And… another chapter~!
Disclaimer: If I owned pokemon, would I be writing fanfic? Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. Don’t steal my work.
Notes: <> for telepathy ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks!
Chapter 6
After two days of recuperation, Lance and Red left Blackthorn City.
“So, where to now?”
Lance sighed. “Now is not the best time to journey, Red. Be careful…”
“I will!” Red promised, giving Lance a hug. “I’ll see you around, Lance.”
Lance waved goodbye, before Red skipped off on his journey. Where should he go first?
He had Lance’s old pokedex, re-programmed of course, with his new identity, and four pokemon… all water-types…
Oh well. It wasn’t time to dwell on this. Off to the first gym! Well, the gym match only lasted a few minutes, honestly, because Staryu took down Brock’s two rock pokemon quickly. Red was a bit disappointed, but Brock’s gym was the easiest anyways…
Still, now he had two badges…
Surge’s gym had electric pokemon. Water-types would stand no chance. A good bet would be to drop by diglett’s cave and get a mole there..
On the other hand, Digletts had pretty pathetic defense… and Surge had a pretty powerful Raichu. Maybe the ground-type wouldn’t cut it.
Red frowned. What to do?
“Halt!”
Red jumped. “Huh?”
“You’re a trainer, aren’t you?” The boy in blue fatigues demanded.
‘Er… yes?”
“Great! I challenge you to a battle! Winner gets one of the loser’s pokemon! Rocket rules!”
“What are the rocket rules?”
“You’re not from around here, are you? Figures. I’ll have to explain.” The junior trainer grinned. “Basically, two-on-two up to four-on-four battle, normally. No items. The loser either gives up one of his pokemon or 200 pokeyen.”
Red checked his pokedex. He had 790 pokeyen on him. “What if I choose the money option?”
“Then you’re a coward!”
“Well… if you insist, then I will have a two on two battle with you.” Red was seething inside. So this was what Team Rocket had done. No wonder Lance had been so injured! He had seen the scars purely by accident, but… ugh…
Poor Lance.
On the other hand, if he hadn’t been shot, Lance would never have crossed dimensions. So it wasn’t a total loss… in his opinion.
“Go! Weedle!
Bug-type, Red remembered. Common pokemon – so… well, in that case, there was nothing fancy he had to do. “I choose you, Staryu!”
The golden starfish spat out a Water Gun without being ordered to, fainting the Weedle instantly.
The junior trainer’s eyes hardened. “A water-type? Okay, then! Pikachu, I choose you! Use Thundershock!”
Staryu’s HP bar dropped to about half. Red cursed inwardly, eyes flashing in annoyance. This was not good… so, he’d better retaliate.
“Staryu, Recover!”
“That won’t save you! Pikachu, Thunderwave!” Paralysis dropped speed to ¼…
“Refresh!” There went the paralysis. “Staryu, finish it fast! Rapid Spin!” Yes, Pikachu’s had very low defense and he intended to manipulate it…
There went the Pikachu!
Red grinned. “So… what were the rules again?”
Jim glared. “Fine! Take one of mine.”
Red checked quickly. He had Weedle, Caterpie, Pikachu, and Rattata… noting truly worthwhile. He was about to take the pikachu when he noticed that Jim was trying to hide another poke all.
“And, what’s in that poke ball?”
Jim gulped. “Oh, just a Magikarp, you don’t want it….”
“On the contrary. A Magikarp would suit me very well. I like water pokemon.”
Jim tried with immense difficulty not to submit to mounting panic. He couldn’t give up his Bulbasaur! “Sorry.”
“You promised… not me…” Red said.
“Argh! Fine! If you can capture him – Bulbasaur, go! Use Vine Whip!”
Red dodged, barely, but the second vine whip caught him across the face. He stood up, bleeding. “That’s it!”
“Hah! You’ll never catch this one! Grass beats water!”
“So? Tentacruel, I choose you! Use Acid!”
Bulbasaur cried out as the poison attack rained down upon it…
The junior trainer charged…
And Red’s Staryu shot him down with Psybeam.
Red left Jim fainted by the roadside, after having taken the Bulbasaur. A not-as-nice trainer might have stolen all of the boy’s pokemon, but Red was still sticking to the rules, at least for now.
Hmm… oh look, ahead there was Cerulean Cave. He ought to visit…
End Chapter
Started 3/2/05
Completed 3/3/05