Reaching the Indigo Plateau with eight badges was a traumatic endeavor advertised as a chance at glory. The long road to challenge the Elite Four was unforgiving and filled with deception. There were plenty of reasons to give up. Catching Pokémon, training them, and defeating gyms were only part of the struggle. Those who stopped their journey after winning three or less badges were usually labeled as incompetent or lazy. Others say they were wise to stop before a severe injury or insanity set in.
Most trainers started their journey in Pallet Town courtesy of Professor Oak. It was not the only way to do so, but rather the easiest way. He was more or less a liaison for the league who made sure those starting out understood what they were getting into after receiving Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Jay was a confident yet humble twenty-year-old looking to claim his spot in the Hall of Fame.
"Quite a lot of information to take in, I know," Professor Oak said after going through the league's guide to new trainers. "Do you have any other questions?"
"No sir. I still remember a lot from my time growing up in Saffron City," Jay replied. "My teachers always had your lecture tapes in an organized pile."
"Glad to hear it!" There was a brief moment of silence as Jay looked back at the three Poké Balls on the table. "Have you made your choice?"
"Yes. I would like Squirtle as my partner, please."
Professor Oak handed Jay the water type along with a Pokédex and a dozen Poké Balls. They exchanged a firm handshake before the new trainer walked out ready to fulfill his dream.
Before he entered Viridian Forest, Jay made an effort to catch another Pokémon on Route 22 so Squirtle wouldn't have to battle alone. After spotting a male Nidoran, he saw it as a great investment. Poison Sting wasn't a strong move on the surface but it would whittle down anything that wasn't a poison type. Squirtle did its job to make it an easy capture.
Jay was an above-average student during his time in school and it showed while on the road. In his wilderness survival class, he learned how to pace himself and listen to his body. The gyms weren't going anywhere so he took his time while traveling from Viridian City to Pewter City. The marked trails in Viridian Forest were still brimming with wild Weedle and Caterpie so he occasionally backed up to let them move out of sight.
Upon arriving in Pewter City, Jay took the time to evolve Nidoran into Nidorino before challenging the gym. Evolving meant more strength and stamina in battle. Using those traits in combination with poisoning Brock's first Pokémon would allow Nidorino grab a win while Squirtle's type advantage was likely enough to carry it to victory.
The battle against Brock didn't go exactly as Jay had envisioned. Nidorino poisoned Geodude then followed it up by alternating between Leer and Horn Attack. Geodude fainted as Nidorino was doing everything it could to stay on its feet while gasping for air. He thought Nidorino would have more stamina left in case Squirtle needed a break. The new Pokémon received its praise as Squirtle was substituted in to battle Onix. It didn't take long for the water type to emerge victorious. Brock handed the Boulder Badge and the TM for Bide over with a smile.
"Most trainers come here with only a Squirtle or Bulbasaur expecting an easy win. I didn't expect to see a Nidorino. If anything, I thought you would have used a Butterfree that knew Confusion."
"Sabrina warned us not take anything for granted in a battle and I disregarded that advice. If Geodude didn't get poisoned, Nidorino would've lost. You could've overwhelmed Squirtle. Type advantage starts to matter less if it's two against one," Jay said. "And I'm not a fan of raising Pokémon that I don't intend to keep which is why I don't have Butterfree."
Brock placed a hand on Jay's shoulder. "I understand. Every trainer has their own philosophy when it comes to raising Pokémon. You still earned your victory. Maybe take some more time to rest before heading out."
"Yeah, I think that would be good for Nidorino. I don't want him to hate me this early in our journey."
"I think you two will be fine. You took the time to make sure he was strong enough to hold his own." After a moment of silence, Brock tried to lighten the mood. "I promise you the other seven leaders are going to give you more of a run for your money."
"I'm looking forward to it," Jay replied.
Jay had a small celebration at the Pokémon Center with his two partners. Nidorino held no negative feelings towards his trainer and instead used the close call as motivation to get stronger. Squirtle wasn't satisfied with simply winning one badge either. Their victory gave them an energy boost going to Mount Moon the next morning.
A group of Spearow attacking the trio on Route 3 didn't dampen their spirits. In fact, Squirtle knocking out a few allowed it to evolve into Wartortle. There was one Spearow who was unfazed by the sudden transformation while the others scurried away. Jay wanted it on the team. Wartortle nailed it with a Water Gun which made it easy to capture. The group stopped at the Pokémon Center just outside the winding mountain.
"Hello Nurse Joy. I'd like to heal my Pokémon please," Jay said while handing over all three Poké Balls.
"Certainly! Just give me a minute and I'll have them back in top form."
With his Pokémon gone, he noticed how empty the place was. The only other person in the lobby was an older man with a tan trench coat. They locked eyes and the man started to walk over.
"My apologies for eavesdropping, but it appears you're a trainer. Is that right?"
"Correct," Jay slowly replied.
"Listen, I'll cut to the chase. I have a Magikarp for 500 right here in my coat. I think it'd be better off with you than me. What do you say?"
Jay knew it was a scam considering how common it was to see when fishing around Kanto. However, Gyarados was a very powerful Pokémon if it was raised properly. Jay didn't have a fishing rod nor did he care enough to get one. Money wasn't an issue since he had enough supplies to make it through Mount Moon.
"Deal."
"My boy, you have made a wise decision! Here you go!"
Nurse Joy came back as the man briskly walked out the door. She shook her head in disgust before returning Jay's Pokémon.
"Unbelievable. I didn't think people would stoop so low to trick a trainer like that. Let me examine that Magikarp to make sure it has no underlying health problems." The exam ended with a clean bill of health and the group was free to make their way through Mount Moon.
Maneuvering around the area was more annoying than difficult. Zubat was by far the most common Pokémon lurking in the shadows and around corners. Spearow fought them off while Jay tried to figure out the fastest way to train Magikarp.
All it could do was splash about in battle so sending it out for a bit then recalling it was an option. Then again, he could exhaust its energy for splashing on something that couldn't retaliate like Metapod or Kakuna and force it to use struggle. The method was borderline abuse. Backtracking to that extreme was also something Jay wanted to avoid. Another option was to put it in the day care just south of Cerulean City.
"But when would be an ideal time to pick it up? What if I forgot about it? How much money would it cost? Maybe I can store it in the PC and train it later instead of now," Jay muttered to himself. "It's not like I'm in a rush to raise a third Pokémon weak to electric types."
The issue nagged at him for a bit until he stumbled upon a glistening rock in the wall near a man-made ladder. He didn't think a Moon Stone would be so easy to find. He pocketed it for later; using a Nidoking against Misty wouldn't be ideal. Jay still didn't have a concrete plan for Magikarp by the time he made it to the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. He finally decided to stop thinking about it in favor of taking down Misty.
Spearow received extra training so it could evolve into Fearow. Jay attempted to mount it to get see what it felt like to fly. The flying type became startled and nearly bucked him off.
"I'm sorry Fearow. I should have asked first," he said while stroking its head. Fearow accepted the apology.
Having three viable Pokémon for the water type gym leader was great. The problem was Jay could only use two. He ran through the possible team combinations and settled on Fearow leading with Nidorino next in line. The plan was simple: hit hard and fast. It was a simple strategy but didn't feel as limiting as the strategy against Brock. Numerous platforms were in the pool so every Pokémon had a fighting chance.
Fearow started with Leer and then took a solid hit from Staryu's Water Gun. When Misty called for Staryu to jump in the water, Fearow got in front of it with Tackle to knock it back on the platform. The follow-up Fury Attack from the flying type was devastating. It landed five effective jabs with its beak, one of which was in the middle of its gem, for a quick knockout. Misty was flustered for a few seconds before calling on Starmie.
Bubble Beam came as a surprise and Fearow barely hung on after it connected. One Leer was all it could get off before collapsing on a floating platform. Nidorino was at a disadvantage since it couldn't keep up with Starmie in the water. However, Jay ordered it to use Poison Sting in its general direction to put on some pressure. When Misty's ace surfaced, Nidorino charged at it and connected with Horn Attack. Bubble Beam was fired in retaliation and forced the poison type back. Jay couldn't afford to keep up a hit-and-run style of battling so he took a risk.
He had his partner charge ahead with a Tackle attack thinking if it connected, even through Bubble Beam, the badge was his. Misty saw through the plan and had Starmie retreat in the water. What she didn't account for was how crazy Jay was. He ordered a change to Horn Attack and had Nidorino dive into the pool like a missile. The glowing horn connected with the ruby gem on Starmie's body for surefire knockout. Nidorino eventually climbed back on a platform as Starmie floated to the surface on its back. The referee had seen enough.
"Well, you got me. It's not often a trainer will send a non-water type into the pool like that. You have a serious chance to complete the gym challenge if you take some risks like that," Misty noted.
"Thank you. From what I understand, this is the point where a lot of trainers think about quitting," Jay replied.
"Maybe after facing their third gym leader. Did you start in Pallet Town?"
"Yes."
"Which Pokémon did you get from Professor Oak?"
"Squirtle. It's a Wartortle now but I didn't use it in our battle."
Misty nodded. "So where do you plan to go next?"
"As much as I want to challenge Sabrina next, I know I'm not ready to go home just yet. Vermilion City's not too far from here though." Jay saw Misty's body language change immediately. He pulled out the Moon Stone. "I'm prepared."
"You might need more than that," Misty said with a nervous laugh.
"Lieutenant Surge is someone I'm not taking lightly. I know my team has trouble with electric types. That will change before I face him."
"Not only will the gym leaders become stronger as time goes on, the routes between them will become more taxing. Best of luck on your journey. Here's your Cascade Badge and the TM for Bubble Beam."
Jay set up another small celebration at the Pokémon Center. Wartortle didn't appear to be down about being left out of the lineup. Fearow got a little rowdy while eating but Jay managed to calm it down. Nidorino gladly accepted the Moon Stone and evolved into Nidoking. Meanwhile, Magikarp was just happy to be part of the team. As time went on, Jay found himself staring at Magikarp.
He came to the decision to train it after collecting all the badges. It was going to take a considerable amount of time to evolve and Jay wasn't sure if he had that level of patience or energy while also training for the remaining gym battles.
He couldn't leave it in the day care after seeing how happy it was. He also couldn't travel with it because it was a slot that could go to another Pokémon. Then there was the issue of taking care of it and spending money on it despite it not battling. Keeping the fish in Bill's PC storage system was be better for everyone involved. Bringing it out for future celebrations was a good way to show Jay still cared.
Dugtrio was the Pokémon that took Magikarp's place as an active party member. Jay initially caught a Diglett at the appropriately named Diglett's Cave and then spent a few days training to evolve it. The combination of speed and power outweighed its fragility. Jay felt confident enough to handle the electric type leader.
It came as no surprise that Surge had no answer to Jay's strategy. Nidoking made quick work of Voltorb and Pikachu with Thrash. The small electric types had speed but lacked any meaningful offense. Raichu was no match for Dugtrio's offensive prowess.
"Know what kid? I'm not even mad. So many runts come in here thinking a puny Diglett is all it takes to win. A Dugtrio!? You really know how to go for the throat! Here's the Thunder Badge. Show it off with pride! Don't forget about my Thunderbolt TM too."
Jay was more reserved after the battle. Did Surge really not have an answer for ground types despite a cave full of them on the outskirts of town? Was it a trick by the league to lure trainers into a false sense of security? Jay was at the point where most trainers quit and he didn't feel worn down physically or mentally aside from the Magikarp situation. He internally breathed a sigh of relief when the weak Pokémon was taken out of the PC and still had its happy-go-lucky attitude.
Kanto's layout put Jay in an interesting spot on where to go next. He still lacked the confidence to battle Sabrina but Celadon City's grass gym wasn't too far away. Not having a bike meant he couldn't go on Cycling Road which meant backtracking to Vermilion and going to Fuchsia City by way of Route 15. The alternative plan was to go to Fuchsia City, visit the Safari Zone, head to Cinnabar Island, then backtrack to the mainland for the last three gyms. In the end, he went with the latter option.
The trip to Fuchsia was where Misty's warning became reality. It took Jay two weeks to arrive at the city's eastern entrance. During that time, he pushed Wartortle to its limits in hopes of evolving it into Blastoise. If the opposing Pokémon wasn't a grass or electric type, Wartortle was sent out to battle. The plan was stifled by some unlucky knockouts and fatigue form overuse. At the same time, Nidoking, Dugtrio, and Fearow felt neglected. The emotional shift led to the three bench warmers disobeying orders in battle when they had to make an appearance. Jay also started challenging trainers he had no business challenging.
"Come on Fearow! I wanted you to use Leer so your Fury Attack would hit harder!" Jay yelled just before the flying type was hit with a powerful Sludge attack from a trainer's Weezing.
Jay had initiated the battle in which Wartortle and Nidoking were exhausted and Dugtrio had no energy leftover from a previous battle. Fearow was healthy at the start but Weezing was too much for it to take on alone. Sludge came out again and found its mark. Fearow went down in a heap. The reality of the situation had set in. Not wanting to see his weakened Pokémon take any more damage, Jay forfeited.
"Should've listened to me with that bird brain of yours. Now I have to pay up," Jay mumbled. "Okay, here's your money. Have a good day."
After the battle and tending to his teammates' injuries, Jay had a clear feeling for how frustrated everyone was. He silently postponed training until after visiting the Safari Zone. Not being allowed to battle in the facility was music to his ears.
Nothing of interest caught his eye in the grass for the first two areas. He didn't need another water type from the lakes either. There were rumors of Chansey and Kangaskhan lurking but he didn't see either of them. The third area deep in the facility was different. In the tall grass, there was a Tauros grazing. A strong normal type that could learn a myriad of moves would do wonders for the team.
He slowly stalked the unsuspecting Wild Bull Pokémon while also holding a rock. It was unaware of Jay's presence until he stood up to throw the rock. It came as no surprise that the Pokémon was agitated once the target found its mark. Charging ahead with its horns ready to maim the twenty-year-old, Jay chucked a Safari Ball with perfect accuracy. A flash of red engulfed the beast and the ball wiggled on the ground before coming to a stop.
"Oh yeah, this is going to be fun," Jay said with a grin. He collected the HM for Surf at the rest house on the edge of the park and was advised to stop by the warden's house before returning to the entrance.
Tauros was put to work immediately after Jay exited the Safari Zone. It was unaware of the fractured relationship between its trainer and other teammates so it listened to Jay without any issues over the next few days. The warden offered the HM for Strength as a reward for making it to the deepest part of the park. When Jay felt it was caught up to speed with everyone else, he called out the entire team in front of the Fuchsia Gym.
"Look, I haven't been the greatest trainer over the past few weeks. I should not have prioritized raising Wartortle so much." Tauros was confused as the others glared at Jay. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"This is what happens when we've won three badges in such a short period of time. I didn't want to get caught up rushing to the next gym and be unprepared. This long road trip has made me second guess how strong you all are. There was no reason for me to do that. I'm sorry."
Everyone softened their expression a little bit. They didn't know it, but Jay had fallen for the league's unintentional deception. Gym groupings in Kanto gave trainers the chance to either come out of the gate strong or quit their journey early on, regardless of which city or town they started in.
The first group was Viridian and Pewter. Those gyms were close enough to where any trainer could challenge both of them in a day. If a trainer was on a hot streak and won both badges, they'd have to cool off by passing through Mount Moon or take a trip across the ocean to Cinnabar Island.
The second grouping of Cerulean, Saffron, Celadon, and Vermilion was the most deceptive grouping. Winning all four badges could be done within hours leaving a trainer itching for the fifth badge. Getting to the fifth badge was another story. It was either separated by Mount Moon, required a bike to go down Cycling Road, or called for a two week trek down Kanto's east coast on foot. Jay didn't have a bike or the money for one and Fearow wasn't comfortable carrying him on its back so the two weeks felt much longer.
Fuchsia and Cinnabar was the last grouping. The distance and location between them meant it made sense to challenge one then then the other to avoid extensive backtracking. Cultivating self-doubt after a loss or making trainers impatient after a win were side effects that most trainers had to deal with. Not to mention the time spent traveling back to the mainland.
"If everyone is ready, we can show Koga what we're made of! Who's with me?" All five Pokémon let out a battle cry in unison. "Let's fucking go!"
Jay knew he needed a little more power if he wanted to win. Wartortle was taught Surf while Nidoking and Tauros were taught Strength. Once the changes were final, everyone was recalled. Koga was meditating in the middle of the battlefield when Jay walked in. The second thing Jay noticed was how stuffy the gym was.
"Young man… how many badges do you have?" he asked with is eyes closed and back still turned to Jay.
"Three."
"Hmph, interesting. You walk a fine line between confidence and foolishness. We will each use four Pokémon."
Koga finally opened his eyes when he reached the trainer box. His stern demeanor was unnerving to Jay. The aura changed from a gym battle to a battle for the right to leave the gym alive. Once the referee was ready, Jay pulled himself together.
"Tauros, you're up!"
"Go, Koffing."
The floating purple ball filled with toxic gas put on a dopey face. Tauros scraped its front right hoof across the ground and let out an aggressive snort. When the referee gave the signal, Jay took the initiative.
"Use Tail Whip!"
"Smog!"
Tauros had a quick first step to slap Koffing in the face before it could spew the toxic gas. It quickly galloped away to avoid the move. A cloud of dark green smoke lingered in where the normal type used to be.
"Charge in and use Strength!"
Koga not issuing a command immediately in response came as a surprise for Jay. Tauros got a free hit on Koffing, but it was far less powerful than expected.
"Smokescreen!" A cloud of jet black smoke led to a coughing fit from the normal type. "Now use Sludge!"
With Tauros distracted from the first attack, it couldn't brace for the follow-up. The sticky substance of coated its face and a few drops found their way into its mouth.
"Stomp!"
All Tauros could do was swing its hooves wildly hoping to land a hit. Koffing casually floated out of harm's way with a grin.
"Smog," Koga calmly ordered.
"You have to get out of there! Run to the sound of my voice!" Jay called out.
The gas engulfed Jay's partner before it had a chance to escape. Once out of the pile, Tauros furiously shook off as much gunk as possible. It stumbled around afterward; a surefire sign it was poisoned. The clock was ticking.
"Go for one last push here, Tauros! Strength!"
"Sludge!"
Again, Tauros charged in with reckless abandon. It took another splotch to the face, but kept going and went drove Koffing into the ground. There was some stumbling after the dust settled and the Wild Bull Pokémon was still standing.
"Koffing is unable to battle. Tauros wins," the referee said.
"Perhaps I was wrong about you," Koga said. "But how will you handle the poison as the battle goes on? Muk, I choose you!"
Jay was in a rough spot. Recalling Tauros was pointless since it had very little stamina left. Dugtrio was clearly the best choice, but it was too important to lose so early.
"Muk, use Sludge."
"Stomp!"
Tauros was too disoriented to even stand up straight. The incoming attack set the normal type to the ground instantly.
"Tauros is unable to battle. Muk is the winner," the referee said.
Koga's demeanor remain unchanged as Jay got a warning for stalling. The young trainer's heart was beating as fast at it could. All he had to do was keep up the pace and he would earn the Soul Badge. However, there were too many moving parts to guarantee a close win.
"I choose Dugtrio!"
Jay knew Dugtrio's fragility would be problematic if he waited too long to send it out. Nidoking's typing meant it could handle whatever Koga threw at it, but couldn't do much to fight back due its moves. Not going to Celadon City meant no TMs in his backpack. Jay didn't think it was necessary to teach any of TMs he received from Brock, Misty, and Surge. Also, he didn't spend any time scavenging the region for any spares people may have dropped. The nervousness inside him turned to frustration.
"Use Dig!" Jay ordered.
"Poison Gas!" Dugtrio burrowed underground as Muk filled the field with a purple mist. "Minimize!"
Dugtrio almost lost Muk's location underground with the size change, but managed to hit it from underneath. Once again, Jay overestimated how strong the attack was. Muk's body retained its smaller size which was another cause for concern. Jay noticed his partner was starting to get irritated from the mist.
"Go underground again!" Koga did not issue a command. Jay panicked. "Wait! Don't come up just yet!"
It was too late as Dugtrio still landed a hit. Muk bounced back up and towered over the ground type.
"Disable."
Muk's eyes flashed white for a second and Dugtrio backed away. Jay cursed under his breath. His advantage was taken away in an instant. Switching to someone else would get rid of the status, but would open them up to getting poisoned. Jay realized he could stay aggressive while biding time for Dig to become usable again.
"Scratch!"
"Poison Gas! Hold steady!"
Dugtrio's speed allowed it to come within striking distance before Muk was done inhaling. The smaller size of Muk messed up Dugtrio's aim and led to a whiff. Koga capitalized on it by seeing Poison Gas land at point-blank range.
"Follow it up with Sludge!" Koga said.
Despite poison not being very effective against ground, the move appeared to do some serious damage. There was no way Dugtrio could survive another one in conjunction with being poisoned. Jay switched his strategy to give his next Pokémon a better fighting chance.
"Sand Attack! Give it everything you got!"
Every speck of dirt possible was flung at the sentient pile of gunk. Muk turned away to shield its eyes, but it enough debris got it to cause irritation. Dugtrio only stopped when the poison caused its body to shudder. One more Sludge ended the round and the referee was on top of it.
"Dugtrio is unable to battle. Muk is the winner." Jay wasted no time on making his next choice.
"Wartortle, I choose you!"
It was a do or die situation. Nidoking's defensive utility would have to be a last resort. He needed offense and Wartortle was his best choice. Fearow lacked special moves which made it less of a threat.
"Use Surf!" A large tidal wave crashed down on Muk, sending it behind Koga. "Again!"
"Disable!"
Muk regained its composure to get the move off before Wartortle could. Jay couldn't afford a huge loss in tempo with Muk on the ropes.
"Water Gun!"
"Poison Gas!"
Koga's risk to have Muk tank a hit paid off. More purple mist filled the battlefield and Wartortle couldn't escape it. The newest wave increased the gas' potency so much that it was starting to affect Jay. He covered his nose with his shirt to stave off the effects as much as possible.
"Come on Wartortle! Another Water Gun!"
The bulky poison type finally stayed down. Both Koga and the referee were unbothered by the gas lingering in the air. Jay saw no use in complaining because the state of the field was a natural result of the battle. If Koga had tried to poison Jay directly, then he would have had a case for a victory by technicality.
"Clever loophole you exploited. I wonder if the other leaders do something like this," Jay mumbled to himself.
"Muk is unable to battle. Wartortle wins."
On paper, it was two against two. In reality, It was two against slightly less than two. Wartortle's time on the field was slowly ticking away. Switching would give the water starter a breather but would get throttled if Nidoking couldn't clean up. Jay reluctantly kept Wartortle in. Koga had every reason to drag out the selection process, but he wasted little time.
"Koffing!"
A second one wasn't the worst thing in the world. Jay was more concerned about his inability to use Surf. He started to feel dizzy. The referee's signal to start snapped him back to his senses.
"Water Gun!"
"Sludge!"
Both attacks collided at midfield where they fizzled harmlessly to the ground. Seeing the interaction play out convinced Jay to take a risk.
"Surf!"
"Sludge!"
Wartortle was surprised to see the attack come to fruition. Koffing was temporarily washed away in the wave then fired back.
"Meet it with Water Gun!"
"It won't have the strength to power through! Rush in with Tackle afterward!"
Koga was right. Water Gun not only failed to neutralize Sludge, it barely mitigated any damage. Wartortle threw its arms up and braced its legs to stay upright. Koffing waited until the attacks dispersed to charge in for the finishing blow.
"Show it who's boss! Just one more Tackle!" Jay screamed after uncovering his nose.
Jay became too light-headed to stand after giving Wartortle the extra encouragement. It lowered its head to meet Koffing in a powerful collision. The referee was on top of the situation as both lay unconscious next to one another.
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle. This round is a draw. Both trainers have one remaining Pokémon left."
"Nidoking, you're up," Jay said on his knees barely louder than a whisper.
"Weezing, it's time," Koga said reverently.
When the signal to start was given, Jay struggled to get to his feet. Nidoking looked back to help but Jay shook his head.
"You have fought well young man, but its time to end our battle. Weezing, use Self-Destruct."
A blinding light came from the other side of the field followed shortly by a loud noise. The resulting burst of wind cleared out the poisonous mist while also tearing up the field. When the dust settled, Weezing was unconscious. Nidoking not only remained standing, but there were no signs of injury.
"Impossible!" Koga exclaimed.
"Sabrina always said to never take anything for granted in battle," Jay said. He turned to the referee. "Well, ref… is that it?" There was a small nod.
"Weezing is unable to battle. Nidoking wins. This match goes to the challenger."
"Fantastic."
With the result finalized, Jay collapsed in his trainer box.