---

My Victory of Damask Town Gym (by Michael Keens/ Exodus)  

---

Its been a long trip since the battle at Vermilion City, it took some doing but 
after a few weeks, I managed to find the Power Plant and heal Raichi, after 
some major setbacks.  
The kid with the turquoise hair picked a fight with me and we had to deal with 
a rogue Electabuzz before I could restore Raichi’s health.  
The kid had blamed me for endangering the Power Plant when it was that 
Electabuzz that he’s sure to call his friend.  
The kid saw some of my soft side but not too much, I was still somewhat a 
mystery to him.  

A few weeks later I arrived in Damask Town, it had an ancient setting, with 
every building shaped like a stone temple.  
The Gym was the largest temple on the hill and I felt confident, my Pokémon 
team were shaping up and I also had a new Pokémon, a Sandshrew called Lancer.  

I crept into the temple as quietly as I could, it was seemingly abandoned and 
it looked very old and gave off the impression that no one had taken care of it 
since it was built.  
“Don’t try to creep around, where I cannot see, my other senses are 
heightened.”  
The throne turned around slowly with a sliding gravel sound, the Gym Leader was 
dressed in red robes and had spiky black hair that hung over his head, his eyes 
were locked in a strange stare, one that I knew and recognised.  
“A blind Gym Leader...” I pondered.  
“Don’t worry, I’m a very capable trainer, even without sight.”  
I doubted he would be able to live up to this, and drew out Squirt’s ball.  
“I am Reece.”  
“Scott.”  
“Well Scott, I shall show you what I mean in a three-on-three battle.”  

“Go!”  
“Win, Sandslash.”  
“Slash!” it growled.  
I had the advantage.  
“Squirt! Water Gun!”  
“Dig.”  
It dived into the ground and moved quickly, and before I could react, it jumped 
up behind Squirt.  
“Sand Attack.”  
It scraped a handful of dust in its claws and hurled it into Squirt’s eyes.  
“Poli!”  
He shook around, trying to remove the dust, it would have been much easier if 
he just had hands.  
He couldn’t get a fix on the Sandslash and was fighting blind.  
“Squirt...” I muttered concerned.  
“Sandslash, Swift attack.”  
“Poli! Poli! Poli!” he squealed as the flying stars collided with him.  
“Squirt, use Water Gun towards the source!”  
He faced the stars and fired, the Sandslash got doused but jumped before major 
damage could be done.  
“Squirt, you have to hang in there and feel where your opponent is coming 
from!”  
“Poli...”  
“Poison Sting.”  
“Water Gun!”  
He couldn’t turn to fire quick enough and the stingers pushed him to the 
floor.  
“Poli...”  
“Slash attack.”  
“Slash!!!”  
“Poli!!!...”  
Squirt fell to the floor and collapsed.  
“Squirt!...  I’m sorry.”  
“Poli...”  
“It doesn’t matter which type of Pokémon you choose, once you’re blinded its 
all over.”  
I thought to myself, I couldn’t use Shard for this fight, I needed speed.  
“I know its a risk, but I choose Raichi!”  
“Raichu!”  
“At all costs, avoid those dirt attacks and jump up if it uses Ground-type 
moves.”  
“Rai!”  
“Prepare for Scratch attack.”  
“Tail Whip Raichi!”  
He stretched out his long thin tail and used it as a tripwire, the Sandslash 
tumbled to the floor and rolled a couple of times before regaining balance and 
bouncing back into an attacking stance.  
“Growl.”  
“Rrrrrrrai!!!”  
“Sand Attack.” said Reece.  
“Quick Attack!”  
Raichi dashed to the side and the sand missed, he pushed his weight into the 
Sandslash and knocked it back.  
It looked a little weary.  
“Don’t back down Sandslash, Swift attack.”  
“Swift attack back!”  
There was an explosion of stars.  
“Agility!”  
While the Sandslash covered its eyes, Raichi slipped around the blast and... 
“Slam it!”  
“Raichu!!!”  
“Slash...”  
It tumbled over and stayed on the floor panting for breath.  
“Not bad, but your electric mouse won’t be able to avoid this Pokémon’s 
blinding attacks, Go... Seadra.”  
“Dra!!!”  
It landed on the floor and balanced itself.  
“Raichi, I’m confident you can win this.  You have the advantage and the speed.”  
“Just try it.” said Reece confidently.  
“Agility!”  
“It headed right for you, use your Smoke Screen.”  
“Light Screen!”  
“Rai!”  
He stopped and outstretched his arms while the smoke blasted out the Seadra’s 
large nose.  
It hit Raichi and surrounded the area, had my counter-strike worked?...  
“Raichi?...”  
“Rai!”  
He leaped through the smoke with an impressive shield of glass plates 
surrounding him.  
“Thunder Wave!”  
He pounced on the Seadra and ended up on top, he lowered his tail and sent 
shocks through the Seadra.  
“Seadra...  Bubble.”  
The bubbles hit Raichi hard and shot him off the Seadra.  
“Leer.”  
“Rai...” trembled Raichi.  
“Now use your Hydro Pump.”  
“... Double Team!”  
“Rai!”  
He overcame the fear effect just in time and appeared to split into five, the 
water jet blasted one of the fakes.  
“Go for it! Quick Attack!”  
“Hydro Pump.”  
“Chaaaaa!!!”  
He was shot back and hit the stone floor before collapsing.  
“Rai...”  
“Raichi! Watch out!” I shouted as the Seadra charged forward.  
“Seadra. Agility.”  
It dashed from side to side and Raichi couldn’t get a lock on it, not before... 
“Smoke Screen.”  
“Dra!!!”  
“Chaaaa!!!”  
Raichi was blinded as the smoke consumed the area.  
He emerged coughing and unable to see.  
“Seadra, finish it off with one last Hydro Pump.”  
“Raichi, listen up and shoot a Thunderbolt into that Hydro Pump!”  
The Seadra circled around and fired, Raichi listened well and shot off the 
electricity which the Hydro Pump carried back to Seadra.  
“Draaaa!!!”  
“Thunder!!!” I yelled.  
“Rai... CHU!!!”  
He already knew where the Seadra roughly was and fired a blast which travelled 
in many directions and shocked the Seadra to oblivion.  
“Your Pokémon are well trained, but your Raichu won’t be able to handle one 
more onslaught.  I choose Pidgeot.”  
“Pidgeeooottt!!!”  
“Raichi, another Thunder!”  
‘Rai... CHUUU!!!”  
The Pidgeot flew to the side and avoided it totally.  
“Bad luck Scott, this Pokémon won’t be defeated, he has the manoeuvrability and 
blinding attacks necessary to beat all my opponents.” said Reece confidently.  
“Raichi, use Thunderbolt!”  
“Finish it Pidgeot, Fly.”  
It dived down while swerving side to side to avoid the lightning and pecked 
Raichi hard, who tumbled over and lost the last of his strength.  
“You’d better choose your last Pokémon carefully.” advised Reece.  
I thought hard and considered Shard, but for this Gym Leader, I’d need a fast 
Pokémon.  
Time to give Lancer a try.  
“Shrew!!!”  
“Lancer, this is your big moment.  I want you to use your specialty attacks, 
and if the Pidgeot tries to blind you, then hide the only way you know how.” I 
said quietly.  
Reece appeared to hear me and that’s why I tried to be vague with my Pokémon.  
“Ground attacks won’t work against my Pidgeot, Go.  Sand Attack.”  
It swooped down and gathered some dust before circling around and coming down 
on Lancer.  
“Now!” I shouted, and Lancer dug into the ground as the dust covered the 
general area.  
“Pidgeot?”  
“Go!” I shouted, and Lancer burst out the ground rolled in a ball and launched 
himself towards the Pidgeot.  
“Scratch attack!”  
It swung its sharp claws at the Pidgeot’s face several times, then rolled back 
up and fell down but landed safely.  
“Wing Attack Pidgeot.”  
It dived down so fast that there was only one alternative.  
“Defense Curl.”  
He rolled up into a defensive ball and the attack only shunted him back a 
little and his circular form braced the impact.  
He uncurled and was immediately pecked on by a swooping Pidgeot.  
He rolled back hurt and the Pidgeot was flying back for another go.  
“Sand Attack!”  
He pulled it off perfectly and scraped his claws across the ground to flick a 
good dose of dust into the Pidgeot’s eyes.  
It fell to the floor and tried to brush off the sand, this gave Lancer a 
breather, but he used the time for something else.  
Glowing bright and emerging with several sharp spines and two lance-like claws, 
he let out a triumphant “Slash!!!”  
He evolved into a Sandslash.  
“Yeah! I love it when this happens!” I shouted, “Lancer, try your Poison 
Sting!”  
He rolled up and spun in the air, sending out poisonous spines.  
The Pidgeot didn’t see them coming.  
“Pidg-  Pidgeot!!!”  
“Swift attack!”  
The Pidgeot blindly flew into the air but Swift had always proved to be an 
accurate attack even if it lacked power.  
One more hit would finish it, but just to be sure... 
“Lancer, jump up there and Slash it!!!”  
“Sandslash!!!”  
He rolled up and bounced off the walls until he reached the Pidgeot’s level.  
It had just removed the dust and the last thing it saw were the menacing eyes 
of my Sandslash.  
“SLASH!!!” he screamed and tore into the Pidgeot with his claws, it fell down 
and groaned before collapsing totally.  
Reece heard its cry and bowed down, knowing well he had lost.  

Reece made his way down the small stairs with great confidence and handed me a 
black, purple and red badge with an eye in the centre surrounded by star 
points.  
“This is the Sight Badge, I see you used my own strategy against me, good on 
you.  
It was a match surely worth watching.”  
“I’m afraid I did judge you before the match, but this was one of my toughest 
battles.” I admitted to him.  
He smiled, “Some people are blind because they cannot see, others are blind 
because they see too much.”  
Wise words.  
I took the badge with my left hand and shook his with my right.  
“I feel a lot of respect for you too, even without your sight, you’re able to 
train Pokémon to be the best they can be, it doesn’t matter that you can’t see 
them, the love between you and them is clear for anyone to see.” I said.  

I left the Gym with my newest Pokémon, holding my badge up high.  
I was meeting a lot of interesting people on my journey and perhaps after I 
revived sis, I’d be able to return to them and call them friends.  

---

Chad's Fifth Gym Battle
Emily’s Third Gym Battle
Back to the Side Stories
Back to the Pokézone