I guess here’s the next chapter…

 

Disclaimer: I don’t’ own pokemon, that belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan comics! This is here is fanfic by me so I own it, its non-profit, and I am not infringing on their copyright so there!

Chapter 5: Emerald Green

 

            Emerald Island was actually an archipelago chain. There were seven small islands, but only three with gyms. Therefore, they did not have their own league but competed in the Aqua League.

            Aqua had six gyms.

            Ruby possessed six as well.

           

            Ash chose Emerald because of its small size and location. Most of the trainers preferred Aqua or Ruby.

            Also, the gyms were unique, because all of the battles were three on three… at the same time.

            It was excellent for brushing up techniques and testing a trainer under pressure.

            Ash smiled as they landed on the rocky shale shelf, which concealed the first town from prying eyes.

            “Ready?” Lance teased.

            “Are you kidding? Of course I am!”

            “I’ll treat you to dinner if you win.” Charlotte offered. “But only if your pokemon receive minimal damage.”
            “Really? Wow!”

 

            “Yes.” She promised, linking pinkies with him.

            Ash beamed happily as he smoothed down the rumpled fabric of his blue shirt.

            And off they set for the gym in Sweetgrass city.

            It was a small town, and the inhabitants raised bellsprouts along with their crops. The bellsprouts’ roots grew deep into the soil and broke it down, weathering down the rock and making it fertile. The waste left from the insects they ate added to the nutrition of the dirt.

            Potatoes and carrots, root vegetables, grew in the loam provided, along with wheat and corn. Most other plants were imported, although a few greenhouses provided lettuce and other leafy vegetables, plus the occasional batch of fruit.

            The inhabitants were simple, down-to-earth people, who did not like to mess around with fancy technology, for fear it would destroy their environment. The only possibly civilized area was the pokemon center, and that was league mandate.

           

            As the three travelers climbed up the last ledge to the city, a man in faded overalls and a straw hat welcomed them.

            “Travelers!”

            “Pleased to meet you, sir.” Ash said politely. “I would like to go to the gym.”

            “Ah.” The man scratched the brown stubble on his chin. “Pshaw, you don’t need to call me sir! I’m just a simple farmer. As for the gym, if Hortense is at home, she’ll oblige you with a battle right away.”

            “Thank you!” Ash beamed.

 

            Charlotte and Lance followed a few yards behind, as he skipped ahead, mindless of the rocks underfoot.

            “Careful!” Jim warned. “There’s a mighty big crop of rocks this year. Seems like they just keep growing.”

            “Oh.” Ash slowed down his pace.

 

            As Jim showed them around the town, Ash felt relaxed, a strange feeling since he was about to enter into a gym battle.

            Perchance it was just the clean mountain air, but in his heart, he knew there was more. It was the friendly nature of the town, which soaked into the air around it.

            Perhaps there were hidden valleys of paradise in a corrupt world.

           

            Sure enough, Hortense was at her gym, sweet-talking her Weepinbell as she fed it a dead rat.

            “Eat up, gal. I know that last battle against that Hiker really wore you out, but we won anyways.”

            Weepinbell nodded and ate up the proffered rodent adroitly.

            A few happy burps drifted out of its bell.

 

            “Hey Hortense, another challenger!” Jim called, as he opened the door.

            “Well! Uncle Jim! Nice to see you!” Hortense said in a happy country accent. “So, where are ya’ll from?”

            “Pallet.” Ash said, by way of introduction, while Charlotte and Lance stayed silent.

            “I see. You got a hankering for my Sweetgrass badge?”
            “Well… I’d like to try.” Ash said honestly.

            “I like that! Sure, I can spare a few minutes.” Hortense grinned. “Now… will a two on two battle suit ya?”
            “By all means.”

            “Then let’s get this corn-shucking party rolling.” Hortense said, unclipping a ball from her poke belt and tossing it forward. “Go! Bellsprout!”

 

            Ash smiled, as Pidgeotto appeared, screeching.

            “Bellsprout! Use Stun Spore!”
            “Pidgeotto, Whirlwind it away.” Ash stated with confidence, as the pokemon met his eye, winked, and sucked the entire stun spore into a tornado.

            “Reverse.” In a second, the stun spore flew at Bellsprout instead.

            “What kind of an attack is that?” Hortense asked in shock.

 

            “Ingenious.” Charlotte said.

            “Well, you would normally just burn it up.” Lance smiled.

            “There’s more than truth in that statement.”

 

            Ash nodded, as Pidgeotto then followed up with Gust, sweeping even more of the Stun Spore at Bellsprout. Although immune to its own attacks, the plant was still hard-pressed to keep its eyes open.

            “Now! Wing Attack!”

            As the last of the powder finally settled, either wafting away with the wind or stuck on Bellsprout, Pidgeotto nimbly flipped the pokemon over and got it a good peck to the lower body, before using her wings to toss it high through the atmosphere. With a small dust cloud, Bellsprout returned to earth.

            Lance held up a 2.0 landing sign.

            Charlotte resisted the urge to break out in unseemly giggles, and looked at the creeped expression on Hortense’s face.

            “My lord… all right then! Victreebel, avenge your fallen brother!”

            Victreebel popped up and immediately got Pidgeotto with airborne poisonpowder.

            Ash recalled his faithful bird, before switching for the Skarmory card. Another poisonpowder was tried, and Acid, but the first had no effect and the second did little damage.

            “Now! Drill Peck!”

            A drilling hole later, Victreebel’s stomach acids were burning a hole in the gym floor, and so Hortense quickly saved his life and recalled him.

            “You’re not bad.” She said, handing Ash the Sweetgrass badge.

            Ash smiled charmingly. “Many thanks, Hortense.”

            “No problem!” She waved him goodbye, and then went back to work.

 

            “So… where do you want to go for dinner?” Charlotte asked, sotto voce.

            Ash cheered.

 

End Chapter.

1 badge down, 2 to go. Sounds like rainbow crystals in sailor moon…
Started 1/22/04, completed 2/29/04