NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Team Rocket?
On the flying boat, Zephyr felt a mix of emotions.
He hadn't expected Emma to wake up in the next few days. The thought left him a bit helpless.
After half a day in the air, he finally reached Cerulean City.
Zephyr's goal? The Cascade Badge.
The Cerulean Gym was run by Misty's three older sisters, each as beautiful as a fairy. If he could win their favor… well, he wouldn't complain.
Smirking at the thought, Zephyr guided the flying boat to land quietly on the outskirts of the city. He stepped off and made his way toward Cerulean City, keeping a low profile. Drawing attention wasn't part of the plan.
But not far away, two Team Rocket grunts were observing Zephyr from a cliff.
"Hey, did you see that?" one of them, a woman with a large R on her chest, said. "That kid was piloting a flying boat, but it just disappeared out of nowhere!"
"Yeah, I saw it, too," her male companion replied. "That kid looks loaded. Probably carrying some rare and strong Pokémon. Should we intercept him?"
"We have to," the woman said, brushing her long hair. "The boss has been on our case lately, saying we haven't done anything worthwhile. If we bring back something powerful, maybe he'll finally stop complaining."
The man laughed. "Better us than Jessie, James, and Meowth! I heard they're still chasing after some Pikachu and failing every single mission. The boss is this close to kicking them out!"
The woman rolled her eyes. "Don't even mention Jessie. She's always bragging about her 'genius plans.' Last time I saw her, she wouldn't shut up about catching that Pikachu to impress the boss. Like that's ever going to happen."
The man smirked. "Forget those losers. Let's focus on that kid. He looks like an easy target."
---
Meanwhile, Zephyr strolled into Cerulean City, taking in the sights.
The seaside city bustled with life, its streets filled with shops selling Poké Balls, potions, and even unique Pokémon food. Trainers walked alongside Water-types like Starmie and Poliwhirl, and some even used Pokémon like Horsea to carry shopping bags.
"This city's got charm," Zephyr muttered, glancing at the bright blue ocean in the distance.
But he wasn't here to sightsee. His goal was clear. After navigating the busy streets, he finally arrived at the Cerulean Gym.
As he stepped inside, a burst of laughter greeted him.
"Daisy, your Horned Goldfish is tiny compared to mine!"
"Lily, are you kidding? Mine's clearly the strongest!"
"If you don't believe me, come check it out!"
Zephyr blinked, confused. He was here for a Gym battle, but this sounded... weird.
"Violet, yours is average at best. Let the others decide."
Shaking his head, Zephyr walked into the main hall. His entrance caught the attention of the three sisters, who turned to face him.
"Oh, a visitor! What brings you here?" Daisy, with her flowing blonde hair, asked with a teasing smile.
"I'm here for a Gym battle," Zephyr said, standing tall.
The sisters exchanged glances before Violet giggled. "Oh, so you're a trainer. We thought you were here to admire our beautiful Pokémon!"
Lily smirked. "Or maybe admire us."
Zephyr sighed, realizing how this was going to go. These sisters weren't exactly the most serious Gym Leaders.
"Listen," Zephyr said, trying to stay polite. "I'll admire your skills if we can start the match."
The sisters paused, then laughed. "Alright, alright," Daisy said. "But don't be surprised if you lose to us and our Horned Goldfish!"
Zephyr couldn't help but shake his head. This was going to be interesting.
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In Cerulean City Gym.
Zephyr stood across from the three Cerulean Sisters on the battle platform.
The gym was a water-type arena, with a large pool as the battlefield. Floating platforms were placed for non-water Pokémon to fight.
"Come out, Goldeen!"
[Detected: Goldeen (Owned, 20 meters away).
Pokémon Type: Water.
Description: Its tail flows like a veil, and its elegant swimming is admired as "water dancing." Its strong tail allows it to climb waterfalls, and it's often kept as a pet for its beauty.
Skills: Tail Whip, Horn Attack, Water Gun.
Combat Power: 120.]
Zephyr smirked as the Goldeen appeared. "This weakling? Fine by me."
"Hey, little brother, ready to battle me?" said Daisy, the eldest sister, tossing out her Staryu.
"Sure. Flash-Muk, it's your turn!"
A shimmering, colorful Muk appeared, emitting a faint scent.
"Ugh, how can you bring Muk here? It'll dirty the pool!" Daisy whined.
Zephyr ignored her complaints. "Muk, Mud-Slap! Dirty the pool!"
Muk attacked relentlessly, turning the once-clear water into a muddy mess. Goldeen, disoriented, lost its advantage in the water.
"Goldeen, jump and use Horn Attack!" Daisy commanded.
Zephyr smirked. "Muk, Sludge Bomb!"
As Goldeen leaped out of the water, it was hit mid-air by Muk's attack, knocked out instantly, and sank into the murky pool.
"Nooo! I give up!" Daisy cried, backing away.
The next one, Lily, stepped forward. "Go, Staryu!"
[Detected: Staryu (Owned, 20 meters away).
Pokémon Type: Water.
Description: Found in oceans or caves, its red core flashes, communicating with stars. It can regenerate lost limbs.
Skills: Tackle, Harden, Water Gun, Swift.
Combat Power: 260.]
Zephyr chuckled. "Muk, finish this quickly."
Muk attacked with another powerful Sludge Bomb. Staryu went down within moments.
Two wins in a row. Just one more to claim the Cascade Badge.
"Lily, we can't beat him!" Daisy said.
Violet, the third sister, took her turn. She sent out Seel, her last hope.
Zephyr hesitated. Seel's combat power was lower than Staryu's. Defeating it felt too easy.
Before the battle could begin, an explosion shook the gym.
A hot air balloon descended, with a big red "R" emblazoned on it.
"I heard someone in need!"
"So we'll bring some greed!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!"
Zephyr rolled his eyes. Of course, it had to be Team Rocket...
"James, look at that Muk! It's so rare!" Jessie exclaimed.
"If we bring it to the boss, we'll get promoted for sure!" James added.
Zephyr's face darkened. These idiots dare to mess with me, their young master?
"Muk, Sludge Bomb! Aim for their balloon!"
Muk launched its attack, striking the balloon. It exploded instantly, sending Team Rocket flying.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
Zephyr sighed. "Do they train them all to say that when they lose?"
The Cerulean Sisters watched in awe.
"Wow, he drove Team Rocket away like it was nothing!"
"Last time they showed up, it took us forever to deal with them!"
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T/N: don't mind the logic of having to battle 2 of the three sisters or so. If you wanna curse someone for his stupidity, you can curse "Guǎngchǎng wǔ dàshū", the one that made this fic!