Thundershock in Pummelo Stadium Read online

  I want to be the very best there ever was

  To beat all the rest, yeah, that’s my cause

  Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all

  Pokémon I’ll search across the land

  Look far and wide

  Release from my hand

  The power that’s inside

  Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all Pokémon!

  Gotta catch ’em all, Gotta catch ’em all

  Gotta catch ’em all, Gotta catch ’em all

  At least one hundred and fifty or more to see

  To be a Pokémon Master is my destiny

  Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all

  Gotta catch ’em all, Pokémon! (repeat three times)

  Here’s the next 32 Pokémon.

  Alakazam, Goldeen, Venonat, Machoke

  Kangaskhan, Hypno, Electabuzz, Flareon

  Blastoise, Poliwhirl, Oddish, Drowzee

  Raichu, Nidoqueen, Bellsprout, Starmie

  Metapod, Marowak, Kakuna, Clefairy

  Dodrio, Seadra, Vileplume, Krabby

  Lickitung, Tauros, Weedle, Nidoran

  Machop, Shellder, Porygon, Hitmonchan

  Words and Music by Tamara Loeffler and John Siegler

  Copyright © 1999 Pikachu Music (BMI)

  Worldwide rights for Pikachu Music administered by Cherry River Music Co. (BMI)

  All Rights Reserved  Used by Permission

  Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter 1: Battle for the Jade Star Badge

  Chapter 2: Stunned by Vileplume

  Chapter 3: Misty vs. James

  Chapter 4: Pummelo Island

  Chapter 5: Ditto Starts the Battle

  Chapter 6: Onix vs. Squirtle

  Chapter 7: Lapras vs. Gengar

  Chapter 8: Electabuzz, Thunderpunch!

  Chapter 9: Enter Dragonite!

  Chapter 10: Pikachu vs. Dragonite

  Sneak Peek

  About the Author

  Copyright

  “The battle between the Kumquat Gym Leader, Luana, and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town will now begin,” the gym announcer said. “The Jade Star Badge hangs in the balance.”

  Ash Ketchum took a deep breath. Luana stood on the opposite end of the large gym. White lines on the floor marked off the battle area.

  Ash had come a long way since he first became a Pokémon Trainer. His journey to capture and train Pokémon had led him to the far-off Orange Islands. Here, Trainers could battle four Gym Leaders known as the Orange Crew to earn badges in the Orange League. So far, Ash had earned three badges: the Coral-Eye Badge, the Sea Ruby Badge, and the Spike Shell Badge. Earning the badges hadn’t been easy. The Orange League battles revolved around strange tests of skill, rather than the traditional one-on-one Pokémon face-offs he was used to in the Indigo League.

  This was his final battle. If he earned his fourth badge, he could go on to compete for the Winner’s Cup. Ash wondered what to expect. What kind of twist would Luana throw at him?

  “According to Kumquat Gym rules, this battle will be conducted as a double battle,” the announcer continued. “Each Trainer will battle with a team of two Pokémon.”

  Ash absorbed this information. In a typical battle, two Pokémon would battle each other until one fainted. The Pokémon left standing was the winner. But two Pokémon battling together was a different story. Ash knew they’d have to look out for each other. If one of them fainted, the battle would be over.

  Luana smiled. The older woman reminded Ash a little of his mother. But he knew she wouldn’t go easy on him.

  “Have you selected your Pokémon, Ash?” Luana asked. She threw out two red-and-white Poké Balls. “Marowak! Alakazam! I choose you!” she shouted.

  The balls burst open, and two Pokémon appeared. Ash recognized them both.

  Marowak was a Ground-type Pokémon that wore a skull mask and used a bone in battle. Alakazam was a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon with long, pointed ears. It carried a spoon in each hand.

  From the stands, Ash’s friends Misty and Tracey looked at Ash with concern. Beating a Psychic-type Pokémon wasn’t easy. Which two Pokémon would Ash choose?

  “Pikachu!”

  At Ash’s side, his little yellow Electric-type Pokémon, Pikachu, was eager to battle.

  “I’ll use Pikachu, of course,” Ash said. “And this one!”

  Ash threw out a Poké Ball. A large, orange Pokémon burst out.

  “Go, Charizard!” Ash cried.

  Charizard stomped its big feet. It flapped its wings.

  Ash smiled confidently. “With Pikachu’s electric attacks and Charizard’s fire power, I’ll be unstoppable!”

  Pikachu rushed out to take its place on the floor. Charizard stomped ahead of it, blocking its way.

  Angry sparks shot from Pikachu’s cheeks. Charizard responded by shooting a stream of flame out of its mouth. Pikachu dodged the fire.

  “What are you two doing?” Ash cried. “You’re not supposed to be fighting each other! We’re here to win a badge!”

  Ash’s friend Misty shook her head. Her orange ponytail bobbed up and down.

  “Ash’s Pokémon are supposed to work as a team,” she told their friend Tracey.

  “Ash needs to get his Pokémon under control,” the older boy agreed.

  But Ash didn’t have time.

  “Let the match begin!” the announcer blared.

  “Alakazam, Marowak, go!” Luana yelled.

  Alakazam and Marowak ran to the center of the gym.

  “Charizard, Pikachu, block their attack!” Ash called out.

  Pikachu ran past Charizard. The Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon didn’t like that at all. It burned Pikachu’s lightning-bolt-shaped tail with a hot flame.

  “Pika!” Pikachu cried. It held its burned tail and glared at Charizard.

  “Stop fighting!” Ash scolded the Pokémon. “Charizard, tackle Alakazam!”

  Charizard nodded. It flew across the gym floor, aiming right for the Psychic-type Pokémon.

  “Alakazam, use your Psychic powers to stop Charizard cold!” Luana cried.

  A strange light began to glow in Alakazam’s eyes. Powerful beams of Psychic energy enveloped Charizard. The Fire-type Pokémon stopped moving in midair. The orange light from Alakazam’s Psychic attack had trapped it.

  Ash thought quickly. “Pikachu, help Charizard!” he called out. “Use Thundershock on Alakazam!”

  Pikachu hurled an electric blast. It accidentally hit Charizard.

  “Chaaaaar!” Charizard roared as its body sizzled with electricity.

  Ash couldn’t believe it. Charizard and Pikachu were supposed to be working together. “Watch your aim, Pikachu!” he yelled.

  Luana smiled. “You can’t win a double battle unless your Pokémon work together,” she said. “Marowak, Bonemerang!”

  Marowak threw the bone in its hand. The bone spiraled through the air, then slammed into Charizard. The big Pokémon thudded to the floor, and the bone flew right back into Marowak’s hand.

  “Now, Alakazam,” Luana cried, “hit Charizard with Psychic again!”

  Alakazam shot a Psybeam at Charizard, and the Pokémon rose into the air again, surrounded by orange light.

  Alakazam looked pleased. It pointed one of the spoons in its hands at Charizard, and gave it a twist. At the same moment, Charizard crashed back to the floor.

  Marowak threw another Bonemerang. The heavy bone slammed into Charizard, then returned to Marowak.

  Ash looked at Charizard, worried. The Pokémon was taking a lot of damage. It looked weak.

  “Time to wrap it up, Alakazam,” Luana said.

  Alakazam ra
ised the spoon again, and Charizard rose up.

  Charizard needed help.

  “Pikachu!” Ash cried. “Charizard is your friend! You have to help it.”

  “Pika?” Pikachu sounded reluctant.

  Then it looked at Charizard, helpless under Alakazam’s powers.

  Pikachu nodded to Ash. Electric sparks crackled as it built up a charge. Then it hurled a lightning bolt at Alakazam.

  For a split second, Alakazam lost control of its Psychic hold on Charizard. The Fire-type Pokémon landed squarely on its feet.

  “Chaaaaar!” it roared. Charizard looked stronger now.

  Luana turned her attention to Pikachu. “Marowak, hit Pikachu with Body Slam!”

  Marowak charged across the gym floor, head lowered. It was about to slam into Pikachu when Charizard lowered its huge wing. It knocked Marowak away.

  “Pikachu and Charizard are starting to work together,” Misty said.

  Charizard began to fly across the gym, ready to attack Alakazam and Marowak. Pikachu ran alongside Charizard, then jumped up.

  “Char!” Charizard paused and let Pikachu jump onto its back.

  Ash was relieved. His Pokémon were really working like a team now!

  But Marowak and Alakazam weren’t giving up. Marowak threw another bone at Pikachu. The Electric-type Pokémon ducked, and the bone missed.

  Pikachu responded by zapping Marowak with an electric blast. The attack had no effect.

  “Marowak’s a Ground-type Pokémon,” Misty said. “Electric attacks won’t work!”

  “This will end it,” Luana said, confidently. “Alakazam, Psybeam!”

  Ash tensed. A Psybeam could easily knock out almost any Pokémon.

  A glowing ball of energy formed in Alakazam’s mouth. The ball shot out as a beam of golden light.

  “Climb, Charizard!” Ash commanded.

  Charizard flew up, just missing the beam. At the same time, Marowak’s bone circled back from the last attack. The bone smacked into Alakazam, sending the Pokémon falling forward.

  The gym floor absorbed the Psybeam. The beam zoomed across the floor, right in Marowak’s path.

  Golden light exploded around the Ground-type Pokémon. Marowak teetered back and forth, then fell to the floor in a faint.

  “Marowak is unable to battle!” the announcer cried. “Ash is the winner!”

  Luana looked out at the battle area, shocked. Then she smiled.

  “Congratulations, Ash,” she said. “You just won the Jade Star Badge!”

  “I can’t believe I earned all four Orange League badges,” Ash told Pikachu. He and his friends were resting on a small island.

  “Pikachu!” said the little Pokémon. Pikachu was proud of its Trainer.

  “That Winner’s Cup is going to be mine!” Ash said confidently. “It’s the highest honor a Trainer can earn in the Orange League.”

  Pikachu nodded.

  “Let’s go find Misty and Tracey,” Ash said. “I bet we can make it to the next island before dark.”

  Sometimes Ash didn’t know where he’d be without his friends. Misty had been traveling with him since he started his Pokémon journey. She got impatient with Ash a lot, and Ash teased her just as much. But they had been through a lot together.

  Ash and Misty had met Tracey when they came to the Orange Islands. It happened right after their good friend Brock left them to study with Professor Ivy, a Pokémon breeder. Tracey kind of invited himself along. Ash didn’t mind. Tracey’s Pokémon, Marill, Venonat, and Scyther, had proved useful in many situations. And Tracey knew a lot about Pokémon.

  Ash and Pikachu found Tracey kneeling in a clearing. Tracey brushed a strand of dark hair away from his face. As a Pokémon watcher, Tracey was always looking for Pokémon to study. Today he was sketching a sleeping Vileplume.

  Vileplume had a squat, blue body, and a huge red flower on top of its head. In the center of the flower was a hollow stalk. Ash had seen the combination Poison- and Grass-type Pokémon before, but never one this large.

  Excited, Ash ran to his friend. “That’s a pretty cool Vile—whoaaaaa!”

  Ash tripped over a rock. He tumbled, knocking into Tracey. The two boys fell into the stalk on top of Vileplume’s head.

  Vileplume woke with a start. Thinking it was under attack, it pushed Ash and Tracey out of the stalk. They flew up in the air, then crashed onto the grass. Then Vileplume showered them both with a foul-smelling orange dust.

  Ash and Tracey coughed and choked. Then they fell to the ground. The next thing Ash remembered, he was lying in a hut. Pikachu was leaning over him, looking worried. Misty pressed a cold cloth to his forehead. He felt like he was burning up.

  Ash tried to sit up, but he couldn’t.

  “I … can’t … move,” he said weakly. His arms and legs felt paralyzed.

  “You inhaled Vileplume’s Stun Spore,” Misty said, concerned. “There’s no Pokémon Center on this island. I’m not sure how to get you the antidote you need.”

  Tracey was lying next to Ash. He struggled to talk. “The … Pokédex,” he said.

  “Right!” Misty said. She took Dexter, Ash’s Pokédex, from his backpack. Dexter was a small computer that held information about all kinds of Pokémon.

  Misty asked Dexter about Vileplume’s attack. She found out that Salveyo Weed would cure the effects of Stun Spore. Then another picture appeared on Dexter’s screen. It was a small, purple Pokémon with a round body and a flat tail. Poliwag had a spiral on its stomach.

  “We’ll find it!” Misty said. She grabbed Togepi, the tiny Pokémon that still wore an eggshell. She ran to the door.

  “Pikachu!” Pikachu wanted to go, too.

  “You need to stay here and watch Ash and Tracey,” Misty said. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

  “Pika,” Pikachu agreed, but it was disappointed.

  Misty ran down the sandy trail. “I think I saw a lake when we were out walking before,” she told Togepi. “There must be some Salveyo Weed there.”

  Soon they came to a clear, blue lake that stretched as far as she could see. It would take Misty all day to search the bottom of it.

  “How are we going to do this without a Poliwag?” Misty said. “Let’s try to find one.”

  “Togi! Togi!” Togepi chirped.

  They didn’t have to look far. At that moment, a little purple Pokémon came running through the trees.

  “Poliwag!” Misty cried. “Oh, look at its big, round eyes. You’re so cute!”

  “Togi!” Togepi smiled.

  But the Poliwag didn’t look happy. It hid behind Misty’s legs. Misty saw that it was afraid.

  “What’s the matter, Poliwag?” Misty asked.

  “Hand over that Poliwag!” a voice cried.

  Misty spun around. A young man with blue hair came running out of the trees. He wore a white uniform with a red “R” on the front. Alongside him ran Meowth, a white Scratch Cat Pokémon.

  “James!” Misty cried. He was part of Team Rocket, Pokémon thieves who were always chasing Misty and her friends.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “We want that Poliwag,” Meowth said.

  “Well, Poliwag doesn’t want to go with you,” Misty replied.

  Poliwag whimpered.

  Meowth and James looked at each other.

  “There’s no use being polite with this Poliwag,” Meowth said.

  “Right! We’ll just have to take it,” James said. He threw a red-and-white Poké Ball. “Victreebel, go!”

  A Pokémon as tall as James burst from the ball. Victreebel looked like a yellow, bell-shaped plant.

  Victreebel tried to swallow James.

  “Not me,” James cried. “Attack them!”

  Victreebel spit out James. Then it bounced across the grass, headed right for Misty and Poliwag.

  Misty was ready. She threw a Poké Ball. “Go, Goldeen!” she cried.

  A frilly goldfish Pokémon appeared in a flash of white light. Goldeen loo
ked pretty and delicate, but it had a fierce horn on its forehead.

  “Victreebel, Razor Leaf!” James commanded.

  Sharp green leaves flew from Victreebel’s bell-shaped flower. Goldeen dodged the leaves. The Goldfish Pokémon splashed into the lake.

  Victreebel jumped off the shore. Goldeen rose up out of the water, slamming Victreebel with its horn.

  Victreebel flew up in the air. As it came down, Goldeen smacked into the Grass- and Poison-type Pokémon once again.

  “Goldeen, Fury attack!” Misty cried.

  Bam! Bam! Bam! Goldeen jumped out of the water again and again, each time smacking Victreebel with its horn.

  With one final slam, Goldeen deposited Victreebel back on shore. The Pokémon was tired and weak.

  James frowned. He held out a Poké Ball. “Return, Victreebel,” he said.

  Victreebel disappeared inside the ball.

  “Togi! Togi!”

  “Poli! Poli!”

  Togepi and Poliwag gave a happy cheer.

  But James wasn’t finished. “Go, Weezing!” he said, throwing another Poké Ball.

  Weezing, a Poison-type Pokémon, looked like a purple cloud with two heads.

  “Weezing!” it moaned as it burst from the ball.

  Misty didn’t miss a beat. “Go, Staryu!” she cried.

  She threw a Poké Ball, and a five-pointed Star Shape Pokémon appeared. Staryu had a red jewel in its middle.

  “Staryu, Tackle!” Misty called out.

  “Weezing, Tackle,” James countered.

  Weezing and Staryu flew at each other.

  Slam! They collided in midair.

  Slam! Another Tackle.

  Slam! They crashed into each other again.

  “Weezing, Smog attack!” James commanded.

  Weezing belched out a thick cloud of black smog. The putrid smoke covered Staryu.

  Misty knew what to do. “Staryu, Double Edge!”

  Staryu spun around and around, creating a strong wind. The wind quickly cleared the smog.

  Staryu spun faster and faster. Then it zoomed through the air and slammed into Weezing.

  “Weezing!” The Poison-type Pokémon soared away.

  “You did it, Staryu,” Misty cried.