A Champions Beginning

You'll Be Ready

Ash and Bonnie both trained hard for their battles, whether in the sun or the rain they trained until it was time for them to face their opponents. When that time came, Bonnie stepped up first to battle for her second Kanto Gym Badge!

"Staryu! Battle time!" Misty called out the gym pokemon.

"Dedenne, let's go!" Bonnie held out her arm and Dedenne ran from her bag, up her side and off her arm.

The battlefield consisted of a large, circular pool of water with a ring of stone near the edge; a few rocks were also inside the large ring of stone. Dedenne hopped onto the bridge and sparked its cheeks in anticipation.

The referee stood up on the podium off to the side, "Battle, begin!"

"Staryu, use Tackle!"

"Wait for it!" Bonnie called out to her pokemon, "Now! To the side and use Nuzzle!"

Dedenne hopped off to the side before shooting towards Staryu and electrocuting it. Staryu fell down from the air and hit the water, disappearing as it became submerged. 

"Water Pulse!" Misty commanded and a ball of water suddenly shot up and exploded in the sky, "Now Tackle!"

Staryu shot out of the water and slammed into Dedenne, sending it to the water below.

"Dedenne!" Bonnie exclaimed, worried as her pokemon hit the water.

A moment later an idea came to Bonnie's mind, "Dedenne! If you can hear me, use Thundershock!" 

A few moments passed, and then the water began to crackle with energy as the Thundershock ripped through it; and Staryu suddenly shot out of the water, smoking from the attack. It landed near Misty, fainted.

"Good job!" Misty complimented, "But this one's gonna beat you for sure! Starmie, let's go!"

Dedenne swam back to the surface and clambered up the rocks. Starmie spun around as it came out of the pokeball, ready for a fight.

"Start off with Rapid Spin!" Misty commanded and Starmie shot into action; its body slamming into Dedenne with enough force to send the electric type off the ring and onto the rocks below.

"Dedenne! Use Tackle!"

Dedenne jumped up at Starmie, hitting it full on with its tiny body; tossing the water-psychic type a few feet away from it. Misty called for a Swift and a Rapid Spin, which caused Starmie to spin around while letting off the small stars from Swift. Dedenne was knocked back a ways and as Bonnie tried to think of ideas, Starmie used one final Rapid Spin.

"De!" Dedenne was tossed back to Bonnie, fainted.

"Dedenne!" Bonnie scooped it up into her arms, "You did good. Now it's your turn Fen!"

"Bonnie's got a type disadvantage this time..." Clemont muttered off to the side, only to be corrected by Ash, "Clemont, that doesn't matter! As long as she can think of something, she can find a way to win this."

"Starmie! Use Water Pulse!" Misty commanded, and Starmie shot off the ball of water at Fen.

"Quick! Use Psybeam on the attack!"

The beam from Fen's wand struck the Water Pulse head on, causing it to explode int he air.

"Rapid Spin with Swift again!" Misty commanded, and Starmie let off another combination attack.

"Dodge it by jumping up!" Bonnie called out, and Fen leaped into the air, "Now! Let's show 'em just how powerful we are Fen! Use Thunder Punch!"

Fen's wand was suddenly in its tail again as it dived down at Starmie, the electric type move connected with the water-psychic type; sending it down to the rocks below it.