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As our story contiues, we once again find our friends Ash, Misty and Brock travelling across the roads of the Kanto region in perfect harmony...
"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Ash Ketchum, until you pay for my broken bike!" A certain orange haired girl was reminding Ash of his debt fro the bicycle that was broken because of him.
"MY BIKE, MY BIKE, That's all I ever hear from you-" Ash reluctantly answered.
"Right! And my name may be Misty, but I'm perfectly clear about what you owe me and you're not gonna get away without paying!"
A certain Pokemon Breeder interfered in the quarrel.
"Maybe if you two payed more attention where we are going right now, we'd already be in Vermillion City. Ugh... I think we all need a little break. Why don't I just throw a little something together?"
Brock concluded. Brock started taking out things from his seemingly endless backpack inside of which he managed to carry a table, a tablecloth, dishes, etc-
"A-ha! " Brock said as he took out a big thermos flask. "You kids are too young for this, but this Cerulean coffee is really good. Hey, how about some prune juice?" Brock said as he offered it to the guys.
"I think I'll pass..." Ash said in slight disgust.
"How about some herbal tea?" Misty chimed in.
"You must be kidding..." Ash didn't seem to like that either...However, there was something Brock had to say...
"Not so fast, Ash! I brought my official Pokemon Tea Set!" Brock presented a tea set with a Raichu pattern engraved on it.
"As you know, the key to best coffee and tea is best water, so I've brought some exclusive special mineral water!" Brock said as he took out the mineral water bottle from his backpack.
"And for ze speshel snacqk, I've brought some Kalos crêpes" Brock said with a fake Kalosian accent.
Misty was in awe.
"I love all Kalos things, they're so romantic!" She said with dreamy eyes.
Brock gave them some cookies and drinks for the time being. Ash, as usual, loudly crunched and loudly sipped-
(WHACK) He suddenly got hit by something heavy on the head.
"ALL THAT CRUNCHING IS RUINING MY ROMANTIC DAYDREAMS!-" Misty was threatening Ash with a huge wooden log that seemed way too heavy for her to lift and she was also screaming at Ash at the same time.
"By the way, I can't cook crepes and I can't boil water if I don't have a fire!" Brock noticed. "One of you is going to have to go to the forest for some firewood."
"That's excellent, Brock! I can keep you company here, so that means that all the excitement of searching..."
Ash was struck by the realization that had to go for the firewood but he wasn't impressed.
"Ugh...Yeah...I'm going..." As he went for the firewood into the forest.
On that day, the fog was especially thick. His trusty Pikachu pal was walking alongside him.
"Ugh...Pikachu...Why do I always have to do all the work!?...Huh? Hey, looks like a fire!" Ash pointed to a light that was glowing ahead in the foggy forest.
As Ash approached the source of light, it turned out to actually be a treadmill running simulator machine. A boy in a school uniform was running on the track in the middle of a foggy meadow near the forest that Ash had just come out of. A group of some other boys in school uniforms were seemingly asking the running boy questions from some sort of cards.
"Alright,...What's the name of this one?" The red-haired boy asked the runner.
"Is-it-a-Zubat?"
Another boy, with green hair interrupted.
"Listen, just because it's foggy out here, doesn't mean your brain has to be in fog."
"I-it's ...(gasp) a...pidgey!" The boy running on the threadmill guessed in an exhausted condition.
"You just got lucky. Now tell us what it's special attack is."
"...P-pidgey's attack is Gust!
At level 5 , Sand-Attack!
A-at level 12,..."
"-EVERYBODY knows that! Now, could'ya tell me at what level Pidgey evolves, and what is it's advanced stage...?"
"Ummm..."The running boy was sweating and nervously panicking in a struggle to find the correct answer.
"Hehehe...You'll have to come up with an answer quick or you'll have to run faster!" The green-haired one threatened the runner.
As the group silentl watched the runner fail to remember the answer, he finally collapsed from exhaustion and psychological pressure being rolled of the rotating treadmill track onto the moist ground where he stood on his knees looking at the soil in disappointment.
"OuwwwFF!" He said. "I-i'm sorry...I forgot."
"Ugh..."The crowd said.
The red-haired one, obviously the leader of the runts, said." You forgot, huh? And you call yourself a Pokemon Tech student? We don't wanna study with da likes of you."
"I'm ...sorry..." Was all the brown haired boy who failed said.
Suddenly, a voice approached them from the thick thicc fog.
"Hey! Leave that kid alone! What's goin' on here?!" It was Ash. He was in fury that the kid was seemingly being bullied.
The "examinators" explained.
"Pfft. There's nothing going on here. Mind your own - is a private training 's no room in our Pokemon School for losers who don't even know Pidgey's evolved stage! We have to maintain standards."
As Ash helped the failed boy rise. he replied,"I don't know about this school of yours, but if it's turning out students like you, I'd say the standards are pretty low."
"That's right, Ash! You tell 'em!" A familiar voice chimed in. It was...
"Misty?" Ash turned around to see the Water Type Trainer.
"If you guys don't stop bullying that boy, you're gonna face me and Ash!"
"-Misty you stay out of this-Leave it to me!-"
"You're right, Ash! There's no reason for both of us to get into a fight! It's...very brave of you to take all 5 of'em all by yourself."Misty said with a smug smile.
"Hehehehe..." Ash nervously said realizing that he probably should have talked nicer to Misty as he was confronted with 5 weird bullies by himself.
"I'll be cheering for you on the sidelines, and don't worry I'll drag you away at the end...Show'em you're a man, Ash!" Misty "cheered" Ash on.
Suddenly, the bullies responded.
"We don't fight. Fighting is for cavemen. We don't have time for brats like you. Plus, it would just give Pokemon Tech a bad rep." The group arrogantly said as they left the meadow before saying one last phrase,"We'll see you at the Tech, Joe." referring to the failed brown-haired boy.
Ash was infuriated as the hot-headed boy he was. He shouted at their backs.
"You cowards are just too afraid!"
"The only thing we're afraid of is how bad it would be to beat up a punk like you, hahaha."
...
"Just who do those guys think they are!" Ash said as the 5 silhouettes disappeared in the fog distance.
"So those are the infamous Tech students..." Brock said into the foggy distance. Ash didn't even notice when Brock appeared - but here he was - he probably came to protect Ash and Misty in case the fight would have broken out. He was holding some kind of bowl mixing inside of it with a spatula.
"Tech students?..." Ash wondered out loud.
"Pokemon Tech!" Misty said. "I think it's short for Pokemon Technical, a school for Pokemon Trainers. I know I had a flyer here somewhere..." Misty searched her pockets. "Yeah! Here it is!" She took out a crumpled flyer and straightened it out to show it to Ash.
(A Pokemon School in the middle of nowhere?...) Ash thought to himself. Brock tok the flyer to take a look at it.
"Let's see what it says here about this place!" Brock demonstrated the flyer. It showed a photo of a three-story mansion building built in a Baroque architecture style - apparently the school building.
"Pokemon Technical Institute...A boarding school for serious Pokemon training preparations...All students guarateed to enter Pokemon League upon graduation. Pokemon Technical is the educational facility for exceptional students who want to become Pokemon Trainers in a very short time. Without having to travel on difficult badge-collecting journeys!...Oh, so that's the story!" Brock concluded.
"Getting into the Pokemon League without badges is too easy!"Ash replied.
"Wait, there's more!" Brock said. "Student entrance fees and tuition are in keeping with the highest standards set by Pokemon Technical..."
"You know what that means, don't you?" Misty said to Ash. "It's one of those snobby private schools only millionaires' kids can go to."
"OHH! That really makes me mad! WHERE IS THIS PLACE ANYWAY!?" Ash shouted in a sudden display of anger.
During all of this time, Joe, the meek Pokemon Tech student who was being bullied, was quietly standing by. He said, "It's right over there!" and pointed with his finger into a direction.
After walking for a bit and after the fog cleared up a bit, our team could finally see the school building. It was just as nice as it was on the photo. It wasn't too big, but it was certainly built with style.
"TODAY'S SPECIAL CLASS, FOG BATTLE TECHNIQUES HAS BEEN ENDED!" a feminine voice announced over the radio system. And the fog quickly completely disappeared.
(This fog was all part of a training field facility?!) Ash thought.
"TOMORROW'S LESSON WILL BE SNOW COMPETITION SECRETS!" The same radio voice announced. Ash was shocked by the announcement.
"Ugh..." Joe, sighed. "Oh well...I guess tomorrow they'll make me into a snowman again..."
"Do they treat you like this all the time?" Ash asked in discontent.
"My...friends... are just trying to help me" Joe responded.
"You call them friends!?" Ash said.
"With friends like that, who needs enemies!" Brock concluded.
"But, but...They help me learn that Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at level 18, learns Whirlwind at level 21, wing attack at level 31...After evolving to Pidgeot, it can fly up to 200 metres at Mach 2."
Ash was impressed by Joe's knowledge.
"I don't get it. If you knew all about it, why didn't you just answer before?" Ash asked.
"Sometimes I make-believe that i don't know all the answers to their questions because if I answer correctly right away they make the questions that much harder. But I have to stay here at Pokemon Tech. My parents work hard so that I can get an education here. You see that guy over there? " Joe pointed to a boy sitting under a tree in the near distance."He's an upperclassman senpai. The classes are so hard here, some students are held back here for many years! Everybody's too ashamed to go home without getting a diploma" The senpai Joe was referring to seemed to be a nerdy otaku guy reading a book with swirly sweaty glasses. "That guy, he's in the beginner's class with me." Joe concluded.
"You're a beginner?" Ash asked.
"Beginners have the same qualification as someone with 2 badges." Joe explained. "Intermediates - as 4, and advanced - as 6. If you graduate, you can enter the Pokemon League with having to travel to collect badges."
(What a corrupt system. But the graduates are probably skillful trainers.) Ash thought.
Joe continued explaining, "That guy, he's a beginner, (referring to the senpai in glasses) but he's so much older than everybody else in the class that they don't bother to help him like they help me."
Misty asked, "What do the teachers say about that kind of help?"
"They don't even know! ... Or, if they do, they pretend not to."
Ash was visibly mad at how the school was being run.
"Well I, for one, think this is a violation of students' rights that must stop immediately! If not sooner! I wanna meet the student in charge of this system and I want to see that it stops!"
Joe searched for something oin his pocket. "Here's a picture."
A beautiful girl with brown hair and brown eyes was on the picture.
When Ash saw the photo, he felt how he wanted to look at the picture more and more. There was something...alluring about her image. She seemed so cute, so pretty...
"It's a girl!?" Misty said.
"Oh yeah... You're right about that..." Ash said.
"She could violate my rights if-" Brock added in.
"Hey! If she's making your life so miserable, how come you're carrying her picture around?" Misty asked Joe.
"I hate the way she treats us, but I like the way she looks." Joe said.
"Yeah, not like some other girls who treat you bad and look even worse." Ash roasted Misty. Both Ash and Brock were still fawning over the photo.
"While you two are so focused over that sloppy picture, I'll go find that rich witch and give her a lesson!" Misty shouted as she stomped towards the school building.
""H-hey, Misty, wait!" Ash said. He definitely thought the girl on the photo was cute but he wasn't going to let anybody get away with bullying.
Our heroes proceede to enter the school building as they searched for the girl in charcge of this whole bully-business.
... ... ...
"Her name's Giselle. She always practises here by herself." Joe said as he brought our heroes to a training room on the first floor of the school building filled with computer machinery. "But even if you win her in a battle that won't matter to her. All she cares about is skill, which she defines by the standards I told you about earlier."
"That's exactly what I'm counting on! I've got 2 Pokemon GYM badges!" Ash said in a pretentious tone.
"But Giselle's a Top Beginner. That counts as 3 badges here at the Tech. Actually i'm a Beginner myself, as I said before" Joe explained.
"Wait a sec! I'm a leader at Cerulean Gym and are you trying to say that you can beat me?" Misty asked in an unfriendly tone.
"Yep, we train everyday on the simulation computers." Joe booted up the computer. He showed Misty a demonstration match between a Water Type Pokemon and a Grass type Pokemon.
"Your stupid simulation doesn't convince me! Let's see if you can handle the real deal!" Misty shouted.
"Ok...sure." Joe agreed.
"Starmie...I choose you!" Misty said.
"Heh...Weepinbell!" Joe said.
"Starmie...Water gun."
The sea star Pokemon unleashed a powerful flow of water onto the "Rafflesia" plant Pokemon.
One blow was enough to knock out the Weepinbell.
"What!? How!? I had the type advantage?!" Joe exclaimed.
Suddenly, someone approached our heroes from behind.
"True...But there's one thing you didn't know - your opponent's from the Cerulean city GYM. Her Pokemon has much more experience battling. You should've known that. you're an embarrassment to the whole school." Giselle said in a condescending tone. She finally appeared in person, with the crowd of boys who were mocking Joe standing behind her.
She was dressed in black shiny leather school shoes, white knee-length socks that left her thighs exposed to the eye, a blue skirt, a blue school uniform vest, a white sleeveless shirt with "puffed" shoulder area fabric, and a red ribbon tied as a loose bowtie. She was holding her hands on her hips as a stance of confidence. There was something in her smug voice that made her really look mean but at the same time so appealing - it was her self-confident attitude, perhaps.
"B-but Giselle" Joe tried to argue.
"SHE'S REALLY PRETTY, ISN'T SHE!" Ash exclaimed. As much as Ash wasn't really attracted to girls in the romantic sense...There was just something about Giselle that made him completely tremble on the inside. Her image couldn't convey how graceful she appeared to be in person. She seemed so refined, especially with her immaculate sttyle of clothing - she even managed to pull off wearing an ordinary school uniform while still looking beautiful.
"Yeah, she looks just like a movie star." Brock commented. He got it right. It was her inner confidnce combined with her natural cuteness that mad her stand out. She was actually acting like a lady unlike Misty who didn't even bother to make a similar impression on Ash.
Giselle had heard that Joe brought some travelling trainer kids from the outside to battle her so she brought her "lackeys" as cheerleaders. After all, respect and prestige is what she liked the most about being the star of the Beginner Class. She trained hard everyday to be the best - she couldn't afford to be left behind like some loser senpai in her class who was left for several years - there was a person who she desperately wanted to surpass - however she needed to concentrate on keeping up a dignified exterior to support the impression she made on the boys around her - she didn't necessary find this difficult nor did she dislike doing this but when she talked like that she felt like wasn't really being true to herself. But that's just how she had to survive in Pokemon Tech, this hive of rich kids if she wanted to uphold her reputation.
Anyways, seeing as Joe had lost to one of the Cerulean GYM Leaders (Giselle wondered why she came here anyway?) - it was her turn to step in and show what Pokemon Tech students were made of.
"Yeah, she looks just like a movie star." Brock said. Both him and Ash were standing there, looking at Giselle.
"They like stars, do they?" Misty thought to herself in irritation. Why were Brock and Ash impressed by this Barbie doll!? Especially Ash!
Giselle coughed clearing her throat and reached out her hand.
"I'm the top student in the beginning class of the most exclusive prep school in the world! - Pokemon Tech! It's sad that others aren't blessed with my beauty, my talemy, my humble attitude. People call me a star, but I'm -"
Giselle raised her right hand up with an open palm whlie putting her left hand on her hip and tilted her left shoe so that it was standing on its toe while her other leg was straight, striking a pose -
"I'm Just Giselle!" she said in a very nice voice.
Ash gulped. This was the first time he ever felt so nervous while seeing a girl. Of course, he did feel something similar when he used to meet Oak's granddaughter Daisy at the lab occasionally but Giselle was on a completely different level of awesome in terms of adorableness.
Giselle noticed that. She saw that her behaviour had the intended effect on the boy with the red-white cap. However, the older boy(teen?) in the green vest seemed ...kind of creepy? She also saw that Misty, the Cerulean GYM leader (she studied about the Kanto GYMs in school) was very jealous of her and especially how the boys reacted to her. That definitely fueled her pride. She went on to scold Joe.
"I want to continue to help my classmates to be the very best they can be. To help each other, to respect each other, and ensure the Pokemon of tomorrow!"
Her face expression suddenly changed making her look mean.
"But you're a weakling!" She sternly said to Joe.
"Uhh.."Joe looked worried by the psychological pressure placed on him.
"You'd better get stronger fast, or before you know it, your fellow students will turn their back on you for good!"
Joe's eyes widened in reflection of his hurted feelings.
"Hmph." Giselle said as she silently turned away from Joe, leaving him disheartened by the girl he secretly had a crush on. Gisellle was about to walk away-
"Not so fast!" Misty shouted.
"Not so fast!" Misty said. " A true friend wouldn't walk away from someone who needs their help! You may look beautiful, but you remind me of an old saying about how beauty is only skin deep."
Giselle sighes and smiled, not bothering to turn around to face Misty.
"Heh. Jealousy's not pretty either, is it?"
Ash was not sure what to do.
"I better do something?" He asked Brock.
"Wise Pokemon trainers never get involved in catfight" Brock whispered into Ash's ear.
"Huh?'" Ash was shocked.
Giselle decided to prove her point and challenge Misty to a Pokemon battle.
"Against your Water Pokemon, I'll choose Graveler!" Giselle felt confident in her skills. She was taking a risk, sure - after all, Misty WAS supposed to be a GYM leader but Giselle was already caught up in the heat of the moment. Besides, backing out right now would probably ruin her reputation in front of the schoolboys. That was probably something she was the most afraid of.
GISELLE'S FLASHBACK
1 year before...Kalos, Aquacorde Town, local school...After lessons in the school yard playground.
"Hey, look it's that girl from the boonies! They say that her parents work at the trash dump (giggle)" the kids said.
Giselle felt sad. She was being mocked everyday because her family was poor. Her parents were both former convicts so they were struggling to find a well paid job so they had to resort to the few available options they had left - city cleaning etc. Her mom Annabelle was the one who drove a truck to take away the litter from Giselle's school so her classmates knew who she was...Also Giselle was always wearing old oversized second hand clothes from her older brother Thierry because all of the money her parents earned her dad Laurent had to spend on compensations to families of people whose relatives he murdered as a former bandit (not affiliated with any team). Her mom had been on trial and in jail for theft... She seemed to look healthy now. Her dad liked to drink very much...Fortunately, he never hit anyone in the family...
Of course they could not afford a Pokemon. Only her brother had a Shuckle who slept most of the time - he found it when he was helping his parents at the garbage dump. Thierry couldn't even afford a Pokeball for his Shuckle.
Her older brother was also the victim of cruel jokes and bullying in his class. While Giselle was 9, he was 15. He wanted to leave on his own journey, but because of the debts he had to work al the time and earn money for the family. He was always depressed. No matter what, he would never leave his family. But the situation was unbearable.
Naturally, all of her classmates' parents disliked her very much and they told all about it to their children who caught up on the toxic hate.
Her classmates always called her "Trubbish girl".
"Do you wanna eat"? Jeanne, the most prominent bullying girl said. "Hey Trubbish girl, I'm talking to you, ya hear me?"
"I...I'm not trubbish girl...My name is Giselle..." Giselle meekly said, lowering her eyes. She felt sad ashamed and awkward, especially wearing Thierry's oversized autumn sweater.
"Shut up! You stink! And your clothes are so lame! do you live in the garbage dump or what? Here, take this apple."
Jeanne threw an apple core right into Giselle's face. Everybody around (around 6 people) loudly laughed out.
"Hahahaha! Hey, Trubbish, pick up the apple core and eat it."
"SHUT UP!" Giselle punched Jeanne in the face and ran away in tears.
"I...I-I'm n-never going to s-school a-again..." She said shaking when she rushed to home...
Her mom was home (a very cheap apartment in the slums). She just sat in silence.
"In that case, I guess you'll have to help out at the city dump ...Ok?"
"Ok mom...As long as I don't have to go back to school..." Giselle hugged her mom.
Thierry was playing with his Shuckle. However, Shuckle wanted to sleep.
Suddenly, the door opened and Giselle's dad rushed in. Giselle could swear that she had never seen him so happy in her life before.
"Hey, listen up, everybody...You won't believe this...I WON A LOTTERY! 1 000 000 000 PokeDollars! ! A FRICKIN 1000000000!"
"What?" Annabelle, Thierry and Giselle said simultaneously.
" I had a spare 50 Pokedollars so I bought a cheap lottery ticket. When I opened it...Let's just say were rich now. WE'RE MILLIONAIRES!"
Giselle's brain stopped functioning for a second.
From that day on, their lives changed completely.
Laurent dealed with all of his debts thanks to this newfound money.
Laurent decided to move away from his family's criminal past - so they moved to Kanto. He bought a luxurious mansion estate at the Cerulean Cape. He became a businessman at the stock market thanks to his wife always consulting him. Now the family could eat whatever they want, they could go wherever they want, they could do whatever they want, they could wear whatever clothes they wanted to. Giselle's dad took her to the Fuchsia safari where they caught a Cubone for Giselle.
From this moment, Thierry finally left for his own journey. He promised that he would become a Pokemon Master - without explaining whatever that meant, (He did always contact his family frequently though). Now that his parents were rich, he had a lot of stuff he could do.
Giselle's parents decided to send her to the most prestigious Pokemon Technical School. Giselle didn't really want to, but she didn't want to disappoint her parents so she agreed. She was still getting used to the life of a rich girl. Thankfully she was very smart so she instantly picked up the mannerisms of the snobby Kanto elite children in Pokemon Tech. Her future in society depended on how she demonstrated herself to the snobs. She couldn't afford to be kind. Sometimes at night she still remembered how she used to be humiliated in the past school.
Even if she didn't actually really like doing this, she had to dominate over the weak ones like Joe and some others in order to keep up face.
That's what flashed in her mind before she...
BACK IN OUR TIME...
"Graveler, Go!" Giselle summoned a rented Graveler against Misty who chose Starmie.
This was just the beginning of a fierce match.
"Graveler, go!" Giselle said as she sent out a rented Graveler in an elegant spin.
"Graveler!? But Rock types are weak against Water types!" Brock exclaimed.
"This Pokemon is at such an advanced level it can beat a Water type." Giselle said with confidence.
Graveler tried to stomp the Starmie but it dodged.
Starmie used Water gun. However, the Graveler just rolled through the stream and pushed on until it hit the Starmie's jewel center, sending it through the window, making it smash and the Starmie flew outdoors straight into the school pool.
"I...can't believe it..." Misty said... (I...was defeated in one hit.)
(Impressive..) Ash thought.
(Not bad, but that Graveler was a rented Pokemon. A real trainer skill can only be demonstrated during a battle with your own Pokemon.) Brock thought.
Everybody proceeded to the pool.
Giselle said to Misty in a loud calm voice, "Now we're by the pool, - your Pokemon's specialty. You can use a different Water Pokemon if you want."
However, Misty didn't seem to be cheerful at all. Not only was she worried about her Starmie's injuries but she was also completely humiliated by being beaten in a Pokemon battle in one hit by some rich entitled stuck up bratz girl - in front of Ash and Brock. Giselle was definitely getting onto Misty's nerves. She felt hatred rising up to her throat as she gulped and raised her eyes to Giselle while comforting her Starmie.
She answered in an angry voice, " Oh, and SURE you'll choose another Pokemon that's weak against water!" Misty was mad but there was nothing she could do about it.
Giselle put her hands on her hips, and condescendently started her explanation. "Pokemon are only as strong as the Trainer who raises them. A Pokemon that's weaker but better trained can still win. It depends on the trainer."
Giselle siad in a educative tone with a know-it-all smile, "I hope you're learning something from this, Joe!"
"Uh!" Joe did'nt catch on yet.
"A Pokemon's level of training is just an important factor as its type in deciding a match. A first-class Pokemon Trainer can calculate that." Giselle concluded.
Ash grew quite irritated by Giselle's words. Frankly, he didn't understand that basically what she was saying that if you train any Pokemon hard enough, you can win even with a type disadvantage. He decided to make his own comment on the situation. Ash stepped out.
"Wait a minute! There's more to Pokemon Training than calculating levels" Ash said.
"Who are you!?" Giselle asked. She knew that the boy was there all this time but she wanted him to introduce himself since he stepped out.
"who are you?" Giselle asked.
"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and I've already got 2 badges!"
Giselle closed her eyes and rubbed her hands. Them she opened her eyes and said with the most condescending smile that she could muster,
"Heh. In other words, you're just a beginner. And how long have you been trying to become a Pokemon trainer?"
Ash was caught off guard by this sudden question.
"hmmm...lemme think...Uh, About 2 months, I guess (?)"
Giselle gasped in fake surprise. "2 whole months and you let your Pikachu walk free? You haven't even been able to tame it yet?"
"Pika" Pikachu chirped.
Giselle slyly grinned. "Maybe your Pokemon are training you."
Ash definitely had what to reply to that, "I don't wanna train Pikachu! Pikachu is my friend and so are Butterfree and Pidgeotto!"
"Is that all you have?" Giselle asked.
"Huh?"
"That's funny, because even new Pokemon trainers usually have 6 Pokemon, and you got 2 badges with only 3. You sure were lucky, weren't you?"
Giselle was bluffing hard. She had only one Pokemon that could really be called hers - her Cubone - in most cases she just used rented Pokemon since she could afford to pay for this additional service. Her dad insisted that these rented Pokemon (like the Graveler) were much stronger, not to mention that she could always change them for something more suitable. Giselle didn't like this at first but she got used to it. This situation strengthened her bond with her Cubone who received special treatment as a full-time partner - she fed him with the most luxurious Pokefood.
Of course, she wasn't going to explain this to "Ash", right now she just wanted to show off her skills.
Ash shouted. "Every one of mine has the power of two!"
"I wonder, with two months of Pokemon experience, your Pikachi should be at level 25, but it's probably not there yet..."
Brock mumbled to himself "Actually, as a GYM leader, I want to say, that the whole Level System is completely arbitrary and approximate. A Pokemon's power can't be adequately measured in levels, - it's an outdated concept. I wonder why they still teach old anti-scientific stuff like that at this school..."
Giselle went on. "I suppose you didn't know much about Pokemon if you picked Pikachu as your first one. Pikachu tend to be hard to handle. It says so in any beginning Pokemon manual." Giselle winked in self-adorement.
Ash felt really irritated right now. He really didn't appreciate people talking down to him like that even if it was a beautiful girl.
"OH? You really didn't know? And you still got 2 badges? How funny! A Pikachu evolves into an electric Pokemon called Raichu. It gets to be pretty large. Pikachu can shock you, but otherwise it's pretty cute, don't you think? So if you don't let them evolve, they make great pets - especially for little girls, but I'm sure you knew that, didn't you? Really? You didn't? And you have 2 badges? Hahahahaha!" Giselle was taking it too far. She was just outright rude.
"Knock it off, let's battle!" Ash said with determination.
Pikachu took a defensive stance.
"For your Pikachu, this should be more than a match. Cubone, GO!" Giselle elegantly projected the Pokeball onto the battlefield(?) near the pool.