Episode 47:
Nemesis

Icy and Sara entered the city of Viridian. It was the first big city Sara had ever seen. All the tall buildings and lights amazed her. “What is this place?”

“It’s called Viridian City.”

“Where are we going in here?”

“To the pokémon gym. I’m going to win my final badge!”

“Huh... Why do you always want to win those badges? What good are they other than pretty to look at?”

“Uhhh... They show how good a trainer is. If you have a lot of badges, that means you’re a really good trainer. I’ve got seven badges, and this will be the eighth.” Sara nodded, still not completely understanding what Icy was telling her. She went along with it anyway. They walked towards the gym entrance.

They gasped as they looked at the magnificent gym. It was beautiful and huge. Icy had never seen such a great gym before. The two pikachus held hands as they approached the entrance. Two guards with long poles with large metal blades attached to them stopped Icy and Sara.

“Halt! Only trainers may enter the gym. Go find your masters.” One of the guards thought about snatching one of the pikachus.

“Let me through. I’m Icy, the Pikachu trainer. I’m here to challenge your boss!”

“Hahahaha!!! Quite big words for such a little rod...” Icy psyshocked the guard before he could finish talking. “AGHHHHH!!!!!!” he screamed in pain, dropping to the floor. His partner tended to him while Icy and Sara walked past.

“Humph... Losers...” They made their way to the main gym. It was just as elegant as the outside. A desk stood atop an upper level balcony in the room. Behind it, a large stain-glass window. A tall, slender man turned around in the chair.

“Hmm, hmm, hmmmmm... We meet again, Icy...”

“I... I... I... Icy... W...W...W...Who’s that......” Sara stuttered nervously.

“So, you want to win my Earth Badge do you. Since you are here on League provisions, I can’t kill you legally.”

“Such a pity Giovanni...” Icy retorted.

“Don’t speak so soon pikarunt. Dreadite may have failed to destroy you and keep...” He stopped mid-sentence and sat back in his chair. His figure was still shadowed by the light from behind. “Nevermind... If you want the Earth Badge, you must best me in a 3-on-3 pokémon battle.” He expanded a pokéball as Icy selected his first. “Go pokéball!” He threw his first pokéball into the arena revealing a Nidoking.

“Whoa! It’s huge!” Icy looked at the pokéball in his hand. “There’s no way I can beat that... Ahh, I have to try.” He threw the pokéball into the arena. “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Leafy!” Icy’s Oddish appeared on the gym floor. She shrieked upon seeing her enormous opponent.

“Hmmm... I didn’t know you practiced pokémon sacrifices. Oh well, that sorta makes two of us. Nidoking, horn attack.” Nidoking charged Leafy with his horn. She was petrified.

“Leafy, use your stun spore now!” Leafy obeyed Icy and quickly sprayed Nidoking with her stun spore. It stopped dead in its tracks. “Good work, now absorb his energy.” Nidoking tried moving but couldn’t while Leafy sucked away his power.

“Damn you Nidoking. Here, take this.” He threw Nidoking a Paralyze Heal and Nidoking broke free. It pounded Leafy into the wall.

“OOOOOOOOOODDDDDISHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” she screamed.

“No! Leafy, are you ok? Please, Leafy? Huh? AGHHHH!!!! She’s evolving too???” Sure enough, Leafy was evolving. She had already had much experience living in the wild and her courage and determination contributed to her growth. She grew plumper and slightly taller. Pedals sprouted from her head.

“GLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!” she proclaimed.

“WOW! Leafy evolved into a Gloom. Uhhhhhhhhh... Hmmmm... Oh. Leafy, sleep powder now!” Leafy let out sleep powder over Nidoking. It fell asleep almost instantly. “Horray!!! Great job Leafy! I knew you had it in you.”

“Gloooommm!” she shouted. Leafy jumped in celebration.

“Phaaa... Nidoking return. You won’t have it so easy this time. Go Kangaskhan!” The large pokémon emerged from its pokéball.

“Ohhh... Leafy, you’ve done your job, take a rest. Leafy, return. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hyper!” Icy’s Dratini appeared on the arena floor. This was the first time Icy had ever used Hyper to battle before. Hyper was ready for action and awaited Icy’s commands. “Hmm... I know... Hyper, water gun now!” Kangaskhan didn’t see it coming as Hyper rapidly slithered around the floor spraying it with water. The parent pokémon slipped on the wet floor and fainted after a quick hyper beam from Hyper.

“WHAT!!! This is impossible. Hmmm... You are a clever trainer Icy. But you are still no match for me... oh yeah... he quit... that little jerk... never should have created... aghhhhhh... go Rhydon!” Another giant horned pokémon came into play. Hyper sized up his opponent. “You won’t escape this one.” Rhydon charge the Dratini and smashed it across the floor. Hyper managed to get back up, but then fainted. Icy was shocked. Hyper was such a strong pokémon. Fortunately he wasn’t too badly injured and would be fine later.

“Ohh... Hyper, return. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hocus!” Icy’s Kadabra leapt onto the arena floor. “Ok Hocus. Show that horned beast who’s boss! Psybeam, maximum power now!” Kadabra needed little time to produce the massive wave of psychic energy. It hit Rhydon head on and made it faint. Giovanni’s jaw dropped. He was outraged.

“AGHH! You meddlesome pest. If this weren’t an official league match, I’d kill you now. Take you’re badge and get out.” He threw the Earth Badge as hard as he could at Icy. Icy used his telekinesis to float the badge into his hands. “You just watch your back. You may know about the name of my little operation, but that’s all you’ll ever know.” He clicked a button. The floor under Icy began to shake.

“Crap! Hocus, get us out of here, quick!” Hocus nodded and they were teleported to safety.

Back in his office, Giovanni sat down in his red chair. “D*** that pikachu. You told me you destroyed him.”

“I did. That lab no longer exists.”

“But the pikachu does! Mewtwo must have intervened. D*** him too. They are too close. Nothing and I mean nothing better go wrong with the Doomsday project. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

Giovanni stoked Persian’s fur. “Soon it will be complete. The engineers in the Amazon have already finished phase one. It’s only a matter of time.” He cupped his hands and sat back.

Meanwhile, Hocus teleported Icy and Sara outside the local pokécenter. “Let’s heal Hyper. He took a good beating during the battle.” They went up the front desk and Joy healed Hyper for Icy. “I can’t believe it. I’ve got all eight badges!” He couldn’t keep himself from jumping up and down throughout the pokécenter cheering. Many trainers were startled by the way the pikachu was acting. Most just went back to minding their own business though. As night fell, Icy could only dream about the wonderful feelings he had now that he’d won all eight badges. Sara curled up next to him and they both fell asleep...