Kurt's tasks were finally complete, and the drought in Azalea Town had come to an end.
With the Azalea Gym reopened, it was finally time for Ash to take on the challenge.
"Is this really the Azalea Gym? It looks more like a botanical garden," Misty remarked, stepping cautiously into the entrance. She had no idea what was waiting for her.
Ash couldn't help but offer a friendly warning. "Uh, Misty, do you remember what type of Gym this is?"
"What?"
She didn't need Ash or Brock to answer. The realization hit her instantly.
The Azalea Gym was a Bug-type Gym!
Before she could even react, several Caterpie and Metapod suddenly dropped from the trees on silk threads, dangling right in front of her face.
"BUGS!!!"
Misty instinctively lunged onto Ash's back, hiding her head behind his, refusing to look at the Bug Pokémon surrounding them.
Ash could only manage a wry smile. He and Brock were well aware of Misty's paralyzing fear of bugs.
However, seeing these Caterpie made Ash feel a bit nostalgic. He wondered how the Butterfree he had released to go off with his girlfriend was doing these days.
"Sorry about that. My companion is… well, she's a girl," Ash apologized, patting Misty's arm gently as he looked at a boy emerging from behind a tree.
"It's no problem. But don't you think Bug Pokémon are the greatest?" the boy asked.
"I think all Pokémon are the best," Ash replied. "I like Bug types, and I like Bird types too. No one has the right to force their own preferences onto others, right?"
The boy took a long look at Ash before finally nodding. "You're right. It is as you say. I should apologize for that."
"Hello. I am the Azalea Gym Leader, Bugsy. They call me 'The Walking Encyclopedia of Bug Pokémon.' It's a pleasure to meet you!"
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town. I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
And with that, the battle began.
The interior of the Azalea Gym was essentially a forest. The battlefield was cleared in the center of a dense grove, with trees flanking all sides a clear advantage for Bug Pokémon.
"The match between the Azalea Gym Leader, Bugsy, and the challenger, Ash from Pallet Town, will now begin! This is an official battle with a Gym Badge on the line. Each side is limited to three Pokémon!"
"Ash, have you ever heard the saying? He who conquers Bug Pokémon, conquers the world," Bugsy said before the first round.
Ash thought to himself that the trainers in the Johto Region were a strange bunch so far one was obsessed with birds, and this one was obsessed with bugs.
Without waiting for Ash to reply, Bugsy sent out his first Pokémon. According to Gym rules, the Leader sends out their Pokémon first, allowing the challenger to adjust their strategy accordingly.
"Go, the silent warrior of Bug Pokémon! Spinarak!"
Ash was quite familiar with Spinarak. Back in Spinarak Town, they had even partnered with a Spinarak to arrest the Team Rocket Trio. That had been one of the more relaxed parts of his journey.
Coincidentally, Team Rocket was currently trying to sneak into the Gym, only to be promptly webbed up by the resident Bug Pokémon once again.
"Slowpoke, I choose you!"
Misty and Brock were both stunned. They hadn't expected Ash to send out the Slowpoke he had just caught.
However, when Bugsy saw the Pokémon, his expression shifted. "I didn't realize you had gained the Slowpoke God's recognition! Ash, I'll have to give this everything I've got!"
The problem was that Slowpoke was a Water and Psychic type. Bug-type moves would be super effective against it.
"Spinarak, String Shot!"
The String Shot hit Slowpoke easily. No matter how special this Slowpoke was, its speed was still its greatest weakness.
"Now you can't move!" Bugsy felt victory was within his grasp. "Use Poison Sting!"
"Slowpoke, use Water Pulse!"
Instead of firing the Water Pulse at Spinarak, Slowpoke aimed it at the ground. A wave over two meters high surged up, acting as a shield that blocked all the Poison Stings.
"Our turn. Confusion!"
Slowpoke was a Water and Psychic type, and perhaps it had chosen Ash because of his own Psychic powers. Its eyes flashed with a blue light, enveloping Spinarak.
"Spinarak!"
Spinarak was frozen in place. Bugsy was helpless; his Pokémon didn't have the raw strength required to break free from a Psychic hold.
Bugsy could only watch as Slowpoke slammed Spinarak into the ground, knocking it out instantly.
"Ash's Slowpoke is so strong!" Misty compared it to her own Psyduck. Both were Psychic users and both looked a bit dazed, so why was the gap in power so huge?
"Return, Slowpoke!"
Slowpoke was still sticky from the silk threads, and Ash knew it would be a target if he left it out.
Seeing Ash recall his Pokémon, Bugsy looked at him. "My second choice is the proudest warrior among Bug Pokémon. Go, Shuckle!"
Ash's expression changed when he saw Shuckle. There was only one reason: Shuckle's base stats were notoriously annoying. Its Attack and Special Attack were abysmal, but its Defense and Special Defense were extraordinarily high. If it used a certain move...
"A Shuckle, huh? Then I choose you, Bayleef!"
As soon as Bayleef emerged, she nudged Ash affectionately. "I'm counting on you!" Ash said, clearly doting on the sweet-natured Grass type.
"Ash, are you looking down on me? Sending a Grass type against my Bug types?" Bugsy was genuinely annoyed. Ash kept sending out Pokémon with type disadvantages.
Ash shook his head. "I have a plan for Bayleef. Come on!"
Sure enough, Bugsy's first command was that specific Psychic move. "Shuckle, use Power Split!"
The move forced the Attack and Special Attack of both Pokémon to average out. Shuckle, which had nearly zero offensive power, was suddenly on equal footing with Bayleef. However, Shuckle's massive Defense and Special Defense remained unchanged.
Ash allowed Bugsy to even out the stats, but he immediately gave his own command. "Bayleef, use Poison Powder!"
A purple powder instantly enveloped Shuckle. No matter how high its Defense was, once it was poisoned, its health would steadily drain.
"I see! Ash used Bayleef specifically to poison Shuckle!" Brock finally realized the strategy.
It was an impressive tactic. Ash was no longer the impulsive novice who only knew how to attack head-on.
In this Bug-type Gym, Ash seemed determined to fight against the type advantage until the very end. For Bugsy's third Pokémon, Scyther, Ash sent out his own Bug type: Heracross.
He didn't even give his Fire-type Quilava a chance to participate.
However, Scyther was Bug and Flying, while Heracross was Bug and Fighting.
"Strike first! Scyther, use Quick Attack!" Bugsy commanded, utilizing Scyther's superior speed.
Seeing this, Ash actually smirked.
Against a Heracross, Bugsy only used Quick Attack. That proved this Scyther didn't know any Flying-type moves at all.
"Catch it, Heracross!"
Scyther looked incredibly cool as it charged forward like a bolt of lightning, its two sharp scythes raised. But Heracross kept its eyes locked on Scyther's form. With its powerful arms, Heracross caught Scyther's blades mid-swing, forcing the Pokémon to a dead halt.
"How is that possible!"
Bugsy couldn't believe his eyes, but Heracross wasn't done yet.
"Heracross, use Megahorn!"
Launching a massive Bug-type finisher right away, Heracross's great horn glowed with intense energy as it sent Scyther flying.
"Scyther is unable to battle! Heracross wins! The victory goes to the challenger, Ash from Pallet Town!"
"Return, Scyther. You did well, the challenger was just too strong," Bugsy said, recalling his Pokémon. He turned to Ash. "Ash, you really are amazing. This Hive Badge belongs to you!"
"I got the Hive Badge!"
"Pika-Pikapi!"
Slowpoke: 135/180
Bayleef: 195/210
Heracross: 145/252
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