Much like the previous Island, the small island of Mikan had little to offer. At the heart of the island, the Pokemon Center was a double-story complex, with the bottom floor serving as a waiting and healing area while the top floor accommodated trainers. When Ash and James arrived at Mikal Island, they spent a whole day at the Pokemon Center, with James resting on the top floor and Ash deciding which Pokemon to use on the bottom floor. The Pallet Trainer did not remember much about his trials in the Orange Islands, only that a lot of Water Pokemon and what team the champion used. Ash had Pikachu on his team and Lapras, both viable options. He decided to call in Exeggutor, Wartortle, and Gyarados as well. Venusaur had the advantage, but Ash remembered how he was helping Daman's Venusaur readjust to a normal life. So he chose not to call on him.
The following day Ash and James headed to the Mikan Gym, which was situated away from the town by the seashore. Just as the gym becomes visible on the horizon, the duo stops when they see a coconut on the ground. Ash was about to go pick it up when James stopped him.
"It's a trap!" he exclaims dramatically.
Laughing could be heard before a boy came out of the bush from the roadside. "Very keen eyes" he nodded vigorously, "unlike you… wait you're the Indigo League champion" the boy blurted out when he got a better look at Ash.
"I am" Ash nodded.
"Why are you here?!"
"To challenge the Mikan gym. I'm on a quest to become the Orange League Champion."
The boy stared in shock and some awe.
"A valiant quest" another voice came, this time a woman. The source of the voice came down the road that led to the gym and stopped beside the shocked boy. "But you'll find that the Orange Crew are tougher than your Kanto Gym Leaders. And we have a variety of ways to hold our Gym Tests, different from the Gym Battles you had in Kanto."
Cissy, the woman who spoke, the Mikan Island Gym Leader, explained the rules to Ash while the four made their way to the Gym. Ash was kicking himself for not remembering something like this. But he wasn't worried, he still had confidence in his Pokemon to win him the Gym battle.
"The first challenge," Cissy said as they entered the Gym and Senta pressed a button, "would be a Water Gun match-up". The battle arena transformed into a pool and a line of cans appeared. " The accuracy test I told you about."
Cissy called out her Seadra, her choice for this challenge.
Ash called out his Wartortle. From the looks of it, Wartortle remembered what this challenge was. Maybe he should talk to his Pokemon and then strategize for these Gyms.
Wartortle dominated the accuracy test, hitting each can and then frisbees with pinpoint accuracy and speed. Seadra was fast, but not as fast.
"I don't think I've ever seen Seadra lose this badly" Senta, the boy from before and the Gym Leader's brother, whispered to James.
"Ash is the Indigo League Champion" the former Rocket member boasted.
"Well," Cissy said after the shock of her loss faded. "The second part of the challenge is usually a tiebreaker. But since you've beaten me Fair and Square."
The woman pulled out a small sea shell.
"The Coral Eye Badge is yours."
-x-
It felt weird, the way Ash had earned his first Orange League Gym Badge. The challenge was easy, and there were no battles to follow it. The last time it must have been a tie because Lapras looked ready for something. So much for the Gym battles being tougher…
Ash sent back his Pokemon to Professor Oak, keeping only Pikachu, Dratini, and Lapras on him before he and James headed for the next gym island by ferry. The duo stop at Mandarin Island, one of the many layovers between Mikan and Navel. The moment Ash and James stepped foot on the Island, Pikachu blasted them both with Thunderbolt before running off. Ash and James give chase, leading them to a Warehouse. But before either could enter, someone yanked them aside.
It was Officer Jenny.
"Do not go in there" Officer Jenny hissed. "Something strange is happening and all the Pokemon seem to be gathering in the building there. I tried to go in but a few Fire-type Pokemon almost burned me alive for trying."
"Not all of them," James said and pointed to the Gastly beside Officer Jenny.
Officer Jenny nodded. "Gastly seems to be the only Pokemon unaffected."
"If Gastly is unaffected, it could be a Psychic type Pokemon who is doing all this" Ash suggested, remembering how Ghost types were the natural foils for Psychic types."
"Could be" Officer Jenny nodded. "But that does not help. Gastly here refuses to go into the Warehouse. I don't blame her. The Pokemon inside are quite tough."
"We can't just give up" Ash argued.
"Let's fall back for now and come up with a plan. Ash, you have a Ghost type too, calling him in to help" James advised.
Both Officer and Trainer nodded to that.
-x-
The trio headed back to the Pokemon Center to regroup and come up with a plan. Ash called hs Gengar back from Professor Oak's Laboratory and with him on the team, Officer Jenny's Gastly seemed to grow a bit more confident.
The Warehouse was one of the older buildings on the island and its blueprint could be found in the town records once Officer Jenny had one of her juniors look into it at James' request. The building had two ways to get in, from the front which was guarded by Fire type Pokemon, and through the emergency door in the back. The plan they made was simple, sneak in through the back and see what was going on.
The trio tiptoed around the building to the back at nightfall and found the door locked from the inside. Ash called out Gengar and the Pokemon slipped in under the door through the shadows and opened it for the three.
"Quietly" Officer Jenny whispered as she led the way inside. Ash and James stuck close, while Gastly and Gengar melded into the shadows but still hovered close.
"Why are there so many boxes here? Wasn't it abandoned or something?" James hissed out.
"It is" Officer Jenny muttered, but her face said that she was confused as well.
She stopped suddenly, holding her arm out to stop the other two. "Look" she pointed forward. Ash and James saw a Drowzee strapped to some kind of machine, and cages full of Pokemon.
"What is this?" James whispered.
Ash knew exactly what this was, because he remembered what happened here, remembered it right now. His eyes shifted around until he found what he was looking for.
"Team Rocket" he whispered.
James' head shot to the side and his lips pursed seeing who Ash saw.
"Butch and Cassidy… They're not the worst but they are efficient" James muttered.
"Something tells me that the machine Drowzee is connected to is the reason why all the Pokemon are here. If we can stop the machine…" Ash muttered. The machine was exactly why the Pokemon were all here. He couldn't outright say it, not without the Officer thinking he was involved in this too.
"Where's the power source?" James asked.
"You can't go there alone" Officer Jenny whispered. "Gastly, go with him."
The Ghost type Pokemon materialized beside James before the two moved away once Officer Jenny showed them where to go. It was all in the blueprint after all.
A moment later the power went out.
"What's happening?!" Butch exclaimed.
"Probably faulty power lines. Don't worry, the machine has a back up" Cassidy waved him off.
Ash sighed. They needed to come up with another plan. And he had one.
"Gengar, sneak up to Drowzee and use Hypnosis to put it to sleep. Follow it up with Dream Eater and make sure it does not have any energy left."
A brush of cold wind was all the confirmation Ash received that Gengar had left to do exactly that.
From where Ash and Jenny were hiding, they could see Drowzee suddenly tilt forward before falling off the machine. Butch and Cassidy jump at the noise of Drowzee falling over and rush to the Pokemon. The cage doors open one by one and the Pokemon slowly step out, none of them too happy with the situation. Ash and Jenny enter as well, James not too far behind.
"You!" Butch growls.
But just as the two were about to send their Pokemon out, both fell forward fast asleep, Gengar cackling over them.
"How does he know you?" Officer Jenny narrowed her eyes at James.
"Former team Rocket member" James shrugged. He pulled out his Pokedex and showed her his credentials. "Professor Oak can vouch for me if Ash's words of confidence aren't enough. I'm trying to do better."
The Officer still looked suspicious but did not push the matter further.
Butch and Cassidy were arrested and the Pokemon were all returned to their respective trainers. The Pokemon of the two rocket members were confiscated by the Officers, to be released later on.