JJ and I emerged from Mount Moon gasping for breath, with a swarm of angry Zubat not far behind.  
"Don't those things ever give up?" JJ panted.
"Char char," (I don't think so,) I replied.
The Zubat had been following us halfway through the twisting paths of Mt. Moon.  I think they started 
attacking us because JJ tripped on a Geodude.  He made a noise when he connected with the ground, and 
it woke the Zubat.  We've been trying to lose them, but their echolocation is really good.
Well, at least we've stumbled our way out of the caverns.  The Zubat seem to be slowing down because of 
the light.  We ran until we could see the Cerulean Pok‚center, just to be safe.  We walked the rest of the 
way, and almost collapsed on the floor.
"Could you please heal my pok‚mon?" JJ asked Nurse Joy.
"Why, of course!  Sit on the couch and wait, please."  I was led into the back room where Nurse Joy 
healed all of my cuts and bruises, and gave me an apple.
"Char," (Thanks,) I said.
Nurse Joy smiled.  "No problem!"
I walked back over to JJ.  He exclaimed, "Now that you're all healed, let's go challenge Misty!"  I felt like 
smacking my forehead.  Oh well, I could wait until after the match to ask Nurse Joy.
We walked into the gym.  The battling area was on a dock kind of thing.  If I fell off, I'd be in hot water!  I 
dipped a toe in.  OK, I'd be in lukewarm water.  "I wish to challenge Misty to a match!" JJ cried suddenly.
"Misty left a while ago on a journey.  I'm her sister, Violet.  2 on 2.  No time limit."
JJ looked surprised.  "Is there a gym leader convention or something?" he wondered to himself.  He 
shrugged it off.
Violet stood at the far end of the dock.  "Staryu, GO!"
"Heya!" (heh heh, I'm gonna win again!)
"I choose, BULBASAUR!"
"Bulba!  Saur!" (Wrong, star guy!)
"Bulbasaur, vine whip!"  2 vines shot out of Bulbasaur's bulb.
"Staryu, dodge it!  Spinning tackle!"  Staryu almost dodged, but was hit by one of Bulbasaur's vines.  It 
was too weak, and stopped short of hitting Bulbasaur with its attack.
"All right!  Leech seed!"  A glowing seed shot from Bulbasaur's bulb and landed on the Staryu.  It was 
covered in vines, and immediately fainted.
"Ohh, Staryu, return!  Go, STARMIE!"  She purple double-star appeared.
"Hiya!" (You're going down!)
"Bulbasaur, vine whip again!"  Bulbasaur whipped Starmie, but it still looked pretty healthy.
"Spinning tackle!"  Starmie spun until it was no more than a blur, and came crashing into Bulbasaur.
Bulbasaur was pretty badly hurt, but still had the strength for one last vine whip.  He whipped the 
Starmie, but it still had about a quarter of its HP left.  Bulbasaur wasn't so lucky, though, and the next 
time he was tackled, he was down for the count.
"You tried, Bulbasaur.  Charmander, it's your turn!"  I tried to look confident as I walked into the arena, 
but I was really nervous.  Bulbasaur was knocked out, and he had the advantage!  Still, I had to try for JJ.
"Hah, you're stupider than I thought," sneered Violet.  "Didn't you know that water beats fire easily?  
Starmie, bubblebeam!"
Starmie fired a strong barrage of bubbles at me, and before I could react, I was hit square in the chest and 
knocked off the platform.
As I tried to get my bearings under the water, I heard muzzily from above, "I'm so sorry!  I didn't realize 
he was so close to the edge!"  Starmie didn't agree, however.  "Hiya hiya!" (Serves him right for using that 
wimpy Charmander against ME.)
OK, that made me mad.  I found my way to the edge of the dock where I thought Starmie would be.  As I 
leaped out of the water, I heard JJ say, "Mega Kick, now!"  I kicked the Starmie in the core so hard it went 
flying into the wall and passed out into the water.
Violet was standing, gaping at me.  "But... it...?"
JJ and I both grinned.  "Cascade badge, please."  Violet handed over the badge, and just stood there 
staring as we walked out.
We wandered back to the pok‚mon center, where Nurse Joy healed me and gave me another apple.
"Nurse Joy," JJ asked.  "do you know what's wrong with my Charmander?"  I gave him a dirty look.  "-I 
mean, what's happening to it?"
"Char." (Much better.)
Nurse Joy looked at me strangely.  "Your Charmander looks completely normal to me," she stated.
"Squirtle, come out.  Use water gun on Chamander's tail, please."
"Are you crazy?  You'll kill it!"  But before Nurse Joy had finished her outburst, Squirtle was squirting my 
tail with a gentle stream of water.  The Nurse calmed down after she saw that I was OK, still living etc.
"Sorry, I didn't know.  Sorry, but I don't know what's going on.  Maybe my cousin in Vermillion can help.  
Actually, you could try asking Bill!  He's a pok‚maniac who lives in a cottage just northeast of here.  Go 
up the bridge and east through the hedges.  You'll find it soon enough."
"Thanks, Joy!  Bye!"  JJ and I set out to find Bill.

You'll have to wait until later to find out what happens in the next chapter, because I haven't gotten that 
far yet!
Until next time.