by Howard Dewin
“Pikachu!” Ash flung himself toward Pikachu and grabbed it just in time.
“This match is over!” Rudy announced. “Round one goes to Electabuzz.”
“It’s okay, Pikachu.” Ash was more concerned about his Pokémon right now. “Take a rest. Are you okay?”
Before Pikachu could respond, Ash heard Misty’s voice. “That was amazing, Rudy!”
He looked up and Misty was waving at his opponent. She was smiling and cheering like she wanted him to win!
Ash tried to stay focused on the match. He couldn’t worry about Misty right now. He had a badge to win!
“Bulbasaur! I choose you!” he said victoriously.
“Exeggutor, do your stuff,” commanded Rudy confidently.
A three-headed Pokémon appeared on the field. Exeggutor had long green palms coming out of its three heads and a brown body that looked like the trunk of a palm tree.
“Start the music!” Rudy shouted.
The air filled with music and Exeggutor started dancing down the whole field. It swayed back and forth, closing in on Bulbasaur.
Ash refused to be distracted. “Bulbasaur! Razor Leaf!”
The sky filled with green blades slicing through the air.
“Exeggutor, Dancing attack!” Rudy yelled.
The three-headed Pokémon dodged every leaf, dancing its way through an impossible obstacle course!
“Again, Bulbasaur! Razor Leaf!” Ash commanded.
It was no use. Exeggutor danced its way out of any trouble.
“Egg Bomb!” Rudy demanded.
Exeggutor stopped and launched a huge white egg straight at Bulbasaur. The egg crashed into Bulbasaur and nearly knocked it out.
“Come on, Bulbasaur!” Ash tried to focus. He had to win this round. “Sleep Powder!”
Bulbasaur’s bulb spewed a white mist. It rained down on Exeggutor. The Pokémon’s eyes, all six of them, began to close. Half asleep, it continued to sway back and forth across the field straight toward the edge. Exeggutor was about to fall off the cliff!
“Oh, no!” Ash cried. He didn’t want to win this way. “Bulbasaur, use your Vine Whip!”
Bulbasaur came to the rescue. The Grass- and Poison-type Pokémon threw its vines over the edge. In one swift move, it caught Exeggutor and reeled it back. Ash could hear Rudy sigh with relief.
“I appreciate you helping my Pokémon,” he said. He pulled Exeggutor back to its Poké Ball. “But it doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you. We’re tied and this is the final round! The third battle is for Water-type Pokémon. I dedicate this victory to Misty with many thanks for saving my sister. Starmie! Come out!”
Ash looked up at Misty. She smiled and waved down to Rudy.
Who’s she going for anyway? Ash wondered.
He had to concentrate. Which Pokémon? He had to remind himself it was a Water challenge.
“Squirtle! I choose you!” Ash declared. Squirtle charged out of its Poké Ball.
“Starmie! End this now! Water Gun!” Rudy began the battle.
“Squirtle! Water Gun!” Ash countered.
The two Pokémon leaped up and blasted each other with powerful torrents of water.
“Okay,” Rudy said, “let’s dance!”
Again, Rudy’s Pokémon avoided attacks with its dancing skills. Squirtle’s blasts were useless. Ash didn’t know what to do. He needed help.
Starmie started to spin faster and faster. A glow radiated all around it. It was creating a big electric field.
“That Starmie can use Electric attacks!” Tracey said, shocked. “Squirtle’s weak against Electric attacks. This isn’t good.”
Ash watched helplessly as Starmie built up more and more power. He knew Squirtle had no defense. He could see the Spikeshell Badge slipping through his fingers. Ash had never before felt so defeated in the middle of a battle.
“Ash!” The sound sent a jolt through Ash’s system. He looked up at the balloon. Misty was leaning over the side of the basket.
“What are you doing?! Pull yourself together Ash!!” she yelled.
Ash felt a surge of energy. She was yelling at him. He should have been mad, but for some reason, it made him feel great.
“A Trainer is the only one who can bring out his Pokémon’s power!” she cried.
“I know that!” Ash shouted back.
“Then do something!” Misty shouted. “This is no time to be awestruck by the dance.”
Ash kicked into action. “Squirtle! Aim your Water Gun at the ground!” A new authority filled his voice. He was ready to win!
Squirtle blew a fierce blast of water downward. When the blast hit the ground, it catapulted Squirtle into the sky. Not only did Squirtle avoid Starmie’s electrical blast but it could now hit Starmie from above.
But Squirtle had catapulted too far. It was soaring past the edge of the cliff. Squirtle was going to plunge hundreds of feet to the ocean below!
“Squirtle!” Ash cried.
Squirtle tucked itself into its shell and began to spin. Water fanned out from openings in its shell. It turned itself into a kind of propeller.
“I can’t believe it,” Misty gasped. “Squirtle just learned Hydro Pump!”
The Pokémon had learned a new attack just in time to save itself. The force of the Hydro Pump brought Squirtle back up to the cliff and onto the playing field.
“All right!” shouted Ash. “Hydro Pump!”
“Pika!” Pikachu cheered.
Starmie stood centerfield, ready to attack.
“Squirtle! Skull Bash!”
The pumped-up Squirtle bashed into Starmie, hurling it into the air.
“Starmie!” Rudy cried. It was too late. Starmie fell to the ground and fainted. It was all over. The match was decided. Ash had won!
“Way to go, Ash!”
“Yeah!”
Ash could hear his friends yelling from above. It felt great. He held Squirtle high in the air, jumping up and down for joy.
“I lost to you, Ash.” Rudy seemed amazed. But he held out his hand. “The Spikeshell Badge is yours.”
Ash looked at the badge in his palm. It was a beautiful star-shaped seashell badge with a kind of gold glow. He took it and looked up to the balloon. Then he held his new badge up in the air for his friends to see.
“I won the Spikeshell Badge!” he bellowed, and it seemed like he was loud enough for the whole world to hear!
“Can you believe it?” Ash hadn’t stopped talking since the competition. “Only one more badge and I can compete in the Orange League!”
They were packing up Lapras, preparing to head out in search of the fourth seashell badge.
Misty sighed. “Yes, Ash, we heard you the first ten times. Let’s go,” she said.
“I was pretty good, wasn’t I?” Ash asked as they made their way out to the open ocean.
“Yeah, you were good,” Misty admitted. “But there’s always room for improvement.”
“Well, it might have helped if you hadn’t been cheering for my opponent!” Ash said.
“Ash Ketchum! I was not cheering for your opponent,” Misty protested. “I was simply admiring his inventive form of training.” She stopped talking and stared out at a beautiful sunset that was just beginning.
“Sorry, Ash,” Misty said unexpectedly. “I’ll always be on your side. We’re friends.”
Ash smiled and looked away.
“Whatever,” he said casually, but he felt great. It was great to have friends to depend on. Prima’s words floated through his head:
“You have to rely on your real strengths: the people and the pokemon you love and who love you back.”
Ash stole a quick look at his friends: Misty and Tracey, Pikachu, Togepi, and Lapras. He looked at the collection of Poké Balls hooked on his belt; Bulbasaur, Charizard, Squirtle, and the rest.
Finally, he looked out toward the horizon. Beautiful colors were spreading across the sky.
He would do it! He felt absolutely sure. He would win the fourth b
adge and get the chance to compete in the Orange League. Not because he was a great Pokémon Trainer — which, of course, he was.
No. He’d win because he had friends. Great friends, both human and Pokémon!
When Tracey catches Scyther, the brave Bug-type Pokémon’s warrior pride is wounded. It can’t regain its honor without a fight. It needs another battle. So Scyther battles … Charizard!
Which hot-headed Pokémon will triumph? It’s the ultimate face-off, for the Pokémon and their Trainers.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at another Pokémon adventure, Scyther, Heart of a Champion!
“Look! It’s Murcott Island!” Ash Ketchum shouted. He pointed to an island covered in thick woods.
Ash and his Mouse Pokémon, Pikachu, rode on Ash’s trusty Lapras, a large, blue, Water-type Pokémon. Ash’s friends Misty and Tracey also rode Lapras. Misty held Togepi, a tiny baby Pokémon that had hatched from a rare Egg.
Ash couldn’t wait to get to Murcott Island and the next Pokémon adventure.
“Let’s go!” Ash called to his friends. He pulled his red-and-white cap over his shaggy black hair.
Ash wanted to explore the island right away. When he turned ten, Ash left home to go on a journey to search for new Pokémon — creatures with amazing powers — and to compete against Gym Leaders to earn badges. To become a Pokémon Master, he needed to capture and train all different kinds of Pokémon. His journey had taken him a long way, all the way to the Orange Islands. He and his friends had seen some amazing things on the islands, and he hoped Murcott Island wouldn’t be any different.
“Aaaahhhhh!” Misty cried as a large Beedrill buzzed overhead. The combination Bug- and Poison-type Pokémon looked like a big, fierce bee. Misty clutched Togepi tightly. Her orange hair gleamed in the sun.
But Tracey looked excited. “Murcott Island is famous for having tons of Bug-type Pokémon,” he said. “We might discover a new Pokémon.” Tracey was a Pokémon Trainer and watcher. He was a few years older than Ash, and wore a bandana in his dark hair. Tracey was always searching for new Pokémon to study and draw.
Lapras swam up to the island’s shore. Ash and his friends jumped off onto the beach.
“Thanks, Lapras,” Ash said as he took out a Poké Ball. Ash recalled Lapras and put the ball back on his belt.
Tracey took out two of his Poké Balls. “Marill!” Tracey called, and a blue Pokémon appeared. Marill looked like a plump blue mouse with big ears. A round ball bobbed on the end of its long tail.
“Venonat!” Tracey shouted. A furry buglike Pokémon stood next to Marill. Venonat had two round, red eyes, two flat feet, and no arms.
Ash and Tracey were eager to start capturing Pokémon. But Misty looked like she wanted to get back on Lapras and ride out to sea.
“What’s the matter with her?” Tracey asked. He looked over at Misty, who was usually fearless.
“Misty’s afraid of Bug-type Pokémon,” Ash explained.
“Oh, I get it.” Tracey turned to Misty. “When it comes to bugs, Misty’s a chicken!”
“Who are you calling a chicken?” Misty protested.
“Don’t worry, Misty,” Tracey comforted. “Marill and Venonat will take care of us.”
Ash watched as Venonat and Marill headed straight for the woods.
“Venonat’s radar and Marill’s keen hearing will help us find new Pokémon,” Tracey explained.
Ash nodded. Tracey’s Pokémon had proven themselves to be very useful on their adventures.
Venonat and Marill led Ash and the others to a clearing in the forest. A group of small, green Bug-type Pokémon crawled in the grass. “Cool! Caterpie,” Ash said.
Misty took one look at them and turned right around. “Yuck! I hate bugs! I hate bugs! I hate bugs!” she chanted as she dragged Ash and Pikachu away.
Suddenly, they heard a noise in the trees. They stopped. A large Pokémon with two sharp horns on top of its brown body jumped in front of them. It raised its terrible claws in the air. It was a Pinsir, Ash knew. The Caterpie looked cute compared to the Pinsir — even to Misty. Misty grabbed Ash’s arm. They ran back to find Tracey.
Ash told Tracey all about the scary Pinsir.
“Pinsir are pretty incredible,” Tracey said. “But not that unusual. I’m hoping Marill and Venonat will find something really rare.”
Suddenly, Venonat and Marill pointed into the woods.
“There’s something in that direction!” Tracey said excitedly. He ran after his Pokémon. Ash and the others followed.
Soon they came to a clearing in the trees.
Venonat and Marill had found something, all right. A big green Pokémon with razor-edged wings was laying on the ground. It looked very, very sick.
Ash quickly took out his Pokédex, Dexter. The small computer held information about all kinds of Pokémon.
“Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. It uses its sharp wings to capture prey. It can also use its wings to fly. It is seldom seen by humans and almost never captured,” Dexter explained.
Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Pikachu moved forward to check out Scyther. Suddenly, it opened its eyes and hissed. The friends quickly jumped back.
“It looks angry,” Misty commented.
“Let me check out your injuries, Scyther,” Tracey whispered gently. He slowly approached the giant creature.
Scyther jumped up. It looked ready to attack the friends at any moment.
“All right, then,” Ash said. He took out a Poké Ball to capture Scyther.
“What are you doing, Ash?” Tracey asked.
“I’m going to catch this Scyther. Then I’ll take it to the Pokémon Center so it can get help,” Ash replied. He threw the Poké Ball at Scyther. “Go, Poké Ball!” Ash shouted.
The Poké Ball flew through the air. Scyther raised a giant wing. It easily batted the Poké Ball away.
Ash couldn’t believe it. Scyther refused to be caught!
“How can Scyther do that?” Misty asked. “It looks so weak.”
Ash frowned. Scyther did look weak. Ash knew that he had to get it to the Pokémon Center soon. But Scyther didn’t look like it would back down easily. In fact, it looked ready for a fight!
Journey to the Orange Islands
Secret of the Pink Pokémon
The Four-Star Challenge
Scyther, Heart of a Champion
Race to Danger
Talent Showdown
Psyduck Ducks Out
Thundershock in Pummelo Stadium
©2021 Pokémon. ©1997–1998 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku. TM, ® Nintendo.
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First printing 2017
e-ISBN 978-1-338-80077-7
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his book with friends