After winning my 5th gym badge at the Fuschia City gym we started to head out to Saffron City when suddenly Misty realised that she was missing one of her pokeballs. Knowing that she must have left it at the Pokemon center we went back to Fuschia City and picked it up. Once we got it I suggested, "Misty, I'm thinking that since you were so stressed at the loss of your pokeball, maybe we should have some beach time to chill out for a while. "Ok, that sounds great." Said Misty. After a really nice couple of hours at the beach we then made sure we had everything before departing for Saffron City. When we got to Saffron City we discovered that the town was in a panic because Team Rocket had taken over the Silph Co building. We then went in and battled Team Rocket along the way. While going through the building we came across a man who gave me a lapras. I decided to nickname her Nessie. Once I got Nessie I used her for the rest of my time in the Silph Co building. During this time Nessie learned ice beam and water pulse. Eventually we saw Giovanni again and after a hard fought battle, we defeated him and Team Rocket left Saffron City. As I was about come up to the gym, Misty decided to teach Nessie how to use the move surf which was a more powerful water type move than water pulse. We then went into the gym and I battled the trainers before coming up to the gym leader Sabrina. I then introduced myself and said, "My name is Jason and I challenge you to a gym battle." "Ok I accept your challenge." Said Sabrina. To start the battle, I sent out Zappy and Sabrina sent out abra. "Zappy use thunderbolt." I called. Zappy fired off an extremely powerful shock which to my surprise took abra out in one hit. Stunned, the referee said, "uh, abra is unable to battle, raichu wins." "Wow Zappy, that was amazing. I said, still surprised by how easily abra was defeated. "Wow, that raichu of yours is very strong." Said Sabrina. I then replied, "Thanks Sabrina." "Ok, go kadabra." Said Sabrina. I thought to myself that this would me a much harder opponent so I called Zappy back to his ball to preserve his energy and sent Ferno out in his place. "Ferno, use flamethrower."I called out. The flames hit kadabra hard but they only did a modest amount of damage. Sabrina then said in response, "Kadabra, use psybeam." A beam of psychic energy hit Ferno hard in response doing about the same as I did to her. I then called, "Ferno, use wing attack." Ferno's wing attack struck kadabra hard did big damage but not quite enough to defeat it. "Ferno, flamethrower again." I then yelled, suddenly feeling a rush of adrenaline through my body. Sabrina said in response "Kadabra, psybeam again." The two attacks hit each other hard resulting in a huge explosion which knocked both pokemon out at once. "Both charizard and kadabra are unable to battle." Said the referee. As I called Ferno back in his pokeball I said, "Great job Ferno, you were really awesome." Sabrina then called kadabra buck and sent out her strongest pokemon alakazam in it's place. Knowing that this would be the toughest opponent of all, I sent out Zappy again. "Alakazam, use psychic." Said Sabrina. "Dodge, then thunder wave." I said in response. The psychic blast just barely scraped the edge of Zappy's tail and did a little bit damage but not much at all, then he fired of a jolt of electricity which paralysed alakazam. "Zappy, thunderbolt." I called. Then Sabrina said " Alakazam, psychic again." The attacks passed by each other doing big damage to alakazam but unfortunately knocking Zappy out. "Raichu is unable to battle, alakazam is the winner." Said the referee. I then called Zappy back to his pokeball and thanked him for doing what I wanted him to do. I then called, "Go Nessie." My newly acquired lapras came out pumped for her first gym battle. "Nessie, use ice beam." I called. Nessie then fired a cold beam of energy at alakazam doing big damage but not quite enough to take it out. Sabrina then said in response, "Alakazam, use psychic again." Alakazam's psychic did a surprisingly huge amount of damage but Nessie still held on nicely. I then called out "Nessie, use surf." Nessie then created a huge wave of water which finally took alakazam down. "Alakazam's unable to battle, lapras wins, so victory to Jason." Announced the referee. I then ran over to Nessie and hugged her for winning in her first gym battle before calling her back to her ball, then ran towards Misty and hugged her as well. "That was one of the best battles I've ever seen from you, Jason." Said Misty. I then replied, "Thanks Misty." Sabrina then came up to me and said to me, "Jason, as proof of your victory at the Saffron City gym, I award you the marsh badge." "Thanks Sabrina." I replied. Then Sabrina said, "I suggest that for your next badge, that you go to Cinnabar Island." With that, Misty and I went to the pokemon center for a rest, then left Saffron City and headed for Cinnabar Island.
