No matter how convincing the disguise was, Ash's unique aura still clung to him like a stubborn scent. It was strange — almost laughably so — that his traveling companions hadn't noticed yet.
Brock and Misty, standing nearby, tilted their heads.
"It looks similar…"
"Yeah. For some reason…"
"Could it be… we've got the wrong person?"
Ash's hand flew to his mouth in a nervous, almost theatrical gesture. But his panicked eyes gave him away. Away from the crowd, Brock and Misty stared at him suspiciously, their brows furrowed.
Even though I'd promised to keep his secret, his cover was hanging by a thread.
"Pika. Pika!"
Pikachu's body crackled with static. Was he about to—attack his own trainer? No, it wasn't aggression. It was that unmistakable I-know-what-you-did kind of energy.
And then—
A flash of lightning erupted from Pikachu's small frame.
"PiKAAA!!"
A sharp jolt of electricity surged straight toward Ash, shredding the skirt and lace disguise in one go. His shrill, girlish yelp echoed through the gym, chillingly off-key. Pikachu trembled too, as if half horrified and half exasperated with his own trainer.
The gym trainers, who'd been holding onto their grudge against Ash for insulting perfume earlier, fell into stunned silence. Then something unexpected happened.
Seeing Ash go this far — cross-dressing just to sneak into the Rainbow Gym — the trainers actually cracked up. It wasn't mockery. It was a mix of grudging amusement and, somehow, admiration.
Erika, too, couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.
He'd won their respect in the weirdest way possible.
And so, despite everything, Ash was allowed to challenge the Rainbow Gym.
While Ash and Erika faced each other in the gym arena, Brock, Misty, and I sat up in the stands, watching closely.
Erika stepped forward with a graceful yet firm poise. "...Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Erika, Gym Leader of the Rainbow Gym. I specialize in Grass-types."
A gentle smile touched her lips, but there was a quiet strength in her voice. She raised a Poké Ball elegantly, while Ash clenched his fist so tightly that veins stood out along his wrist.
"I'm not giving up," Ash declared. "I'll beat you with just three Pokémon!"
"Good," Erika replied. "Then show me your resolve."
I could already guess Ash's strategy — Grass gym meant Fire or Bug counters. His confidence burned as brightly as his starter. Typical protagonist behavior.
"Bulbasaur! I choose you!"
With a burst of light, Bulbasaur leapt forward, its small frame radiating fierce energy.
"...Tangela. Let's do this."
Erika released her own Pokémon. Blue vines uncoiled and swirled like a nest of living ropes, Tangela's form hidden beneath the tangle.
Ash made the first move. "Alright! Let's hit hard from the start! Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!"
Two thick vines shot from Bulbasaur's back, lashing forward like whips toward Tangela. They struck true, wrapping tightly around Tangela's vines.
"...Wrap it up," Erika said calmly.
The vines that were caught didn't resist—they twisted.
Tangela spun rapidly, its vines swirling like a living net, ensnaring Bulbasaur's own attack. Within seconds, the whips that had been weapons became shackles.
Bulbasaur was yanked forward, its footing slipping on the gym floor.
Ash's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. His opening attack had been completely turned against him.
Tangela had caught the vine with a vine.
A clever, elegant counter.
And just like that, the first round had begun with Ash already on the back foot.
The poor Bulbasaur flopped helplessly, still tangled around Tangela like a little green dumpling, before being dragged right up to his nose. Ash opened his mouth, breath caught in his throat, ready to yell out a counterattack—
But Erika elegant and merciless, was already one step ahead.
"Tangela. Paralyzing powder."
A hazy yellow shimmer burst from Tangela's tangled body, swirling through the air like pollen caught in sunlight. It wrapped around Bulbasaur in seconds.
"Bulba—!"
Bulbasaur jerked once, twice, and then stiffened, his little limbs twitching. The paralysis settled deep into his muscles like an invisible weight.
Ash's jaw clenched.
"Come back, Bulbasaur."
He whispered it more than he spoke, the words dragging against the tension in his chest. The red light of the Poké Ball swallowed Bulbasaur's limp little body, leaving the field eerily quiet for a heartbeat.
Erika's expression softened slightly, though she still wore that maddening, calm smile.
"I'll give you some anti-paralysis medicine later," she said lightly, almost teasing.
Ash bit down on his lower lip. "Damn… I got lazy."
He was right. Erika's calm wasn't just confidence—it was skill. She was dictating the entire flow of the battle with that graceful, merciless rhythm.
"Next time," Ash muttered through his teeth, straightening his posture, "I won't be easily defeated."
He ripped another Poké Ball from his belt with a sharp motion.
"Charmander, go!"
The little lizard appeared in a burst of light, its tail flame flaring like a torch. Ash's own eyes mirrored that fire — hot, stubborn, unyielding.
Erika, utterly composed, didn't falter.
"Poison powder."
Paralysis first, now poison. A clever strategy — choke the opponent before they can get close. A cloud of purple dust drifted from Tangela, sinister and slow, carried by the faint breeze toward Charmander.
"Charmander, dodge!" Jiwoo barked.
Charmander leapt to the side with nimble speed, escaping the toxic cloud just in time.
"...Then Vine Whip," Erika ordered.
Tangela's vines lashed out, whistling through the air like whips.
"Flamethrower!!"
The heat that erupted from Charmander's mouth was wild and brilliant, a burst of orange and gold that filled the arena. The vines met the fire — and the fire won.
The flames crawled up the vines and wrapped around Tangela, making him stomp frantically in panic, as if trying to shake off a burning blanket.
"Body Slam!" Ash shouted, voice rising with adrenaline.
Charmander tucked its head forward and lunged, tail flame trailing like a comet. The impact hit Tangela squarely, launching the tangle of vines into the air before it crashed back down with a dull thud.
Silence.
The vines twitched once… then stilled.
"Come back, Tangela," Erika said quietly, her voice lacking even a hint of frustration.
Ash exhaled a shaky breath, shoulders loosening. One down.
But Erika still had that faint smile — the kind of smile that said, "That was cute. But I'm not done yet."
Erika silently pressed the Poké Ball button, and Tangela disappeared into the red light with a soft hum. For just a moment, the air between her and Ash shifted—like a taut string loosening on one end and tightening on the other.
Ash's lips curved upward, a sly grin spreading across her face. Her brows were furrowed, but this time it wasn't from worry. The weight of that first round was gone, and now, only a simmering confidence remained.
In contrast, Erika's smile thinned, a subtle darkness creeping over her features. She wasn't angry. She was focused—sharp as a thorn and just as dangerous. The message on her face was clear as day.
I'm not someone you can take lightly.
"Ash might win…"
Brock whispered under his breath from the stands, leaning forward with wide eyes. But even he knew the battle was far from over. 2-2. One careless move could flip everything upside down.
"...I acknowledge your skill," Erika said calmly, her voice low and clear, like wind slicing through leaves. "But my love for Grass-type Pokémon surpasses it. From now on—be prepared."
Her gaze hardened, and in that instant, she transformed from a graceful gym leader into a predator on the battlefield.
"Now, please come out!"
A flash of red. Erika's second Pokémon appeared: Vileplume. The elegant evolution of Oddish swayed lightly, petals fluttering like a dancer's skirt.
But beneath that grace was danger.
The moment Vileplume landed, a thick, sweet-yet-rotten smell burst from the flower atop its head. A wave of yellow-green powder spread through the arena like a poisonous fog.
"Charmander!" Ash called, but it was already too late.
Charmander inhaled sharply, face twisting in disgust. The stench was overwhelming. He clawed at his snout, trying to fight it off, but the aroma seeped into everything.
His tail flame flickered.
And then, with a soft thud, Charmander collapsed, too dizzy and nauseated to keep fighting.
"...But is it still too much?" Ash murmured, fingers tightening around the Poké Ball. He'd thought a Fire-type would breeze through this battle. He was wrong. Vileplume wasn't just strong—it was smart.
"Pika. Pika."
A spark-filled voice called from behind.
Ash turned. Pikachu stood there, cheeks crackling faintly with electricity, eyes burning with determination.
"Pikachu… you're going to do it?"
"Pika!"
That confident little nod was all it took. Ash's frustration melted away, replaced by a fierce grin. Pikachu bounded forward, tail twitching, ready for the next round.
But just as the atmosphere began to boil with battle spirit—
"It's a really stinky play."
The voice slithered from above, smooth and snide. My stomach dropped. I knew that voice.
I tilted my head up toward the ceiling—
And there they were.
Team Rocket. James standing in the lead, Jessie and Meowth flanking her with their usual theatrical smugness.
"The smell itself is enough," James purred, twirling a small yellow perfume bottle between her fingers.
It glimmered in the light. The stolen perfume of the Rainbow Gym.
"Then bye-bye," Meowth sang, flashing a grin way too bright for what came next.
His paw pressed a red button on a handheld detonator.
And then—
Beep.
The gym filled with the soft, horrifying sound of a bomb priming.
A violent, deafening BOOOOM tore through the Rainbow Gym.
For a split second, everything froze—then the ceiling cracked like thin ice, and fiery rubble came crashing down. The air turned searing hot, the sweet floral scent of perfume burned away into choking smoke, and a wave of toxic gas rolled through the arena like a living thing.
The shrieks and shouts came next.
"Oh my!"
"Evacuate quickly!"
The battle was over before it could even finish. The Pokémon Batle was canceled, the gym was a mess, and people fled in panicked clusters, covering their mouths with sleeves as the black smoke grew thicker by the second.
I bit my lip hard. I couldn't just stand there.
My hand instinctively went to my belt, fingertips brushing over the Poké Balls. But—damn it—regulations. Six Pokémon maximum. If I went beyond that, I'd be in trouble later, no matter how good my intentions were.
"…Alright," I whispered, exhaling through the burn in my lungs. "Then let's do this cleanly."
Kanto region. Kanto team.
I tossed the Poké Balls one by one, crisp clicks echoing in the smoke-filled gym.
"Blastoise! Golduck! Gyarados! Slowbro! Lapras—move out!"
The last Poké Ball I held gently. "Butterfree, I'm counting on you."
Water surged like crashing waves. My team moved with practiced ease, fanning out through the ruined gym. Blastoise and Lapras unleashed steady streams of water to knock down the growing flames, while Golduck and Slowbro worked to contain the spread. Gyarados roared so loudly that it rattled what was left of the ceiling, sending a blast of water that doused an entire wall.
Butterfree fluttered upward like a tiny spark of hope against the smoky sky.
My voice cut through the chaos, sharp and sure.
"You five—focus on the fire! Butterfree, that weird-haired woman up there, see her? She's holding a bottle. Bring it to me carefully. Don't break it, don't drop it. Then give those crooks a nice blast, okay?"
Butterfree's wings shimmered in the light of the fire as it zipped through the rafters, slipping right past Team Rocket's fumbling defenses. The perfume bottle gleamed in its little legs.
I clenched my fist. "Now… Butterfree, Hyper Beam!"
A streak of blinding light split the air.
The blast caught Team Rocket dead-on, sending Jessie, James, and Meowth screaming as they were launched skyward.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again—!"
Their voices faded into the night as they disappeared into the clouds, leaving behind nothing but ash, smoke, and a shattered gym.
The bottle landed safely in my hand. "Good job, partner," I whispered to Butterfree, who landed on my shoulder, wings quivering proudly.
I exhaled, feeling the heat of the fire behind me. "Now, I guess I should go out too."
I stepped out into the cool night air. A breeze kissed my sweat-sticky skin, carrying away the burnt perfume stench.
Outside, Ash's friends and Pokémon were still fighting the last stubborn flames, their faces drawn tight with worry. Something was wrong.
"…What's going on?" I asked, glancing around.
Erika's face was pale, her fingers clenched tightly against her chest.
"...The smelly pokemon couldn't escape before," she whispered, voice shaking. "But Ash went inside to save him." [Authors note. i have no idea what pokemon their talking about.]
My heart thudded. "...He what?"
No gear. No backup. Just charging into a burning gym like it was a walk in the park.
"Is he crazy?" I muttered, but there was a twist of something warm and painful in my chest.
Of course. That was just like Ash.
Because he wasn't just some trainer. He was the kind of protagonist who'd jump into the flames without hesitation. Even if it cost him everything.
The heat around the gym felt like it could swallow the whole world. The entrance blazed like the mouth of a monster, belching out smoke and embers.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on those burning doors—holding their breath, hoping, praying.
Inside, sacrificial Pokémon were fighting desperately to keep the structure from collapsing. That should've been enough… but my feet still twitched forward.
The flames didn't scare me. Not anymore. They wouldn't hurt me.
I was just hesitating.
And then—
Thud, thud, thud!
Someone burst through the flames, stumbling but unbroken. His face was blackened with soot, clothes torn and scorched, but in his arms—like a treasure he'd risked everything for—he carried the little smelly Pokémon, safe and sound.
Ash.
Not just a trainer. Not just some reckless boy. In that moment, under the screaming flames and orange light, he was a hero.
The crowd erupted in shouts and sobs of relief. The little Pokémon twitched its whiskers weakly, breathing, alive. Ash just smiled through the soot on his face, his teeth flashing white beneath the grime.
And after hours of smoke, water, and chaos, the fire finally gave up. The red flames melted into soft sunlight.
The next morning was almost too beautiful—crisp air, clear skies, the world scrubbed clean.
Erika stood before Ash, her uniform a little rumpled from the fire, but her expression soft. She reached into her pocket and pulled something out that glittered like a fragment of a rainbow.
"Here's the Rainbow Badge."
Ash blinked. "…Is it okay?"
She smiled faintly. "Just having someone as strong as you around… it's inspiring. For me, and for the smelly guy too, right?"
The smelly Pokémon wiggled happily in her arms, tail wagging like a little bell.
The gym leader's job wasn't just to test battles—it was to test hearts. And Ash had already proved his.
His friends gathered around him, cheering. The badge gleamed in Ash's hand as he held it high, face shining brighter than the sunlight itself.
As I was packing up to leave—just a traveler continuing down the road—Ash walked over, hesitating.
"...Sister. Since you were with Gym Leader Erika, maybe…"
"Hmm?" I tilted my head, curious.
He blinked, then shook his head quickly. "No, it's nothing."
The perfume incident must've stuck with him. He'd learned when to hold back.
So, with a laugh, we parted ways. Ash's group set out toward their next adventure, and I turned down my own road.
"Are you going?" Erika's voice stopped me, soft and heavy.
"Yeah," I said. "After all, I'm just a passing traveler."
"...Then you'll come by again later, right?"
The way her vines seemed to almost twitch around her made me smile. She'd grown attached fast.
"Of course," I answered firmly.
And just like that, the tension melted from her face, replaced with a bright, warm smile—like sunlight after a storm.
Another badge earned, another bond formed, another story quietly added to the world.
"See you next time! See you later!"