Chapter 35

Redwald, Greta and Eusine arrived in Cerulean City before noon. It was cold but sunny. The Horsea fountains all around the city warmed a nice feeling up inside of them. But Redwald felt fiery for the upcoming Gym battle that he had been longing for. He dragged everyone alongside to the Pokécenter and made sure that his Pokémon were all healed up. Later, he checked the city map with Eusine to spot the location of the Gym. It was not that long from the Pokécenter. He pictured the map in his mind and left the Pokécenter right away. Normally, Greta or Eusine would tell him to just calm down and relax, but Gym battles have always been an exceptional case for everyone. Besides, thanks to Redwald forcing them to walk fast, they wouldn’t feel the cold as much.

Redwald found the Gym straight away as if he organized the city. The building was so giant that it was the most remarkable one in the city. The basement didn’t have any walls. It was entirely covered with glasses. The building had more floors which were covered with mostly walls, however. The blue colour dominated the building from the outside. There were purple parts, but they would get lost in the first blink in all those dark and light shades of blue.

Redwald stood still. Eusine realized he felt the thrill through his veins. Redwald needed to be calmed down, otherwise he would faint again. Eusine put his hand on Redwald’s shoulder. “Everything will be alright, Red.” He said. Hearing someone calling his name as “Red” was somehow relieving for him. Only people who are really close to Redwald would call him Red.

Redwald pushed the glass door and looked at the inside which was unable to be seen from the outside due to reflections on the mirrors.

Greta was amazed by the water tubes. They were gigantic and several inside. Water-type Pokémon would swim through the tubes. She remembered the leaflet that she grabbed first time she came to the city. The leaflet said the tubes were connected to the ocean in the west of Kanto. The Pokémon would swim from deep of the ocean and appear in the tubes. “What a water-type lover the Gym leader is…” Greta thought. By the time she remembered she was there for Redwald, she looked around to see him. He and Eusine were talking to a young girl behind a deck. She was a young, blonde girl with swimsuit to fit the theme of the Gym. She was relatively longer than her seemingly age. She didn’t look like she was any older than early 20’s. She walked toward them.

“In order to face the Gym leader, you are required to complete a trial.” The girl said. “Trial? What is this about?” Redwald hissed. “I’ve never heard of it before.” The girl kept smiling. “Most Gym leaders in Kanto require the trainers to complete a trial before the actual Gym battle. Each Gym has its own rules, after all.”

“If this is what the Leader wants… I have no option but to go for it, then.” Redwald accepted the defeat. The Gym Battle could still be performed that day, but it might just take longer than expected. He had no idea how exhausted he could be in the end, depending on the trial. “Let me guide you, then.” The girl said. “The trial takes place right outside of Cerulean City.”

The girl grabbed a backpack and walked outside. Redwald, Greta and Eusine followed her behind right away. Redwald soon walked next to her while Greta and Eusine decided to follow behind.

“I am Redwald, by the way.” He introduced himself. “I am coming from Pallet Town.” The girl smiled gently. “I am Tiffany, from Celadon City. But I have been working for Misty almost a decade.” She asked after a short silence. “How many badges do you have?”

“One, so far.” Redwald replied. “It is not that easy going out, catching and training Pokémon, and in the end facing an expert, you know…” Tiffany nodded. “How I wouldn’t know!” She giggled. “I’ve started off as a trainer for the Kanto League as well, you know.”

“What happened then?” Redwald asked. He seemed interested.

“I lost the league. Then, I let go of all my Pokémon. I visited Misty, the Gym leader afterwards. I asked her to help me train myself as a water-type expert. I was too scared that she would reject me. But it wasn’t the case.”

“Why water-type?”

Tiffany sighed. “Diversity, I guess…” It didn’t make any sense to Redwald. “There are too many water-type Pokémon in this region. If I were to choose Grass-type, for example, I would be very limited with my options, unless I explore other side of the world. But this is not the case with Water-type Pokémon. They can be found after every corner if you look carefully.”

“I didn’t know water was the most common type in Kanto.” Greta interrupted. “I mean, to think of it, I can name a lot of water-type Pokémon for sure, but… I wouldn’t say so necessarily.”

“The more you know!” Tiffany grinned. Eventually, they arrived in the trial site. They were standing just outside of Cerulean City. A river was standing in front which would lead to a cave.

“This is the first stage of your trial, Redwald.” Tiffany said. “First, you have to swim against the stream and reach to the finish point. But be careful, it won’t be easy. Also, a Pokémon of yours has to company you. I suggest you use a Pokémon that is either able to levitate or swim in the water.”

Redwald nodded.

“In the second stage, you will find yourself in a cave. There is an item in the cave, a Hyper Potion. Search and find it. Once you grab the item and bring it outside of the cave, you are safe to challenge the Gym leader.” Tiffany explained. “Your time will run out after sunset. Once the sun goes down and leaves the sky to absolute darkness, you are no longer able to compete in the trial. Needless to say, you may use one other Pokémon in the second stage, as well. Remember, it won’t once again be easy as it seems.”

Redwald changed his outfits. Eusine checked his watch. “You have around six hours, Red. Just calm down and do your best.”

“Remember, Red.” Greta interrupted. “Hyper Potions are put in pink bottles. Remember to find a pink bottle in the cave.”

“Thanks, you both.” Redwald said. “I will make sure to do it just fine. I even decided which Pokémon to use in both rounds.”

He grabbed a Poké Ball from his backpack and threw the ball, pushing the button on it. “Come out, Poliwag!” He said. Poliwag appeared on the grasses.

“A wise decision.” Eusine responded. “Poliwag can easily defeat the stream and reach to the finish line quickly.”

“I am more worried about myself, Eusine.” Redwald sighed. “It’s been months since the last time I actually swam. And this time, it is against the stream…”

“You’ll be fine, Red.” Greta said truthfully. “We’ve been on a journey for months already, and we still feed properly. We are way healthier than we were before.”

“We will see about that, Greta.” Redwald nodded. He finally jumped in the river. Poliwag chased him right behind. Once the two came to the surface and looked at each other. “Are you ready, Poliwag?” Redwald asked. Poliwag nodded. “Then, let’s go!” Redwald crowed. Poliwag sank in the deep of the river, while Redwald stroke out in the water.

Although Redwald felt a deep cold first time he jumped in the water, it got warmer as he swam against the stream. In the beginning, despite of being slower than Poliwag, Redwald could catch up with his partner. Poliwag would draw circles in the water to let Redwald catch him. But as the time processed and Redwald began to feel the burning pain on his chest, he had no choice but to slow down. Slower, but still steadily, Redwald pushed himself against the stream. Soon, his arms and shoulders began to hurt as well. He forced himself to go farther and farther until he gasped for breath. Eventually, he stopped swimming and held onto a branch reaching from a tree on the ground.

For a while, Redwald only took deep breathes and let them out. His heart, which he didn’t realise until that point, was pulsating violently. But it got better in a while. Poliwag came to the surface and leaned on Redwald’s body.

“Sorry, Poliwag. It was just too much for me to handle at once.” Redwald said. “That being said, I did much better than I’d expected. I guess Greta was right after all.”

Poliwag cried happily, holding on Redwald. Redwald checked the front point of the river. The finish line could be seen from there. There was a red signboard with the title “Finish Line of Cerulean Trial”.

“I think we can do it, Poliwag. Tiffany said it would be way harder than it looks but see. We are already… almost already, there.”

Poliwag cried again.

“Let’s go.” Redwald mumbled, letting go of the branch until suddenly, something came outside of the water. It was a Pokémon after all. The Pokémon span in the air and let his body outside of the shell. Only then, Redwald realised the Pokémon was hidden in his shell. The shape of him reminded Redwald of Squirtle that he had seen before, but this one was relatively bigger and had different shades on his body. Th Pokémon came out of his shell, that was when Redwald remembered studying this starter Pokémon back in school. That was evolved form of Squirtle, a Wartortle.

The Pokémon dove back in the river and came to surface. Half of his face was in the water, while the other half that contained his eyes was on the surface, staring at Redwald. Hopelessly, Redwald hoped the Pokémon would not mess with them and let them pass. He pushed himself into the middle of the lake and swam against the stream until the Pokémon jumped and fired a Water Gun on Redwald. Redwald found himself in the water, drowning. He came to surface and held onto a branch again. Poliwag stood beside.

“We have to take care of him first, Poliwag. Can you bear with me?” Redwald asked. Determinedly, Poliwag nodded.

“Use Double Slap!” Redwald ordered. Poliwag suddenly jumped in the air and landed on Wartortle’s head. Wartortle tried to protect himself by shaking Poliwag off his head, but Poliwag was holding on his head so hard that he did not get thrown off. His tail then began to glow. Poliwag slapped Wartortle’s face by shaking it. Once, and twice, and three times… Wartortle stepped back. Poliwag jumped in the river and came to the surface.

“Body Slam, now!” Redwald ordered. Poliwag’s body glowed as he suddenly swam toward Wartortle. Wartortle dove in the water and dodged the move. Once Poliwag stopped swimming, Wartortle suddenly came out of the water and opened his mouth big as he floated towards Poliwag. Eventually, he used Bite on Poliwag’s head. Poliwag cried in pain and swam backwards to keep distance.

“Don’t worry, Poliwag! You can do it!” Redwald shouted. “Use Water Gun, now!” He ordered. Poliwag fired Water Gun through his belly. The water hit Wartortle on his shell. The Pokémon got drowned in the water. “Body Slam, once again!” Redwald ordered. Poliwag came in the water and used Body Slam on the Pokémon. As the two Pokémon are quite fast in the water, however, Wartortle dodged the move and went surface. Poliwag followed behind.

Redwald was annoyed for the fact that the trial was getting more exhausting than he’d imagined. Poliwag was also getting tired for jumping, swimming and chasing. He had no choice but to make wiser, sensible choices that wouldn’t make Poliwag unnecessarily tired.

“Pull off a Water Gun!” Redwald ordered. Poliwag jumped again and fired the move on Wartortle. Once again, Wartortle swam in the water to dodge the move. The Water Gun that Poliwag put on the river caused relatively high waves. Redwald had to hold onto a branch even harder.

Wartortle once again came to surface. He and Poliwag looked at each other in the eye, mad. Redwald realised the possibility of quitting the trial for the sake of Poliwag. He was coming closer to his limits. Before this decision, Redwald tried his last chance. “Use Double Slap, Poliwag!”

Poliwag jumped with the last pinch of his energy. As his tail glowed bright, he hit Wartortle with very hard tail that he had. One hit, two after, and three… Wartortle grabbed Poliwag’s stone-hard tail before fourth hit and used Water Gun on Poliwag.

Redwald made his decision – he was going to withdraw. But something he realised – something that he forgot could give him one last hope; Poliwag’s ability, Water Absorb. Poliwag absorbed all the water that Wartortle fired and turned it into energy for himself. Redwald didn’t see tiredness in Poliwag’s eyes anymore. There was the spirit of battle. It was there, waiting for an order.

“Use Body Slam!” Redwald ordered. Poliwag hit Wartortle on the face. The Pokémon stumbled on the surface but eventually let himself lie on the water. He was floating on the water motionlessly. Redwald knew what it meant. Wartortle was fainted, he was out of the picture. Redwald grabbed the fainted Pokémon on the water and carried him on the grasses. Poliwag was standing beside him. “You’ve done your job perfectly fine.” Redwald said. Poliwag nuzzled his head on Redwald’s chest. The fainted Pokémon was left on the grasses, Redwald and Poliwag kept swimming until they reached to the entrance of a cave, in which the river was extending.

Tiffany, Greta and Eusine were waiting for him to arrive. “I assume you’ve defeated Wartortle if you could make it up until here.” She said. Redwald nodded. “It wasn’t easy but here we are.” He said.

“Congratulations, then.” Tiffany said. “For the next round, you know what to do. You have to go in the cave and find the item. But before that, call your Pokémon back and replace him. It is too much for a Pokémon to bear with at once.”

Redwald and Poliwag looked at each other. “Thank you, Poliwag. You’ve been a great help for me.” He said. Poliwag climbed to the grasses and sat on them. Redwald also came out of the water before he called his Pokémon in his Poké Ball. He then checked his backpack and grabbed another Poké Ball. “This time, I need your assistance, Pidgey!” He shouted as he pushed the button on the Poké Ball and threw it to the air. Pidgey appeared floating in the air. “We have an item to find. Are you ready, Pidgey?” Redwald asked. Pidgey flapped his wings and cried out. “Prrrrrr!” He was ready.

“Remember what I said.” Greta interrupted. She was referring to the tip that she gave about the item. “I will, Greta.” Redwald responded. He jumped in the water and swam against the stream as Pidgey followed him flying in the air. Soon later, Redwald and Pidgey entered the cave and disappeared in the darkness…

Inside of the cave was cold for a human body. There was no natural light inside. There were gems that sparkled, mostly green. They were bright enough to enlighten the inside of the cave. Redwald swam through the circle water and finally stood on the ground. Due to cold and his wet body, he began to shake. He needed his dry clothes and some sun light.

Pidgey approached him. “Keep an eye on anything.” Redwald said. “We are looking for an item in a pink bottle.” Pidgey nodded and floated around the cave to look for it. Redwald worried that the bottle could be hidden somewhere that no gem would enlighten. How long would it take to find it? Hours, days?

“Prrrrr! Prrrrrr!”

Pidgey’s cry distracted Redwald from his hopeless thoughts. He spotted Pidgey drawing a circle on the edge of the cave. What was he up to? Redwald looked at the middle of the circle that he drew. The pink bottle was down there, above another gem. The bottle was glowing bright.

“You’ve found it, Pidgey!” Redwald grinned. He got ready to jump in the water again and swim until the bottom of the river to grab the item. Once again, he felt the absolute cold through his veins. He tried to not care about it. He dove in the water and swam toward the item. He got closer and extended his hand. Before touching the item, Redwald took a second to think. It had been so easy compared to Wartortle obstacle on the way. He knew he wasn’t meant to grab the item and walk away just like that. Just as he thought all those possibilities, he received a damage from something in the water. It was such a hard hit that he hit the ground and felt an absolutely strong pain on his back. He, however, pushed himself toward the surface and got off the water.

He took a deep breath first. “That’s just what I expected!” He panted. “Pidgey, get ready. We have an enemy to defeat!”

Soon later, a Pokémon came to surface and showed his head. A blue Pokémon with a long snout and fin ridges curving over his head. It suddenly hit Redwald. “That’s a Seadra…” He mumbled. He tried to remember what kind of Pokémon he was. He studied one back in school. “There was this gene that couldn’t be found in its unevolved form…” That was all that he could remember. “It was a pure Water-type, I believe…”

While he kept himself busy thinking about the Pokémon when he needed his Pokédex the most, Seadra fired Toxic toward Redwald. Pidgey flew through the air and stood between Seadra and Redwald to take the damage. The Toxic hit Pidgey right on his chest. Pidgey fell on the ground, poisoned.

“No!” Redwald responded. “Hang in there, Pidgey! We will make it!” He shouted. He knew he was not allowed to use more than one Pokémon. Poison was absorbing Pidgey’s energy little by little every passing second. He had to think faster. “Use Quick Attack!”

Pidgey suddenly flew through the air and hit Seadra’s head. Seadra dove in the water and disappeared for seconds until he came out to hit Pidgey with Take Down. Pidgey stumbled in the air and came too close to fell in the river. But he pulled himself together and flew back to the ground.

“Don’t hold back, Pidgey! Use Gust!” Redwald ordered. Pidgey flapped his wings and created a gust in the cave. Everything flew around, and the water became rough. Seadra kept going inside of the water and coming to surface. Before waiting the water to calm, Seadra jumped off the water and used Hydro Pump. A giant body of water came out of his snout which was straight directed to Pidgey.

“Dodge it, Pidgey!” Redwald responded. But Pidgey was not fast enough to dodge such sudden and strong move. The whole body of water absorbed Pidgey in the middle and wet the Pokémon entirely. The water poured on Redwald later, however. In the end, the ground was all slippery and wet, just as Redwald and Pidgey were.

Redwald now was freezing until his bones. He was shaking really hard and was almost incapable of speaking. “We… have to do… this…” He hissed, shaking. It was not much different for Pidgey, as well. The Pokémon received a great damage, he was poisoned and freezing just like his trainer.

Redwald knew his slow motions wouldn’t be any use, but he had no choice other than keeping this up. After going almost until the end, giving up at that point would be a massive disappointment.

“Use Quick Attack!” Redwald ordered. Pidgey flew through Seadra, but slower. Seadra took his chance and used Take Down on Pidgey before he reached. Pidgey, after receiving a psychical damage, lost his balance in the air and fell in the water.

“Pidgey, no!” Redwald shouted. He saw his Pokémon in the water for a couple of seconds, but then lost his sight in the deep of the water. Was he fainted? Could he not come out of the water? In this case, Redwald had to save his Pokémon by diving in and rescuing from the bottom, but only if Seadra lets him.

For a brief second, Redwald felt a great pain on his chest for the possibility of letting his Pokémon die for being an unskilled trainer. That would be a huge trauma for him to bear with. “I have no choice but to save the Pokémon in my responsibility.” He snapped. Just as he prepared himself to jump in, a light in the water caught his attention. This white, bright light was next to Hyper Potion bottle.

Redwald stood next to the water and watched the inside carefully. Seadra did the same. The water light grew bigger in seconds. The head-like part grew something long. The tail-like part grew bigger. The same happened to the entire “body”.

That sparkling light reminded Redwald of something that he had experienced before… Was it actually an evolution?

The light went off. The shadow moved on the pink light of Hyper Potion and it came to surface in seconds along with the pink bottle. A brand-new Pokémon came to surface and flew in the air with his wide-open wings and strong look in the eye. He carried the bottle to Redwald and floated in the air.

“A Pidgeotto… Pidgey, did you just… evolve?” Redwald crowed. He shared the proud feeling of evolving his very first Pokémon since he began his journey.

Pidgeotto drew a circle in the air and let his wings glow bright. After that, he flew toward Seadra and used Wing Attack on him. Seadra hit the wall and got dizzy. Pidgeotto drew another circle and used Quick Attack one after another. Eventually, Seadra fainted and disappeared under water.

Pidgeotto flew back to Redwald. Redwald was holding the Hyper Potion. “Congratulations, Pidgeotto.” He said. “I did it thanks to you.”

“Prrrrrr! Prrrrrr!” Pidgeotto was cheering the moment. After that, the two swam back to outside of the cave. Greta, Eusine, Tiffany and another lady were waiting for them. Redwald put the Hyper Potion on the grasses.

“You did it!” Greta crowed, running with a blanket to her friend. She covered Redwald all around with the soft blanket. Redwald felt so good to have it on his skin, but he was just too exhausted to say any word. He just sat on the grasses with closed eyes and enjoy the moment.

Eusine walked toward him. “I see your Pidgey evolved, also.” He said. Redwald opened his eyes to see Eusine in the eye. He felt the proud look on Eusine’s face. Redwald didn’t know why exactly, but the proud in his eyes satisfied Redwald so much that it gave him even farther inspiration to accomplish what he aimed for. “He did.” He answered.

A girl with orange hair interrupted them. Her hair was attached with a pony tail on the left side. She was wearing a dark blue swimsuit. “Congratulations for competing at the Cerulean Trial.” She said. “I am the Gym leader, Misty. My profession is Water-type Pokémon.”

“Thanks.” Redwald said.

“I expect to see you at Cerulean Gym tomorrow.” She said. She winked and walked away with Tiffany. Redwald enjoyed the warm blanked that wrapped him all around with Pidgeotto by his side.

Characters

 * Redwald Walker
 * Greta Parker
 * Eusine Hunter
 * Tiffany
 * Misty

Pokémon

 * (mentioned)
 * (mentioned)
 * (mentioned)
 * (mentioned)
 * (mentioned)