In the Cerulean City Gym—
Raj and the three sisters from the gym stood on the battle platform, each on their own side.
This gym mainly trained Water-type Pokémon, so the arena was built over a large pool.
To let non–Water-type Pokémon participate, several floating platforms were placed above the water.
"Come out, Goldeen!"
[Ding! Twenty meters ahead, a Goldeen detected (Owned).
Water-type Pokémon: Known as the "Water Dancer," Goldeen's flowing tail moves gracefully as it swims.
However, that same tail is powerful enough to let it climb waterfalls. They are common in rivers and ponds, and often kept in large aquariums for their beauty.
Moves: Tail Whip, Horn Attack, Water Gun.
Combat Power: 120 points.]
Seeing the released Goldeen, Raj smirked.
With that little combat power… are you here to lose on purpose?
"Hey, little brother, use your Pokémon and duel with me!" said Lily, the red-haired sister, as she sent out her Staryu.
"Alright, then I'll do as you wish."
"The decision is yours—Shiny Muk!"
Raj sent out his Shiny Muk. The colorful sludge Pokémon appeared with a squelch, and the three sisters screamed instantly.
"Little brother, how can you use Muk here? It's too dirty! The pool will get filthy, and we'll have to clean it again!" Lily complained, pouting.
Raj was speechless.
He had thought about earning a bit of favor with them, but these three sisters were clearly too spoiled.
First, she kept calling him little brother, and now she was looking down on his Shiny Muk?
Could her normal Pokémon even compare? His Muk had a faint fragrance and a shimmering rainbow hue—clearly superior!
"Muk, use Mud Attack—make the pool water murky!"
Ignoring them, Raj gave his order. This was a gym battle, after all.
Muk started flinging mud wildly. In seconds, the pool turned completely brown.
Goldeen, who had been swimming gracefully before, was suddenly blind in the muddy water and completely disoriented.
"Goldeen, jump out of the water and use Horn Attack!" Lily commanded quickly, realizing Raj's strategy.
But that was exactly what Raj wanted.
"Muk, use Mud Bomb!"
As soon as the Goldeen leapt out, Muk launched a powerful mud blast. The Goldeen was struck mid-air, instantly losing consciousness as it fell back into the pool with a splash.
"Waaah! No more fighting, I give up!" Lily cried, tears welling in her eyes. Seeing Raj's relentless tactics, even her sisters hesitated to step forward.
Finally, Daisy—the blue-haired sister—stood up, tossing a Poké Ball.
"Come out, Staryu!"
[Ding! Twenty meters ahead, Staryu detected (Owned).
Water-type Pokémon: Staryu are usually found in deep oceans or calm cave waters. Their red core pulses rhythmically, said to communicate with the stars above. Even when cut into pieces, they can regenerate.
Moves: Tackle, Harden, Water Gun, Swift.
Combat Power: 260 points.]
Seeing the Staryu, Raj looked mildly intrigued—but even this wasn't enough to threaten his Shiny Muk.
Sure enough, after a short exchange, Staryu was overwhelmed and defeated, floating lifelessly in the pool.
Two wins down—one more to go, and Raj would earn the Cascade Badge.
"Ayame, be careful. This guy's strong. Sakura and I already lost—it's up to you now," said Daisy nervously.
The last sister, Daisy, released a Seel with around 200 combat power.
Raj hesitated. The Seel looked cute—and weak. He was starting to feel bad about what was about to happen.
But before the next move could begin, a sudden explosion shook the gym ceiling.
A hot air balloon descended from above—decorated with a large red "R."
Raj frowned. The scene was too familiar.
"I heard someone asking a question sincerely," came a voice.
"Then we'll mercifully tell you!"
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples 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!"
A pair in white uniforms appeared dramatically—Jessie and James of Team Rocket.
Raj rubbed his temples. He really didn't expect to run into them during his gym challenge.
He only needed one more win for the badge, and now this?
"Look, James, I told you this guy's got something good. That shiny Mukalone is worth catching! If we hand it over to the boss, we'll be promoted for sure!" Jessie said excitedly.
"We're so lucky! What are the chances of finding a jackpot like this in Cerulean City?" James agreed.
Raj's face darkened. These idiots… targeting me? The son of Team Rocket's original leader?
"You probably don't know who I am," he said coldly. "But I'm really pissed you chose the wrong time to bother me."
"Grimer, Mud Bomb—hit their balloon!"
Suppressing his anger, Raj gave the order. After all, these two technically worked under his father's organization.
But his Shiny Mukdidn't hold back—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The mud bombs struck the balloon, which exploded mid-air. Jessie and James were instantly blasted into the sky.
"We'll be back!" they screamed as they disappeared into the distance like a pair of shooting stars.
Raj sighed. Did Team Rocket members get training to shout the same lines every time they lost?
The three sisters on the opposite platform looked at him in awe.
"Wow… he actually chased off Team Rocket!"
"That's amazing! Last time they came, it took us hours to drive them away!"
Raj just smiled faintly, pretending not to care—but inside, he was already itching to finish his final match.
...
Author's Note
Sorry for the late updates. Because of my semester exams, I wasn't able to upload stories continuously.
From now onward, updates will be regular, and I'll be including a few new fanfics as well. I hope you enjoy them and continue to support me!
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— Shadow_demon_007