My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

Vermillion Vengeance

Outside the Gym, Ari, Brock, and Misty were surrounded by three female cheerleaders.
"Who are you?" Ari asked.
One of the cheerleaders started to speak, "To protect-,"
The smallest suddenly spoke over them. "We're the challenger's cheerleaders, here to show our support!"
"Not many are brave enough to try and fight Surge again," said the blue-haired cheerleader.
"We wish to offer a cheer!" The small cheerleader raised his pompoms and danced.
Misty wasn't tricked. "Thanks for your support, Team Rocket."
The trio's disguises fell off. Their faces couldn't mask their shock.
"How's you know it was us?" Meowth asked.
Misty had had it up to here with Team Rocket, but she had a nagging feeling there was something genuine about their support.
"Meowth, your girl voice was terrible!" Misty advised.
"Learning to speak was hard enough by itself!" He defended. "And Jessie's the only actual girl!"
Jessie reapplied her lipstick. "You two will never be able to replicate the feminine charms of yours truly. Although James pulls of a pretty convincing falsetto."
James dragged Jessie and Meowth around the corner of the Gym.
Ari chuckled, and Misty could almost remember why she'd started to like this girl - before she'd shown her true colours as an arrogant, ungrateful upstart who still owed Misty a bike. Not to mention how untalented Ari was, compared to Misty.
But was Ari untalented?
As Misty followed Ari and Brock inside, she knew she was about to see if the rookie was so hopeless after all.

When Ari returned, Surge laughed grimly. "Hey, baby! You ready to take another beating?"
"Don't be so sure!" Ari replied.
She and Surge took their respective places, raising their Poké Balls.
"Pikachu, on my command," Surge said.
"Clefairy, I choose you!"
Pikachu and Clefairy faced each other once again. As Pikachu drew himself to full height, cheeks crackling with electricity, Clefairy gently fluttered her tiny wings, excited by the prospect of helping Ari.
"Use Skull Bash," Surge growled.
Pikachu braced himself, then threw himself foward with a headbutt.
"Clefairy, Teleport!" Ari ordered.
Clefairy vanished, reappearing behind the surprised Pikachu. Clefairy damaged Pikachu with pink sound waves from Disarming Voice.
Pikachu retaliated with Take Down. Clefairy waggled her finger as she executed Metronome. Luckily, Metronome resulted in Dig; Clefairy burrowed underground. Pikachu got stuck face-first in the hole left behind.
"Enough childish games!" Surge bellowed. "Why aren't you attacking?"
"Because that isn't the way to win. Not with you," smiled Ari.
Clefairy emerged from underground, yawning lightly as Pikachu struggled. "Clef-fair!"
Clefairy attacked Pikachu with Double Slap. Although the Move was enough to defeat Pikachu, the Mouse Pokèmon performed Thunder Shock despite being partially submerged in the dirt, inflicting both damage and Paralysis onto Clefairy.
But the win was a win.

Team Rocket, watching through the window, were enthralled.
"The twerp's still got it!" Meowth celebrated.
Inside, Lt. Surge's Pikachu returned to his Poké Ball.
"So you've toughened up a notch," Surge admitted. "But no baby can stand up to my Raichu."
Raichu appeared on the battlefield, regarding the far smaller Clefairy arrogantly.
"Clefairy's Paralysed again, though," Misty noted.
"Ari still has the Pokémon advantage," Brock said.
Ari called for Double Slap, but Clefairy was caught in Paralysis, allowing Raichu's Thunderbolt to zap her. Clefairy avoided a second Thunderbolt with Teleport, but Raichu eliminated Clefairy with a brutal Submission.

"Take a good rest, Clefairy." Ari pocketed Clefairy's Poké Ball.
"Vee!" Eevee encouraged Ari from atop the girl's head.
"Don't worry girl, I'm not giving up. Bulbasaur, it's all up to you!"
Bulbasaur leered up at Raichu, focused on settling the score.
"Use Thunderbolt!" Surge shouted.
Bulbasaur withstood the Electric-type attack, and responded by wrapping his vines around Raichu's fists to drag Raichu closer.
"What are you doing?" Questioned Surge
Ari gave him her answer. "Use Leech Seed!"
Before Surge could stop it, little vines ensnared Raichu, sprouting from the seeds planted on the Mouse Pokèmon, and thriving from stolen vitality.
"So, the baby can only win a Battle on a timer. Your Pokémon isn't going to survive that long," threatened Surge.
"Bulbasaur's tougher than he looks," Ari assured Surge. "Now, use Tackle!"
Bulbasaur rammed into Raichu. Raichu winced, hit with damage from both Tackle and Leech Seed.
Surge grimaced. "Raichu, Body Slam! Crush it!"
"Raichu knows Body Slam?" Misty exclaimed.
Raichu jumped onto Bulbasaur and squahed him flat, pinning the Seed Pokémon to the ground with his own body. Bulbasaur couldn't toss Raichu off.
"Bulbasaur!" Ari cried out. She could feel Eevee's paws dig into her head.
"How are you getting out of this one?" Goaded Surge.
Ari devised a plan. She just had to time this right...
Ari ordered another Tackle. Bulbasaur threw all his force at Raichu just as Raichu was inflicted with more Leech Seed damage, rendering the Mouse Pokémon incapable of resisting. Raichu landed hard, but still stood back up.
"Give it a Thunderbolt!" Surge roared.
Raichu concentrated one-hundred-thousand volts of electricity and directed them at the unsteady Bulbasaur.
Thinking fast, Ari ordered, "Use Vine Whip on the field to dodge!"
Bulbasaur obeyed, slamming his vines into the ground. By putting all his weight into the vines, Bulbasaur lifted himself into the air. Raichu's Thunderbolt flew under Bulbasaur's stomach.
"Bulba-SAUR!" Bulbasaur used Razor Leaf as he descended, striking Raichu, down to finish the Battle.

"Raichu is unable to Battle! The winner is the challenger, Ari!" Confirmed the astonished referee.
Team Rocket had watched the match's conclusion through the window.
"What a shocking story!" Jessie said.
"My expectations really were ex-seeded," James remarked.
Meowth shoved his teammates's heads down. "And now you've both been pun-ished."
Jessie ignored Meowth's proud chuckle. "With a Trainer like that, Eevee really is worth snatching."
James cursed suddenly. "Drat! We wasted this chapter cheering the good guys."
Jessie and Meowth let that sink in.

Lt. Surge recalled Raichu. He strode foward intimidatingly... and shook Ari's hands. "Nice job. You're no baby. As proof of your victory, take this Thunder Badge."
"Thank you." Ari admired her reward. "Would you look at that, Eevee?"
Eevee hopped from Ari's head and celebrated with Bulbasaur.
"Congratulations, Ari," Brock praised.
"You finally got your own Badge," Misty added.
Ari couldn't tell if Misty was happy or not; the Water-type Trainer kept her face clear. What's she accomplished on this Journey? Ari thought scathingly. She pushed the notion to the back of her mind; she wouldn't let any negative thoughts ruin this.
Ari pulled Bulbasaur into a tight hug. "This is your victory, Bulbasaur."
Though a stubborn and distrustful Pokémon, Bulbasaur really did give it his all for Ari. Although tired and hurt, he felt safer here in his Trainer's warm arms than he could remember feeling before.