Pokémon HGSS #2: Break In At The Lab
Jonathan left Professor Elm’s lab and New Bark town and made his way back towards Cherrygrove City. There had been a lot of backtracking, but now Jonathan was once again embarking on his Pokémon journey. He was now tasked with heading up Route 30 to Violet City. There he would meet up with his neighbor and childhood friend, Beatrice or Bea. She was set on tracking down the red haired boy who came into Professor Elm’s lab, messed up the place, and stole a Pokémon known as Totodile. Professor Elm wanted Jonathan to send Beatrice home because he believed that this boy was too dangerous for Beatrice to handle. Jonathan wasn’t really sure to make of this boy, but believed that Cyndaquil and him had a good chance of taking this strange thief on. They were unstoppable.
Along the way to Violet City, Jonathan had added a couple of new members to the team as well. He caught the Normal-Type, scout Pokémon, Sentret and the Ground-Type, long-nose Pokémon, Phanpy. His team was already three members strong and he was finally prepared to take on whatever the next challenge would be.
The few trainers along Route 30 and Route 31 were no match for Cyndaquil’s Ember, Sentret’s Quick Attack, and Phanpy’s Roll Out. He did end up befriending one very eager Bug Catcher who wanted to talk to Jonathan about his progress training a Caterpie and a Weedle. Jonathan reluctantly accepted hoping that the calls on the Pokégear wouldn’t be too frequent.
After making his way through Route 31, it was finally time to enter Violet City and meet up with Beatrice.
Violet City was the largest town he had been in yet. New Bark Town was really small and Cherrygrove wasn’t much bigger. This was a real city. It had stone streets instead of dirt and some large buildings. Jonathan instantly recognized the red roof of the Pokémon Center and the blue roof of the Poké Mart where he could buy more supplies if he needed, but there were also other, much larger buildings. In the middle of the town sat an orange roofed building with a large Pokéball emblem on the front of it. That was to recognize it as an official gym recognized by the Pokémon League. The other Jonathan wasn’t familiar with. It was a very tall building that sat in the back of the town which almost swayed with the wind.
After a quick look around the town, Jonathan stopped into the Pokémon Center to get his Pokémon healed up.
“There you are Jonathan,” Beatrice ran up to him with Marrill in tow.
“Bea,” Jonathan gave her a smile.
“I’m so glad you made it, Jonathan,” Beatrice said.
“Thanks, I guess,” Jonathan replied. “Listen Bea. About this red haired boy…”
“What? Did you see him? Where? Where!?”
“No Bea, I didn’t see him. It’s just that this guy is really dangerous, right? Maybe we should let the police deal with him.”
Beatrice crossed her arms and gave Jonathan a scowl.
“Professor Elm got you, didn’t he?” She asked. “I knew it! I knew that he would send you to stop me.”
“Bea, look. He didn’t ‘get me,’ whatever that means. I just think he might be right. If he is as dangerous as you said he is, should we be chasing after him?” Jonathan asked.
“Absolutely!” Beatrice said. “We have to stop him, Jonathan. He stole a Pokémon. He is a criminal. Every second that Pokémon is with the red haired thief is a moment where he could be hurt. Who knows what the boy has planned with that Totodile.”
“I see that you’re passionate about this, Bea, but I don’t think we should get involved, ok? Let the police handle it.”
Beatrice’s expressioned narrowed.
“Do whatever you want, Jonathan. Obviously you don’t care about the well being of that Pokémon at all. I’m going to track him down and I’m going to get back the Pokémon. I already have a lead.”
Beatrice stormed out of the Pokémon Center.
“Bea, wait!”
Jonathan called after her, but she didn’t slow down. Even Marill marched after her with its arms crossed and a sour look on its face.
“Like trainer, like Pokémon, I guess,” Jonathan said defeated.
Oh well. At least this would give him the opportunity to check out the Pokémon Gym. He wanted to challenge the Gym and prove that he could be a real Pokémon trainer. Jonathan wasn’t going to let Bea get in the way of that.
After healing up his three Pokémon, Jonathan made his way to the Pokémon Gym. He knocked on the door and let himself in.
“Hello? Anyone here?” Jonathan asked as he stepped into the room.
It was one large building with a wide open arena in the middle of it. The ground was dirt with a few large boulders dotting the outside corners. On each end was a stone platform. It was painted like a sports field with a Pokéball emblem in the middle.
Jonathan stepped further into the gym.
“I’m back here.”
Jonathan heard a new voice.
Out from the back of the building emerged a figure. He wore a traditional, blue outfit and had blue hair. One his shoulder sat a Bird Pokémon, Jonathan knew was a Pidgey.
“Hello there,” The boy said stepping into the light of the gym.
“Hello, my name is Jonathan and I have come to challenge the Violet City Gym Leader,” He said.
The boy smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Jonathan. My name is Falkner. I’m the acting Gym Leader of Violet City,” Falkner said.
“Acting Gym Leader?” Jonathan asked.
“My father used to run this Gym, but he has been gone for some time. I run the Gym in his absence. Don’t worry, I am able to take you on if you are interested in challenging the Gym and earning a Gym Badge.”
“Of course!” Jonathan said.
“Just be careful. Just because I am the first Gym Leader does not mean that it will be easy. Are you sure you want to challenge me?” Falkner asked.
Jonathan took in a deep breath and then exhaled.
“I’m ready,” He said.
“Great,” Falkner grinned. “Then let’s get in position for this Gym Battle.”
Falkner explained to Jonathan that this would be a two-on-two Pokémon Battle with no switching. They both stood on their respective stone platforms that gave Jonathan a little bit of height so he could look out at the entire battlefield.
“Ok Jonathan, ready your Pokémon now,” Falkner instructed.
“Go, Sentret!” Jonathan yelled.
“Sentret!”
With a flash of red light, Sentret was on the battlefield ready for the Pokémon Battle.
“You know, Jonathan, some people say you can clip Flying-type Pokémon’s wings with a jolt of electricity. Well I won’t allow such insults to bird Pokémon! I’ll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!” Falkner said with a grin. “Go Pidgey!”
The Pidgey that was on his shoulder flapped its wings and jumped off into the air.
“Pidgey!”
“Sentret, use Quick Attack!”
Sentret shot forward like a bullet running across the ground with a flash of speed. It then jumped up into the air and collided with Pidgey mid-air knocking both of them onto the ground.
“Pidgey, use Mud Slap!”
Pidgey shook itself off and started flapping its wings. The wind picked up clumps of dirt and mud throwing them into the air and they started to pile up on Sentret. Sentret tried its best to cover its face and eyes, but it was covered in mud.
“Sentret! Quick Attack again.”
It launched itself forward but slipped on the mud and missed Pidgey completely.
Falkner laughed.
“Pidgey, use Tackle!”
Pidgey flapped its wings and took to the air again. This time it flew straight at Sentret and slammed its body into it. Sentret was sent rolling and Pidgey flew up into the sky above the battlefield.
“Sentret!”
It was too late for Sentret. That direct impact was too much for it and it laid motionless, unable to battle.
Jonathan opened it’s Pokéball and Sentret disappeared with a red flash of light. It was now resting comfortably inside its Pokéball.
“Too bad,” Falkner said. “Hopefully you’re next Pokémon will be a lot tougher.”
“Oh don’t worry, it will be,” Jonathan shouted in frustration.
It was down to just Cyndaquil or Phanpy. Jonathan knew that Phanpy had an advantage because it’s Rock-typing made it strong to Flying-types like Pidgey, but he worried that Pidgey’s Mud Slap might be too powerful for Phanpy to handle. That left only Cyndaquil.
“Come on Cyndaquil, I know you can do it,” Jonathan whispered to the Pokéball.
Then he tossed it into the air.
“Go, Cyndaquil!”
“Cyndaquil!”
It emerged from its Pokéball with its flame on its back burning.
“I see, a Cyndaquil. Interesting choice. But it will be no match for my Pidgey! Pidgey use Tackle!”
Pidgey flapped its wings and flew down, towards Cyndaquil.
“Cyndaquil! Use Ember!”
Cyndaquil’s flames grew larger as it let out a stream of fire from it’s mouth. Pidgey ran straight into it before colliding with the ground.
“Pidgey!”
Pidgey laid in the mud unable to battle anymore.”
“Yes, way to go, Cyndaquil!” Jonathan cheered.
Pidgey returned to it’s Pokéball.
“That was good, but I won’t be making that same mistake again,” Falkner said. “Now it’s time for a real challenge. I send out, Pidgeotto.”
Pidgeotto was the evolved form of Pidgey. It was similar in appearance but had a large crown of red feathers on its head, a sharpened beak, and an intense look on its face.
“Pidgeotto,” It called out flapping its powerful wings.
Jonathan could tell that this would be a lot tougher.
“Come on, Cyndaquil, we got this,” Jonathan yelled out.
“Pidgeotto, give them something to worry about. Use Mud Slap!”
Pidgeotto started to flap its wings close to the ground which stirred up dirt and mud once again. However this was much stronger than Pidgey’s Mud Slap.
“Cyndaquil, dodge it!”
Cyndaquil lept out of the way dodging most of the mudslinging. Some covered it, but it managed to get out of the way of most of it.
“Now use Smokescreen.”
Cyndaquil landed and then sent out a thick cloud of black smoke. It began to cover itself and the battlefield obscuring it from the view of Pidgeotto and Falkner.
“Nice try, but you can’t hide from me. Pidgeotto, use Gust!”
Pidgeotto climbed into the sky and then started to beat its wings. Strong gusts of air rippled through the Gym. The wind picked up and whipped Jonathan’s clothes around. The Smokescreen faded as the smoke was blown away leaving Cyndaquil vulnerable.
“Now use, Tackle!”
Pidgeotto dove out of the air, spread its wings and collided with Cyndaquil head on. It toppled backwards rolling for a few feet while Pidgeotto climbed back into the air.
Cyndaquil was still able to battle, but pretty shaken up.
“Come on Cyndaquil, use Ember!”
The flames emerged on its back once again as it unleashed a stream of fire.
“Pidgeotto, use Gust!”
Pidgeotto flapped its wings stirring up the air again into a frenzy.
The two collided in midair. The red-hot fire and the wind kept each other at bay as they mixed in the middle between Cyndaquil and Pidgeotto.
“Come on, Cyndaquil,” Jonathan cheered.
“Come on, Pidgeotto,” Falkner cheered back.
The flames grew closer to Pidgeotto and then was pushed back. Got closer and then was pushed back. Over and over again.
“Come on, Cyndaquil! One big push.”
Cyndaquil took in a deep breath and then unleashed another torrent of fire. This one was bigger than Jonathan had ever seen.
Pidgeotto flapped its wings, but this time the fire was too much for it. The flames wrapped around Pidgeotto and sent it plummeting to the ground.
Falkner ran forward and managed to get to it just in time. Pidgeotto landed in his arms instead of hitting the ground. Some of its feathers were blackened, but it was ok.
“Good job, Pidgeotto. I’m proud of you,” Falkner said.
Jonathan ran forward and picked Cyndaquil up and swung it around.
“We did it! We did it! We did it!” Jonathan jumped up and down with joy.
“Congratulations Jonathan,” Falkner said. “Your Cyndaquil’s fire was no match for my Dad’s cherished bird Pokémon.
Then Falkner reached into his pocket and retrieved a small, metal object.
“Here take this, it’s the official Pokémon League Zephyr Badge,” Falkner explained. “It proves that you defeated this gym and are ready for the next leg of your journey. There are seven other Pokémon Gyms in cities and towns ahead. You should test your skills at those. If you’re looking to continue this path of collecting Gym Badges, I would suggest Azalea Town.”
“Thank you Falkner. That was a tough, well fought battle. And I appreciate the advice,” Jonathan said shaking his hand.
“No problem, Jonathan. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to continue my training to be the best possible bird trainer.”
Jonathan nodded looking down at the Zephyr Badge. He had done it. He had defeated his first Gym Leader. Now he knew he had to track down Beatrice before heading to the next town.
Header Photo Credit to MarineJelly on DeviantArt
https://www.deviantart.com/marinejelly/art/Falkner-x-Reader-400544666
All photos of Pokemon and related content used were taken from Bulbapedia
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Main_Page
Allen The Writer 