Soul Badge

After dealing with the Diglett, the gang continued to search for the Fuchsia Gym. But finding it would not be easy.

"Okay, this is ridiculous." Ash huffed. "We've been searching for Fuchsia City for a while now, but all we've found is trees and more trees."

"Yeah." Misty said. "I mean why have a gym built in the middle of nowhere."

"Let's stop for a while and rest." Brock suggested.

They took a break by a small waterfall.

Misty had her six Pokemon swimming in the stream. Her Staryu, Starmie, two Poliwag, Seel and Squirtle were enjoying the water. Ash had his Corviknight, Vulpix, Psyduck, and Nidoran couple out as well as Pikachu. Brock had his Vulpix out and was brushing it's fur with a brush.

"Hey Ash." Misty called out. "Have you decided what Pokemon you'll use?"

"The Fuchsia Gym's specialty is poison type Pokemon." Ash said. "So I've figured I'll use Vulpix and my Nidoran's."

"I like that idea." Brock said. "Poison is neutral against itself after all."

The gang resumed their search for the Fuchsia Gym. It seemed hopeless at first, and then suddenly they saw an old mansion.

"That's odd." Misty said. "Why is there a mansion in the middle of nowhere?"

"I don't know." Brock said. "This place seems kind of spooky."

The gang decided to enter the building. They were walking down a corridor, when suddenly Misty fell through a wall on the left side. Ash and Brock saw what had happened and gasped.

"How did that happen?" Ash asked.

"That wall is a fake." Brock explained. "You push the wall and then it moves forward like a door."

They found Misty on the other side of the wall.

"What kind of place is this?" Misty asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." Ash said.

Suddenly they saw some sort of purple fluff ball with two big eyes and two antennas.

"Hey what's that?" Ash asked, looking at the Pokedex.

"Venonat, the Insect Pokemon. Lives in the shadows of tall trees where it eats insects. It is attracted by lights at night."

Misty shuddered as Venonat was a bug type Pokemon. Venonat made moves to get the gang to follow it. So they did, but they were heading into trouble.

As they were walking down another corridor, Ash got shocked by something. He initially thought it was Pikachu, but then he saw a big red and white ball.

Ash looked at it on the Pokedex.

"Voltorb, the Ball Pokemon. Usually found in power plants. Easily mistaken for a Poke Ball, they have zapped many people."

Ash, Misty and Brock quickly walked away, just in case the Voltorb was going to explode.

"Okay." Ash said. "This is a really dangerous place."

They saw the Venonat again and chased it around the corner, but Ash hit a invisible wall. Next they ran into another invisible wall. Making matters worse, Ash fell through a wall and the wall hung dangerously over the edge of a cliff. Luckily the window was open and he grabbed the window edge. Misty and Brock pulled him to safety.

"This place is dangerous." Misty said. "There are traps everywhere."

"I hope whoever set these traps up doesn't intend to take our Pokemon." Brock said. "I'd hate for them to take Vulpix away."

Then they saw Venonat again. Ash ran after it and went through another fake wall, and then he suddenly screamed. Misty and Brock feared he was in danger and went through the fake wall. They found him pinned to the wall by throwing stars.

Misty and Brock were about to help him out, when laughter came from the other side of the room. The source was a woman in a pink ninja outfit.

"I am Aya." The woman said. "One of this mansion's ninja's."

"I could care less." Ash said. "Don't throw these stars at people. I could have been injured."

Aya laughed.

"I wish to battle you." She said.

"I'll gladly take you on." Ash agreed. "But get me down first."

Aya freed Ash from the wall and then they got ready for a Pokemon battle.

"We shall battle with one Pokemon each." Aya said. "I choose Venonat."

"Okay." Ash said, taking out a Poke Ball. "Nidoran I choose you."

Ash's female Nidoran got her teeth ready to fight.

"Nidoran, use Poison Fang." Nidoran's fangs turned purple and she charged at Venonat to bite it. Venonat dodged before Nidoran could do that.

"Venonat, use Stun Spore." Aya said.

"Nidoran, Dig." Ash ordered before Venonat's Stun Spore could hit her.

"Use Super Fang." Ash said.

Nidoran's teeth turned white and bit down on Venonat really hard.

"Use Psybeam." Aya said.

Venonat released a multi-colored beam from it's eyes.

"Nidoran, dodge." Ash ordered. He knew Psybeam could really hurt Nidoran.

"Use Poison Sting." Ash said.

After the Poison Sting hit Venonat, it started to feel sick and was purple in the face. Aya gasped, worried about Venonat.

"Venonat has been poisoned by Poison Sting." Brock explained.

Suddenly Nidoran began to glow and then turned into a bigger version of herself.

"Nidorina." Ash said.

He looked at the Pokedex.

"Nidorina, the Poison Pin Pokemon and the evolved form of Nidoran F. The female's horn develops slowly. Prefers physical attacks such as clawing and biting."

Aya returned Venonat, knowing full well she had lost while Ash pet his Nidorina for winning.

Suddenly a Voltorb rolled towards them and exploded. As the smoke cleared a man appeared in front of them.

"Brother I have failed." Aya said sadly.

Ash, Misty and Brock were confused, so the man explained.

"I am Koga." The man introduced himself. "I am the gym leader of Fuchsia Gym, what you have stumbled upon."

"My name is Ash." Ash introduced himself. "I've been looking for you because I wish to challenge you."

Koga looked at Ash and grinned.

"I sense a real fighting spirit from you." He said. "If you defeat me you will obtain the Soul Badge."

So Ash and Koga got ready to battle.

"This will be a two on two Pokemon battle." Koga explained.

"I understand." Ash said. "And my first Pokemon will be Nidoran M."

His male Nidoran stuck it's horn in the air, ready to fight.

"I shall start with Venonat." Koga said.

Ash was ready to fight with Venonat again, when suddenly Venonat started to glow. It grew from a puff ball into a giant moth.

Ash looked at the Pokedex.

"Venomoth, the Poison Moth Pokemon and the evolved form of Venonat. The dust-like scales covering it's wings are color coded to indicate the kinds of poison it has."

"This will be tricky." Ash said. "But I'm not giving up."

"Venomoth, Stun Spore." Koga ordered.

"Nidoran, Dig." Nidoran tunneled underground to dodge it.

"Use Sludge Bomb." Ash ordered.

Nidoran fired globs of brown sludge from it's mouth at Venomoth. The sludge hit Venomoth, causing it to fall. Nidoran growled at Venomoth and started to glow.

"Interesting." Koga said. "Two evolutions in one battle."

Ash was surprised that two of his Pokemon evolved in a single day. Nidoran M turned into a bigger version of himself.

Ash looked at the Pokedex.

"Nidorino, the Poison Pin Pokemon and the evolved form of Nidoran M. An aggressive Pokemon that is quick to attack. The horn on it's head secretes a powerful venom."

Ash and Koga were about to continue the battle, when it was suddenly interrupted. It was Team Rocket; they came to the Fuchsia Gym to steal the Pokemon. Arbok and Weezing were out of their Poke Balls waiting for their master's orders.

"Let's join forces to fight them." Koga said.

He had Venomoth out and Ash had Nidorino out to battle. Aya sent out her Venonat. She had given it medicine earlier, so Venonat was fit to battle. James smirked.

"We had a feeling you'd do that." He said. "So we came prepared."

He fired some sticky substance at the Pokemon trapping them to the floor.

"I know what to do." Koga said. He pulled a cord from the ceiling and Voltorb appeared from the ceiling panels. James knew what they were and trapped the Voltorb in some more of the sticky substance.

"Now we shall grab all your Pokemon." Jessie said.

Ash wasn't about to let Team Rocket get away with this. He released his Psyduck from it's Poke Ball. Misty was surprised by that.

"Why did you send out Psyduck?" She asked.

"You're about to find out." Ash smiled. "Disable Psyduck."

Psyduck froze Team Rocket and their Pokemon in place with Disable. Then it sent them flying with Confusion and Psychic. Psyduck then freed everyone from the sticky substance with Psychic. Koga and Aya offered to trade Ash for Psyduck. Ash wasn't wiling to trade Psyduck for anything. Misty and Brock were amazed that Psyduck could use those attacks without having any major headaches.

"I taught Psyduck Calm Mind, before it learned any other moves." Ash explained.

"And I suggest Misty, that after you capture your own Psyduck teach it Calm Mind as soon as possible."

Ash and Koga resumed their gym battle.

"I shall go with Golbat." Koga said.

Ash looked at the Pokedex.

"Golbat, the Bat Pokemon and the evolved form of Zubat. Once it strikes, it will not stop draining energy from the victim even if it gets too heavy to fly."

"Vulpix I choose you." Ash said. "We have be careful Vulpix."

"Golbat, Wing Attack." Koga ordered.

Golbat got ready to strike Vulpix with it's wings.

"Ember." Ash said. Vulpix shot out bolts of fire from her mouth and hit Golbat.

"Use Screech." Koga ordered. Golbat produced a very loud scream. The noise was awful.

"Use Will-O-Wisp." Ash said. Vulpix released some balls of blue fire from her mouth and the flames hit Golbat's wings.

"Now Fire Spin." A cyclone of fire emerged from Vulpix's mouth which surrounded Golbat.

When the flaming cyclone died down, everyone saw Golbat with swirls in it's eyes, falling to the ground. Koga returned Golbat, knowing he had lost.

Ash ran over to Vulpix and gave her a hug.

"You were awesome Vulpix." He said.

Vulpix affectionately licked Ash's face. Koga walked over to Ash.

"Ash." He said. "Not only did you defeat me, you saved my Voltorb from those thieves. Therefore I present you with the Soul Badge." The Soul Badge was a pink badge in the shape of a heart.

"Thanks." Ash was happy.

With the Soul Badge in his possession, Ash and his friends said farewell to Koga and Aya before setting off.