Previously, the government agencies, schools, and Pokémon gyms in Azalea Town were all due to drought and water shortage.
Basically, everything stopped functioning.
After Ash had the Slowpookes use [Rain Dance] to summon many water sources.
It also injected new vitality and source of life into this town.
As a result, the Azalea Gym here also officially opened for business.
When Ash and his group arrived at the entrance of the Azalea Gym, a large house with a dome roof that looked like a greenhouse breeding base.
"It is open indeed."
Ash also saw the sign at the door saying it was open as usual, and couldn't help but laugh.
Although what he did was to force these agencies to go to work officially, there was no other way.
After all, the main job of the Alliance Gym is to provide challenges and badges to Trainers.
"Hello, is anyone there?"
The trio greeted each other and walked in through the main entrance.
The interior of the Azalea Gym is like a forest, with trees and grass everywhere.
Compared to the greenhouse appearance, the interior looks more like a natural plant breeding base.
"Is this really the Azalea Gym? It looks like a botanical garden...
"But the official manual says it is indeed here~~~"
Xiaogang flipped through the book in his hand, "Also, the gym owner here, Bugsy, seems to be very good at Bug-type Pokémon.
"Bug Type?!!"
Misty subconsciously paused: "Is there a bug Pokémon?!"
That's the type of Pokémon she can't accept the most~
"No wonder I felt something was wrong with this gym after I came in...
She was trembling a little, afraid that a bug would jump out from some jungle inside.
"What if a bug-like magic treasure really appears...
Swish!
Just as she finished her words, a Catterpie fell from a big tree in front of her.
Then he jumped and swayed in front of Misty.
"Aaaaaaaaah!!!"
The sharp and piercing explosion almost blew the entire dome apart.
Misty couldn't help but start running.
But what was unexpected was that as her sharp Growl sounded, it seemed to attract the attention of many other bug Pokémon.
Crash~~~
Piles of Metapods and Catterpies emerged from the nearby trees.
"Hate it! I hate bugs. I hate bugs!!"
She was almost on the verge of collapse and hid behind Ash:
"This place is so annoying. It's obviously a botanical garden!!!"
"That's not right~"
Just as Misty finished her words, another voice rang out:
"No doubt, this is the Azalea Gym."
"And those gym's Bug Type Pokémon can live freely in the gym~~~"
Ash and Xiaogang looked up and saw the largest tree in front of them.
A young man with purple bangs, wearing green camping and mountaineering clothes and outdoor boots, with a confident brow raised, was looking down at them.
"Also, you said you hate bug Pokémon, that's really rude~~~"
The purple stratocean boy refuted Misty's opinion: "Don't you know that Bug Pokémon is the best Pokémon?"
Misty: "...I just hate it!!!"
She didn't care about that, and was annoyed by the bugs and had a headache: "Also, who are you?!!"
H+...
Ash patted Misty's shoulder gently, and then raised his eyes: "He should be the master of this Azalea gym, Bugsy."
"Gym Leader... is that him?"
Misty, who was originally a little annoyed and angry, was gently patted by Ash.
The negative emotions that had been pent up in my heart suddenly dissipated.
It seemed as if nothing would be a problem as long as Ash was there.
Even though this is a gym with many insect Pokémon that she hates.
"It seems that there are still some people among you who are perceptive..."
Hearing that someone recognized him, Bugsy was not polite and stood on the branch, still looking down at them:
"It's unlike this lady to come uninvited and be so aggressive..."
Click.
Bugsy stood up. Although he was not very tall, he stood firmly on the branch:
"I also want to ask you who you are."
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I'm here to challenge a gym."
Ash was the first to answer.
"Is it a gym challenge? What a coincidence, we just solved the drought problem and a Trainer came to challenge us right away~~~
Hearing Ash say this, Bugsy sighed: "It's time to start working again."
Well, even gym trainers would start to sigh as soon as they got to work.
Xiaogang and Misty: "~~~"
The two of them huddled back and said nothing.
Misty, in particular, couldn't help but feel happy when she saw the sad look on Bugsy's face.
I asked you to raise insect Pokémon, but now you have to go to work!!
Well, although there is no necessary connection between the two, it does not prevent Misty from using mental training methods to chirp in her mind.
"So, can I start the challenge now?"
Ash, the culprit who forced the entire Azalea Town to resume work and made the office workers wail at work, asked seriously at this moment.
"sure......"
Bugsy scratched his head. "By the way, you are the first Trainer to challenge us after Azalea Town resumed work."
"Then I'm really lucky."
Ash continued speaking normally.
"You can challenge me, but since the disciples and referees haven't come back yet, the judging criteria will only be based on the two of us."
"This is not a problem~~~"
So, the two sides had a simple communication and coordination.
This time, the gym challenge is about to officially begin.
"I, the Azalea Gym Trainer Bugsy, nicknamed the walking encyclopedia of bug Pokémon, will accept your challenge!!"
Bugsy, standing on the branch of a large tree, said loudly: "It is the duty of a gym trainer to welcome everyone who comes!!"
"But before that
Bugsy couldn't hold back his serious expression. "Before that, please help me put the fallen ladder away..."
He stretched out his hand and pointed somewhat embarrassedly at a long red chair that had fallen down next to the big tree where he was standing.
Ash and his group: "......
"If you don't dare to come down, don't just climb up~~~"
When Xiaogang put the chair in place, Misty couldn't help but complain.
"Hey hey hey, I was obviously scared by your noise, so I knocked the ladder over!!"
Bugsy used his hands and feet to hold on to the ladder and climb down from the tree.
"So, this is all your fault!!"
He was also equally unreasonable but also confident.
Of course, he was right in one thing.
It was Ash who forced Azalea Gym to reopen and welcome challengers.
Ash didn't think too much about it and quickly followed Bugsy to the battle venue.
That is a large battle stadium located in the middle of the forest!
"I see. The gym trainer is an expert on bug Pokémon, so the battle site is set in the forest."
Xiao Gang suddenly realized that this did not require the Trainers to adapt to the environment.
Ash has no objection to this.
"Okay, then the next match will be between Trainer Bugsy from the Azalea Gym and the challenger Ash from Pallet Town, with the Badge at stake."
Bugsy himself was there to act as the referee: "You can only use three Pokémon each. Are you ready?"
"Of course~~~"
Ash, who was standing on the other side of the battle field, nodded.
He knew that although Bugsy in front of him was small in stature and young in age.
However, he is the youngest gym leader in Johto Region.
He has done a lot of research on Bug Type Pokémon and wants to become a Pokémon Professor in this area in the future.
Bugsy even discovered the move [Fury Cutter], which is also the representative move of Scyther, a bug Pokémon.
He claims that he will never lose to anyone when it comes to Bug-Type Pokémon, but if defeated by a challenger he will admit that his research is not yet complete.
It is worth mentioning that there will be an insect catching competition in Johto Region later.
For example, Bugsy, who is particularly fond of insect Pokémon, will not participate in the bug catching competition.
Well, mainly because he has won many times~~~
"Ash, before we officially start the battle, I want to tell you something..."
Bugsy said solemnly: "A Trainer who conquers Bug Pokémon is equivalent to conquering the whole world!!"
"Have you ever heard this sentence?"
"No, who said that?"
"That's what I said!!"
Ash:"~~~"
Misty and Xiaogang in the back: "..."
"He calls himself the walking dictionary of the Bug Pokémon Encyclopedia~~~"
"He might be very confident about bug Pokémon, too."
They both gave the same opinion.
"Besides, don't you think that what he said is very familiar, as if you have heard it somewhere before?"
"Well, I understand how you feel. The gym leader Falkner of the Violet gym in Violet City also said something like this...
"But if I remember correctly, he said something like~~~"
"Yes, Falkner said that bird Pokémon is the most powerful, and this Bugsy in front of me..."
Falkner said that bird Pokémon is the most powerful, and Bugsy said that the Trainer who conquered the bug Pokémon has conquered the world~~~
"Although I really like Water Type Pokémon and even want to become a Water Type Pokémon Master, it's not as absolute as they say."
"It seems that the gym trainers in the Johto Region Region are all very stubborn and stubborn, and have their own ideas and persistence…
Misty and Xiaogang were chirping quietly in the back.
They also have a deeper understanding of the gym trainers in the Johto Region.
Well, I just don't know what the gym Trainer will be like in the next gym I encounter after this one ends.
"The first Pokémon I'm going to take out is the Silent Warrior among the Bug Pokémon..."
Ah
Pen took out a Poké Ball directly: "Go, Spinarak~!!"
BANG!
The spider-like Pokémon with a light green head and abdomen and a white horn on its head was placed on the field by Bugsy.
"It's a Bug Type indeed~~~"
The use of this Pokémon is also not surprising.
"Since it's a Bug Type..."
Ash also took one of the Pokémon balls from his waist:
"Then let's see whose bug Pokémon is better~!"
"Go, Heracross!!"
BANG!
"Heracross!!"
Heracross appeared on the stage in high spirits, and the wings on its back began to buzz.
"Oh, it's Heracross!!"
Bugsy's eyes immediately brightened:
"He has a strong and handsome body, a confident and resolute aura, and a very powerful aura when he appears on the stage..."
He couldn't help but nod his head as he spoke: "This Heracross is well bred!!"
"Even with my encyclopedia of bug Pokémon, I can't find any faults with it.
The more he looked at it, the more he liked this Heracross.
A Trainer who likes Bug Pokémon will be unable to move at all once he sees an excellent Bug Pokémon.
HANGGANSADSON
"Hiss
Spinarak on Bugsy's side turned his head, and his black and white Oreo-like eyes were looking at his Trainer in silence.
"Ahem, sorry, sorry~~~"
Bugsy coughed twice to ease his embarrassment.
"Okay, the game officially begins!!"
He made the formal announcement, and his mind began to stir.
He also started saving up, and after the game was over, he would definitely observe the mind of this Heracross up close!!
"Spinarak, use String Shot to restrict Heracross's movements."
"DEUTDOUT!!"
At Bugsy's command, a large amount of white spider silk immediately spit out from Spinarak's mouthparts.
It coiled towards the direction of Heracross.
"Fly away."
Ash ordered calmly, "Then use [Pin Missile]."
"Hera~!!"
The Dual Wingbeat behind him flapped its wings, and Heracross's figure was directly lifted up into the air.
At the same time, its arms stretched forward, emitting a thick white light.
And then~~~
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A series of missile-like needle-shaped attack techniques, with white light, shot towards Spinarak below.
"Get out of the way, Spinarak!!"
Bugsy also decisively let his Spinarak choose to evade: "Use spider silk to wrap around the surrounding trees and swing yourself to avoid it!!"
I have to say, this is the benefit of being familiar with the terrain.
Bugsy, who was extremely familiar with the surrounding environment, also made an extremely correct choice at this moment.
This made Spinarak choose to temporarily avoid the attack and dodge.
Spinarak didn't have the stubborn idea of "I should avoid him?!", but decisively spit out spider silk again.
It entwined itself around the surrounding trees and swung its body, executing the orders of its Trainer Bugsy very well.
But~~~
"You really underestimate Heracross."
Ash chuckled, and saw the Heracross that launched the Pin Missile suddenly turn its arms.
"Heracross!!"
In an instant, the flying Pin Missile was like a shadow following Normal.
Accurately, he shot at the swinging Spinarak.
Bang bang bang~!!!
One after another, the flying needle bullets hit Spinarak.
The explosion created a cloud of dust and smoke, and also blew Spinarak's body into the sky.
"Spinarak?!!"
Bugsy's expression finally changed and he started shouting.
However, the only response he got was the dull sound of the Spinarak falling to the ground.
Its eyes revealed swirling circles of mosquito coils, and it could no longer make any sound.
"Such a powerful attack, such a sharp skill..."
Bugsy took a deep breath, and then announced: "Spinarak is incapacitated, Heracross wins.
With just one strike, he easily defeated his Spinarak.
Although his Spinarak is only the first form of Pokémon, he has bred it quite well.
But even so, he couldn't even withstand Heracross's attack [Pin Missile].
That Heracross not only looks well-developed, but its actual combat power is also not as strong as Normal.
Involuntarily, this also made Bugsy's heart begin to grow more and more interested, at the same time~~
He also felt a little nervous and excited.