pokemon get some action.
"Dratini, Clefairy, come on out!" she called. Both of Amanda's Pokemon quickly appeared upon hearing their names called.
"Interesting choices." Said the trainer, and he threw his two Poke Balls. Out popped a Sandshrew and a Tangela, and Amanda whipped out her Pokedex.
"Tangela. Its face is constantly hidden from view due to the tangle of vines that are always covering it. Sandshrew. This tiny mouse Pokemon spends the majority of its' time hidden underground in deep burrows. It will also curl up into a ball to protect itself from falls as well as opponents."
"You can go first." The trainer said.
"Dratini, lower Tangela's defense with your Leer attack, and Clefairy, use Mega Punch on Sandshrew." Said Amanda. Both Pokemon launched their attacks, and while Sandshrew was knocked back a tiny bit, Tangela was barely fazed.
"Tangela, Vine Whip on Dratini. Sandshrew, use Scratch on Clefairy." Both opposing Pokemon's attacks hit but did little damage.
"Way to take the hits, you two." Said Amanda. "Okay Dratini, use Wrap on Tangela. Clefairy, put Sandshrew to sleep with Sing." Dratini wrapped its' small body around Tangela's vines, causing the grass Pokemon to shriek in pain. Meanwhile, Clefairy sang a small melody that made Sandshrew tired.
"What's happening here?" the other trainer asked. "Tangela, try to escape the Wrap attack." Tangela did its' best, but Dratini's grip was too strong.
"Okay now, Body Slam on Tangela. Clefairy, use Metronome." Amanda called. Dratini gave Tangela a hard slam with its' tail, knocking it out. Clefairy waved its' fingers for a few seconds before stopping and unleashing a stream of water from its' mouth for Water Gun, which hit Sandshrew and knocked it out. The trainer was in awe over what had happened. Michelle acted as a referee and raised her arm.
"Both of Tangela and Sandshrew are unable to battle. Dratini and Clefairy win." She said.
"We did it, guys! Great job." Said Amanda, and she gave playful pats on the head to both Pokemon before recalling them. The other trainer recalled his own Pokemon and approached Amanda.
"That Clefairy and Dratini of yours are pretty good." He said.
"Your Tangela and Sandshrew did well too." Said Amanda. They shook hands with each other, and then Amanda and Michelle continued on.
"I think with the right amount of training, Dratini and Clefairy can become really string Pokemon." Said Michelle.
"I would love for Dratini to become a Dragonite." Said Amanda.
"A Dragonite would be really cool." Said Michelle. "I think Lance has one."
"Who's Lance?" asked Amanda.
"He's the champion of the Pokemon League." Said Michelle. "He's a really good trainer too, which is why he's the champion."
"Maybe I could battle him at some point." Said Amanda.
"That would be nice, but I don't think you'd be able to battle him right now." Said Michelle. "You only have one gym badge, and the Pokemon you have on you right now haven't even evolved yet. His Pokemon would wipe the floor with you."
"I guess I'll have to wait until I get stronger, then." Said Amanda.
"That would be a wise idea." Said Michelle. As they continued walking along down the route, a few more trainers challenged Amanda to battles. Naturally, she won all of those matches and she tried her best to use her Pokemon equally. Pidgey even learned a new move in the process and although it didn't quite evolve, it was pretty close to being ready to do so. By the time the sun was starting to set, both girls were tired from walking. They hadn't gotten to Mount Moon yet, but it was too late in the day to continue, so they set up a camp for the night. After a nice, healthy dinner, they all fell asleep on the grass. The next morning, they woke up feeling refreshed and continued walking. A few hours later, they reached the Pokemon Center that was just outside of Mount Moon.
"Finally!" cried Amanda. "We can rest here for a bit and get my Pokemon checked out." Amanda took her Pokemon to the Nurse Joy at the desk to get looked at, and then she dialed Professor Oak. The professor was in the process of prepping his lunch when he heard his video phone ring.
"That must be Amanda." He said and pressed a button to put himself on the screen.
"Hi, Professor!" Both girls said at once.
"Hello, Amanda. Hello, Michelle." Said Oak. "You both look like you're in a good mood today."
"When are we not in a good mood, Professor?" said Amanda with a laugh.
"I guess that's a good point." Said Professor. Oak. "So, where are you two right now?"
"We just got to Mount Moon." Said Michelle.
"I see." Said Oak.
"What do you know about Mount Moon, professor?" asked Amanda.
"Well, I know that there's the potential of finding a Moon Stone. Hence why it's called Mount Moon." Said Oak. "But, you could also find some fossils too."
"That would certainly be exciting." Said Amanda.
"I also know that it's a very big place, so you'll need to navigate carefully in order to avoid getting lost." Said Oak.
"I don't think navigation will be a problem." Said Michelle.
"How so, Michelle?" asked Oak.
"I'm very good with directions, so as long as we go where I tell us to go, we should be fine." Said Michelle.
"Well then, I leave that part to you." Said Oak.
"Before I forget, professor, I got two new Pokemon." Said Amanda.
"That's certainly exciting." Said Oak. "Which ones did you get?"
"I got a Clefairy and a Dratini." Said Amanda. "The Dratini I got as a reward for helping recover a fossil that had been stolen from the Pewter museum, and I got the Clefairy in the wild."
"That's very good news indeed." Said Oak. "Make sure you raise both of them well."
"I will, Professor." Said Amanda. "Talk to you later." They both hung up, and then the sound went off to indicate that Amanda's Pokemon could get picked up at the desk. She left to retrieve them and then went back to the phone area.
"So, what do you want to do now?" asked Michelle.
"I could use some food." Said Amanda. "All of that walking that we did has made me quite hungry." Michelle's stomach growled.
"You're not the only one who's hungry." She said. They headed to the cafeteria to get some food. Amanda had a ham and cheese sandwich with milk, while Michelle had a peanut butter and pineapple sandwich with some juice. They also made sure to get Pokémon food for Pikachu and Eevee. After they were all done, they headed back to the center's lobby.
"I hope you've got your exploration hat on because we're about to head into Mount Moon." Saud Michelle. Just then, they heard the sound of pouring rain hitting the window. Nurse Joy gave a slight frown.
"I'm afraid that there won't be any more exploring for either of you today." She said "This rain moved in as you two were having lunch, and the weather report says that it's supposed to last all afternoon."
"It'll be too late to go back out by then." Said Amanda.
"Exactly." Said Joy. "Your best bet is to stay here inside the center until the morning." She gave them a key for a room on the second floor, and the girls made their way there. Once they got inside, they put their things on the bed and sat down in two chairs at the window.
"Well, this sucks." Said Michelle.
"But on the plus side, I can start strategizing for the next gym." Said Amanda.
"That's a good idea." Said Michelle. "Do you know what type the gym leader is going to use?"
"Actually, I don't." said Amanda. "I'm not even sure who the gym leader in the next city is."
"That doesn't really do much good, then." Said Michelle.
"You're right, it doesn't, but I think I have an idea in mind, anyway." Said Amanda. "I'll start off with Pikachu, and if that fails, I can possibly bring in Clefairy for a backup since its Metronome would allow it to use any attack."
"That could work, but what if Metronome spits out an attack that doesn't do a lot of damage?" wondered Michelle.
"I didn't even think of that." Said Amanda. "Thankfully, I have another plan in mind. I could just use Clefairy for the whole match and call for Metronome over and over again."
"I don't think that would be a good idea." Said Michelle.
"Why not?" asked Amanda.
"If you were to do that, then you'd be known as a move spammer." Said Michelle. "That's someone who insists on using the same attack repeatedly during the course of a battle. People don't like those kinds of trainers."
"I suppose you're right." Said Amanda. "I'll just have to keep thinking." As the rain continued to pour down, Amanda kept thinking about how to handle her next gym match when the time came for that. Once the evening fell and the rain stopped, the girls went back to the cafeteria so that they could have their dinner. After they ate, they went back to the room and spent a couple of hours watching television before falling asleep. The next morning was nice and sunny, which made both girls smile.
"These are definitely better conditions for exploring." Said Amanda. They showered and got changed and went to have breakfast.
"Professor Oak mentioned something yesterday about the possibility of finding fossils." Said Amanda. "Do you think we'll find any?"
"I don't know." Said Michelle. "It really depends on how lucky we get." Once they finished breakfast, they left the center and headed into Mount Moon. Right away, they were swarmed by a bunch of Zubat. Pikachu was able to fend off most of them with its Thunderbolt, but there was one Zubat in particular that refused to go away no matter what Amanda tried.
"I think I might not have a choice but to catch this one." She said, and she threw an empty ball at it. Despite the Zubat being close to full strength, the capture was still successful.
"Let's hope we don't see any more of those." Said Amanda.
"Agreed." Said Michelle, and they continued on through the cave. They took their time so that they could see every inch of the cave, and after an hour, they still hadn't made too much progress. Then, Michelle spotted a piece of paper on the floor.
"I wonder who would leave something like this on the ground in the middle of nowhere." She said. She was about to pick it up when a Geodude suddenly showed up.
"I'll handle this." Said Michelle. She sent out her Poliwag, and two quick squirts of Water Gun sent the Geodude away and allowed the girls to continue. Michelle grabbed the paper and had a look.
"It says 'If you want a quick way out of the cave, follow the arrows toward a secret exit.'"
"Why would there be arrows guiding us, anyhow?" wondered Amanda. "These big caves are meant for exploring so we can find a way out on our own. I suspect that this might be a trap."
"You could be right, but let's just follow the arrows anyway and see where we end up." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee agreed, and they went in the direction the arrows told them to go. They were led up a couple of floors, and back down a couple of floors, but didn't see an exit anywhere.
"I thought this was supposed to be quick." Said Amanda. "To me, this looks like the exact opposite."
"Yeah, something is definitely not adding up here." Said Michelle. Nonetheless, they continued onward, but the arrows kept leading them around in circles, and eventually, they ended up back where they started.
"Well, that was pointless." Said Amanda. But then, Michelle spotted something.
"There's another set of arrows leading down a path that we haven't tried yet." She said. "Let's follow them and see where they take us." They ended up going down into a room in the center of the cave, and much to their delight, they found a treasure chest.
"Well, that's certainly lucky." Said Amanda. "I wonder what's in it."
"Let's find out together." Said Michelle. They ran over to open it, but the moment they did so, they felt the ground trembling underneath them. They screamed as they fell a short distance.
"This isn't an exit. It's a trap!" exclaimed Michelle.
"I think I might know who set it, too." Said Amanda. "Remember when we foiled that theft attempt a few days ago?"
"Yes." Said Michelle. "But that means….." said Michelle. Amanda nodded.
"That Team Rocket guy who tried to steal the fossil is likely the one that set up this trap." She said. They then heard evil laughter from up top.
"You are exactly right, girly." It was indeed the same Team Rocket agent from before. "Think of this as a revenge plan for stopping my theft at the museum. And now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking your precious Pikachu and Eevee with me." He pressed a button on his remote control, and a large net came down into the hole and scooped up the two partner Pokemon. Both of them let out squeals that meant 'Help us!'
"Don't worry guys, we'll save you!" Amanda called.
"How are we going to do that?" wondered Michelle. "We're stuck in this pit and he's getting away with our Pokemon."
"This is where Clefairy comes into play." Said Amanda. "Remember, its Metronome can spit out any attack."
"But the odds of it giving the exact attack that we need are extremely low." Said Michelle. "What if this doesn't work?"
"Just trust me." Said Amanda. She grabbed Clefairy's Poke Ball and threw it. The adorable pink Pokemon appeared in a blaze of white light.
"Okay Clefairy, use your Metronome." Said Amanda. Clefairy nodded and started wagging its fingers back and fourth.
"I hope this works." Said Michelle. Clefairy continued to wag its fingers back and fourth for another twenty seconds before stopping. They suddenly felt themselves disappearing from the inside of the cave, and when they re-appeared, they were outside the exit.
"That was extremely lucky." Said Michelle. "But that Team Rocket grunt is still inside the cave somewhere with both Pikachu and Eevee." Amanda let out a chuckle.
"No he isn't!" she cried gleefully. "The Teleport not only got the two of us out of the cave, but it took the grunt out of the cave too."
"So, where is he now?" asked Michelle.
"Look over there." Amanda said, pointing down the path. Sure enough, the Team Rocket member had been placed a short distance from the exit.
"Ah, I see." Said Michelle. The grunt had Pikachu and Eevee trapped in a cage and was getting ready to depart when he saw two angry glares in his direction.
"So, you two both managed to escape." He said. "Well you won't get away so easily."
"We'll just see about that." Said Amanda, and she threw another ball. "Pidgey, I need you." The small bird instantly appeared in a flash of white.
"Doduo, you come out too." Said Michelle, and she threw one of her own balls. The two headed bird came out in a flash of light.
"Well, looks like it's battle time." Said the agent, and he sent his Zubat out.
"Pidgey, peck that bat." Said Amanda. Pidgey flew up to the Zubat and starting poking at it aggressively.
"Hey, stop that!" cried the agent.
"No chance." Said Michelle. "Doduo, Tri Attack." The two headed bird formed a triangle of red, blue and yellow and hurled it at Zubat, causing it to suffer some damage. The agent was hit slightly as well.
"No fair!" he screamed. "Zubat, use Supersonic." Zubat emitted orange circles from its mouth.
"We're not falling for that again." Said Michelle. "Doduo, try to jump out of the way."
"Pidgey, fly into the air." Said Amanda. Both of the flying Pokemon obeyed, causing the Supersonic to miss.
"Drat!" growled the agent.
"Great work, Doduo." Said Michelle.
"You too, Pidgey." Said Amanda.
"Now Doduo, use Take Down to break the cage." Said Michelle. Doduo built up speed, and ran head on into the cage, breaking the bars and freeing both Pikachu and Eevee, who instantly ran over to their trainers.
"Are you both okay?" Amanda asked. Pikachu and Eevee nodded affirmatively.
"Okay Clefairy, you're on with Metronome." Amanda said. Clefairy started finger wagging again, making the Rocket grunt nervous. After thirty seconds, the wagging stopped, and an explosion went off, destroying the grunt's balloon and sending him into the sky.
"I'll get you next time!" he cried as he blasted off. DING!
Great job, everyone!" cried Amanda. Pikachu and Eevee high fived each other before jumping back onto their respective trainers' shoulders. Doduo and Clefairy were both recalled to their balls, but Pidgey started breathing a bit heavily.
"Are you tired from that battle, Pidgey?" Amanda asked.
"I don't think it's tired at all." Said Michelle. "It's trying to do something else. Look." Sure enough, a blaze of light took over Pidgey, and its wings grew larger. Its body also got bigger and changed colors. When it was all over, Pidgey had become a Pidgeotto.
"Well would you look at that." Said Amanda. "It evolved!"
"Now he'll be stronger and he'll even be able to fly faster." Said Amanda.
"Congratulations, Pidgeotto." Said Amanda, and she gave her new bird a playful pat on the head. Pidgeotto cooed happily, and Amanda laughed. Later, they were back on the road and walking down the path that would lead them to the next city.
"What did you think of Mount Moon, Amanda?" Michelle asked.
"It was definitely bigger than I expected it to be." Said Amanda. "I guess that's why we got lost for a bit in there."
"At least we still made it through." Said Michelle. Then she noticed a sign on the grass which indicated that they were indeed going the right way. However, it was what was written on the sign in red marker that intrigued her.
"Gary was here. Ash is a loser." She read.
"I seem to recall running into the two of them back in Viridian City when Ash was trying to win a badge that he needed." Said Amanda.
"I don't know who Ash is." Said Michelle.
"He's a trainer from Pallet Town, and he also has a Pikachu just like I do." Said Amanda.
"If we happen to run into him, make sure you introduce me to him." Said Michelle. "I'd love to get to know more about him." Well, this part of the adventure has certainly been interesting. Our two young heroes not only got themselves lost in Mount Moon, but Pidgey evolved into Pidgeotto. Who knows what else could possibly happen as the journey continues.
TO BE CONTINUED
Amanda's Current Party:
Pikachu (Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Agility, Double Kick)
Pidgeotto (Peck, Gust, Sand Attack, Tackle, Quick Attack)
Squirtle (Water Gun, Bubble, Withdraw, Bite)
Dratini (Leer, Wrap, Body Slam)
Clefairy (Metronome, Mega Punch, Sing, Pound, Double Slap)
Zubat (Supersonic, Wing Attack)
At Lab:
Rattata (Bite, Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack)
Spearow (Peck, Fury Attack)
Magikarp (Splash, Tackle)
Butterfree (Sleep Powder, Wing Attack, Stun Spore, Confusion)
Michelle's Current Party:
Eevee (Quick Attack, Swift, Tackle)
Electabuzz (Thunderbolt, Swift)
Doduo (Tri Attack, Take Down, Double Edge)
Poliwag (Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble)
Ponyta (Ember, Stomp, Take Down, Fire Spin)
