"Right! I almost forgot why we wanted to get here in such a hurry!" JJ exclaimed.
"Why did you want to get here in such a hurry?" asked Mike curiously.
"We wanted to find out what was happening to Charmander," JJ explained.
Mike looked me up and down. "Other than being quite strong, I don't see anything unusual about this Charmander," he said. "There's more to Charmander than meets the eye," JJ said proudly, like that would explain anything to Mike. Mike looked kind of confused.
JJ pulled a bottle of water out of his backpack and poured some into a cup. "Watch very closely," he said. He then proceeded to walk over to me and dump it on my tail flame. Naturally, I jumped when he did this, but I calmed down as the cup finished emptying itself.
As JJ was demonstrating the way that my flame refused to go out, Mike's eyes got wider and wider. "Wow," he said at last. "That's amazing. How did you do that? Was it some kind of trick?"
"What did he do?" inquired Nurse Joy, who hadn't seen JJ's demonstration. Mike answered for JJ. "He dumped a cup of water on Charmander's tail," he blurted.
"You should be ashamed! How dare you try to kill an innocent Charmander like that! You're as bad as that Damien boy we had here before! He left his charmander out on a rock in the rain to die!" Nurse Joy exploded.
JJ's face whitened as he pictured the scene. "But, I wasn't trying to kill Charmander! I was showing Mike how special Charmander is!"
"By throwing water on its tail?" Nurse Joy asked skeptically. "No, look!" JJ poured another cup of water, then dumped it on my tail again. I was prepared this time, but it still made me jump a bit.
"Um... that's quite a talent," Nurse Joy said in shock. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said, embarrassed.
"That's okay, it was understandable," JJ forgave her. "Do you know why this happens?"
"Sorry, I don't. Maybe my cousin in Cerulean will be able to tell you!"
"We should set out for Cerulean right away then!" JJ was eager to go.
"Char char?" (Don't you want to beat Brock?) I asked.
"Right! Let's go!" JJ marched out the door. Nurse Joy handed me his pokéballs, which he had forgotten, and I slowly walked after him. "Char!" (JJ!)
"Sorry Charmander, I almost forgot to bring my pokémon!" JJ picked the pokéballs from my arms.
"Char," (You did forget to bring them,) I pointed out.
"Well anyway, let's go!"
We went to the Gym and looked around. "I want a pokémon battle with Brock!"
A deep voice answered JJ from atop a boulder. "Brock left a few weeks ago. My name is Flint. I'm the one you want to challenge."
"Fine then, I just want a Boulderbadge!" JJ put on a false air of bravery, but I could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
Flint jumped down from the boulder and the arena lit up. He said, "Two pokémon each, no time limit."
"OK, Bulbasaur, GO!" "Bulba! Saur!" (Who's the loser gonna be this time?)
"I choose Geodude." "Geo. Dude." (I don't like you already.)
"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" "Saur!" (You got it!) Sharp leaves filled the air.
"Geodude, evade the attack and use Rock Throw." Geodude was too slow, and got hit by about half the leaves, weakening him visibly. He threw some rocks weakly, but Bulbasaur easily moved out of the way.
"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" "Bulbasaur!" (Lights out, Rock-boy!) Bulbasaur's vines whipped Geodude repeatedly, and Geodude fainted.
"Argh, Geodude, Return! Onix, GO!" "GROOOOAR!" (Whoever faces me will be beaten into a pulp!)
I saw Bulbasaur wince at the thought of being squished by the huge rock snake, but he quickly regained his air of confidence. "Saur!" (In your dreams!)
"Bulbasaur, Leech seed!" "Bulba!" (Here goes!) The leech seed hit Onix, but it didn't hurt him much.
"Onix, Tackle!" "GROOOAR!" (Don't I ever say anything else?) Onix tackled Bulbasaur, who sat there looking dazed.
JJ looked worried. "Bulbasaur, return!" Bulbasaur was sucked back inside his pokéball just as Onix prepared to tackle him again. "Squirtle, I choose you!" "Squirtle squirt!" (You're no match for me, you big snake!)
"Squirtle, Bubblebeam now!" "Squirtle!" (Take that!) Onix was pelted with bubbles, weakening by the second.
"Onix, Bind the Squirtle!" "GROOO!" (I'm gonna pop you like a watermelon!) Onix quickly slid himself around Squirtle.
"Squirtle, get loose and give him a Water Gun!" "Squirt squirt!" (I'll do my best!) Squirtle slipped loose just as Onix was tightening his coils and Squirtle Water Gunned him in the face.
"Grooo.." (ow...) Onix fainted.
"Squirtle!" (Ha ha! I won!)
"YES! Way to go Squirtle!" JJ hugged Squirtle. Flint called Onix back and placed his pokéballs in a small machine at the back of the gym.
"What's that?"
"It's a portable healing device. It's very useful."
"I'll bet. Can I have my badge now?"
Flint tossed JJ the badge. He missed, but I caught it and handed it to him. "Thanks."
As JJ turned to leave, Mike walked in the door. "I demand a battle for a Boulderbadge!"
"All right, two pokémon each. No time limit. I choose Geodude." "Geo. Dude?" (Who do I get to beat now?)
"I choose, Poliwag!" "Poli!" (I can beat you without using my hands!)
I laughed because Poliwag doesn't have any hands. "Geodude, Rock Throw now!" "Geo." (OK.)
"Quick, Poliwag, Hypnosis!" "Wag." (Got it.) Poliwag's spiral starting rotating soothingly... I tore my eyes away from it. I wasn't supposed to be asleep. Besides, I wanted to see the rest of the match!
Geodude wasn't so lucky. He fell asleep with a rock lifted above his head. It fell on him and he woke up.
"Come on, Geodude, Tackle it!" "Dude!" (I'm not falling asleep again!) Geodude moved towards Poliwag.
"Poliwag, Water Gun!" "Poli!" (Nighty-night!) Poliwag hit Geodude squarely with the Water Gun, and Geodude fainted.
"Geodude, return! Onix, GO!" "GROOOOAR!" (Ha ha, you're puny!)
"Poliwag, Water Gun now!" "Poli!" (You may be big, but I've got the advantage!) Poliwag hit Onix pretty hard, but Onix still had about half of his health.
"Onix, use your Bide attack!" "GROOO!" (One Bide, coming right up!)
Poliwas Water Gunned him again. but with less force. Onix released his energy and hit Poliwag. "Wag..." (Ow...) Poliwag was down for the count.
"Poliwag, return! Snorlax, I choose you!" "Snorlax!" (I just woke up, so whoever I'm fighting is in for a surprise!)
"Onix, Tackle the Snorlax!"
"Snorlax, dodge and use Hyper Beam!"
JJ looked at Mike in awe. "Your Snorlax has Hyper Beam? Wow, why didn't you use him in our battle?"
"Because the others needed some experience," replied Mike. Meanwhile, Snorlax had sent Flint's Onix to K.O. land, and was sleeping again.
"Snorlax, return!"
Flint was shocked. He handed Mike the Boulderbadge. "Thank you for visiting this badge dispenser, over 900 served."
JJ turned and walked out the door with Mike following. "Are you gonna come with us?"
"Nope, I'm gonna stay here with the museum. I never knew that history was so cool!"
"I hope to see you again!" yelled JJ as we walked slowly towards Mount Moon.
Next chapter coming whenever I get an idea.
