Let's Get Going! (Pokémon)

Chapter 16: Long Road

"Muk, it's your time!" Koga called as he sent out the Sludge Pokémon. Blastoise was still hurt and had done more than enough, so I recalled him and sent out my strongest Pokémon. Eevee looked happy to be a part of the battle.

"Muk, Protect against whatever Eevee will throw at you!" Koga yelled.

"Do all of your Pokémon know that annoying move?!" I cried. "Eevee, you can't do anything against Muk until the Protect wears off! When it does, use Swift!" As the shield started to flicker, stars formed around Eevee before he violently dispelled them. They hit Muk, but didn't do as much damage as I hoped they would.

"Muk, use Sludge Bomb!" Koga commanded. Muk threw up a portion of its body at Eevee, which barely fazed him at all. "Now use Protect to prevent counter attacks!"

"I hate this stupid move!" I screamed. "Eevee, wait to attack, then Swift it to oblivion!" I was pretty annoyed with the whole thing, and ready for Muk to faint. Eevee's Swift made a huge dent in its body, and it seemed to be in pain.

"...Sludge Bomb," Koga said calmly, seeming to know that Muk was going to faint soon. Muk weakly threw a poisonous crap ball at Eevee, which unfortunately hit the mark.

"Eevee, finish Muk off with Quick Attack!" I commanded. It was too much for Muk, and it sank into a puddle of sludge. Koga returned it and sent out his final Pokémon, Golbat.

"Start out with Protect!" the ninja master ordered. I grit my teeth.

"Quick Attack when it wears off, Eevee!" I shouted. Eevee gave it everything he had, probably because he could sense my frustration or something cheesy like that. Golbat was hurt pretty bad, and it might've actually had a broken bone or two.

"Golbat, use Toxic!" Koga said. Golbat coughed up some obviously poisonous particles. They landed on Eevee and I could tell something was seriously wrong. My Pokémon winced in pain and I knew he'd been inflicted with poison.

"Now, we are even!" Koga exclaimed. "Golbat, use Protect!"

"Hold on, Eevee! Wait, what the hell are you doing!?" I watched in shock as Eevee flexed all of its muscles in a sort of pattern. As he did that, drops of purple liquid came out of his pores. He shook himself and a poisonous spray came off. Eevee looked back at me reassuringly, as if to say that he got rid of the poison for my sake.

"Good job, Eevee! Use a Quick Attack now that Golbat's Protect is gone!" Eevee struck Golbat out of the air, ending the battle and winning me the Soul Badge.

"Hmph!" Koga grunted as he returned his Pokémon. "You have proven your worth! Here! Take a Soul Badge!" I picked up my 5th badge and gave Eevee a victory high-five. Janine, who I completely forgot was watching the battle, approached me.

"Wow, you're really tough to have beaten my dad!" The ninja trainee exclaimed. "Take this, it's TM27 Toxic. My family has been using this move for nearly 400 years. Use it well."

"I will, Janine, don't worry," I said, knowing that I'd probably never use it. "Good luck changing the gym system!"

"Thank you, Elaine." Janine said. "I hope to battle you someday in the future, so come back sometime!"

I waved good-bye and left the gym. It was much brighter outside, and I walked down the street to the Pokémon Center. I stayed the night, and decided to go back to Saffron City the next morning.

~~~

As a surprise to no one, I ran into someone I knew outside of town. Greta was looking through the binoculars in the rest area above the gate between Fuchsia City and the rest of Route 15.