My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

The Ninja Poké-Showdown

"Psyduck, cold water can make a headache even worse!" Misty pulled her Pokémon away from the water fountain he was drinking from. Initially, his antics had been slightly charming, but she was now just exasperated. "Sometimes, I just look at that Psyduck face and get a headache. Hey, Brock, how about a Trade? That Vulpix for my Psyduck?"
"No way!" Brock folded his arms, and Vulpix snootily stood closer to her caretaker.
"He wouldn't take much time to brush, he only had three hairs!" Misty argued. Misty knew the importance of grooming your Pokémon, but Brock had spent half an hour that morning brushing Vulpix. Otherwise, the Fox Pokémon would get fussy, believing she had not recieved her usual level of care.
"Can we get to the Gym?" Ari said. She didn't appear amused by Misty's complaints, tapping her foot against the ground. Even Eevee had lost her usual pep. Misty knew that after having already spent two days in Fuchsia City - one visiting the Safari Zone, another training Dratini - Ari was anxious to finally face the Gym.
Fuchsia Gym spied the city from a cliff overlooking the area. Misty picked up Psyduck and decided she'd better save her breath for the hike up.

Ari immediately noticed the Fuchsia Gym's resemblance to an old-fashioned Kantonian Mansion. She slid the door open, finding a deserted space. It was like she had stepped into the past. Instinctively, she knew she was being watched. That only heightened the feeling that she was out of place; there was an outside force regarding her with suspicion, to learn her habits, to capitalise on weakness.
Ari snorted. Her mama had made sure she didn't show weakness easily.
Yet when Ari spotted what was watching her, she was caught off-guard. She hadn't expected her observer to be a purple puffball.
Her Pokédex booted up. Venonat, the Insect Pokémon. A Bug- and Poison-type. Its eyes function as radar, allowing it to see in the dark.
Ari couldn't decipher Venonat's expression before it turned at walked further into the mansion.
"Hey, wait up! Where's the Gym Leader?" Ari sprinted after it, jostling Eevee atop her head. She heard her friends running behind her, but didn't look back, focusing only on herself-
SMACK!
A electric current slammed Ari like a physical wall. Ari realised that it actually was an electrified wall, only invisible.
As her friends caught up, she also realised that there was something odd about the floor beneath them.
The panel of the trapped floor dipped, dropping the Trainers down below.

Ari pealed herself off of the mattress. Her group was surrounded by Voltorb - Ari knew the volatile Pokémon could explode at any moment.
A young woman stepped foward, her greenish hair pulled back in a ponytail. With her crimson lipstick and unblemished skin, she possessed a graceful figure, but was beautiful in the same way as a skilled predator was admirable. Venonat stood at her heels.
"Born in darkness, living in darkness... such is the fate of the ninja," she said. Ari didn't know Team Rocket were tutoring people in clichéd speeches. "I am Aya, ninja warrior."
"Isn't that colour a little bright for a ninja?" Criticised Misty.
Aya flushed the same electric pink as her outfit. "I don't need your fashion report."
"I think it suits you perfectly," Brock said.
"We've lost him already," Ari groaned quietly, to Misty's amusement.
Aya pushed Brock away and pinned him to a wall with a throwing star. "You may not leave here until you have a Battle with me."
Now, she was speaking Ari's language.

Aya led them through the maze of the mansion to a hidden door, which revealed a well-kept battlefield worthy of a Pokémon Gym. Ari and Aya took their places.
"One Pokémon each," Aya said.
Aya called forth Venonat, whilst Ari used Dratini.
Ari said, "Use Water Gun!" Dratini shot a jet of crystal clear water at Venonat.
"Dodge and use Tackle, Venonat!"
Venonat rolled sideways before ramming into Dratini. The Dragon-type retaliated by using Slam, hitting Venonat between the eyes with her tail.
"Thunder Wave!" Ari yelled. Electric waves poured from Dratini's Body, washing over Venonat and inflicting Paralysis.
Aya evened the playing field. "Stun Spore!" The spores inflicted Dratini with the same Status Condition.
Ari wasn't a fan of karma.
"Clever," she remarked. "But it won't stop us. Dratini, Dragon Rage!"
Despite every muscle having to fight the Paralysis, Dratini successfully fired a cluster of festering arcane energy. Venonat tried to roll backwards, but didn't fully escape the range of the blast.
Aya's features fell into a snarl. "Psybeam!"
Venonat shocked Dratini with a beam of mental energy. Dratini let out a high-pitched squeal as she writhed. However, sparks flickered up Venonat's body, and the attack ended prematurely.
Ari seized her chance. "Dragon Rage!"
Caught in Paralysis, Venonat fell victim to the finishing blow.
Once Brock cured Dratini's Paralysis, she slithered about in circles, the shy Pokémon ecstatic at her win. Ari draped Dratini across her shoulders and nuzzled the Dragon Pokémon's chin.
She nearly fell over when a Voltorb rushed passed it her. It exploded in the center of the room.