Ash's molars were practically grinding to dust. Another version of himself was way too outrageous! Could a simple change in mindset really turn a person into someone that different?! To be honest, even now, he still thought perfume was a completely useless thing. But that blunt, straightforward personality of his had gotten him into plenty of trouble—not only had he angered Misty, but also Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City.
That was why, afterward, he had to sneak into the Gym dressed as a girl, and even let Team Rocket infiltrate the place and blow it up... Maybe Misty and the others were right. He really did need to start changing how he thought. Whether it was training Pokémon or dealing with people—both were essential steps on the path to becoming the world's greatest Pokémon Master.
In the Black World—
After buying the perfume, Ash, Misty, and Brock strolled around Celadon City for a while before returning to the Pokémon Center to rest. Early the next morning, Ash brought his fully recovered team to the Celadon Gym. As usual, he'd already done his homework the night before, asking Nurse Joy for details about the Gym. According to her, the Celadon Gym Leader wasn't particularly strong or weak—just "average."
Her main threat came from her Gloom's powerful stench, which most Pokémon couldn't withstand. So, just in case, Ash temporarily swapped out Butterfree and Pidgeotto, planning to use them for this match. Flying and Bug types—both had a clear advantage over Grass types. And, most importantly—a stench attack was meaningless against airborne opponents! When Ash arrived at the Gym, he was surprised to see that the Gym Leader, Erika, was actually the same lady who had run the perfume shop they'd visited yesterday. "Well, well~ if it isn't that tasteful little brother from yesterday! Oh, and the lovely young lady's here too!" "Miss Erika, nice to see you again. Shall we start our match?" "Fufu~ of course.
Come with me to the arena. The rules will be two-on-two. Have you chosen your Pokémon?" "Mhm. But Miss Erika, you'd better be careful." Ash and Erika chatted pleasantly as they walked, Misty occasionally joining in to share her impressions of the perfumes from yesterday. As for Brock… he could only sigh—completely left out of the conversation.
[Erika: See that? Look at how harmonious that scene is! Ash, if you'd had even half of Black Ash's emotional intelligence, I wouldn't have banned you from my Gym in the first place.]
[Ash: …]
[Brock: Ouch! Why do I look like the one who got excluded again?]
[Misty: Because you are! All you ever do is flirt, and Miss Erika clearly wasn't interested in that, okay?]
In the Black World—
Before long, they reached the battlefield. Erika mentioned that last night, a few shady individuals had tried to sneak into the Gym, apparently to steal perfume. Luckily, the security system caught them, and her Gloom had knocked them out cold with its stench. They were still hanging from the trees outside. From her description, Ash immediately knew who the culprits were. Those three again...
He had zero intention of asking Erika to let them down. Familiarity was one thing—but when it came to Team Rocket, their positions were still clearly opposed. And so, the trio continued to dangle in the breeze, waiting for some unfortunate "kind soul" to stumble by and rescue them. Meanwhile, the battle between Ash and Erika had begun. For her first Pokémon, Erika sent out a Weepinbell. Ash thought for a moment, then chose Butterfree. Thanks to its weight training, Butterfree's speed had increased tremendously. Weepinbell's Razor Leaf and Vine Whip attacks couldn't land a single hit.
After dodging effortlessly, Butterfree retaliated with a few quick Air Slashes—and within two hits, Weepinbell was down. Erika frowned slightly. Things were getting tricky. She hadn't expected the polite boy from the perfume shop to be this fierce in battle. Next, she sent out her ace Pokémon—Gloom. The moment Gloom appeared, it unleashed its signature move—Stench Attack! A thick, brownish mist spread rapidly across the field. Erika smiled confidently. But before that smile could fully bloom— Ash's next command froze it in place. "Smell attack, huh… just as I thought! Butterfree, use Gust!" "Freeee!" Butterfree's wide wings whipped up a powerful wind, blowing the choking mist straight back toward Erika! She immediately covered her mouth and nose, but even then, she almost fainted from the fumes. "Now, Butterfree—use Sleep Powder!"
A cluster of shimmering green spores burst from Butterfree's body, slamming into the dazed Gloom and sending it rolling across the floor. Then, before Erika could react, Ash followed up— "Finish it! Air Slash!" A final burst of cutting wind struck Gloom, draining the last of its strength. And just like that, both of Erika's Pokémon were down without so much as touching Butterfree. She hadn't even forced Ash to reveal his backup, Pidgeotto. Erika gasped softly, then hurried over to cradle her fainted Gloom.
After confirming it was only unconscious, she exhaled in relief. "I didn't expect you to be this strong, Ash!" "Heh, not really. I just had a type advantage—plus, I already knew a bit about your team, Miss Erika. That gave me a small edge. Otherwise, this would've been a tough fight." Ash's answer was flawless—polite, modest, and perfectly worded. Even though Erika knew he was probably being courteous, his words still felt wonderfully pleasant to hear.
Afterward, she awarded Ash the Rainbow Badge and gifted each of them a bottle of perfume as a token of appreciation. And so, Ash obtained his fifth badge, bidding Erika farewell as they continued on their journey.
PS:
Weepinbell is a dual-type Grass/Poison Pokémon known as the "Flycatcher Pokémon". It camouflages itself to ambush prey, which it immobilizes with poison powder and then dissolves with strong internal acids.
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