Trainer Strawberry: Chapter 12

This is it. We’re finally gonna take on a Gym.

Pepper and I stood outside the Gym doors, full of confidence that we would win the Gym Badge. After looking at the building for a few seconds, we entered through the sliding, automatic doors. The inside contained rocks that lined the walls all the way up to the ceiling.

“Welcome, Future Champ!” The referee called as I entered. “Are you ready to take on the Rustboro Gym Leader, Roxanne, Rock-Type Extraordinaire? Rock-Types are weak against Water, Ground, and Grass-Type attacks. So, make sure you have plenty of Pokemon of one of those types on your team!”

“You bet I’m ready!” I answered enthusiastically.

So, Roxanne has Rock-Type Pokemon, huh? Well, I don’t have any Grass-Type Pokemon, but Caso and Aqua are both Water-Types. So, we should be fine.

“Great enthusiasm! That will take you to great places!” The referee said happily. He clearly loved his job, either that, or he was the best actor in history. “But, before you can challenge the Gym Leader, you have to get to her. The only way to do that is to make your way through the Gym Trainers.”

“Gym Trainers?” That was another term I had never heard of before.

“Gym Trainers are Pokemon Trainers that are stronger than the average Trainers you find hanging out on Routes. If you can get past them and make it to the Gym Leader, then you get to challenge Roxanne!”

I thanked the Referee for his help, then Pepper and I started walking to the back of the Gym. As we walked, I made sure that I had Caso and Aqua’s Pokeballs handy.

“Well, lookee here. We got us a challenger,” An unfamiliar voice said.

“Are you one of the Gym Trainers?” I asked the source of the voice, it was a boy who appeared to be a Pokemon Trainer.

“Sure am. You ready for a battle?” He asked as he prepared to throw one of his Pokeballs. I nodded my head I prepared to throw Aqua’s Pokeball.

“Let’s go, Geodude!”

“Come on out, Aqua!”

“Geodude!” A Pokemon that looked like a rock with arms, hands, and a face called has it emerged from its Pokeball.

“Marill, Marill!” Aqua called has she emerged from her Pokeball.

“Aqua use ‘Water Gun’!” I shouted. Aqua shot a steady flow of water at the Geodude.

“Humph. Geodude, dodge it.” He ordered his Pokemon like he had no interest in this battle at all. Geodude moved to the side faster than I thought it could. “Now use ‘Tackle’.” Geodude charged at Aqua.

“Aqua, look out!” I called. Aqua tried to dodge it, but the attack still slightly hit her. “Good job, Aqua! Now use ‘Tackle’ as well!”

“Ha. That won’t work. Geodude’s a Rock-Type; Normal-Type attacks just feel like a poke to him.”

“Who said we were using ‘Tackle’ to attack?” By this time Aqua had gotten to point-blank range. It no longer mattered how fast the Geodude was – it wouldn’t be able to dodge Aqua’s next attack. “Now, use ‘Water Gun’!”

“Oh no, Geodude!” The Gym Trainer yelled as Aqua’s attack hit the Geodude full force.

“Geodude is unable to battle, Marill wins!” The Referee called as the Trainer returned his Pokemon.

“No big deal, that was the weaker of my Geodude anyway.” He said while trying to act like this was exactly what he wanted. He threw another Pokeball that contained a Geodude.

“Aqua, return! Show ’em what you got, Caso!” I said as I threw Caso’s Pokeball.

“Mud, Mudkip!” Caso called as he emerged from his Pokeball. He then turned around and used “Mud Slap” to hit me in the face.

“Ugh, Caso! Now is not the time to do that!”

“Haha. Looks like your Pokemon doesn’t like you!” My opponent called arrogantly.

“Grr. Caso use ‘Mud Slap’!” I shouted. Caso began firing spheres of mud at the Geodude. The Geodude dodged the attack easily. It was like Caso wasn’t even aiming at the Geodude.

“You call that an attack? Geodude show ’em what a real ‘Mud Slap’ looks like!” The Geodude began attacking with spheres of mud of its own.

“You know what to do, Caso!” I shouted encouragingly. It had taken me a minute, but I had picked up on Caso’s strategy. Geodude’s attack hit Caso, causing mud to splatter everywhere. When it stopped raining mud, Caso was nowhere to be seen.

“What’s this?! Where’d that Mudkip of yours disappear to?” He asked as both him and his Geodude looked around frantically, trying to figure out where Caso was.

“They don’t call Mudkip the Mudfish Pokemon for nothing!”

“Huh?”

“When Caso used ‘Mud Slap’ earlier, he wasn’t aiming for Geodude. He was using it to get the battlefield nice and muddy, so he could dive into it. Now, Caso reappear and use ‘Water Gun’!” Caso leaped out of the mud directly behind the Geodude, and shot out a steady current of water from his mouth. The Geodude was down for the count.

“Geodude is unable to battle, Mudkip wins!” The Referee shouted as we both returned our Pokemon while complementing them on how great they were. Afterward, we both shook hands and agreed to battle again sometime. Pepper barked happily and wagged her tail, she was happy that we won too.

I decided to wait a while before we challenged Roxanne. Because, even though we won, the battle against the Gym Trainer hadn’t been easy. And I knew Roxanne would be even harder to defeat. So, Pepper and I headed to just outside of Rustboro to do some training. And once we’re stronger, we’ll come back to challenge Roxanne!

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Info. We finally made it to the Gym. Whew, it took awhile, but we made it. I should have the battle against the Gym Leader in the next chapter. But, there is a possibility I won’t with how I’ve been writing this.