CHAPTER 13
ROCKY ROAD TO THE CHAMPIOSHIP


By now Kamon has already in Pallet Town.  He decided to do a little research on the Pokémon Master Ash by going to his mom.  He approached the two-story house.  It was white with a olive-colored door and a reddish-brown roof.  Kamon reached over to ring the doorbell, when he discovered there wasn't one.
He knocked on the door.  No answer. 
He knocked again.  This time a woman answered the door.  She wasn't very tall, maybe only 5' 3" with, like the roof, reddish-brown hair.  She was dressed in a yellow shirt with a pink pullover  long-sleeved shirt.
       "Yes," she said, "can I help you?"
"Um…" Kamon started, "yes, I think you can.  You see, I'm a Pokémon trainer and I'm trying to defeat all of the Kanto Gym Leaders and, hopefully, defeat your son, Ash."
"Oh, yes.  More with that Pokémon training business.  I haven't heard from him in a while.  I would guess that he still has the same team as he did the last time I talked to him, but I'm sure that his Pokémon are a much higher level now," Ash's Mom responded.
"Well, could you please tell me what his party was the last time you saw him?  I would really appreciate it."
"Oh, sure.  I believe his team was a Pikachu, a Snorlax, an Espeon, a Charizard, a Venusaur, and a Blastoise.  They were very high levels.  I'm sure they are much higher now.  Are you sure you want ot challenge him?" Ash's Mom asked.
"Yeah, er…yes ma'am, I would.  I have to to become a Pokémon Master," said Kamon.
"Heh, you sound like my boy when he was a kid, still training, trying to be the best…"  Her voice faded off.
"Oh, well, thank you, thanks a lot.  That will help me train.  Well, I have to go now.  Thanks again!"  Kamon waved good-bye.  He then walked a little down the road to a rather large building, Prof. Oak's Lab.  He approached the mansion-type of thing.  It was huge compared to Professor Elm's Lab.  He was about to knock on the door when he realized that this place had a doorbell.  Good, he thought.  He didn't like knocking, anyway.
He rang the doorbell.  It chimed to "La Cucaracha."  In a short times worth of waiting, the Prof. himself came to the door.
"Yes," he said, "may I help you?"  Too weird, Kamon thought.
"Well, you might.  You see, my name is Kamon, and I-"
Prof. Oak interrupted, "You mean you are THE Kamon?"
"Whatya mean THE Kamon?" Kamon asked.
"Well, one of the few people to have defeated Lance.  Plus, as I hear it, you have 6 out of the seven Kanto Gym Badges, correct?" the professor said, excited.
"Uh…yeah.  You mean I'm really that famous?"
"Well, uh…ahem, no.  Prof. Elm just sent me an E-mail telling me about you."  Kamon fell to the floor.
"Oh, hehehe…"  Kamon stood back up and rubbed his head.  "Well, I was wondering if you had any inside information on Gary or Ash."
"Well, actually, I do, but I'm probably not allowed to give it away.  Gary is a Gym Leader, and I doubt that I can give away his secrects.  Right now, though, he's not in his gym.  He's probably off training.  I swear, that grandson of mine…"
"Well, thanks anyway," Kamon said.  He then headed straight to Pewter City, to take on the Gym Leader Brock.


* * *


"Hello?" Kamon yelled when he walked into the stony stadium.  Much like Chuck's Gym, the gym had rocks scattered all about it.  But, it was clearly suited for Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon.  He took another step forward.  Just then, lights flickered on and a trainer with brown spikey hair and dressed in an orange shirt with a green vest and brown pants advanced toward Kamon.
"Hello, trainer," he said.  "I'm Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader.  I specialize in Rock-type Pokémon.  I'm assuming this is your first Kanto Gym match, and that you have just started out on your journey?"
"Not hardly.  As a matter-of-fact, this is my 7th Kanto Gym battle.  After I defeat you, I will go on to see if Gary is back so that I can battle him," Kamon responded.  Brock was slightly surprised by this and switched some Pokémon on his belt.
"Oh, well, uh…" Brock stuttered.  "Well, I guess I'm gonna have to use my full power on you and your Pokémon."
"Fine by me.  Umbreon, go!" Kamon said, throwing the yellow Ultra Ball that contained his Dark-type Pokémon into the rocky arena.
"Kabutops, go!  Use your Ice Beam attack, now!"  Kabutops, a brown Pokémon with scythes for hands shot a blue sub-zero beam at Umbreon, doing mediocre damage.
"Umbreon, Faint Attack, now!"  Umbreon struck Kabutops with the Dark attack, and then reappeared behind Kabutops.
"Kabutops, counter-attack it with Slash!  Then use a Mega Kick on it!" Brock commanded.  Kabutops did a 360° Slash, and then turned around and kicked Umbreon in the stomach.
"Umbreon, use a Confuse Ray, and then follow up with a Shadow Ball!" said Kamon.  With a flash of light, Kabutops became confused.  Soon afterward Umbreon threw a purple, smokey ball at Kabutops, almost knocking it out from a critical hit.
"Kabutops, Giga Drain, now!" said Brock.  Kabutops started sucking the life out of Umbreon, recovering some of his health.  "Now, finish it with Hydro Pump!"
"Umbreon, Detect!"  The blast of water splattered all around Umbreon, but did not harm her.  "Now, finish Kabutops off with a Bite!"  Umbreon bit Kabutops, and finished it off.
"Wow, I'm surprised that you defeated him.  Well, return, Kabutops.  Now, Crobat, go!  Use Leech Life to defeat that Umbreon!"  The familiar four-winged purple bat Pokémon drained Umbreon of her HP, finishing her off.
"Umbreon, come back.  Delibird, come out and use your Blizzard!" Kamon said.  Delibird flapped its wings and blew a hurricane of snow and ice at Crobat, critical hit and almost a one-hit K.O.
"Crobat, Double-Edge!" Brock behested.  Crobat gathered a small amount of energy, and then rammed into Delibird, doing a large amount of damage, not only to Delibird, but himself.  Unfortunatly for Brock, Crobat knocked himself out with it.  "Well, that was rather stupid of me.  Crobat, come back!  Ninetales, go!"
"Hey, I thought you, and I quote, 'specialize in Rock-type Pokémon.'  End quote.  But you are using a Poison-type Pokémon and a Fire-type Pokémon.  Why?" Kamon asked.
"Because I can.  I only use my Rock-only team for the newbie trainers.  And Kabutops is a Rock-type, as are my other Pokémon.  Anyway, Ninetales, Flamethrower!"  Ninetales spat a stream of flames at Delibird, doing a lot a damage.  Delibird came right back with, however, with a Drill Peck.  "Ninetales, you know the routine.  Do it like we practiced, now!" Brock said.  Ninetales started to duck behind the rocks and then would dash to another, making it harder for Delibird to hit her.  Ninetales then used Double-Team, making it ten times more difficult to strike her.
"Uh-oh.  Um…Delibird, try freezing the ground so that Ninetales will slip!"  Kamon tried using this technique with Blaine's Arcanine with some success.  This did very little to stop Ninetales from her speedy moves.
"Ninetales, now!  Use Confuse Ray!"  With a flash of light, Delibird became confused.  Kamon was still not sure where Ninetales was exactly, so he decided to use an attack that would make sure he knew which one was which.
"Delibird, Hyper Beam the rocks!" Kamon said.  Delibird destroyed all of the rocks in the gym with the golden ray of energy.  All that was left were a couple of holes and dust.  Ninetales was on te ground, hurt.
"Ninetales, get back up and use Fire Blast to finish it off!"  Nintales got back to her feet and then blasted a wall of flames at Delibird, finishing him off.
"Delibird, come back," Kamon said.  His red bird Pokémon was recalled into the special Great Ball that he had for Delibird.  It was special because on the bottom it read: "To Kamon, Love Mom.  Happy 13th Birthday!"  It was the only Pokéball he left the same.  He then pulled another Ultra Ball off of his belt and threw it into the arena.  "Corsola, go!  Use Hydro Pump!"  With that single command, Ninetales was K.O.
"Ninetales, return!  Sudowoodo, go!  Use Earthquake!"  Sudowoodo, a brown tree-type of Pokémon, slammed his foot on the ground and created a upheaval.  Corsola was almost knocked out.
"Corsola, Surf, now!"  A tidal wave submerged Sudowoodo, doing a lot of damage.
"Mimic, Sudowoodo!" Brock yelled.  Sudowoodo copied the attack, and also sent a wave of water at Corsola.
"Corsola, Mirror Coat!" Kamon said.  Corsola reversed the attack, and knocked out Sudowoodo.
"Yikes…well, that was a mistake.  Sudowoodo, come back.  Onix, go!  Your Dig, now!"
"Hehehe…Corsola, wash him out with another Surf!" Kamon said, confidently.  Onix, however, was too quick for Kamon's Pokémon, and came out from underneath Corsola, knocking her out.  "Oops.  Um…Corsola, return.  Electabuzz, go!"
"An Electabuzz!?" Brock exclaimed.
"Yes, an Electabuzz.  Electabuzz, Dynamic Punch, now!"  Electabuzz punched Onix with tremendous force, making him fly into the wall opposite of where she was standing.
"No!  My favorite Pokémon…return.  Well, as my last Pokémon I'm using Golem, come out!  Use your Rock Slide!"  The very, very familiar Pokémon emerged from the shimmering white light of Brock's Pokéball and then hurled rocks at Kamon's Electric-type Pokémon.  Electabuzz retaliated with, however, an Iron Tail, giving a mediocre injury.  "Golem, finish it with Earthquake!"
"Electabuzz, Protect and then a Psychic!"  Electabuzz blocked the attack and then struck Golem with the telepathic attack, critical hit and knocking Golem out.
"Whoa.  Er…Golem return.  Well, Kamon, I see you deserve this; it's the Boulder Badge."  Brock walked over to Kamon and handed him the grey stone-shaped badge.
"Thank you, Brock," Kamon replied.  He then strolled out of the gym to see if Gary had gotten back yet.

* * *


Back in Viridian City, Kamon discovered that Gary had not returned to the gym.  To pass time, Kamon decided to head back toward Viridian Forest, where he saw a cave not too far away.
Outside the cave was a sign.  It read: "Diglett's Cave.  A cave created by the mole Pokémon, Diglett and Dugtrio.  Watch where you step, because you might step into a Diglett hole!"  Kamon walked through the cave, no problem.  The sign had forgotten to mention that Diglett and Dugtrio are afraid of bright light, but Kamon's Pokédex Max had not.  He sent out his Electabuzz and told her to use Flash the whole way through.
On the other side, Kamon noticed something quite odd.  An extraodinarily large Pokémon was in the way.  Kamon pulled out Max the Pokédex, as his title was now, to identify it.
"Snorlax," it said, "The sleeping Pokémon.  This Pokémon sleeps for 18 hours a day, and eats another 5."
"Well, what about the last hour?" Kamon asked, after doing a short calcualtion in his head only to figure out that eighteen plus five is only twenty-three.
"Unknown," Max replied.
"Oh, okay," Kamon said sarcastically.  He told his Electabuzz to use Thunderwave on it.  He was planning on catching the Snorlax.  Snorlax woke up to the slight tingling sensation of the Electric-type attack, and then decided to attack Electabuzz.  He tried to Body Slam her, but missed because Electabuzz dove out of the way.  "Electabuzz, Dynamic Punch it!" Kamon yelled.  Electabuzz swung her fist around and, with a giant explosion, confused Snorlax and did a lot of damage to him.
Kamon then pulled out a Great Ball he had.  He threw it at Snorlax, capturing him.
"Yes!" he yelled.  He recalled his Electabuzz.  He then, back in Vermillion City, flew back to Viridian once again.