Ash Journey

Chapter 23

Mikan Island and Sunburst Island

After receiving Lapras and gaining a new travelling friend Tracey, Ash and the gang were riding Lapras across the ocean to get to an island called Mikan Island, for Ash's first gym badge. The gang thought that riding on Lapras across the ocean was fun, cheaper and quicker than a ferry. "I find it funny that I'm starting to collect the Orange League badges," said Ash "I mean not long ago I started collecting badges for the Indigo League". His friends smiled at that comment. "Say big brother," said Tomo "what do the Orange Island badges look like?" "I don't know," replied Ash "but I have heard that the gym challenges will be different than the kanto gym challenges". Soon they reached Mikan Island at last. The group got off Lapras and Ash returned him for a rest.

The gang walked along a path lined with palm trees, which led to and from the beach. Suddenly Tomo saw a coconut on the ground by the road. "Hey a coconut!" he yelled in surprise, he liked coconuts. He was just about to pick it up when Ash stopped him. "Hang on a minute Tomo," he said "this is a trap", and pointed to a string attached to the coconut. Ash closed his eyes and focused with his psychic powers. He sensed someone behind a tree and noticed a bucket hanging above them. Then he asked Pikachu to climb the tree and move the bucket above where the prankster was. "Now for our little trick" Ash smiled. Tomo, Pikachu and Growlithe snickered. "Let's eat this coconut Tomo". Tomo picked up the coconut, and when he did that the string pulled the bucket, tipping all the water all over the prankster.

A young boy screamed and jumped from behind the trees. "What happened?" he shrieked I'm sure I placed the bucket in the right place". "You did," chuckle Ash "but I had my Pikachu move the bucket that was in the tree". The boy was in shock from that. "It serves you right for playing pranks like that" said Misty.

Suddenly another laugh was heard. It was from a young woman and the boy rigid from hearing that laugh. "I like how you handled my little brother like that," the woman said "Senta, how many times have I told you not to play pranks on visitors? And you should be finishing your homework". Yes sis" said Senta, and walked away. "I'm so sorry about my little brother's behaviour". "It's no problem," said Ash "anyway I'm Ash and I'm looking for Mikan Island's gym". "Ah a challenger," said the woman "I'm Cissy and I'm the gym leader of this island".

Cissy led the gang to a building on top of a hill. "Welcome to Mikan gym" she said. Mikan gym looked like a combination of a barn and a beach house. Inside, the gym had a water pool battle field, like Cerulean gyms. "I've heard that the gym challenges of the Orange Islands are different from any other gyms, am I right?" said Ash. "That is correct," said Cissy "you see what we like to do is give trainers and their pokemon challenges to see how strong both pokemon and trainers alike are. So the challenges are sort of battle tests". "I've got it" replied Ash.

Cissy brought Ash to the water field. "We both use only water type pokemon for this gym," she explained "and we have to face two challenges. Our first challenge now is a water gun challenge". At the side of the pool was a very long bench with a long line of cans. And Senta, who was also Cissy's assistant, had a machine ready with some plates. "The first pokemon who hits the most cans and plates is the winner of this challenge" said Cissy. Her pokemon was Seadra and Ash chose Wartortle. In the end it turned out to be a tide. "Well Ash, you did very well there," said Cissy "but the challenge is not over yet".

Cissy led the gang back to the beach. "Our second challenge is a surfing race," she said "we each ride, standing up, on a water pokemon, surf up to the markers on top of the ocean and back again, and the first to come back to the beach again wins". The markers on top of the ocean were two white floating flags. Cissy had Blastoise and Ash used Lapras. Ash found it a bit hard to stand up on Lapras; he had never surfed on pokemon before. Senta sent the racers off. It was a close surfing race. Blastoise proved to be a bit faster than Lapras, but Ash had an idea; he had his Lapras use ice beam on the water. Even though the rules said no attacks against each other; there was no rule about using attacks to help with the race. Thanks to an ice slide, Lapras slid all the way towards the finish line on the beach. "Ash Ketchum wins" said Senta. Ash petted his Lapras and thanked it.