Episode Fifty-Four
Last time, our heroes Michelle and Amanda made it to the Johto region where they met a new trainer named Laura. The three of them were put to work right away as they had to work together to rescue a Totodile that Team Rocket had stolen from Professor Elm's laboratory. But thanks to a Sweet Scent from Chikorita and some excellent tracking work from Growlithe, Totodile was safely rescued and brought back to the lab. As a reward for their hard work, Professor Elm allowed Amanda and Michelle to take Cyndaquil and Totodile with them on their journey. With some new Pokemon by their side, as well as a new friend, some exciting new adventures lay ahead as they travel the road through Johto.
As today's episode begins, we find the three girls walking along down the road towards Cherrygrove City. Laura is still learning the ways of being a Pokemon trainer, and she's lucky to have two experienced companions by her side.
"So, Amanda, how long have you been a Pokemon trainer?" Laura asked.
"I would say a little bit over a year at this point." Said Amanda. "I've caught lots of Pokemon and battled a lot of trainers."
"You probably don't know this, but Amanda and I first met in the Viridian Forest." Said Michelle. "She and I had a friendly battle with each other."
"Who won that battle?" Laura asked.
"Michelle did." Said Amanda. "That was one of the first trainers battles that I had, and we both became best friends after that. It's because of Michelle's help that I was able to win a good amount of battles."
"It's always good to have a friend to help out." Said Laura. "I'm only a rookie, so I'll need all the help I can get."
"Well don't you worry because Michelle and I are going to teach you all you need to know about Pokemon." Said Amanda.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'Eevee and I will help too.'
"That's really generous of you guys." Said Laura. They continued to walk around, but a short time later, they heard some rustling in one of the bushes.
"What's that?" Laura wondered. The rustling slowly got a bit louder, and all three girls were worried about what would appear. Once the rustling stopped, a small mammalian Pokémon covered in brown fur came out from the bushes. The Pokemon also had long, dark brown ears with dark pink interiors, beady black eyes, and a small mouth.
"Hi there, fella." Said Laura. "You look a little shy." The Pokemon stood on its tail to get a good look at where it was.
"I wonder what kind of Pokemon this is." Said Michelle.
"Let's see." Said Amanda. She took out her brand new Pokedex to find out some information.
"Sentret, the scout Pokemon. Sentret are very cautious and will give a loud warning cry to alert its kind about possible intruders."
"I guess that's why it's standing like that." Said Michelle.
"Don't worry, Sentret, we're not intruders." Said Amanda. Sentret gave a happy smile.
"Look how much energy this Sentret has." Said Laura. "It would be a perfect fit for my team." She grabbed out a Poke Ball and got ready to throw it.
"Wait a second, Laura. What are you doing?" Amanda asked.
"What every trainer does when they see a wild Pokemon." Laura answered. "I'm going to catch it, so stand back." She gave Sentret a good look. She was very determined to make her first capture.
"I hope you enjoyed your freedom while you could, Sentret, because you're coming with me." Said Laura. She leaned her arm back and threw the capture device.
"Poke Ball, go!" she cried.
"No!" Michelle and Amanda both cried. The Poke ball hit Sentret on the back, and it got sucked inside. The ball then started to shake a little bit and the girls stood nearby waiting to see what the results would be. After a few shakes, the ball burst open and Sentret popped back out. The ball flew back to Laura and Sentret quickly disappeared back into the bushes.
"That's not fair. Why didn't the Poke ball work?" she wondered.
"First, you have to weaken the Pokemon enough to be able to catch it." Amanda pointed out.
"You could've told me that a second ago." Said Laura.
"We tried to, but you jumped ahead and tried to catch the Sentret before we could do that." Said Michelle.
"If you want to become a good trainer, I suggest that you listen to our advice." Said Amanda.
"I will." Said Laura. The three of them continued walking along down the road, but after a while, their stomachs growled.
"Is anybody getting hungry?" Michelle asked.
"I could definitely use something to eat." Said Amanda.
"Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Eevee and I are hungry too.'
"We'll stop for some lunch and then we'll continue looking for Pokemon." Said Amanda. The three girls set up a small campsite and Laura took out some ingredients to make a meat chili.
"That smells really good." Said Amanda.
"Let's just hope it ends up tasting good." Said Michelle.
"Don't worry, it will." Said Laura. Once the chili was ready to eat, she scooped it out of the pot and into some bowls. Upon tasting it, Michelle and Amanda were very impressed.
"Where did you learn to cook so well?" Amanda asked.
"Right before I left on my journey, my mom had me help her cook a few meals because she wanted me to be able to prove that I can fend for myself while out traveling." Said Laura. "I think I did a pretty good job, don't you think?"
"You sure did." Said Amanda. "This chili's excellent!"
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'May I have some?'
"Yes, Pikachu, you can have some of the chili." Said Amanda.
"I guess I'll let Eevee have some as well." Said Michelle. "Do you have any spare bowls on you, Laura?" Laura nodded her head.
"My mom always told me to keep extras of everything on me when traveling." She said.
"That's certainly good advice." Said Amanda. Laura brought out two smaller sized bowls for Pikachu and Eevee and served both Pokemon.
"I think they should both be happy now." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee happily squealed, which meant 'Thank you, Laura.'
"You're welcome, guys." Said Laura. After their meal was over and the dishes had been cleaned up, the girls began to look for some Pokemon.
"There's one specific Pokemon on this route that I want to try and catch." Said Laura. "It's called a Hoothoot."
"I don't think I've seen that one before." Said Amanda.
"But don't Hoothoot only appear at night?" Michelle asked.
"I think so." Said Amanda.
"If you don't know what it looks like, I can show you." Said Laura. She took a scrapbook out that was filled with pictures of some of her favorite Pokemon. She turned the pages until she found the Pokemon that she was talking about. It closely resembled an owl and had a round body. It had brown feathers and a cream colored belly. Its eyes were large and red, its beak was small and pinkish, its wings were stubby and it had a fan-like tail with three feathers. Black rings encircled the Pokemon's eyes, with the lower rims of each ring having three protrusions that resemble the teeth on a gear and the upper rims of the rings having extensions resembling the hands of a clock. Both of its feet were also a pinkish color, with each foot having five-clawed toes.
"That's Hoothoot." Said Laura. Amanda took out her Pokedex and pointed it at the picture.
"Hoothoot, the owl Pokemon. Hoothoot always tilts its head in the same rhythm due to a special ability that allows it to keep track of time. This Pokemon is nocturnal, meaning that it will only appear when it is dark out."
"Well, that answers your question, Michelle." Said Amanda.
"That means we'll have to stay here until nighttime if we want to see or catch one of them." Said Michelle. "I'm not sure if I want to wait that long."
"We could, but I want to keep moving and see what else we can find." Said Laura. The three girls started walking again, and a little further ahead, they saw a young boy wearing a baseball shirt, red shorts and bright yellow shoes.
"I wonder what he's doing out here." Said Laura.
"Probably the same thing that we're doing." Said Amanda. A round, pink plant Pokémon with long green leaves growing on top of its head flew down near the boy.
"Looks like I just hit a home run!" he cried. "I've been looking for one of these all day."
"What's that Pokemon?" Laura wondered. She brought out her Pokedex to find out about it.
"Hoppip, the cottonweed Pokemon. Hoppip likes to float and drift with the wind. It also forms clusters to avoid being blown away."
"I wonder which Pokemon he's going to use to battle the Hoppip." Said Michelle.
"Okay, Pidgey, you're up to bat!" he cried. He threw a ball and the small flying type appeared.
"Good choice. A flying type like Pidgey should have an advantage over a grass type such as Hoppip." Said Michelle. Laura immediately recognized which Pidgey it was that had been summoned.
"That's the exact same Pidgey that Chikorita and I were going after earlier today." She said. "He must've gotten to it after I had to postpone because of the situation that happened."
"Watch how this guy battles so that way you can learn how to capture a wild Pokemon." Amanda advised.
"Okay, Pidgey, we're up to bat first." Said the boy. "Tackle attack!" Pidgey flew in towards Hoppip for a hard tackle.
"Why is he using baseball terms to command his Pokemon?" Michelle wondered.
"He must be a baseball fan." Said Amanda.
"He's just like me, then." Said Laura.
"You like baseball, Laura?" Michelle asked. The rookie trainer nodded her head.
"Baseball is my number one favorite sport ever!" she cried. "My favorite team in the league is the Starmie team. They've got some really awesome sluggers on that team that I'd love to meet one day. I love them so much that I always wear the team jersey whenever I'm out. Take a look for yourself." The jersey that Laura was sporting had a purple and red color pattern on the front, and an actual Starmie patch on the left shoulder.
"That's a really cool jersey, Laura." Said Amanda.
"My mom took me to a game last year, and that's where I got it from." Said Laura.
"Okay, let's get back to watching the battle." Said Michelle. Hoppip answered Pidgey's Tackle with one of its own.
"Not a bad counter from Hoppip, but it needs a bit more juice on its pitches." Said the boy. "Pidgey, blow Hoppip out of the batter's box with your Gust attack!" Pidgey blew a gust of wind at the Hoppip, but the Pokemon floated around it and aimed gold dust at the flying type.
"That's Stun Spore!" Amanda cried. "Pidgey better be careful."
"So, you think you can throw a curveball at us like that, do you?" the boy asked. "Pidgey, Whirlwind now!" Pidgey quickly whipped up a wind tornado to override the Stun Spore. Hoppip then rammed towards Pidgey with its head lowered.
"That's Hoppip's Headbutt." Said Michelle.
"Steady. Eye on the ball, Pidgey." Said the boy. "Now, use Detect!" A bright silver glow appeared in front of Pidgey, causing the Headbutt to fail.
"Nice work." The boy said. "Now, let's make use of your basepath speed. Quick Attack!" Pidgey flew in quickly at Hoppip, landing a major strike. Hoppip fell to the ground, but quickly got up. It tried using Stun Spore again, but once again, the boy ordered a Whirlwind to blow the gold dust away.
"That boy definitely knows how to command Pidgey." Laura observed.
"Now for the finishing hit." Said the boy. "Use your Wing Attack!" Pidgey spread out its wings and delivered a devastating attack on the grass type.
"Yes!" cried the boy. "That was a great hit, Pidgey." He was about to throw a Poke Ball when Hoppip slowly got back up.
"How can Hoppip still fight after getting hit by a super effective move like that?" Laura wondered.
"It's because of Endure." Said Michelle. "Any time that's used, the Pokemon will always have one health point remaining after being hit. Hoppip must've used it right before Pidgey's Wing Attack struck." The small grass type went in for another Headbutt, which did some small damage, but not enough to defeat Pidgey.
"All right, bottom of the ninth and the other pitcher's out of energy. Time to strike while the iron is hot, Pidgey. Peck attack!" Pidgey used its beak to peck away at Hoppip's now weak body. The grass type wearily floated to the ground in a defeated state.
"Great job, Pidgey." Said the boy. He threw his Poke Ball, and Hoppip got sucked inside via red energy. The ball wobbled and shook a few times, with the girls watching anxiously to see if the catch would be successful. A few shakes later, the ball clicked shut and dinged.
"Yes! Team Pidgey wins again!" the boy cried. He recalled his Pokemon and picked up the ball containing his newly acquired Hoppip. He was about to walk off when he spotted the three of them.
"Have you been keeping an eye on me the whole time?" he asked.
"Well, maybe." Said Laura as the girls stepped forward to face the boy. He then looked at Pikachu and just about flipped out.
"I can't believe it! An actual Pikachu, right here in Johto!" he cried. "I've heard great things about you but I never thought I'd get to meet you in person!"
"This guy must be obsessed with Pikachu or something." Said Michelle.
"I've always wanted to see a Thunderbolt attack in action." Said the boy. He carefully picked up Pikachu so that the little electric mouse wouldn't get frightened.
"That's a high voltage Pikachu." Amanda warned him. "I'd be careful if I were you." The boy was too excited to heed the warning, however.
"Come on, Pikachu, lay it on me! Give me a taste of what a Thunderbolt looks like!" he cried. Pikachu hesitated a bit before getting ready to start the attack.
"Wait, Pikachu, he doesn't know what he's saying!" Amanda cried, but it was too late. Pikachu unleashed his powerful Thunderbolt attack, not only zapping the boy, but Amanda as well.
"Oh boy." Said Laura, and she gave a facepalm.
"I tried to tell you." Said Amanda.
"Thanks for the warning." Said the boy. Once they had shaken off the effects of the attack, the boy properly introduced himself.
"My name's Adam." He said. "I'm a big baseball fan.
"No way! I'm a baseball fan too!" Laura cried.
"Which team do you root for?" Asked Adam.
"The Starmie." Laura answered.
"I think I've seen a few of their games." Said Adam. "But are they good enough to beat the Charizard team?"
"You mean the same Charizard team that's won the World Series five years straight?" asked Laura.
"They're the ones." Said Adam. "I take good pride in my team."
"So do I." said Laura. "The Starmie may not have won a series yet, but I have full confidence that it'll happen someday."
"Give me a break." Said Adam. "The Charizard will just crush the Starmie again like they have each of the last few years. Compared to the Charizard team, you guys are only second rate." This got Laura steamed.
"You have no right to make fun of my team that way!" Laura exclaimed. "You had better apologize to me right now!"
"No way!" Adam exclaimed. "Besides, I know exactly what's going to happen this year with the Starmie. They'll make the playoffs like they always do only to get clobbered again. You better go home and give up on your dreams of the Starmie winning a title because as long as the Charizard are number one, you may as well go back to the minors." Laura was even madder now, so Amanda decided to intervene before things got worse.
"Listen here, you!" she yelled. "You have some nerve insulting my new friend and her team and I won't stand for that!"
"I don't care what you have to say, and besides, the last I checked, boys have a higher interest in baseball than girls." Adam countered. "I bet your Pokemon skills are second rate too, just like your friend's baseball team."
"For your information, I finished in the top sixteen in the Indigo League!" Amanda responded. The two of them continued to bicker, with Michelle looking on anxiously.
"This could go on a while." She said to Eevee.
"Eevee." Squealed Eevee, which meant 'They really are being stubborn and hot headed, aren't they?' Michelle nodded. Adam ended the argument by bringing out a Poke Ball.
"There's only one way to settle this little dispute between us." He said. "You and I are battling, right here, right now!" Michelle and Laura gasped.
"I don't think I expected that to happen." Said Laura.
"But Adam, you don't stand a chance against me. I'm an experienced trainer!" Amanda cried.
"I don't care." Said Adam. "The way I see it, you're just a little shrimp who knows very little about baseball and probably even less about Pokemon." Amanda was even more steamed up.
"All right, you're on!" she cried. "How many Pokemon do you want to use?"
"Two each should do." Said Adam. "What do you think?"
"Fine by me." Said Amanda.
"Amanda, do me a favor and pulverize this guy." Said Laura.
"I'll definitely do my best." Said Amanda. Michelle started to step forward.
"What are you doing?" Laura asked.
"They're going to need an umpire." Said Michelle. "Watch Eevee for me, will you?"
"Sure thing." Said Laura. Michelle stood in the center of the field where Adam and Amanda were standing.
"This is a two on two Pokemon battle between Amanda and Adam." She said. "The first trainer to win two times wins the match. No substitutions allowed until a Pokemon has fainted. Let the battle begin!"
"All right, Pikachu, this is our first battle here in the Johto region." Said Amanda. "Are you ready for this?" Pikachu nodded his head excitedly.
"In that case, I choose you!" Amanda cried and Pikachu sprung into action.
"Pidgey, get off the bench and onto the diamond!" Adam cried. He tossed a Poke Ball and his Pidgey popped out in a blaze of light.
"Ah, a Pidgey. That takes me back to when I was just starting out as a rookie myself." Said Amanda. She would've continued on further, but Laura stopped her.
"This is no time for a nostalgia trip, Amanda." Said Laura. "Concentrate on the battle."
"Oh, right." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed his powerful electric bolt right at the small flying type bird.
"Pidgey, fly away." Adam ordered. Pidgey quickly flew out of the range of Pikachu's attack and dodged it.
"All right, now throw a dirt pitch at her. Sand Attack." Adam instructed. Pidgey whipped up some sand and threw it towards Pikachu.
"Quick, Pikachu, block the sand with your tail! Pidgey won't be able to blind you that way!" Amanda cried. Pikachu nodded and stuck his tail out to deflect the sand and send it in another direction.
"Great job. Now, use your Quick Attack!" Amanda ordered.
"Pidgey, use your own Quick Attack too!" Adam cried. Both Pokemon ran toward each other and collided, which caused the attack to be cancelled out.
"Pikachu, are you all right from that?" Amanda asked. Pikachu picked himself right back up and gave Amanda a thumbs up.
"Way to rebound, buddy." Said Amanda.
"Come on, Pidgey, don't let that Pikachu strike you out." Said Adam. "Gust attack!" Pidgey whipped up a gust of wind and sent it towards the electric type.
"Agility, now!" Amanda called. Pikachu used his speed to avoid the gusts and get up close to Pidgey. Then, he started preparing an attack that looked like it was about to shoot out from a cannon.
"What's Pikachu doing?" asked Laura.
"I think that might be a new move." Said Amanda. She quickly got her Pokedex out to verify.
"Zap Cannon. This strong electrical attack does major damage and can also leave its opponent paralyzed."
"That's certainly quite powerful." Said Amanda. "Okay, Pikachu, launch the Zap Cannon!" Pikachu fired off the attack so fast that Pidgey didn't get to react. The small flying type collapsed onto the ground in a heap and was in no shape to get up.
"Pidgey struck out!" Adam cried.
"Pidgey is unable to battle. Pikachu wins." Said Michelle.
"Great work, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "We just need one more win." Adam recalled his Pidgey and reached for another Poke Ball.
"It looks like I'll have to send in a pinch hitter if I want to win this game." He said, and he threw the ball. A small, blue bipedal semi-aquatic rodent Pokémon popped out in a flash of light. The Pokemon had a nearly spherical shape with a white belly and round ears with red insides.
"Aw, that one's so cute." Said Laura. "I wonder which Pokemon it is." Amanda was wondering the same thing herself, so she took out her Pokedex.
"Marill, the aqua mouse Pokemon. Marill's water-repellent fur allows it to swim in strong water currents. Its ears can detect sounds from far off distances."
"It's a water type." Said Amanda. "All right, Pikachu, you're staying out there." Pikachu happily smiled at the decision.
"Okay Marill, I need you to start a rally for me." Said Adam. "Water Gun!" Marill shot a stream of water from its mouth and fired it right at Pikachu.
"Dodge it!" Amanda cried. Pikachu rolled to one side to avoid being splashed by the water.
"Thunderbolt attack!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu unleashed a powerful electric bolt.
"Defense Curl." Adam ordered. Right as the attack was about to strike Marill, the water type curled up into a ball to protect itself before standing up again.
"Is Marill's skin made out of rubber or something?" Laura wondered.
"No, it's just a move that helps deflect electric attacks." Said Adam. "Rollout attack!" Marill curled into a ball once more and started rolling towards Pikachu.
"Pikachu, look out!" Amanda cried. Pikachu jumped to the left right in the nick of time to avoid being struck.
"Rollout only gets more powerful the more its used to the point where it can knock out its opponent in one hit." Said Laura. "Amanda had better be careful."
"Keep swinging, Marill." Said Adam. "Continue with Rollout."
"Pikachu, keep dodging!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu swiftly avoided each of Marill's Rollout moves that were coming toward it.
"Enough with the Rollout, Marill, it's not working." Said Adam. "Bubble Beam!" Marill shot a stream of bubbles out of its belly, and the attack finally hit Pikachu. It wasn't enough damage to knock it out, however.
"Zap cannon, now!" Amanda cried. Pikachu unleashed the powerful yellow cannon, striking Marill with a ton of damage, knocking the water type out.
"Marill, no!" Adam cried.
"This match is over!" Michelle declared. "Amanda and Pikachu win!"
"We did it, Pikachu! We won our first Johto region match!" Amanda cried. The two of them high fived excitedly, but Adam looked very despondent.
"I can't believe it was a complete shut out." He said dejectedly. "Marill, return." He sadly recalled his water type and then Laura approached him.
"That was a really good try, Adam." She said.
"Yeah, especially for someone who's just starting out. Amanda then walked over to him.
"That was a great match." She said. "And now that it's over, let's shake hands and be friends. What do you think?"
"I think I just want to be left alone right now." Said Adam, and he ran off in a different direction. Laura just shook her head.
"Looks like someone doesn't know how to handle losing very well." She said.
"And I thought I was a sore loser when I lost at the Indigo League." Said Amanda.
"That's because you were a sore loser." Said Michelle. Adam was crying as he ran through the woods.
"Dad, I'm sorry I failed you." He said. "Your boy's just not cut out to be a trainer." But then, a realization occurred to him which made him stop running. "Wait a second. Even the Charizard team finds themselves in tough situations sometimes and they never give up. They always find a way to bounce back." He wiped the tears away from his face and got a more determined look on him. "Yes, I can be just like my favorite baseball team and find a way to recover and win!" He then heard some applause, followed by a voice.
"Spoken like a true Charizard fan!" the voice, which was female, cried out.
"Who said that?" wondered Adam. "Whoever you are, show yourselves this instant!" Conrad, Sally and Shadow suddenly appeared on the scene, but instead of Team Rocket uniforms, they were sporting baseball uniforms.
"We're also supporters of Team Charizard, and we couldn't help but observe every waking moment of that battle you had." Said Conrad.
"Gee, thanks." Said Adam. "I'm glad to have some fans who like the same team that I do."
"And kid, just between you and me, there's a little unknown rule of Pokemon that the twerp who beat you wasn't following." Said Shadow.
"What unknown rule?" asked Adam. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Everyone should know that it's against the rules for a high level Pikachu to be used against new trainers." Said Sally.
"You mean to say that Amanda's a cheater?" asked Adam.
"Yes, and a big one at that." Said Shadow.
"Well then, what do you guys think I should do?" Adam asked.
"You battle her again, but more aggressively than the first time." Conrad answered. "That'll teach her that she can't get away with those cheating tricks of hers." Adam suddenly had a lot more confidence.
"That's a great tip." Said Adam. "Thanks a lot, guys." He ran back to find Amanda, while Shadow, Conrad and Sally snickered. Meanwhile, Amanda, Laura and Michelle were planning out what to do next when Adam returned to them.
"Back for another round?" Amanda asked.
"I want big time redemption on you, Amanda." Said Adam. "I don't want to say any names, but a certain someone told me that using a super strong Pikachu was forbidden against a newbie like me."
"You must be crazy." Said Michelle. "Amanda didn't cheat. She and Pikachu won that match fair and square."
"Yeah, that's right!" Laura cried.
"That's not what I heard." Said Adam, and he held out another Poke Ball. "You and I are going to rematch."
"Well if we're going to do that, we should probably find someplace that's a lot more open." Said Michelle. The four of them soon found themselves on a wide open baseball field.
"Well, Pikachu, do you think we can sweep a double header?" Amanda asked.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'We sure can!'
"This time, it's a simple one on one battle." Said Adam. "Go, Hoppip!" His newly acquired Pokemon popped out in a blaze of light. Amanda grabbed a ball from her waist.
"I choose you, Cyndaquil!" she cried. Her fire type starter appeared instantly.
"Come on, Adam, you can do it!" Laura cried.
"I thought we were supposed to be on Amanda's side." Said Michelle.
"We are, but occasionally, I sometimes root for the underdog, and the underdog in this case is Adam." Laura pointed out.
"Cyndaquil, start with your Tackle attack!" Amanda ordered. Cyndaquil went in for a hard tackle, but Adam was ready.
"I'm not letting you beat me so easily this time." He said. "Hoppip, use your Sweet Scent." Hoppip sprayed a small aroma right onto Amanda and Cyndaquil, leaving them both mesmerized by the smell.
"While they're admiring the little scent, strike with a Tackle attack!" Adam commanded. Hoppip went in for the move and easily hit Cyndaquil. Shadow, Conrad and Sally were watching the action unfold from a small window inside the electronic scoreboard.
"This is off to an interesting start." Said Conrad.
"It'll be even better when we swipe their Pokemon." Said Shadow. He pressed a button on his remote control, which activated a group of robotic Charizard fans. All of them started rooting for Adam.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys." He said.
"Cyndaquil, use your Flamethrower!" Amanda ordered. Cyndaquil shot a powerful fire attack towards Hoppip.
"Use Protect!" Adam ordered. A silver shield covered Hoppip, which blocked out the fire move, leaving Amanda stunned.
"All right, Tackle attack one more time!" Adam ordered. Hoppip went in for the strike again, which once again hit the fire type, causing him to cry in pain.
"Cyndaquil!" Amanda cried. Right then and there, Conrad, Sally and Shadow turned on a giant batting machine.
"What in the world is that thing?" Amanda wondered.
"It's a machine that proves once and for all that you're a big cheater." Adam answered.
"Now just a second. I never cheated in our last match!" Amanda protested.
"I don't believe you for even a smidge of a second." Said Adam.
"After the Hoppip!" Sally ordered.
"You got it!" cried Shadow. He sent the machine after Hoppip, who quivered in fear.
"This could be bad." Said Laura. However, Pikachu jumped in front of Hoppip to protect it from being struck by the machine.
"I can't believe Pikachu would do that." Said Adam. The machine soon scooped up both Pokemon and sent them towards the Team Rocket trio.
"Okay, just what is going on here?" Laura demanded. Evil laughter from all three members gave her the answer she needed.
"Not you three again!" Michelle cried.
"You're the three baseball fans I met earlier in the forest!" Adam cried. "Why are you trying to steal our Pokemon?"
"They're not really baseball fans, Adam." Said Amanda. "Those three are really Team Rocket."
"That means I've been tricked this whole time." Said Adam. "I don't know what you're planning to do with those two Pokemon, but you had better return them right now!"
"The only place these two Pokemon are going are to the boss with us." Said Sally.
"But since you like baseball so much, see if you can hit these!" Shadow cried. He pressed another button, which sent a flurry of baseballs towards the two of them. One of the balls hit Adam on his ankle, which made him fall to the ground. Laura and Michelle ran over to him.
"Are you all right?" Michelle asked.
"Yeah, but I just feel like giving up." Said Adam as he picked himself back up.
"You can't do that. Otherwise, Team Rocket will beat us as well as take our Pokemon. We can't allow them to do that." Said Amanda. "A Pokemon match is a lot like baseball, where you have to give it your very best until it's all over." She picked up a bat that was nearby and gave it to Adam.
"Use this to hit all of those baseballs." She said. Adam nodded and sent all of the baseballs back at team Rocket, leaving them very angry.
"And to think that we were rooting for him earlier." Shadow grumbled.
"Okay, Totodile, you're up to bat!" Michelle cried as she sent the water type starter out.
"Pidgey, Marill, we need your help too!" Adam cried. He threw his other two Poke Balls and both his flying type and water type appeared instantly.
"Totodile, use your Water Gun to send the rest of the baseballs back at team Rocket." Said Michelle.
"Marill, you use your own Water Gun." Said Adam. "Pidgey, use your Wing Attack!" All three Pokemon obeyed and sent the remaining balls right back at the Team Rocket trio, causing them to get more angry. The onslaught resulted in a button being hit, allowing Hoppip and Pikachu to slide out of the machine. Both Pokemon happily reunited with their trainers.
"I'm glad you and Hoppip are okay, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Now, are you ready to send Team Rocket to the showers?" Pikachu nodded and stared at them angrily.
"I'll help you out." Said Laura, and she threw a ball. "Chikorita, I choose you!" The grass type appeared in a blaze of light.
"Okay, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Amanda cried. "Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"
"Totodile, Water Gun." Said Michelle.
"Chikorita, Razor Leaf!" Laura ordered. All four Pokemon launched their attacks simultaneously, causing the machine to explode and send the Team Rocket trio into the sky.
"Looks like this game's called on account of rain." Said Sally.
"And I never got to have any snacks." Said Conrad.
"Hey, you're not the only one who's hungry." Said Shadow.
"Team Rocket struck out again!" they all cried. DING!
"Great job, everybody!" Amanda cried.
"That was awesome, Chikorita." Said Laura.
"Cyndaquil, you were amazing." Said Amanda.
"Totodile, that was beautiful." Said Michelle.
"And Pikachu, you're definitely an MVP: Most Valuable Pokemon." Said Amanda. Pikachu smiled at the compliment. Later, after everybody had recalled their Pokemon to their balls, sands Pikachu and Eevee, Adam gave out a nervous sigh.
"I'm sorry about earlier, Amanda." Said Adam. "I never should've let Team Rocket trick me into thinking that you had cheated."
"Michelle and I have been tricked by them plenty of times, so you're certainly not alone." Said Amanda. "Maybe we'll get to battle at the Johto League."
"That would certainly be nice." Said Adam. Laura cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry I insulted your baseball team, Laura." Said Adam. "I shouldn't have said all of those things that I did."
"Just make sure you don't do that again." Said Laura. "Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise." Said Adam. He waved to the girls and headed off down the path.
"Adam really is a terrific trainer, isn't he?" asked Laura.
"He sure is." Said Amanda. Many roads lead through Johto, but sometimes the best roads are the ones taken by friends traveling together. Stay tuned as the journey continues.
TO BE CONTINUED
Amanda's Party: Pikachu, Cyndaquil
Michelle's Party: Eevee, Totodile
Laura's Party: Chikorita
Amanda's Spare Pokemon At Oak's Lab: Rattata, Gengar, Magikarp, Butterfree, Zubat, Venonat, Tentacruel, Pidgeotto, Dratini, Clefairy, Scyther, Flareon, Nidoran Male, Rhyhorn, Kadabra, Dragonair, Snorlax, Machamp, Horsea, Seadra, Electrode, Blastoise, Fearow, Weepinbell, Arcanine, Seaking
Michelle's Spare Pokemon At Oak's Lab: Gengar, Sandshrew, Nidoran Female, Poliwhirl, Tangela, Chansey, Shellder, Electabuzz, Doduo, Psyduck, Ponyta, Charmander