Grass Pokemon

Today the gang was finally getting closer to Ecruteak City.

"I'll be happy when we enter the city." Misty said. "I'll be able to enjoy a good rest in a nice warm bed."

"I can't wait to take the gym on." Ash said.

Just then Ash remembered Bugsy telling him about Morty, the gym leader of Ecruteak City.

"Since Bugsy told me that the Ecruteak Gym leader Morty studies legendary Pokemon, how do you think he would react if I showed him my Lugia?"

"Well he would be very surprised." Brock said. "Besides, it's not every day that you see a trainer with a Lugia."

"Are you going to show Lugia to Morty, Ash?" Misty asked.

"Bugsy said that he would tell Morty about my Lugia, so it's best that I show him my Lugia." Ash answered.

Tomo suddenly saw some grass type Pokemon not far from where they were standing.

"Wow look at the Sunflora, Bellossom, Oddish and Gloom." Misty said.

"The guide book says that many grass type Pokemon live here." Brock said.

A green Pokemon with a yellow flower on it's head ran past them.

"That's a Skiploom." Ash said.

He looked at it on the Pokedex.

"Skiploom, the Cottonweed Pokemon and the evolved form of Hoppip. The bloom on top of it's head opens and closes as the temperature fluctuates up and down."

The Skiploom ran towards a boy with navy blue hair.

"Hey Skippy." The boy said. "Your speed is getting better."

"Hey, is that Skiploom yours?" Ash asked.

"Yes Skippy here is mine and it's also my starter Pokemon." The boy said.

The boy introduced himself as Ephiram and the gang introduced themselves as well.

"Do you have any grass type Pokemon with you?" Ephiram asked Ash.

"Yes I have a Chikorita." Ash answered.

"Then I would like to have a battle with you." Ephiram said.

Ash accepted and released Chikorita from her Poke Ball. Ash and Ephiram then got ready to battle.

"Skippy tackle Chikorita." Ephiram said.

Skippy charged at Chikorita to tackle him.

"Counter with your own Tackle." Ash told Chikorita.

Skippy was knocked back by Chikorita.

"Sorry Ephiram, but my Chikorita is no pushover when it comes to battling." Ash said.

Ephiram thought that Ash was good, but it didn't dampen his spirits.

"Use Double Team Skippy." Skippy multiplied itself and surrounded Chikorita.

"Use Razor Leaf Ash." Ash said.

Chikorita flung some leaves at Skippy and the leaves hit the real Skippy, ending the Double Team.

"Okay time for your favorite move, use Secret Power." Chikorita glowed pink and then she tackled Skippy. Skippy fell asleep.

"Since this is a grassy area, Chikorita's Secret Power has caused Skiploom to fall asleep." Brock explained.

Ash saw that Skippy has had enough and called the battle off then recalled Chikorita. Ephiram checked to see if Skippy was alright and Brock gave Skippy a potion to feel better.

"I must say Ash, your Chikorita is strong." Ephiram said.

"Ah well, I train all my Pokemon nearly every day." Ash replied.

"Ash does actually." Misty said. "We watch him train all the time."

"Would you like to come to my house?" Ephiram asked the gang. They agreed to go with him.

Ephiram lived on a farm with his parents and some grass type Pokemon. There were two Sunflora, two Bellossom, two Gloom and two Hoppip.

"Wow from the looks of it I would say that you and your family love grass type Pokemon." Brock said.

"We do and the grass type Pokemon help us a lot on the farm." Ephiram said.

Ephiram introduced the gang to his parents and his parents greeted the gang. The gang had lunch with Ephiram and his family and his parents explained that their grass type Pokemon help the flowers grow beautifully.

"I take it you wish to become a grass type Pokemon Ephiram?" Ash noted.

"Yes I do." Ephiram answered. "Which is why I'm entering the grass type Pokemon tournament tomorrow."

Ephiram's dad explained that every year they held a grass type Pokemon tournament in the area.

"Wow, I think I'll enter this grass type tournament too." Ash said. "What do you get if you win the tournament?"

"You get a trophy and some Leaf Stones." Ephiram said. "And you are given a Bulbasaur and a Chikorita."

"Wow, what a prize." Brock said.

"Yes and I hope to win it." Ephiram said. "Because I would love to have my own Bulbasaur and Chikorita to train."

That evening Ephiram was training Skippy and Ash decided to do some training for the tournament too. He decided to use Parasect for the tournament. He thought that using Venusaur might be a bit unfair for the other contestants due to it being a fully evolved Pokemon and it's size, and Chikorita was a good battler, but Parasect was stronger than her. So he got Parasect from Prof. Oak. Apart from already knowing the moves Fury Cutter, Slash, Bug Bite, Stun Spore, Spore and the egg move Psybeam Parasect knew some other moves; Dig, Cross Poison, X-Scissor, Energy Ball, Bullet Seed and Aerial Ace.

"Ash's Parasect certainly has gotten stronger since the last time we saw it in battle." Misty said.

"Yeah it must have gone through some training at Prof. Oak's lab." Brock said.

"Are you entering as well?" Tomo asked Misty and Brock.

"I'm going to stick to water type Pokemon battles." Misty replied.

"I just want to watch." Brock stated.

Ash saw Ephiram's Skiploom train it's speed and then he had a brainwave.

"Hey Ephiram." He said. "I think it's time for Skippy to learn Aerial Ace."

"Ash is right." Brock remarked. "Besides Skiploom is also a flying type in addition to being a grass type. So learning Aerial Ace would be good for Skippy."

Ephiram liked the idea too, so Ash helped Skippy learn Aerial Ace with help from his Parasect.

The next day, it was time for the grass type Pokemon tournament. Ash and Ephiram were in a waiting room for their turns to battle.

"May the best trainer win." Ash told Ephiram.

"Yeah." Ephiram replied.

Tomo, Misty, Brock and Ephiram's parents were sitting in the stadium seats, waiting for the tournament to begin.

"Say Brock." Misty said. "What will Ash do about the Bulbasaur and Chikorita if he does win the tournament?"

"Brother told me last night that he would give the Leaf Stones to Ephiram as well, since he already has a Leaf Stone."

Brock and Misty smiled at Ash's kindness.

Then the grass type Pokemon tournament began and Ash was up first. He was up against a trainer who had a Gloom. Despite Parasect having a disadvantage over Gloom, a grass/poison type Pokemon, it was easily defeated by Parasect's Psybeam as psychic type moves were super effective against poison type Pokemon. After using Psybeam, Parasect finished Gloom off with Slash. Next was Ephiram and Skippy. They were facing a trainer that had a Victreebel. At first Skippy was having trouble with Victreebel's Vine Whip attack. But thanks to Skippy's moves Aerial Ace and Leech Seed, Victreebel was defeated. Ash and Ephiram defeated all of their opponents easily until at last they were facing each other in the final round.

"Wow seeing both Ash and Ephiram in the finals, it's hard to tell who will win." Misty confessed.

"It is true." Brock said. "I mean Ash is a good trainer, but Ephiram has picked up more experience during this tournament so who knows what will happen here."

"Use Double Team." Ephiram told Skippy.

The copies of Skippy raced around Parasect like crazy.

"Stay calm and use Bullet Seed on the copies Parasect." Ash instructed.

Parasect fired multiple yellow seeds from his mouth and they hit all the copies of Skippy.

"Quick Skippy use Leech Seed." Ephiram said.

Skippy fired multiple big brown seeds at Parasect to trap him, but Parasect managed to counter the Leech Seed with Bullet Seed. Just then one of the seeds hit the real Skippy and the Double Team dispersed. Ephiram's parents got worried.

"Oh dear." Ephiram's dad said. "The double team technique hasn't worked on Ash's Parasect."

"Use X-Scissor Parasect." Ash ordered.

Parasect's pincers glowed light blue and then he slashed at Skippy.

"I fear this may be over for Skippy." Misty said, worried.

Ash was just about to command Parasect to use Spore so this battle would end without Skippy taking any more damage. But then a glowing light appeared on Skippy's flower. Ash gasped.

"Skippy is using Solar Beam." He said.

Tomo, Misty, Brock and Ephiram's parents were amazed that Skippy just learned Solar Beam.

"Use Dig to try and escape the Solar Beam." Ash commanded.

But it was too late; Skippy fired the Solar Beam at Parasect, injuring it.

"Great Skippy now use Aerial Ace." Ephiram said.

Skippy charged at Parasect and Parasect fainted. Since Aerial Ace was a flying type move, it easily overpowered Parasect as it was a bug/grass type Pokemon.

So Ephiram was declared the winner of the grass type Pokemon tournament. Ash petted Parasect on the back and told him he did a great job in the tournament. Then Ash walked up to Ephiram.

"Congratulations Ephiram." He said and then he and Ephiram shook hands with each other.

"I thought that was a great battle." Misty said while she and everyone else in the stadium seats clapped.

"Yes and Skippy learning Solar Beam was certainly something to remember." Brock added.

"It was great." Tomo said.

Ephiram's parents were very proud of their son. So Ephiram was given a trophy, a set of Leaf Stones and two Poke Balls, which contained a Bulbasaur and a Chikorita.

Once the tournament was over, Ephiram, his parents and the gang went back to Ephiram's house. Ephiram released his new Bulbasaur and Chikorita from their Poke Balls and immediately greeted them. Bulbasaur and Chikorita were happy to have Ephiram as their new trainer. Ephiram decided to call Bulbasaur, Bulbs and Chikorita, Chikker. Ephiram's parents used two of the Leaf Stones to evolve their two Gloom into Vileplume. Brock explained that Vileplume's pollen would definitely help around the garden now.

"The way you and Skippy battled in the tournament and won it definitely proves that you will be a great grass type Pokemon trainer. And your new Bulbasaur and Chikorita will make you a better grass type Pokemon trainer."

Tomo, Misty and Brock agreed with what Ash said. Ephiram thanked Ash and then the gang said goodbye to Ephiram and his parents to continue their journey.