by Tracey West
Meowth faced Misty angrily. “I guess it’s up to me,” it said.
Misty recalled Staryu. She threw out a third ball. “Go, Psyduck!”
A chubby yellow Pokémon that looked like a duck popped out.
Meowth grinned. “Getting rid of this birdbrain will be easy,” Meowth said. “Scratch attack!”
Meowth lunged at Psyduck, its claws bared. It scratched Psyduck across the face.
“Psy, psy.” Psyduck didn’t seem bothered by Meowth’s Fury Swipe.
Meowth frowned. “Now I’ll use Bite!” it yelled.
Meowth opened its mouth wide and tried to bite Psyduck’s big head.
“Psy. Psy.” Psyduck moaned. Its eyes began to blink rapidly.
“That’s it, Psyduck,” Misty shouted. “Use Disable!”
Psyduck blinked. A light glowed on its head. Then the light covered Meowth.
“I can’t move!” Meowth cried.
“Now use Confusion,” Misty told Psyduck.
“Psy-aye-aye!” Psyduck cried. A bright light flashed, and Meowth went careening backward. It crashed into James. The two fell to the ground in a faint.
Slowly, Meowth and James got up.
“I can’t believe we lost to a little twerp like her,” Meowth complained.
“All we were trying to do was find some Salveyo Weed to help Jessie,” James said.
Meowth and James sulked away.
“Good battle, Psyduck,” Misty said, recalling her Pokémon. “But we really need to find that Salveyo Weed for Ash and Tracey.”
Poliwag rubbed against Misty’s legs affectionately.
“Poliwag, do you think you can do us a favor?” Misty asked.
Poliwag nodded.
“We need to find some Salveyo Weed.” She showed it the picture in the Pokédex. “Do you know where we can find some?”
“Poli! Poli!” Poliwag said excitedly. It jumped into the lake.
A moment later, Poliwag swam back with strands of the green plant in its mouth.
“All right!” Misty said.
Misty called on Staryu again. “Let’s go!”
Poliwag dove back into the water. Misty held onto Staryu’s back as they dove down to the lake bottom. Clumps of Salveyo Weed grew along the sandy floor.
Misty, Staryu, and Poliwag gathered as much of the plant as they could. Then they swam back to the shore.
“We’ve got what we need,” Misty said. “Let’s get to Ash and Tracey.”
Before leaving, Misty placed a pile of the Salveyo Weed on the shore.
“Togi?” Togepi wondered.
“We may be enemies, but I can’t turn my back on someone in trouble,” Misty said. “Team Rocket can use this to help Jessie.”
Poliwag followed them back to the hut.
“Pikachu!” Pikachu was relieved to see them.
Misty quickly boiled the plant in fresh water. She gave Ash and Tracey a cup of the hot liquid.
As the liquid slipped down his throat, Ash could feel the sensation coming back to his arms and legs. His whole body felt cooler. He sat up.
“Sorry it took me so long,” Misty said. She told Tracey and Ash about her battle with James.
Tracey sat up next. He noticed Poliwag.
“Looks like you’ve caught a Poliwag,” Tracey said.
“I guess I did,” Misty admitted. She turned to Poliwag. “How would you like to come along with me and Togepi?”
“Poli! Poli!” Poliwag said happily. Togepi chirped and gave the Water-type Pokémon a hug.
Ash stood up and stretched his arms.
“I hope your new Poliwag is ready to go,” Ash said. “I’ve got a Winner’s Cup to win!”
Soon, Ash and his friends were riding on the back of Lapras, Ash’s large blue Water- and Ice-type Pokémon. An island rose out of the ocean a short distance away. Ash could see a round stadium on top of the island.
“It’s Pummelo Island!” Ash said. “Pummelo Stadium is where the battle for the Winner’s Cup is held. We’re here, Pikachu!”
Pikachu jumped up on Ash’s shoulder. “Pikachu!” it said happily.
Lapras was just reaching the shore. Ash was so excited that he ran into town as soon as Lapras was safely back in its Poké Ball. He couldn’t wait to get started!
Ash’s friends followed him into the STADIUM OFFICE. A man with gray hair and a mustache stood behind a counter. A badge on his jacket read Tournament Clerk.
“I’ve come to apply to enter the Orange League,” Ash told him. He showed the clerk all four of the Orange League badges he had earned. All four of the badges were shaped like seashells with jewels in the middle. They proved that Ash had defeated the Orange Crew, the four main Orange League Gym Leaders.
The tournament clerk took out a small handheld scanner and held it over each badge. The scanner beeped every time.
“All four badges check out,” he said. “That qualifies you to compete for the Winner’s Cup.”
“All right!” Ash said.
“Hey, Ash, look at this,” Tracey said. In the corner of the office sat a small, stone statue of a Dragon-type Pokémon. “I wonder what kind of Pokémon this is.”
The clerk smiled as if he knew a secret. “Your match is tomorrow morning, Ash,” he said. “Let me show you and your friends the Palace of Victory.”
Ash and the others followed the old man down the street to a round building with a domed roof. Inside, the walls were lined with photos of Pokémon Trainers and stone tablets with Pokémon footprints in them.
“These photos are here to honor those who have won the Orange League Winner’s Cup,” the tournament clerk said. “In order to enter the hall, you have to defeat the leader of Pummelo Stadium in a full battle.”
“A full battle?” Ash asked. “What’s that?”
“That’s a six-on-six battle,” replied the clerk. “Six of your Pokémon against six of the leader’s Pokémon. The six Pokémon take turns battling. A Trainer can recall a Pokémon if it gets weak, and then use it again later. Of course, if a Pokémon faints, it’s out of the battle. The battle ends when all six of one Trainer’s Pokémon have fainted.”
“That’s a long battle,” Tracey told Ash. “You’ll have to think carefully about which types you’ll use.”
Tracey pointed to another statue of the Dragon-type Pokémon. “Excuse me, sir. What kind of Pokémon is that?”
“It’s a Dragonite,” he replied. “The legendary Pokémon that guards this island.”
“I knew it!” Tracey said.
Ash took out his Pokédex. “Dragonite, the Dragon- and Flying-type Pokémon,” Dexter said. “This extremely rare species is able to fly faster than any other Pokémon.”
“Drake, the leader of Pummelo Stadium, commands a Dragonite,” the clerk said.
“He does?” Ash asked a little nervously. He’d never battled a Dragonite before. He knew they were pretty powerful.
“No one has won the Winner’s Cup since Drake arrived,” said the tournament clerk.
“Wow, Ash,” Misty said. “You’ve got a big challenge ahead of you. It’s going to be tough.”
“You can say that again!” Ash said. “I’d better go work out a strategy.”
The friends headed to the local Pokémon Center. Once they were inside, Ash let his Pokémon out of their Poké Balls.
“Wake up, everybody!” Ash cried.
Charizard appeared and stomped its feet. Then came Bulbasaur, a Grass- and Poison-type Pokémon. Lapras burst out and shot a stream of water from its mouth. Squirtle, a cute turtle Pokémon, squirted water with Lapras. Pikachu joined them by shooting electric sparks into the air.
Then came Ash’s sixth Pokémon, Snorlax. The big, fat Pokémon was sound asleep.
“Snorlax just had a big meal one hour ago,” Tracey reminded him. “It only wakes up when it’s hungry. It probably won’t wake up in time for the competition.”
“You’re right,” Ash said. He put Snorlax back in its Poké Ball. “I’ll see if I can g
et one of my other Pokémon from Professor Oak.”
Professor Oak had started Ash on his Pokémon journey by giving him a Pokédex and his very first Pokémon, Pikachu. Because Pokémon Trainers were only allowed to carry six Pokémon at a time, Ash’s extra Pokémon were in the professor’s care.
Ash explained his problem to Professor Oak.
“Are you sure you want to use a Pokémon you haven’t used before?” Professor Oak asked. “Pokémon battle better when they know their Trainers.”
“I don’t have a choice,” Ash said. “Besides, you’ve been training them, haven’t you?”
“I suppose,” Professor Oak said. He looked thoughtful. “You can use Muk or Tauros.”
The wild bull Pokémon walked up to Professor Oak and snorted. Ash had caught his Tauros in the Safari Zone. He had never used it in battle. But it was a strong, solid Pokémon. It would make a good replacement for Snorlax.
“I choose Tauros!” Ash said.
“Then let’s make the exchange,” Professor Oak said.
Next to the videophone was a Poké Ball transfer machine. Ash placed Snorlax’s Poké Ball on a metal platform. White light zapped the Poké Ball from above. It vanished.
Then more light zapped the platform. Another Poké Ball appeared.
Ash threw out the ball. “Tauros, I choose you!”
The brown Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. It snorted and pawed its front leg. It waved all three of its tails.
“That’s a nice Tauros, Ash,” Tracey said admiringly.
“It sure is,” Ash said. “And with its help, I’m going to win the match tomorrow!”
“Pummelo Stadium is pulsing with energy as it welcomes a new challenger,” said the announcer. “Not one challenging Trainer has beat Drake, the stadium leader, since he began his reign of domination. Opposing him is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Will Ash be able to do what no one else has?”
Ash stepped out of a doorway into the open air stadium. Pikachu walked at his side. Every seat in the stadium was full. A huge statue of a Dragonite overlooked the battlefield. A large scoreboard overhead flashed pictures of Ash and Drake.
A tall, muscular man with black hair stepped out
of the opposite doorway. Drake wore a sleeveless red shirt. Around his neck hung a Poké Ball on a chain.
So this is the guy who can handle a Dragonite, Ash thought, sizing up his opponent.
The two trainers met on the sidelines, and the large crowd went wild. Ash and Drake shook hands.
“Welcome to the Orange League Winner’s Cup,” Drake said.
“I’m happy to be here,” Ash replied.
A judge in an orange shirt stepped between them.
“The battle will be six-on-six,” he said. “The challenger can switch Pokémon at any point during the battle. And a field change will occur when any three of one Trainer’s Pokémon become unable to battle.”
“Field change?” Ash asked.
At that moment, the stadium floor opened up. Two halves of the floor split apart, revealing a large pit underneath. A new field rose up from the bottom of the pit. This field was dotted with rocks and huge boulders. A pool of water shaped like a Poké Ball sat in the center.
“The first field will be a rock and water field,” the announcer blared.
Ash studied the field’s rocky surface. This was going to be harder than he thought.
“The battle is about to begin,” the announcer said. “Pay attention to which Pokémon each Trainer chooses.”
Ash and Drake took their positions on opposite sides of the field. Drake held up a Poké Ball.
“See what you can do against my first pick!” Drake said, tossing the ball in the air.
A pink, blobby-looking Pokémon burst from the ball. It landed on a tall boulder.
“A Ditto!” Ash exclaimed.
A picture of Ditto lit up on the scoreboard, next to Drake’s picture.
“With its one and only technique, Transform, Ditto can turn into any Pokémon the Trainer wishes,” said the announcer.
“This is a tough one,” Tracey said. He and Misty watched from the first row.
“You’re right,” Misty agreed. “It won’t matter what type of Pokémon Ash chooses at all. Ditto can mimic its opponent’s attacks.”
Ash wanted to start out strong. He turned to Pikachu. “Pikachu, decide this with a powerful electric charge!”
Pikachu’s picture lit up on the scoreboard.
“Pika!” Pikachu nodded. It was eager to battle.
Pikachu jumped onto a tall rock. Sparks crackled around its face as it gathered energy for the attack.
“Ditto, Transform!” Drake yelled. White light glowed around Ditto. Its blobby form started to take shape. When the light faded, a little yellow Pokémon stood on the boulder.
“Ditto has taken the form of a Pikachu!” the announcer cried. “Talk about seeing double!”
Ash understood Drake’s strategy. Now Ditto could use all of the attacks that Pikachu could. The two Pokémon would be evenly matched.
Pikachu hurled a huge bolt of sizzling electricity at Ditto. Ditto absorbed the energy. When the attack was over, Ditto looked as strong as ever.
“What was Ash thinking?” the announcer asked. “Responding to an Electric attack with another Electric attack is useless. They cancel each other out!”
Ditto countered the attack with a Thundershock. The huge lightning blast electrified Pikachu. But Pikachu wasn’t shaken by the charge.
“Won’t these guys learn?” groaned the announcer.
But Ash wasn’t ready to change his strategy, no matter what the loudmouthed announcer thought.
“Pikachu, Thundershock!” Ash cried.
Drake followed Ash’s lead. “Ditto! Thundershock!”
The two Pokémon aimed jagged lightning blasts at one another. The two bolts met in the air, creating a huge explosion.
The backlash caused the high rock Pikachu was standing on to crumble to pieces. Ditto’s rock was falling apart, too.
“Ditto, go with the flow!” Drake commanded.
Ditto regained its balance and started jumping from one piece of falling rock to the next. It landed safely on another tall rock.
At the same time, Ash wasn’t sure how to command Pikachu. Pikachu fell to the harsh field below. The lightning mouse looked battered and shaken, but it wasn’t out yet.
“Ouch! That’s gotta hurt,” the announcer said. “Too bad Ash didn’t read the field better. He could be losing his cool.”
“I am not losing my cool!” Ash shouted.
“Hold it together, Ash!” Tracey called out.
Ash tried to calm down and think of the best strategy to use next. “Ditto is Ditto and Pikachu is Pikachu,” Ash said aloud. “There must be some way to beat it.”
Drake wasn’t taking any breaks. “Ditto, Agility!” he yelled.
Ditto started to run across the rock field, quickly darting back and forth.
“Pikachu, Thundershock!” Ash called.
Pikachu aimed another lightning bolt at Ditto. But Ditto expertly moved out of the way.
“Ditto, Thunder!” Drake countered.
Ditto aimed another Electric attack at Pikachu. Pikachu ducked, missing the blast.
Ditto is Ditto, Ash reminded himself. Then suddenly, he knew what to do.
“Pikachu, Quick attack!” he ordered.
“Ditto, Quick attack!” Drake repeated, just as Ash knew he would.
Pikachu and Ditto ran across the field at each other. They jumped high in the air, then slammed together. Electric sparks flew.
“Pikachu and Ditto collide!” the announcer said.
Pikachu and Ditto both fell to the ground. Ditto looked weak, but Pikachu still had lots of energy.
“Now, Pikachu!” Ash yelled.
Pikachu zapped Ditto with Thundershock. This time, the charge took its toll. Ditto changed from a Pikachu back to its own form.
“Ditto is down! Its Transform broke down,
thanks to the impact of that collision,” the announcer reported.
Ditto reeled back and forth. Then it collapsed in a faint.
“Ditto is unable to battle,” said the judge.
“It’s good-bye to the little pink guy,” the announcer said. “Pikachu wins this round!”
The crowd cheered. Ditto’s picture on the scoreboard went dark.
“I get it,” Tracey said. “Ditto can copy the attacks of other Pokémon. But when it comes to taking punishment, it’s stuck with its own powers. So Pikachu was much better prepared for the collision.”
“Good work, Ditto,” Drake told his Pokémon. “Return!”
Drake threw out another Poké Ball.
A Pokémon that looked like a huge serpent made of rocks slammed onto the battlefield.
“Drake has chosen an Onix. This Rock- and Ground -type Pokémon is rock solid against Electric attacks. How will Ash respond?” the announcer wondered.
Ash had to think. Pikachu wouldn’t do any harm to Onix. He needed a Pokémon that was strong against Rock-type Pokémon.
Which one should he choose?
“Squirtle, I choose you!” Ash yelled. He tossed out Squirtle’s Poké Ball.
“Squirtle!” The Water-type Pokémon jumped up on a rock, ready to face its oppponent.
“Ash is full of surprises,” said the announcer. “Squirtle looks like a speck on the field compared to Drake’s mighty Onix. Ash has a rocky road ahead of him if he wants to win this round.”
Misty defended her friend. “Water-type Pokémon are good against Rock-type Pokémon.”
“Don’t forget,” Tracey reminded her. “If Drake’s Onix has a lot of experience, it might have an advantage.”
“Squirtle! Water Gun!” Ash called out.
“Onix! Dig!” Drake countered.
Squirtle shot a powerful jet of water from its mouth. If it hit Onix, the Rock-type Pokémon would surely go down.
But Onix leaped up and dove headfirst into the dirt. It burrowed into the field and quickly disappeared. The Water attack cleanly missed it.
The ground began to rumble. Squirtle looked around nervously. It knew Onix was somewhere underneath. But where?