A Pokemon Tale Part I: The Journey Begins

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The S.S. Anne

Just outside the Underground Path-

Red and Blue packed up their camp at headed south towards Vermillion City. The path that they walked had nice clear ponds and well maintained grass. Behind them the tall towers of Saffron City gleamed in the sunlight. Occasionally they would reach the top of a hill and see the ocean to the south. They came across a young Trainer who wanted to challenge Red to a battle.

The trainer sent out a large rat Pokémon. It was brown in color. Red looked it up on his Pokedex and learned that it was Ratticate, the evolved form of Rattata. Red sent out Pidgey in response. It was a fierce battle. Ratticate possessed impressive speed and leaping ability, and was even able to score a few hits on the flying bird. However, Pidgey was able to win with a Gust attack and the swirling wind tossed the large rat around and around until it fell into a shallow pond knocked out.

After visiting with the trainer, they set out again on their way. They didn't stray from the road and as a result the only wild Pokémon to be seen were the occasional Rattata in the bushes, and flocks of Pidgey flying through the sky. Eventually, they arrived in Vermillion City.

It was a beautiful town, the buildings made of orange brick. They went to the Pokémon Center and healed their Pokémon. Many trainers were talking excitedly inside about the party on the S.S. Anne that they had been invited to. Green walked through the door a short while after Red and Blue did.

"No time to chat," said Green. "I've got to heal my Pokémon so I can sign up for the Battling Tournament that's being held at that big fancy ship down in the harbor."

"What a coincidence," said Red. "That's where we're going too! And I plan to sign up for the tournament so don't get your hopes up about winning!"

"Don't forget about me, boys," said Blue. "I think a battling tournament would be fun! I think I'll sign up too!" Green laughed.

"Oh, please," he said. "You don't even have any badges! I have two badges and so does Red! There's no way you'll win! Besides, the winner of the tournament gets their choice of a prize. I'm going to request a private Gym Battle from the leader here when I win."

A day passed as Blue went shopping throughout Vermillion City. Red reluctantly tagged along. He overheard trainers and citizens sometimes talk about the local Gym Leader. Apparently, his name was called Lieutenant Surge, and he specialized in Electric-type Pokémon. That didn't bode well for Red, he thought. Wartortle, his best Pokémon, was weak against Electric-types; Pidgey, being a Flying-type, was also at a disadvantage to Electric-Pokémon. Pikachu seemed to be the only Pokémon that he could use.

That night they spent at the Pokémon Center, and the following morning they made their way to the Vermillion Harbor where the S.S. Anne was docked. They flashed their ticket to the man at the gate and boarded the ship. It was definitely a luxury ship. There was fancy food everywhere, as well as well-dressed men and women who were obviously Pokémon Trainers. Red spotted that a few wore Gym Badges that they had won on their overcoats, though not all the same. No person had more than two badges however. And Red sensed that although that he was younger than the bulk of these trainers, he would be at no disadvantage in skill when the time for the tournament came.

Suddenly the lights went out and a spotlight appeared in the large party room where all the trainers stood. A man dressed in camouflage with sunglasses stood in the center with a microphone. The partygoers clapped politely and the man addressed them.

"Welcome to the grand opening of the S.S. Anne!" he said. "I am the Vermillion City Gym Leader, Lieutenant Surge! Let's skip the small talk and get to what you've all come here for: the Battling Tournament. After I'm done speaking, those who wish to sign up may do so on the deck. As for the rules, the tournament will be set up in Bracket-style, and will be single-elimination. Each individual battle will be conducted with one Pokémon allowed per Trainer. If you should win, you must use a different Pokémon in your next battle, and so on. You may only repeat usage of your Pokémon if you have no more with you. There are sixteen slots available, and I'm sure that all will be filled.

"Now, before you start your battling, you must make your way down to the small battle rooms at the bottom of the boat. There are eight rooms in all, two trainers per room. If you win, an elevator will be ready for you in your battle to take you up to the next level, where it will open into another battle room. The second level has four battle rooms. If you win in this next battle room, you will repeat this process again. At this point, four Trainers will be left and again repeating this process. Then the remaining elevators will take you up to the very top of the ship where an arena will be prepared for our little championship battle. You will not know your opponents, as each Trainer will descend their own staircase into their battle room. The prize will be anything that you ask that I can reasonably grant you, whether it be a small sum of prize money, or even a private battle with yours truly. Now go sign up!" He left the stage and many trainers, more than the allotted sixteen could allow, attempted to make their way to the sign up booth.

Red, Blue, and Green were younger than the older trainers, and were more nimble as the three Pokedex-holders ran and became the first three to sign up. Red was given a slip of paper with the number 5 on it. Blue also got a slip of paper, and hers read 11. Green wouldn't share his number with them. They looked at a map on the wall of the layout of the ship and found the path they would take to the battle rooms. They descended many flights of stairs until they came across a circular room with sixteen staircases descending into the bowels of the ship. Each staircase had a number above it. Blue took no notice of the boys as she went into her designated tunnel. Red stole a glance at Green as he descended the staircase numbered "16" across the room. Red figured Green didn't tell his number because it was the lowest number possible.

 

Lieutenant Surge's Suite on the S.S. Anne-

Surge phoned the Boss. "The game is in place, three Trainers have already entered their tunnels. Six more are making their way there. Soon the tournament will begin." He looked at the many television screens in his room. They were arranged in pyramid style. Eight screens lined the bottom, four on top of them, then two above those. Each screen showed a picture of a battle room.

"Very good, Lieutenant," said the Boss. "Soon, we will take all of their Pokémon, and then the ship will set sail for Headquarters. And what of the Elite Four?"

"One of them we have an eye on, day and night, but the other three I am confident that they are well off our trail."

"Let's hope so, Surge. However, my sources tell me that they even now suspect you and some of the other Gym Leaders. We must move quickly."