Pokemon Regression

Chapter 38: Cerulean Gym Challenge

All of the floatation devices from our previous battle had been fixed and restored, and were now floating leisurely about the pool just like last time. 

Yeller leapt off of my shoulder and landed cleanly on the floating pad. He was still a little shaky on it, but he managed to balance a lot better after all the water-training we'd done with Misty. 

On the other side of the field stood Misty and her Staryu, both ready to battle. "Alright, are you ready Cyan?"

I nodded. "I'm ready. What about you buddy?" I asked my partner. He raised his arm and gave me a thumbs-up. I've gotten a lot stronger, we can do this!

"We're both ready!" I answered to Misty.

By the side of the pool both Blue and Chee waited while watching over us. The latter let out an excited squeak as she waved her arms back and forth. I believe you can do it Cyan! Go get that Gym Badge!

I got Yeller to sync up with me and we both gave Chee a thumbs-up.

Misty frowned at me. "...You look a little different than usual..." She mused. I'd done my best to hide the extra materials I'd brought in with me, but she might still have noticed that my jacket pockets were more puffed out than usual. 

"Really?" I smiled at her, adjusting my cap slightly to draw attention away from my jacket. "I guess my extra confidence is showing." There was a moment of silence, but it seemed that was enough to make her disregard the subject.

"Alright if you're feeling that confident, then let's begin!" Misty clapped her hands excitedly. "Staryu, use Rapid Spin!!"

The brown and yellow star let out a sharp cry and began to spin like a... Well, like a Staryu using Rapid Spin to attack a Rattata? ...I'll workshop that analogy. 

As it flew across the open pool I watched the spinning top closely. Alright, it's spinning Clockwise. "Yeller, Tail Whip. Anti-Clockwise Counter, on my mark."

Yeller stiffened up at my command, raising his tail into the air to be ready. Both our breaths were tight as we watched the enemy fly towards us...

"Mark!!" I exclaimed, and the Yellow Rattata swiftly followed my commands, spinning to his left and bringing his tail between two of the limbs of the Staryu. The attack wasn't strong enough to have any actual damaging power, but it successfully destabilised the Staryu's spin and deflected it into the water besides Yeller's pad.  

As soon as it landed in the water, my mind drew a direct line between Yeller and the Staryu, a line which Quick Mode-Or even Quick Attack-Would be able to instantly draw and land, giving me a lead...

Not yet. I need to save Yeller's energy.

As part of my strategy to defeat Misty, I'd made a few decisions while discussing the battle with Chee and Blue yesterday. In order to give myself the best shot at winning the entire battle, I'd decided to block off some of my tricks against the Staryu and save them for my battle against the Starmie. To that end, it was pivotal that I save as many Quick Attacks as possible. 

"Tackle!" Yeller leapt from the pad and slammed his body into the Staryu, which recoiled in pain. The attack seemed more effective than I'd expected it to be. Ah, come to think of it, Tackle and Quick Attack are supposed to do the same amount of damage, huh?

"Staryu get back at them with Water Gun!" Misty ordered as Yeller leapt back off of the Stayru and towards the floating platform. 

"Bite Shield!" And just by my command, the agile Rodent summoned a set of purple jaws. A ball of water formed at the tip of the Staryu's top limb, firing at Yeller and propelling him backwards further without dealing any significant damage. The extra momentum caused him to fly beyond his intended pad target and land in the water, but there was another pad right next to him that he quickly scampered on top of.