CHAPTER 7
AQUA ASSAULT


Kamon walked out of Vermillion City, and was confronted with a problem; according the only way to get to Fuchsia City was by going down a path East of Vermillion City, which was blocked off by a huge sleeping Pokémon.  Snorlax, Max the Pokédex said, the sleeping Pokémon.  This Pokémon usually sleeps for 23 hours a day, and eats the other one hour.  Kamon threw a Pokéball at Snorlax, but it bounced off.  You cannot catch a Snorlax while it is asleep, Max said.  Sometimes Kamon thought that Max might have a mind of its own.
"Well," Kamon said, looking at the holographic map hovering above his Pokégear.  "It seems that the only gym I can easily access is Cerulean City's Gym North of Saffron City.  Well, I know where I'm going."  He shut off the map and called out his Delibird.  "Delibird, were going North.  Come on, let's Fly."  Kamon hopped on top of Delibird and headed to Cerulean City Gym.


* * *



Kamon walked into the gym, and almost left to see if he had walked into the right place.  It was a huge pool, with 4 small platforms floating around in it.  Kamon assumed that, if he was in the right place, those were for the trainers and their Pokémon to stand on.  He looked around for any sign of a gym leader, or, for that matter, a sign of a trainer. 
A girl in a bikini was sitting down in a chair near him.  She said, "Who are you looking for?"  Kamon stared down.
"Uh, um, I'm looking for any trainers or a gym leader," Kamon stuttered.
"Well, you are in Cerulean City Gym," she responded, "and I happen to be the Gym Leader.  My name is Misty."
"Oh," Kamon said, taking his eyes off of her.  Misty frowned at him when she realized that he was staring.  She then grabbed a robe and slipped it on.
"I'll take you on, trainer.  How many Pokémon do you have with you?" Misty asked.  Kamon thought about this for a second.  The only reason she would ask that is if she thought that he was a rookie trainer and only had something like three Pokémon.
"I'm no rookie.  I came from Johto to challenge and beat every one of the Kanto Gyms," Kamon said.  He then smiled.  "Just like I did in Johto."
"You conqured all the Gyms in Johto?  Wow.  Are you the Drew kid who beat everyone, including Lance?  I really wanted to challenge him.  I heard he even beat the hotshot trainer who just joined the Johto Gym Trainers Association.  You know, the one who really messed up big against Lance?"  Kamon got really, really angry.  For one thing, he couldn't believe that Drew beat Lance, and hopfully not as easily as he beat Kamon.  For another, she had just insulted him.  And, right now, that was a really, really bad thing to do.
"For your information, Misty," Kamon said angrily, "I AM the hotshot trainer that screwed up against Lance.  And now, I'm gonna beat you into the dirt.  Choose your Pokémon wisely…"  Misty looked at him like she had just been threatened.
"I'll take that as a challenge!  Starmie, go!" Misty said, throwing a Lure Ball into the water.  From it came a greyish Pokémon that looked somewhat like a starfish.
"Big mistake.  Electabuzz, go!"  Kamon's Pokémon came out of his Ultra Ball, and hopped onto the floating platform.  "Electabuzz, Thunder!"  Lightning struck Starmie, one-hit K.O.
"…What just happened?" Misty asked, watching her Starmie sink to the bottom of the pool.  "Return.  I can't believe my Starmie went down so quickly…oh well.  Now, go, Politoed!"  A green frog Pokémon emerged and dove under water.
"Too easy.  Water conducts electricity, duh.  Thunder, Electabuzz!  Electrify the water!"  Lightning surged through the pool, striking everything in it, including Politoed.  Another one of Misty's Pokémon fell.
"No!  Politoed, come back.  If have to have a Pokémon that can overcome Electric Pokémon…ha!  I know!  It's your turn, Quagsire!"  This time, the Pokémon did not go under water.  It stayed on the platform.
"Electabuzz, another Thunder," Kamon said casually.  He watched as the lightning practically bounced off of Quagsire.  "What, no way…the only way for that to happen is if-"
"If he were a Ground-type Pokémon, right?" Misty finished Kamon's statement.  "Quagsire is both Water and Ground," Misty explained.
"No!  Electabuzz, come back for a second," Kamon said, recalling his Pokémon.  "Delibird, give it a shot!  Blizzard!"  Quagsire dove under the water to avoid the Ice-type attack.  "I've been down this road before…" Kamon said, recalling his bout with Clair.  "Delibird, Blizzard on the water!"  Misty had never seen a trainer use her pool against herself, before.  Also, she never counted on her pool being more of a hinderance than a help.  The water froze, trapping Quagsire under the ice.
"Oh, my Quagsire!  Return, and go, Togetic!  Psychic, now!"  This was unexpected, since Kamon knew that Togetic was a Normal-and-Flying-type Pokémon.  Delibird was struck by the psychic blast, but quickly recovered, but not in time.  "Togetic, Fly!"  The white winged Pokémon dive-bombed Delibird, knocking it out.
"No, Delibird…return.  Golem, I choose you!  Wait for my command," Kamon said.  He wasn't even half-way sure if his plan would work.
"Togetic, Metronome!" Misty said.  Togetic landed on the ground, wiggled its finger, and then used the Dragon-type attack Outrage.
"Now, Golem, Earthquake!" Kamon commanded.  The ice split and cracked, making both Golem and Togetic fall through.  "Golem, return," Kamon said.  He knew that using Golem as a kamikaze Pokémon, he would win for sure.  He could just use Electabuzz next, and finish the rest of Misty's Pokémon off.
"Ha, good plan…except for the fact that my Togetic can Teleport.  Togetic, Teleport from the water!"  Togetic disappeared in a flash of white light, and reappeared on its own platform.  Kamon was shocked.
"No…no way…Electabuzz, rejoin the battle!  Thunderbolt!"  Electabuzz shocked Togetic, frying it, and also making it faint.
"…Uh…return.  That didn't go over so well," Misty said.
"Like a lead baloon, actually," Kamon replied.
"Hey, you, shut up!" Misty snapped.  "I have no way of winning…if this last Pokémon faints, I'm forfeitting the match.  "Vaporeon, go!  Use Hydro Pump attack!"  Vaporeon blasted water at Kamon's Electabuzz, knocking her into the water.  Electabuzz grabbed onto a floating hunk of ice and hopped onto it.
"Good job, Electabuzz," Kamon said, "now use Thunder!"  Lighning struck Vaporeon, but it was not knocked out.  "What!?  No way!"
"Ha, Vaporeon I my strongest Pokémon!" Misty bragged.  "Now, Aurora Beam!"  A blue beam shot out of Vaporeon's mouth and struck Electabuzz, but Electabuzz came back with a second Thunder, knocking it out.  "That's it.  I forfeit.  You win.  Here's the Cascade Badge.  Now, if you don't mind, please leave my Gym."
"Uhh…yeah.  Okay," Kamon replied, recalling his Electabuzz.  He walked out of the gym only to be confronted by Drew.  Drew smiled at Kamon.
"You win?" he asked.
"Of course," Kamon said, a little resintment in his voice.
"Well," Drew said, sticking out his hand, "I suppose that makes us rivals, you know, since we're both taking on the Kanto Gym challenge."
"I guess, yeah," Kamon said, shaking Drews hand.
"Well, I'm getting by sixth Badge now.  Looks like I'm in the lead."
"Six…yeah, I suppose you are…" Kamon said.  They walked in opposite directions, and parted again.